Category Archives for "Ticks and Fleas"

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Tick and Fleas 101: All You Need To Know About These Parasites

Tick and Fleas 101: All You Need To Know About These Parasites

You finally got your dog treated for ticks and fleas and you do the happy dance.

Yes! You can cuddle up to your dog without that thought of what if the flea will jump on to you or that tick will crawl on your clothes.

So you brush those nasty thoughts away and just want to enjoy a nice night with your pet.

While watching Netflix, you mindlessly place your arm on the chair. Then scratch off something itchy and felt a little bug. When you looked over, a tick!

Oh no! They are not yet gone!

With a sinking feeling you remove the tick off the seat and flush it down the toilet.

Pet owners, did you experience this too?

Why is it that when you treat your dog or cat with anti-flea and tick preventive, they still persist to live? What are you doing wrong? It makes you think if you are a responsible enough pet owner.

Before you go on and on about what you could have done wrong, here’s a fact you should know: Ticks and fleas are not just present in your dog or cat. Once you see them on your pet, they can be anywhere around you.

Tick and Fleas 101: Understand What You Are Dealing With

Read more here if you want to learn how to get rid of them from your dog, your home, your yard and your life! Flea and Tick 101: Where To Look To Get Rid Of These Pests

Learn About The Tick and Flea and How To Prevent Them

Still not sure what tick and flea preventive to give to your pet, there are a lot that you can choose from in the market today. Before you get overwhelmed, learn what the market offers here: Tick and Flea 101: Choosing The Right Tick and Flea Preventive For You And Your Pet

But if you want to explore a little bit more on the natural side, there are kitchen ingredients you can use to get rid of ticks and fleas: Can You Get Rid of Ticks and Fleas Using Kitchen Ingredients?

You think you are done already with all these information? One more thing before you buy! Here are the details that you have to read on - nope, you cannot just grab and go - before purchasing the flea and tick preventive for your pet. Know what to look for when shopping for your pet: Tick and Flea Prevention: What You Should Know Before You Buy

You can buy tick and flea preventive products now. Go here: http://bit.ly/simparicacod

Confused still? Go see your pet’s vet and consult with them. Your vet will give you sound advice and recommendation on the right tick and flea preventive for your pet.

 

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client

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Flea and Tick 101: Where To Look To Get Rid Of These Pests

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Flea and Tick 101: Where To Look To Get Rid Of These Pests

You looked forward to a relaxing evening. After all you have given your dog the recommended tick and flea preventive earlier. And effect can be expected within the day.

As you open your door, your dog happily approached with tail wagging and face obviously excited you are home.

As a pet loving person you are, you gave him a hug and you carefully checked the spots where ticks and fleas can be usually found.

Yes, they are all gone! Finally, you can get a good night sleep!

Later as you were getting ready to call it a night, you were sitting in bed reading a few pages of a new book.

Out of the corner of your eye, there’s a blurry speck moving nearby.

You checked it out thinking it was an ant.

Ugh. A tick. Just when you thought you can dream your night away.

Pet owners. Is this a familiar scene?

Just when you thought you got rid of all the ticks and fleas, one crawls on your bed, wall, curtains or floor?

Remember ticks and fleas do not only live in your pet, they can also live in your house and surroundings.

Here are the must dos in tick and flea treatment in your pet, home and surroundings.

Flea and Tick 101: Use a Tick and Flea Preventive For Your Dog

To address the presence of ticks and fleas, one of the recommendations of veterinarians is to give your dog a tick and flea preventive. The effect is fast and your dog can be protected for these parasites for as long as 8 months.

Not sure what tick and flea preventives for you, go here to learn the types.

If you do have some knowledge of anti-flea and tick products but not sure about them, you can read more here before buying.

Flea and Tick 101: Clean Up Your Home From These Pests

Ticks and fleas do not only live in your pet but in your home without you knowing it. Research shows that only 5% of these adult fleas are on your pet and the rest in your house or yard. They can be in various stages of the flea cycle.

Do not just rely on the tick and flea preventive, do a thorough cleaning of your surroundings especially on warm spots.

Vacuum your carpet, beddings and couch where your dog can easily access. Remember to remove the bag after cleaning. Check the walls and crevices in your door jambs. Ticks like to hide in dark places so be as thorough as you can. There are kitchen ingredients that can help.

You can also ask your vet the best way to clean your home from these pests.

Flea and Tick 101: Clear Your Yard From Ticks And Fleas

As if you do not have enough to do cleaning your home, you also need to clean up your yard from ticks and fleas. Fleas can live for as long as 100 days without blood meals from their hosts.

You might think it’s fine as long as these parasites are outside. But the fleas from your backyard may jump into your pet and your pet will bring them in inside your house. So keep your yard clean by trimming grasses. Grow plants that can repel these pests. Plants like rosemary, lemongrass, sage and citronella grass among others.

When you want to get rid of ticks and fleas, it is not just the ones found on your pet that you should address. Always include your home and your surroundings. This way, you are sure that you have removed these pests from your life for as long as you live.

If you need further help on getting rid of ticks and fleas, do not hesitate to go the nearest vet clinic in your area.

 

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client

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Tick and Flea Prevention: What You Should Know Before You Buy

Tick and Flea Prevention: What You Should Know Before You Buy

Imagine This: You were excited to go home and try a tick and flea prevention product you just bought. You can finally get rid of the parasites from your dog and from your home. And get that good night sleep you look forward to have.

And your dog seems to be excited too! So you both sat there while you read the instruction of the product box.

But your happy mood gets dampened when you realized that you bought the wrong product! Your dog weighs lighter than what the tick and flea preventive is intended for. Tsk.

You called the store and thankfully they can change the product to the right one. Still, you were annoyed at yourself for not knowing beforehand the right product for your pet.

So before you buy anything, you have to know the product first.

Here are the basic essentials you should know of tick and flea prevention products:

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know The Minimum Age Required

You cannot just buy a tick and flea preventive without checking for the minimum age required. There are products that allow puppies as early as 4 weeks while some products cannot be given until your dog is already 6 months old.

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know The Weight Of Your Dog

Another detail to know about your dog is their weight. More often than not, tick and flea preventives differentiate their products by dog weight. This is because a larger dog requires more of the ingredients than a small dog. You have to be careful in reading if it is in pounds or kilograms.

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know If Your Can Buy Over The Counter

Many tick and flea preventives can be bought over the counter but there are those that need a prescription. This is because others have higher form of treatment to ensure that the parasites are killed.

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know The Duration Of Effectiveness

One of the important details to know on tick and flea preventives is their length of effectiveness. There are those that only have a 24-hour duration that you have to give or apply to your dog everyday, while there are those that can last for a month or up to 8 months. Your choice may depend on your lifestyle and preference.

You can check out the different types of tick and flea preventive products here: Tick and Flea 101: Choosing The Right Tick and Flea Preventive For You And Your Pet

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know What The Product Targets

As the pet owner, you want to know what the product targets. Even if it says ticks and fleas, you have to figure out if it include flea eggs or larvae as some products only target adult fleas.

There are also tick and flea preventives that can prevent internal parasites such as heartworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms.

In a nutshell, there are a lot to consider when choosing the right tick and flea preventive for your dog. If you cannot decide or need a better insight on removing these parasites from your pet and home, best to consult your vet.

 

Flea infestation may mean you need immediate attention on addressing the fleas. And you may need a vet’s sound advice on that. This way you will be sure that you have the right tick and flea prevention product for your pet and your home.

 

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client

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Tick and Flea 101: Choosing The Right Tick and Flea Preventive For You And Your Pet

Tick and Flea 101: Choosing The Right Tick and Flea Preventive For You And Your Pet

What’s that crawling on your wall? A tick! Tsk. And your mind is in overdrive to buy that tick and flea preventive you saw on your Facebook feed.

Sad to say in the Philippines, ticks and fleas are present all year round. Yes, more so during the summer months.

The good news though, there are tick and flea preventive products that are readily available for you to use on your dog. So much so that you might be confused which one to choose for your dog.

Here are the types of Tick and Flea Preventives in the market today:

Tick and Flea Preventive: Topical Medication

Topical Medication for fleas and ticks include powders, sprays, shampoos and spot-on treatments. The first three mentioned can last from a day to a week. Sprays can last longer as long as your dog does not get wet.

As you can see, the effectiveness is very short and is best used when coupled with other flea and tick preventive.

Spot-on treatments may be the best topical medication, one such medication is Frontline Spot On.

Spot-ons are applied on the base of your dog’s neck or in between the shoulder blades where they cannot reach with their tongue. The medication spread to the sweat glands of your dog which repels the ticks and fleas. Your dog can go swimming and the medication will still be effective for as long as 30 days.

Tick and Flea Preventive: Oral Medication

A popular solution to tick and flea prevention is the oral medication for dogs. This comes usually in chewable tablets that are palatable to your dogs for easy giving. Your dog might think it’s a treat but is actually a medication to kill off those parasites.

In today’s market there are various chewables you can choose from for your dog. Some focus on killing adult fleas, flea eggs and ticks in your dog as well as in your home. Others include preventing heartworm disease, treating roundworms, hookworms and whipworms.

Most if not all of the oral medication that comes in chewable tablets lasts for 30 days. So you have to give this to your dog monthly. Simparica, a new product in the market can last up to 35 days.

Tick and Flea Preventive: Collars

Another type of tick and flea preventive is the collar. Yes, you read that right: a dog flea collar. These dog collars have active ingredients that kill off fleas, flea larva and ticks. A known dog and cat flea collar is Seresto.

With Seresto, you just simply place the collar on your dog’s neck and you have a tick and flea free pet and home for the next 8 months. Take note though, effectiveness may shorten if your dog loves to take a swim.

So there you have the top 3 tick and flea preventive products that you can choose from. If you are still confused, you can discuss the best one for your dog with your vet.

 

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client

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Can You Use Dog Anti-Flea Product For Your Cats Too?

Can You Use Dog Anti-Flea Product For Your Cats Too?

While cleaning your house, you see some crawling ticks and jumping fleas inside and outside your home. That is not a good sign.

You need to get rid of them fast. So you went to the nearest pet supply store and bought a Dog Anti-Flea Product. You realized that cats too can have the same ticks and fleas as your dog.

So you thought maybe the dog anti-flea product can be safe for your cats as well. Or is it?

With the many products available in the market today, do you think your cat will be safe with a dog anti-flea product? The obvious answer is NO.

Want to find out how you can get rid of these parasites naturally, read this: Can You Get Rid of Ticks and Fleas Using Kitchen Ingredients?

Here’s why:

The Dog Anti-Flea Product Can Be Harmful To Your Cat

You have to understand that dog anti-flea products are for dogs only. Unless stated that the product is also good for cats, most tick and flea preventive for dogs have an ingredient that is effective for dogs but harmful for cats.

Cats have a more sensitive metabolism than dogs that even getting in close contact to dogs recently treated should not be allowed.

The ingredient pyrethrin can be bearable to a cat but in concentrated form can be dangerous. This is the chemical that is included in dog anti-flea products that your cat may be exposed to, usually found in topical tick and flea preventives.

When you see your cats not in their usual behavior, show signs of weakness, muscles twitching or shaking, then best to bring to the nearest veterinarian.

The best thing to do when you have both cats and dogs in your house and need to get rid of ticks and fleas, you have to separate them for the meantime when treating them from these parasites. You can also consider using tick and flea prevention products good for both cats and dogs.

But you have to remember never to give a dog anti-flea product to your cats.

There are anti-tick and flea products specially made for cats such as Broadline, Frontline and Seresto:

You can buy these online now:

 

If you want to learn more about anti-tick and flea products for dogs you can go here: Tick and Flea 101: Choosing The Right Tick and Flea Preventive For You And Your Pet

 

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client

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Can You Get Rid of Ticks and Fleas Using Kitchen Ingredients?

Did it ever cross your mind of ridding ticks and fleas using kitchen ingredients?

Have you wondered if you can prevent these parasites from attacking your pet, your family and your home?

You are there looking at your kitchen and thinking what can be in here that will help in removing tick and fleas from your household.

And you are far from being wrong. You can get rid of ticks and fleas using ingredients found in your very own kitchen.

Here are the Top 3 Common Ones:

Removing Ticks and Fleas Using Kitchen Ingredients: Baking Soda

Mix baking soda and water into a paste like texture. This mixture alleviates the itch and the swelling of the flea bite. Doing this is the most important thing to do when dealing with flea bites. This can be used on humans too.

Removing Ticks and Fleas Using Kitchen Ingredients: Vinegar

Another kitchen ingredient you can use to remove ticks and fleas from your pet is vinegar. But which vinegar is popularly used? There are two: apple cider vinegar and distilled white vinegar. You can choose which one you will use on your pets.

Mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a bowl, then add a pinch of salt. Pour the vinegar, salt and water mix in a spray bottle. Spray directly onto your pet’s coat and leave for 5 minutes. Rinse off and you can shampoo your dog. Do not use the vinegar-salt-water mixture more than twice a week.

Some pet owners add baking soda to this for added repelling power. You can try that out if you like.

Removing Ticks and Fleas Using Kitchen Ingredients: Dish Soap

Who would have thought that your liquid dishwashing soap can get rid of these parasites? You only need to mix some water and liquid dishwashing soap then coat your dog’s fur with this solution. Let it soak through for 10 minutes. You can them comb the dead ticks and fleas away and rinse thoroughly with water.

There are other ways to get rid of ticks and fleas using kitchen ingredients, you just need to learn them.

But if all fails, you can check out several tick and flea prevention products readily available in the market today. Some of these products are Nexgard, Frontline, Sereto Collar, and Simparica.

Removing these pests in your home is a must so you know that your pet and especially your family is away from harm that ticks and fleas can bring.

 

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client

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Tick and Flea 101: Do Fleas Bite People?

Have you ever wondered if fleas bite people?

Has it crossed your mind that you or your family can also be a victim of flea bites?

You thought that having a dog and dealing with parasites is a one sided event. But you have to admit that nature does not work that way. Not all the time.

So to answer the question: Yes, fleas bite people.

Flea Bites Are Itchy

And like dogs scratching the itchiness away, flea bites on human can also be itchy. This is because parasites like fleas are good carriers of bacteria that can cause diseases to pets and humans alike. And like dogs, flea bites on people will come out like red spots.

Though for humans if you are able to resist scratching, the red spots can go away after a few days. But for dogs, flea allergy can be a result of flea bites.

Dog Flea Allergy: Do You Know Your Dog Can Be Allergic To Fleas?

What To Do When Fleas Bite People

As mentioned above, do not scratch the flea bites on your skin. Put ice on the flea bite or run cold water on it. This is to lessen the tendency to scratch as cold water can numb the area. You have to do this repeatedly though to make it effective.

While getting rid of the fleas in your home, you can put on anti-flea sprays or lotions on your skin. Remember mosquito repellents? There are flea repellent for humans as well. These usually are with citrus, cedar or minty scents because fleas do not like them.

It is common knowledge that when you have dogs, you can expect at one time or another that you have to deal with ticks and fleas. Unless if you are a smart pet owner, you prevent them from coming in the first place. To prevent fleas biting humans, tick and flea prevention is always the key.

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client

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Tick And Flea Prevention: Why You Should Be Alarmed When Your Dog Scratches Too Much

Tick And Flea Prevention: Why You Should Be Alarmed When Your Dog Scratches Too Much

Are tick and flea prevention products common in your news feed?

If you are a dog owner you probably came across tick and flea prevention more often than you would like. You can read them in any social media sites or you have shared some information about it one time or another.

Who wants to talk about fleas and ticks anyway?

Nevertheless, it is a topic few would want to talk about but are very much curious to learn more.

When you see your dog scratch, what do you do?

At first you might ignore it as it can be a natural instinct for your dog to do. But when you notice that your dog is scratching more than usual, you will check on the itchy spot.

You will see if there is something going on there: presence a parasite or red spot.

If either is visible, you should be wary already. If it is a tick or flea, you have to get rid of them using a tick or flea preventive. For red spots, you can use of over the counter products to get rid of the redness.

Tick and Flea Prevention: Consult Your Vet

But if you are wise, you would bring your pet to the vet to know why there is redness on your dog’s skin. You will not just eliminate the symptom but the cause of it.

While you are there, you can also inquire on the best tick and flea prevention that your dog can have.

As a responsible pet owner, you have to know that some dogs can be allergic to fleas. Read more about flea allergy here.

There are many products on tick and flea prevention. Because these parasites are part of reality in owning pets. And having them in your homes is not a good sign.

So the next time you see your dog scratching too much or itching all over - bring to the vet as soon as you can. You do not only secure your pet’s health but your family’s as well.

 

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client

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Dog Red Patchy Skin: Why You Should Be Worried When You See It

Dog Red Patchy Skin: Why You Should Be Worried When You See It

There you go. After a challenging day at work, all you want to do is sit back and put up your tired legs on the soft couch. And as if on cue, your dog approaches, jumps up on the spot next to you and settles himself like an old friend.

Like a parent, you welcome the warmth of your dog snuggling next to you. You close your eyes for a bit and pet your dog like always on the neck where he likes it.

Oh wait! What’s that rough spot you felt?

So the parental instinct in you kicks in, check your dog and there you see: red patchy skin!

Your first reaction might be: What is this? Should I Worry? What should I do to get rid of this red rough patch?

As a responsible pet owner, you may think that a good dog shampoo will do. But after a few baths, the red patch is still there. And maybe it could have gone worse already.

So now you wonder, what could be wrong? What am I not doing right?

3 Common Causes Of Dog Red Patchy Skin

First of all, you have to understand that there are several causes for that red patchy skin on your dog.

> Food Allergens

> Environmental Allergens

> Flea Allergens

You can read more about it here: Dog Itchy Skin: 3 Reasons Your Dog Gets Itchy And What You Should Do About It

Dog Red Patchy Skin: Get Your Pet Checked

What you should know is that when the skin of your dog is in a red patchy state, it is an indication that you have to get them checked. Using a dog shampoo may just address the surface but will not get rid of the root cause.

It can never be emphasized enough especially when the the red patchy skin is caused by fleas. These parasites do not only affect your dog but your family and home as well. They can make your home their home and that can pose a big problem.

Flea infestation is real.

So when you see a red patchy skin on your dog, do not hesitate to go and see your veterinarian. Ask questions about fleas and ticks. Learn about the different ways to get rid of these parasites not just from your pet but from your home as well. Know the different tick and flea preventive available in the market today.

You can check out the popular ones such as Simparica, Nexgard and Frontline. And find out the best one for your dog.

 

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client

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Dog Flea Allergy: Do You Know Your Dog Can Be Allergic To Fleas?

For a pet owner, when your dog scratches, more often than not you would brush it off as a normal habit of your dog.

Like humans, dogs scratch off something that is itchy. And it’s a natural response to a stimuli.

During the summer months, you will notice that your dog may be scratching more than usual. Because parasites are taking advantage of your willingness to go on a vacation during the hot days and cool off to a far off place. Kidding.

But yes, fleas and ticks are on the rise during the summer. It is in these hot months that they get busy and increase their numbers. Working hard to make sure that they do not starve during the cooler months - remember the ant and grasshopper story?

Anyway, your dog may be trying to get rid of the itch by scratching themselves. But there are dogs that can be allergic to fleas. And you have to be aware if your dog may be one.

Dog Flea Allergy: It’s More Than The Usual Itch

What does it mean to have dog flea allergy?

When a flea bites the dog’s skin, this will cause an itchy feeling to your furbaby. And the dog scratches it off to get relief. But if your dog has flea allergy, one flea bite is felt as if there were ten fleas biting at the same time. Imagine if there are more fleas on your dog?

Now, you have to understand that it is not just the bite that triggers the flea allergy. Dogs are reactive to the flea saliva. So the lingering itchy feel is caused by the leftover saliva on your dog’s skin.

If left untreated, you will know that your dog has flea allergy when there is appearance of red spots, bald spots and even wounds. Because of non-stop scratching off the itchy feel.

For pet owners who have more than one dog, you can differentiate which dog have flea allergy. One dog may have scabs already but the others do not have.

Dog Flea Allergy: You Can Help Get Rid Of It

As a pet owner, one of your responsibilities is keeping your dog healthy and that includes free from ticks and fleas.

The best way to keep your pets from dog flea allergy is to avail of flea and tick preventives in the market today. Then from time to time you have to check the crevices in your homes to be sure that the fleas and ticks are not hiding there.

Fleas, during their egg, larvae, pupae and juvenile stages stay in the environment. They attack your dog during their adult stage. Lay their eggs on your dog and let it fall onto the ground for another life cycle.

But if it so happens that your dog is scratching more, then you have to bring your pup to the vet. Your vet will help you determine if your dog has flea allergy and recommend the right flea and tick preventive. It is not easy at is sounds but dog flea allergy can be taken cared of.

Ask your Veterinarian on what are the available Tick and Flea Treatment in the market today and is best for your dog.

 

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

 

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” - from a Happy Client