Unwanted Guests (Pests)

The beginning of Spring brings many wonderful things; thunderstorms, flowers, warm weather, and beach visits. Our winters are not harsh, however if you live in Florida you are here for sunshine and the beach and when we do not get either, we tend to get a little cranky.  

Spring also brings unwanted guests (pests) for us and our beloved pets. We have to contend with fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes and these critters can be diligent and nasty! When mild winters happen in Florida, expect a full blown, rough flea season. The lack of cold weather allows the fleas to live through the winter without killing off any adults who then produce larvae, which then becomes adult fleas. Fleas love to hide under piles of leaves, tall grass, dirt, cars, and attics. They will hitchhike on raccoons and opposums and cats are the perfect host for a flea because of their fresh supply of red blood cells.

Mosquitoes are pesky for us humans, however they can be peskier for our pets. Did you know that mosquitos trasmit heartworm disease? Most people do not know that cats can contract heartworm, however it is a sad truth. Heartworm in cats is not treatable and can lead to lung and respiratory disease. Dogs who contract heartworms go through a rigorous and consistent treatment plan that dictates no activity or excitement and constant injections of a pesticide to kill the heartworms. Unfortunately, cats do not have this treatment option and many of them pass because of the disease.           

Ticks.....these things gross me out and thankfully I have not had to contend with them since moving to Florida 7 years ago. Ticks are also blood suckers and need the red stuff to mature through their four stages. They are not picky and will take the opportunity to hitchhike on a cat or dog and carry a variety of diseases to include lyme disease. It is believed that cats do not contract this lyme disease.

So, you wonder how to prevent or get rid of these pesky visitors? The simplest treatment is the monthly spot-on applications such as Frontline, Frontline Plus, Revolution, Advantage II, and Advantage Multi. These treatments are available through many veterinarians and are been stocked at pet stores such as Petsmart and Petco. We started treating our yard when we moved here with a pest spray which kills fleas and mosquitoes. The bottle of pesticide attaches to the water hose and is diluted as the yard is treated. It's such an easy way and we don't have to worry about our dogs getting into any granules that may be left behind. We spray, let it dry for a few hours, and then the dogs can play outside again.  

If you have fleas, you definitely want to treat ASAP. A flea collar in the vacuum bag works well, although you will need to vacuum frequently. Remember fleas multiply and hatch like crazy!

Ticks should be removed as soon as they are spotted. Using tweezers and grabbing the tick as close to the skin as possible will ensure you get the entire tick. Be careful not to leave the head behind. The head can still burrow into the pet's skin even without the body.

The best treatment for mosquitos besides pesticides? A spot on or pill treatment for dogs and cats that prevent heartworm. Let's face it, we can not rid the world of mosquitos, however we can fight them with everything we have. Revolution for dogs and cats prevents heartworm. It's a once-a-month spot on treatment. There are also pills that dogs can ingest to prevent heartworm, such as Heart Guard and Trifexis. Make sure to treat your pet with the right dosage and animal type. Never give dogs the cat type and never give cats the dog type of treatments. Over dosing can kill your pet and under dosing will be ineffective.

For questions about how to best treat and prevent these pesky visitors, talk to your veterinarian. He or she will know your pet and you best and be able to give you suggestions based on your pet's health and habits.