PARASITES: FLEAS, TICKS, & MORE: hERE WE GO AGAIN!

Springtime always begins with flea and tick remedies in my yard. My dogs have year-round treatment. Surprisingly, August or September is another time to treat the yard and check the dogs where the weather continues to be warm.

​Fleas are wingless insects, prefer 

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warmer temperatures, exists in cold weather, and can jump over 6”. Fleas can lay 20 – 40 eggs in a day for weeks, adult lifespan is about 100 days, when a dog shakes, he sheds flea eggs. Fleas are external parasites. Flea dirt is actually feces and dried blood.

​Ear mites are another irritating parasite, but mites are actually a type of mange, Otodectic mange. Dedicated mite medicine or a 50/50 wash of alcohol and white vinegar over several days will help. Talk to your vet for details.

DID YOU KNOW? TICKS ARE ARACHNIDS OR SPIDERS, NOT INSECTS.

Ticks are six-legged as larvae and develop two more legs as they grow. Ticks are external parasites and can survive freezing weather. Ticks can lay over 1000 eggs at one time. Adult lifespan is about 3 months- 3 years. Their saliva cements them to their host. Ticks can transmit most commonly and most seriously Lyme Disease. Other diseases include Powassan virus, Rocky Mt. Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis (flu-like symptoms), and more.

There are six tick-transmitted illnesses in Texas. Texas ticks include the Brown Dog tick, the American dog tick known as a Wood Tick, the Lone Star tick also known as the Seed Tick and finally, the Deer tick also known as the Blacklegged tick. A Lone Star Tick, found in Southeastern U.S., has a bite that can result in a red meat allergy with additional implications. Unlike the Deer Tick, the Dog Tick does not carry Lyme’s Disease. If you split the U.S. in half, biting ticks that transmit diseases, are primarily found in the eastern states from the Canadian border to southern Florida or Texas although the reports of Lyme’s Disease is moving westward.

IMAGE COURTESY OF TEXAS AGRILIFE IN WISE COUNTY

Worms can be in the soil, feces, or develop from other living source. Roundworms are the most common and more so in puppies. Roundworms, hookworms and whipworms are spread animal to animal via roaches, rodents, earthworms and infected water and feces. Tapeworms are internal parasitic worms that start out as fleas, get swallowed by a dog and become tapeworms. They are white, flat and ribbon-like. The spiked head attaches to the intestine wall and feeds. The body is segmented. Parts break off, harden and eventually end up looking similar to white rice in the stool. They are capable of growing up to 50 feet depending on the host. They can live up to 30 years in a host. In a dog they grow to about 8 inches. Heartworms come from mosquitos and can only be managed through heartworm prescription medicine.

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Treatment is best with a single monthly chew from your veterinarian. A comprehensive parasite treatment program will keep these critters at bay when you treat your yard as well as your dog. Remember to spray 4’ up your fence and house when treating the yard.

DID YOU KNOW? BIRDS CAN CARRY PARVO AND SPREAD IT WITH THEIR DROPPINGS?
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​References: 
​By. “Extension Education in Wise County.” Texas A&M AgriLife Extention, 27 May 2021, https://wise.agrilife.org/2021/05/27/tick-information/.

“Canine Skin Parasites Anatomical Model - Mite Flea Tick.” LFA, https://www.lakeforestanatomicals.com/dog-flea-tick-and-mite-anatomical-models-k9.html.

Intriguing Facts about Fleas, Ticks & Worms | Canadavetcare. https://www.canadavetcare.com/blog/intriguing-facts-about-fleas-ticks-and-worms/.

“Regions Where Ticks Live.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 May 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/geographic_distribution.html. 
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Core. “17 Major Difference between Roundworm and Tapeworm with Table.” Core Differences, 19 Jan. 2021, https://coredifferences.com/difference-between-roundworm-and-tapeworm/.