This entry was posted on 2020-08-13 by Pet Heaven Store.

Tick, flea, and mites products

Living in the southern hemisphere is fantastic. We have an amazing sub tropical climate which allows us to have a great outdoor lifestyle. But we are not the only ones that enjoy these conditions. Tiny little creatures that most dog and cat owners will know, called ticks, fleas, and mites, also flourish here. And they occur almost everywhere in South Africa!

So we all know that ticks, fleas and mites are ‘bad’ for our pets, but for what reasons? And all the new products available seem so expensive. Do you really need to fork out this money? And is it really worth applying or dosing chemicals to your pet in case one of these parasites bite them? Is the nightmare of wrestling your cat down and applying a top spot to its neck really worth the hassle and hate? There is only one answer, and that is YES.

So what are ticks?

Ticks are small 3-5 mm, 8 legged parasites that attach and feed off mammals. They are related to mites and are ectoparasites meaning they occur only on the outside of a host. They can start off small and swell up to the size of a pea by burying their mouthparts in your pet’s skin and sucking blood.

How do ticks make pets sick?

Certain ticks can be infected by parasites themselves causing ‘Tick Bite Fever’. This means that when an infected tick bites your pet the infection is transmitted into your pets’ bloodstream. Not all ticks are however infected which is why not all animals get tick bite fever from a tick bite. There is no way of telling which ticks are infected and which ones are not so one has to assume all ticks can potentially cause disease. There are two diseases we refer to as ‘tick bite fever’ namely Babesia and Ehrlichia. Both these diseases are very serious and can be lethal. The earlier the disease is diagnosed and treated the better the outcome. Malaria in people is very similar to Babesiosis in dogs. Remember that all the different life stages, as well as male and female ticks, can infect your pet!

Another big problem that tick bites cause for pets in certain parts of South Africa is skin necrosis by the Hyalomma tick. This can happen very suddenly and cause a big severe wound as shown below.

Preventing tick bite fever cannot be emphasized enough as it can be fatal to your pet and animals that get infected and treated more than once run the added risk of having long term problems such as kidney disease. This is especially important in regions where high tick burdens occur. Products available include Bravecto, Nexgard, Revolution, Advocate, Seresto collars to name a few. Identify which product suits your needs and environment and apply it regularly.

What are fleas and why do we need to treat our pets for them?

Fleas are small 1.5 - 3.2 mm wingless reddish brown insects that survive as ectoparasites on mammals. They are very well adapted to surviving and are able to find new hosts but jumping up to 18 cm in a vertical direction and 33 cm in a horizontal direction.

The flea life cycle can be as short as 3 weeks and over 6 months under less favourable conditions.

There are 4 stages of the flea life cycle: the egg, larvae, pupae and adult.

The eggs hatch into larvae after 2-5 days, larvae take 5-21 days to develop into pupae, Pupae develop into adults from 8-13 days but can stay dormant for up to 30 weeks in less favourable conditions. The adult flea immediately finds a new host and can stay on the host for up to 100 days where they can lay up to 40-50 eggs per day! Eggs fall off the host and are in the environment and so the cycle starts again! When you have a flea infestation it can take up to 3 months to get rid of them. Remember that your pet doesn’t really get fleas from other animals but rather from the environment. Only 5 % of the fleas are on your pet and 95 % are in the environment.

Why do we need to treat pets for fleas?

Fleas are one of the major causes of skin disease and itchiness in our pets. And there is no worse sound than a dog biting its skin at night or watching your cat’s lick its fur so much that it gets bald patches. In some cases a single flea bite can even cause a massive allergic reaction affecting the skin called flea allergy dermatitis. One often does not see many fleas on animals as they are so good at grooming themselves and in fact eating the fleas. Which is why preventative treatment is key, even when you cannot see any fleas.

In humans, cat fleas can result in very itchy bites or more serious allergic reactions in some cases, and can carry diseases such as cat scratch fever, the plague and typhus.

Preventing flea infestations is key to healthy happy pets and there are many great products available. Most often it is best to use a broad spectrum product that includes the treatment of more than 1 ectoparasite at a time, however this will depend on your environment and pet’s health status. It is important to remember that products such as Activyl and Advantage treat only fleas. So look for the right product to suit your needs.

What are mites and where do they most commonly occur?

By far the most common mite seen in cats and dogs are ear mites, Otodectes cynotis. These mites are very small white dots barely visible to the human eye, and often seen better under a microscope. They usually occur in the ear canal, where they feed off ear wax and skin debris, but can also occur on the surface of the skin. They can often be very hard to find but are highly contagious and cause a lot of discomfort and severe itchiness for your pet. Your pet can become infested by being in contact with another infested animal. These mites affect dogs, ferrets, rabbits as well as cats. Remember although ear mites mainly live on their host, they can survive in the environment for a limited amount of time.

Your pet will start scratching its ears and shaking its head more and more trying to relieve the itchiness caused by ear mites! Other signs you might look for include a dark waxy discharge from the ear, areas of hair loss around the ear from excessive scratching and grooming, some skin crusting and redness on the ear and something called an othaematoma, which is a blood blister caused by self trauma.This is as a result of the shearing action between blood vessels and the cartilage in the ear and usually needs surgical correction. It is important to treat ear mites properly to prevent long term damage.

Successful treatment is essential and luckily there are some great products such as Bravecto, Revolution and Advocate amongst others. Always be aware that cat’s are not small dogs and cannot have the same treatments, so be very sure you are buying the correct product. Should you have any queries always ask your veterinarian for help and advice.