We love our pets and as covid has brought about a massive wave of humans craving the company of a furry (or not so furry) friend, more and more people are having their pets in their home almost 24/7. Having an animal in your home full time can sometimes also invite some unwelcomed guests, ticks and fleas are external parasites that like to make our pets their favourite hang out spot. This is ever true in a coated and fluffy friends, but did you know that our hairless buddies don't harbor these parasites as readily as their furry counterparts?
Ticks and fleas are blood sucking parasites that enjoy being in a dark and often humid (or moist) environment. Because of this, their favourite hang out is often on our cats and dogs, often in areas such as between the toes, inside ears, lip folds, around bottoms, genitalia and underneath collars. Hiding in these areas often allow them to remain unseen or unnoticed by their humans until it is too late or the burden is severe. However, because our hairless buddies don't have fur to hide out in they are "natural hosts" for such parasites. This does not necessarily mean hairless animals can never have issues with these parasites, just that they are less likely to.
These infestations in our four-legged friends can be trouble. Severe flea burdens can lead to flea bite dermatitis, skin infections, itchiness and flea bite anemia (low red blood cells), where ticks can have the same or even more deadly. Here in Queensland Australia (and other states and territories) Paralysis Ticks are and ever lasting concern. Paralysis ticks latch onto and feed off our pets and while doing so release a toxin into our pets blood stream that binds onto their blood cells and attack our pets muscles causing gradual paralysis of their bodies and lead to complete loss of function, including the ability to breathe. The only way to save an animal that has tick paralysis is to take them to your local Vet or Pet Emergency Center so they may receive tick antiserum and hospital care until they recover.
This all sounds very scary, but don't fret! We can prevent all of this from happening by giving our pets a preventative product. There are plenty on the market, but not all are made equal. Your level of protection needed will depend on where in Australia you reside. To find the best option for your pet make sure you consult your Veterinarian and they will help you find the best fit. One important thing I would like to add is that while the parasite prevention you can buy at the supermarket may be cheaper than Veterinary recommended products the efficacy (effectiveness) of them is up for debate. Supermarket parasite prevention products often have outdated drugs used in them that many modern day parasites have built up a tolerance to. Your local Veterinarian will be able to tell you the most effective parasite prevention drugs available to make sure your four-legged friend stays safe and sound. While these products are becoming more and more affective, it is always best to give your pet a thorough check over at the end of every day, especially if you have been camping or around any dense bushland.
For those of you who would like to know what products we use at Desnudo Kennel, we use Simparica Trio to protect our kids from heart worm, intestinal parasites, fleas and ticks. Simparica Trio is a monthly product (we give it to all our kids on the 1st of every month) and we use it in conjunction with annual vaccinations and a 3 monthly dose of Milbemax to give us extra protection against intestinal worms.
Animals may only be with us for a portion of our lives but they are with us for their whole lives. It is our responsibility to make sure that is the best life they can live, hopefully free from any pain or illness. Parasite prevention is an easy thing we can do to help ensure this.