Wednesday, July 25, 2007

THE POWER OF FLEAS!

Fleas are insects of which most of us have had some dealing with in the past. This fact sheet contains some statistics which I find quite remarkable and frightening at the same time.
Why try and control the flea population?

At the very least, fleas cause irritation and skin problems in pets - you'll see this if your pet is itching, scratching or biting their coat. Newly hatched fleas will often jump onto pet owners causing discomfort for us too, but the problem doesn't end there. Fleas can carry diseases that affect people as well as pets.
Fleas can carry tapeworm, which infect cats and dogs. Ask your vet about worming, especially if you've seen any fleas.
Fleas are involved in the transmission of Bartonella henselae, a bacteria known to cause mild flu-like symptoms in people.
Fleas can also carry Rickettsia species, a bacterium that causes fever and a skin rash in humans.

Adult fleas, which are dark brown and about 2 to 4mm long, jump onto our pets, bite them and suck blood from their skin. After feeding, the flea lays eggs that drop off into the carpets and soft furnishings.
Eggs, larvae and pupae can be carried around the house on the soles of our shoes. On becoming adult the fleas jump onto our pets and bite them and the cycle begins again.
The life cycle of the flea can take between 12 days and 1 year. That is, in favourable conditions the time between flea eggs being laid and emergence of the biting adult is only 12 days. Alternatively during cold conditions this process can take up to a year. Flea eggs can therefore be present undetected in an unheated cold house for some time, and then if the heating is turned on or the weather warms up, hey presto – we have bouncing biting fleas!

Supposing the environmental conditions are exactly as fleas would like ……

A female flea can lay 40-60 eggs per day. In three months, having had a favourable host to feed on –your dog or cat – more than 2 thousand descendants can arise, who are all capable of reproducing at this same rate!

In the absence of any antiparasitic treatments, this is an obviously an explosive situation. Allowing for the time to complete the life cycle, one pregnant flea can generate 700 fleas in around a month.
Leaves you with a shiver up your spine!

Assuming that half the population is female, after 2 more months, there will be not 1,400 fleas but 250,000 new fleas theoretically. WOW!

So …what conditions do fleas love…?

They prefer humid heat, as shown by the example below.

At 16° C and 33% humidity about 70% of eggs hatch into larvae, however at the same temperature but 50% humidity approximately 90% of eggs hatch.

What conditions do fleas hate…?

Long periods of dry heat followed by cold, reduces the reproduction of fleas.

In France the year 2003 for example, was hot and dry from June until the end of August, with at least 15 consecutive days above 35°C and in fact nearer 40°C. This was followed by a cold autumn, and as a result there was little effect from fleas during the autumn and winter of 2003.

However, we have just had 3 years of favourable conditions for the flea, with summers not very hot and dry, and the other seasons relatively warm and humid.

There are plenty of pet owners who only think about fleas between June and August, but they will start multiplying behind enemy lines from March if the conditions allow. This can be the reason why people lose faith in flea treatments, when there are such huge numbers in the house already, it can take 4-6months to regain control of the situation. Eggs are hatching out continuously, and even if the adult fleas are killed, more fleas are hatching and so the owner thinks that the treatments are not working.

Similarly if the owners stop using flea treatments as soon as they feel summer is over, a rebound effect can take place, because the treatment over the summer was not long enough to
control the number of flea eggs in the house, these then hatch out because of a mild damp autumn/winter and hey presto we still have fleas biting our pets. This stopping of treatments early, makes a mockery of having treated during the summer, as most of the benefits are lost;

Signs of flea infestation on dogs and cats.

Obviously there is general itching, in response to the flea bites. A common sight during the spring and summer are dogs and cats with a balding triangular shaped area at the top of the tail, running along the back. This is the ‘flea triangle’. Often small black pieces can be seen on the skin which when wetted on a piece of white tissue or paper turn red. These are dried blood, the flea faeces.

Some animals are allergic to flea bites, and react by excessively licking or scratching. Cats can lick all the hair off their belly and inside thighs. Once the scratched skin becomes infected, the animals can be very sore, smelly and they can become quite grumpy as they feel unwell. This is when just applying the flea treatments will not work; the pet will benefit from antibiotics, and perhaps calming shampoos and steroids.

Humans can be bitten, usually around the ankles, but it is believed that the flea does not reproduce after feeding on humans, only on dogs and cats.

Prevention and treatment of flea problems…..
In our campaign against the flea we therefore have two battles to fight. The first against the adult fleas, the second against the huge numbers of eggs, larvae and pupae found in the environment.

Adult flea treatments.

There are a multitude of treatments on the market for example shampoos, spot-ons, sprays, collars, tablets……, some of which will worm and/or treat for ticks/mites as well.

Environmental control.

Firstly, vacuum the whole house thoroughly, including furniture and mattresses. This does two things - it mops up the majority of the infestation, and it also vibrates the eggs and larvae left behind, which encourages their development into adults. In that form they are more vulnerable to insecticidal attack. Having finished vacuuming, empty the vacuum cleaner and dispose of the contents - preferably by burning them. A bin bag full of fleas is a potent flea bomb!

a) Program -is an anti-fertility drug for fleas. It DOESN'T kill fleas. It stops them getting out of the flea egg. And there they die. So no more fleas…..eventually.

You must give "program" to every dog or cat that has access to your house. Miss out one and it won't work at all. It's is given to dogs as a pill once a month. For cats it is given as a small tube of liquid IN THEIR FOOD every month. (In the UK they can have an injection every 6 month – not available in France.). From time to time, fleas in the house "visit" the pets, and "feed". In doing so, they will pick up the "program" drug which will sterilise the fleas at this time. Of course this method takes time - the length of time will depend on many factors local to your own flea problem. An existing flea problem may take several months to die out by this method. This is because the flea eggs laid before Program was started, will continue to hatch out for some time. But once you start on Program - keep it up. And then if the pet picks up any more fleas from outside contacts, they will immediately be rendered infertile!

b) Frontline combo – this is frontline with an extra component to prevent development of flea eggs, larvae, and pupae.

c) Tiquanis and other household sprays. When you spray the house, spray every square inch of every mat/carpet in every room of the whole house. And under the suite, under its cushions, on top of them, the bottoms of the curtains, under the mattresses of the beds, in the pets beds, and everywhere else that's made of fabric. And if your dog(s) go in the car, then spray inside the car as well! Do it once. Do it well!

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What are ticks?

Ticks are insects. They attach themselves to an infected mammal (deer, sheep, dog etc) and feed by puncturing a vein, that is, it feeds on blood.

In doing so, the parasite which is in the red blood cells, enters the tick. The tick then drops off and lays eggs which develop into a generation of infected ticks. Ticks are attracted to warmth, and so will attach to a dog (or other mammal) when passing. It will then have a blood meal, passing the parasite into the dog’s bloodstream in the process.

The parasite invades the red blood cells, causing the body to recognise that they are different and therefore reject and destroy them.

The ticks are most active when it is warm and wet i.e. spring and autumn. It is worth noting that the change in the climate giving us warmth up to December means that the dogs are at risk for a longer period of time than previously.

Signs to look out for –

Early signs are trembling and shivering. Depending on the severity of infection the dog will refuse food and is reluctant to leave his bed. This can happen very suddenly.

If you can see what colour the urine is (easier in males than females!), you will find that it is not the normal yellow colour, but brown in colour. This is the pigment from the red blood cells which are being destroyed. Also, the gums are paler due to the breakdown of red blood cells.

Those of you happy to wield a thermometer will find the temperature is often as high as 104°F or 40°C.

It is the rejection of the red blood cells which causes the clinical signs of lethargy, high temperature, discoloured urine (the pigments from the blood are excreted in the urine), yellowing of the skin, gums and around the eyes i.e. jaundice (when the amount of pigment broken down cannot be excreted quickly enough), muscle weakness and even convulsions.

If you suspect this disease, you must arrange for a vet to see your dog as soon as possible.

Diagnosis.

A definite diagnosis can be difficult, as a blood smear (taken from the ear or a toe) does not always show the parasite. However the vet will use his experience, and as rapid treatment is the key to success, will often treat regardless of whether the parasite is found.

There are blood tests to determine if there is a low grade infection, or to determine if the dog is reacting to an infection, but these take time to analyse and again, treatment is usually started before a result is obtained.

The basis of treatment is an injection which kills the parasite, and this can be repeated after several days. The injection is often painful, so be prepared.

Occasionally antibiotics are also given, and supportive therapy such as a drip or anti vomiting drugs can be useful. Other than that, lots of tender loving care, to persuade your pet to recover is the most valuable tool.

Prevention of the disease.

There are several paths to follow:

1) Firstly using anti tick treatments, such as Frontline or Advantix is very useful. These are easy to apply spot ons and to work well please follow the directions. They must be applied to the skin and not on the hair.
If using the Frontline pump spray, it is important to know your dog’s weight so the number of pumps can be calculated. For example a 30kg Labrador needs 60 pumps of the 250 or 500ml pump bottle!

There is an anti tick collar available called Scalibor, however as it does not treat for fleas, frontline ought to be used every 6-8 weeks in conjunction to prevent flea infestations. Advantix cannot be used with Scalibor, as they are both the same type of drug and an overdose may occur.

2) Then there is the obvious option of checking your dog over daily for ticks, especially in the armpits, groin, belly and between toes. The ease of this task varies greatly depending on the coat of the dog. The ticks can be easily removed using specially developed tools, available from pet shops and vets.

3) Vaccination can help, but the vaccines are not 100% sure and are expensive. These are best given when the disease is not very active, i.e. June/July and January/February.



Most pet owners in the UK are aware that if they bring a dog from mainland Europe into the UK, they must treat it with an anti tick treatment. However, how many treat before visiting mainland Europe with their dog? There is a real need to treat your dog with a proven anti-tick treatment, such as Frontline or Advantix, prior to your visit.

The manufacturers recommend monthly dosing with Advantix or Frontline to control ticks, local vets often advise every 3 weeks during periods of danger.

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What are the rules about keeping pets in buildings?

The law in France, based on a decision by the Council of State, says that everyone has the right to keep a pet.
According to the Société Protectrice des Animaux (SPA) - the equivalent of the RSPCA - a landlord is not allowed to ban the keeping of pets, which may include the usual cats and dogs as well as ‘new pets’ (les nouveaux animaux de compagnie - les nacs) such as reptiles and tarantulas.
This does not remove the tenant's responsibility for preventing damage to the property or nuisance to neighbours and does not necessarily apply to dogs considered to be of dangerous breeds which are regulated by strict laws in France. However, French vet Dr Brice Martin said what was allowed in theory did not always apply in practice, especially if there were specific rules about animals in the tenant's contract - some landlords might try to enforce a ban even if the theory says they cannot.
He added landlords who did not want animals might also find an excuse not to take on tenants who had them in the first place. So, the answer is you have the right to a pet but it is best to tread carefully and it is preferable to find out your landlord's views. Rules concerning noisy pets can also be strictly enforced and lead to police investigations, court cases and the animal being taken away.

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Wednesday, July 4, 2007