Prevalent External Parasites in Dog Pets

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     Domestic pets can become burdened with unwanted external parasites that they can collect from other the outdoors or due to the seasonal changes in the environment. External parasites can be hard to detect on their early stages and harder to manage when they have multiplied by the thousands on your dog's fur or coat. Learning about them and their natural inclinations can lessen the frustration in eliminating them from your pets.

Dogs come in different breeds and those who tend to have long coats or fur can be the most favorite victims of external parasites as they can easily hide in the middle of the dog coats. Early infestation of external parasites can be identified with your pet's unstoppable scratching and discomfort. When you see your pet whining and scratching all over his body, then check them right away for external parasites.

The first common external parasite is the flea - a dark brown in adult form, blood sucking and quick parasite that transfers and multiply by the hundreds in a day. These parasites tend to spread from one host to another - meaning your dog might have gotten them in one of the neighboring pets. They also are seasonal, usually thriving rapidly in warm and humid seasons or weathers. They can infect your pet between six to twelve months and the cycle resumes again. The cycle is almost unbreakable due to the ability of flea females to lay about fifty eggs after the twenty-hours stay in a new host. These eggs are released in worm-like forms and are usually spread around undetected in your carpet, on the floor, on the doghouse and literally anywhere in your house.

Flea infestation can be a horror to pet owners as they can also become bothersome to humans. The best way to get rid of fleas is to start with your pet. Consult your veterinarian in getting the right medication or counter products for killing and repelling the fleas. While your dog in under treatment, give them necessary baths as advised by the pet doctor and also vacuum and clean the surrounding areas in your house. In gradual time, these fleas will be eliminated but it will really take time and routine clean-ups to keep them away.

Second most common external parasite is the tick. These are still pet bloodsuckers who are usually round and comes in either gray or brown colors. They are usually found in warmer climates and start out as small ticks living off the forest animals. They attach their larvae into outdoor trees or plants and your pet unknowingly collect them when they are outside. These ticks easily cling to the hairs of their hosts and are visible enough to be spotted by the human eyes. They tend to get rounded and full when they have fully fed in the blood of your pets and can be more easy to identify. Several diseases from tick bites to both pets and people make them more dangerous than fleas and so treatment should be started when tick infestation has just started. Proper consultation with the veterinarian and household cleaning always do the trick until the ticks does not find they way back into the house again.

Keeping your pets from external parasites can be tiring but they will be thankful to you about it. You should also know that these parasites can also bite or host on people so it is always better to be on guard from these parasites.