Click for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this ongoing blog about itchy dogs.
In part 3 of this series of blogs about itchy dogs, we took a look at two common parasites of dogs; lice and mites. In this fourth and final part of these blogs we will discuss fleas and ticks, two other common parasites that can make our dogs’ lives miserable at times.
Fleas
Though there are multiple species of fleas that can infest our dogs, the most common flea type in North America is the “cat flea”, known to scientists by the name Ctenocephalides felis. Fleas are commonly acquired by our dogs through close contact with other infested animals or from environments suitable for flea development and dormancy. Regions with higher environmental temperatures and high relative humidity allow fleas to develop more quickly and to survive for extended periods of time off of a host. Once infested, there are two important pieces of information that should be considered to eliminate fleas and prevent a reinfestation of your dog; flea control on the host and flea control in the environment.
Since female fleas must take a blood meal before they can lay eggs, controlling the fleas ...