It’s that time of year again, warmer weather, camping trips, weekends at the lake, and vacations, not just for us but for our pets as well. And with all that comes fleas and ticks seasons, which is not just for our pets but for us as well.
The key to fleas and ticks is to stop the problem before the problem starts. And now is a good time before the weather becomes much warmer. If you are not diligent about flea and tick control, the infestation can become over whelming for your pet and your family.
The flea is a tiny wingless insect that feeds on the blood. They can jump up to 8 inches vertically and 16 inches forward. A female flea is a prolific egg producer. Within two days of her first blood meal, she starts to lay eggs. Within a week she is consuming 15 times her weight in blood and producing 27 eggs a day. Once the flea is on a host it does three things: Sucks blood, Causes irritation, and transmits diseases such as plague.
The tick is a flat insect that is the size of a kernel of corn, but can expand 50 times their normal size after a good meal. Ticks will usually attach themselves around the head, chest, front legs or belly. Once a female tick finds a host, she will fasten her legs to a hair shaft and then buries her mouth through the skin. A female tick can lay up to 5,000 eggs. Ticks are responsible for transmitting Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Encephalitis and other diseases.
Mosquitoes are more of a nuisance to our pets but can carry West Nile Virus.
Village Veterinary Hospital uses Bravecto for dogs and Revolution for cats. Bravecto is a once every 3 months tasty chew for your pet and is simple to use. Revolution is a topical medication for cats that pet owners apply monthly to protect against many common internal and external parasites, including fleas and heartworms. Village Veterinary Hospital also has products to treat your home and yard. If you have questions regarding Bravecto, Revolution 
or the insects mentioned above, please contact our office at 505-869-2627 and we will be glad to help you.