Powerful Methods for Fleas & Ticks That Really Work!

The whole thing of copping with fleas and ticks makes your furry companion anemic. No doubt: both are tiny creatures that feed on your pet’s blood and cause miserable and more serious health problems.

But, today there are many methods available that effectively combat the flea and tick problem and make your pet’s surroundings hostile for these tiny parasites. Here are some safe and practical flea and ticks prevention methods to recommend:

·         Medications: The first thing to keep flea and tick off your pet is to use a right flea and tick preventions medications. There is a wide range of pet medications, specifically formulated to prevent these harmful blood-sucking parasites happening in the first place. Even some eliminate the flea or tick when it bites. Nowadays, most of vet recommends once-a-month topical medications such as Frontline and Advantage or oral medications like Capstar, Bravecto. All these medications are easy to use and safe for both pets, humans.

·         Shampoos: While there are many flea and ticks specific shampoos available on the market, always make a wise choice of ordinary one. The pet shampoos are specially medicated with prime ingredients that help wash away adult fleas and their eggs for a short period of time. During shampoo your pet; be sure you keep it on the skin and coat for few minutes before rinsing thoroughly. 

·         Dips: This is one kind of chemical formula that needs to be mixed with tepid water. To administer a dip, you have to dip your pet into the dip mixed water or use a sponge or spray to thoroughly cover the entire body.  Always go for pyrethrins contained dip that effective in treating fleas and ticks. It can be safe and effective if you administer proper dosage in right way.

·         Preventative Collar: Pet owner can also use medicated flea and tick preventative collars as effective method. It works quickly to repel fleas and sometimes ticks from your pet within few hours of administration. Usually, the collar contains pyrethrin, even some also contain insect growth regulators.

·         Balanced Diet: Just like human, pet also requires a balanced healthy diet to be healthy and fit. Remember, unhealthy coats and skin of your pet can create perfect environment for fleas and ticks to feed and breed. So, it is advised to your pet a balanced, species-appropriate fresh-food diet that keeps your pet healthy. And if your pet is healthy, no any chance to attract any annoying pests on him.  This way you can maintain pet’s immune system optimally.

·         House Cleaning: Fleas and ticks can also live in carpets, cushioned furniture, cracks and crevices on floors. So, be cautious. Here, it is more ideal to vacuum your entire home regularly and thoroughly. Even clean your car, too. It helps to decrease the chances for fleas and ticks to stay long enough to lay eggs and reproduce.

·         Pest Control Treatments: Use safe-on-pets sprays or foggers to make your pet’s surroundings hostile to annoying parasites. Before use, always read and follow all instructions carefully as safety manner especially if you have children at home.

·         Inside Time: Ticks, fleas pose danger to outdoor pets. So it is better to avoid your pet outdoors for hours at a time specifically in mid-summer. This is your duty as pet parents to protect your pet from any harmful thing that might happen if he gets outdoors.

With the effective prevention methods described above, you can provide your loved ones healthy life. Yes, it requires some work but your efforts and cares surely worth to keep your pet free of bothersome fleas and ticks.

Pet Allergies Part 1: Introduction, Causes and Symptoms

Allergies – whether it develops in human or in pet, the key cause behind it is the over-sensitive immune system toward everyday substances (allergens) like dust, mold spores, mites and food additives. With this long list, it seems tentative to determine what is causing your pet to itch so badly. So, as a pet parent, how can you determine the exact cause of your pup’s misery? The simplest way is to increase awareness and keep an eye on the most common signs that point to a pet allergy or intolerance.

In first part of pet allergies, we will explain some common signs and symptoms to look for when your pet is dealing with a allergies and how they develop in pet.

Let’s Take a Glimpse on Symptoms of Pet Allergies:

·         Itchy, reddened, inflamed and sore skin

·         Watery, runny or bloodshot eyes

·         Scratching, rubbing, Licking or nibbling around affected areas

·         Excess of ear wax & inflamed ears

·         Wet Eczema

·         Diarrhea and Vomiting

·         Hair Loss or thinning patches

·         Coughing, shortness of breath, or wheezing

·         Weight loss

·         Loss of appetite

·         Yeasty or odd smell from the coat, ears or skin

·         Dull, dry or brittle coat

·         Some Behavioural Changes

Hope, this list may be eye-opening for pet owners.

Now, Know the Causes of Pet Allergies:

The best way to treat allergies is obviously, pinpointing what is causing them. So, when you determine one of any above symptoms in your pet, you might be able to properly deduce the cause of allergies development.

Basically, an allergic reaction develops when a sensitive pets’ immune system reacts strangely to harmless invading allergens. Mostly, the environmental allergens like house dust mites, mold spores and pollen secrete in pet’s fur and gradually they trigger the immune system of pet. They can lead to frequent itching, scratching and licking and mostly resulting in skin irritation, lesions or chronic. We can not see such microscopic allergens by our naked eye. Within just 15 to 30 minutes of pet allergen exposure, the allergic symptoms can be revealed. Or, may take several hours in some cases.

If your pet only shows his symptoms during certain times of the year, then it might be possible to have seasonal pet allergies that mostly caused by pollens in the air. Another side, it may surprise you that pets can also have food allergies. Of course, the top foods or some ingredients may trigger pet allergies. For example, your pet may be allergic to dairy product, fish, beef and other protein sources.

All breeds have diverse dander, so the reaction of allergies is also varied pet by pet. That’s why some pets become more allergic than others.

Conclusion:

It is imperative for pet owners to be on the alert for pet allergies symptoms and increase awareness for culprits behind allergies. By this way, you can take proactive steps to relieve your pet’s symptoms either through vet visit or topical treatments as well as allergy control pet foods or homeopathy treatment. So, always be a conscientious pet owner and pay careful attention to improve your pet’s quality of life. And, any of above allergies symptoms sounds familiar in your pet, be sure to get checked out so he can get treated.

In Part 2, we will further discuss the different types of pet allergies and ways to treat them.

5 Vital Coughing Reasons Explained in Pets

Coughing is not considered as that big an issue as it is supposed to be. If your pet's life is in danger if he is coughing, you have all the rights to know the reason of this coughing. 

 

The most common causes of coughing in a pet are:

1. Kennel cough

Kennel cough is recognised by a deep and honk like sounds followed by gagging, sneezing or even vomiting in dogs. Since, this cough is contagious, the bacteria and viruses that causes this cough can be easily transmitted. This syndrome is commonly observed in areas where crowd of pets are the most, like in boarding kennels, grooming parlours and doggie parks.  It is a persistent cough, caused due to Bordatella. In cats, the symptoms may be upper respiratory diseases, sneezing and eye/nasal discharge. Most times, the cough can be cured without any treatments given if they are on a healthy diet and acts fine. To prevent your pet from being infected by kennel cough, avoid overcrowding of pets and maintain cleanliness of the surroundings.

2. Heart disease

The pets suffering from heart disease may depict coughing as a symptom along with fatigue, weakness, change in colour of the tongue, heartbeat fluctuation and breathing difficulties. When your pet coughs if he has a heart disease, which generally means that the disease is progressing and your pet needs medical attention. The treatment varies with the severity of the ailment. Certain dog breeds are also prone to heart diseases. Heart disease may include problems like leaky valves, thickening of heart muscles, cardiovascular disease. Any sort of symptoms should not be overlooked in pets and regular vet visits for check-up will prevent such diseases from developing too.

3. Pneumonia

Building up of fluid or phlegm in the lungs is a sign that your pet might be suffering from pneumonia. This can be confirmed by various other symptoms like weight loss, fever, lethargy and breathing problems. Pneumonia can be of different types depending on the causing agent like bacterial pneumonia or fungal or aspiration. Treatment depends on the causing agents. Generally, in this condition, the airways of the lungs become inflamed.  It also easily affects the pets having a weakened immune system

4. Collapsing trachea

Collapsing trachea is a commonly viewed problem in toy breeds of dogs and is determined by a goose like honking sound. This chronic disease in dogs progresses slowly. Dogs who are prone to this disease will show signs like resistance towards exercise, gagging or respiratory issues. Dogs that are obese are at a risk of the development of trachea collapse. So, avoid this by regular exercise and check-ups at your vet.

5. Lodged throat

Sometimes when your dog suddenly starts making weird gagging noises or coughing loudly with licking and swallowing attempts, this indicates that some object is stuck in your pet's throat. Any foreign object, like grass, seed, may cause discomfort in the throat. Immediately rush to the vet to see the severity of the situations. Swallowing of improper objects may result in serious infection or diseases.

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