Flea Diseases ? What To Look For To Prevent Them From Infecting Your Pet

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 at 8:55 pm

Flea Diseases ? What To Look For To Prevent Them From Infecting Your Pet

So you come home one day and your pet is scratching away. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? They love it when we scratch them so why should I be concerned if they do it sometimes. Knowing your pets from the first day you get them home is so important. It could be more serious than that. Let’s take a look.

For starters this scratching may be an indication of a bigger health problem. Too much scratching is usually a sure sign of Flea infestation. Taking this seriously, especially in puppies is critical because they can infect and leave them with several different diseases.

One of the most talked about diseases when it comes to our pets is tapeworms. Today, a lot of breeders do not automatically vaccinate any more for some diseases. Tapeworms are one of them. So is it actually more common to find them in puppies than in the past. If your pup tends to be a voracious eater or is constantly biting or itching in the backside area they probably have tapeworms.

A quick look at their stool is sometimes all it takes to know if they have tapeworms or not. But this is not always the case. They are not always big enough to see. To be sure take a stool sample into your vet so they can check it out. If your pet has tapeworms the vet can provide you with the correct course of action to get rid of them. They aren’t deadly but can reduce the intake of proper nutrients a pet needs especially at an early age. They should be taken care of immediately upon finding out your pet(s) have them.

Another very common disease caused by Fleas in cats and dogs is Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD).There are two important points to remember here. You may not have an “infested” pet, so you think. They scratch and scratch but there are very few fleas. If this is the case your pet may be allergic to them.

A single bite or two every few weeks is enough to cause the condition. Since they are allergic they constantly clean, bite and groom themselves which rids them of a large “population”. But this brings me to my second point. All this biting and grooming can lead to other secondary skin conditions.

So it’s best to keep your eyes wide open. Look for telltale signs like bumps and maybe even scabs. Search the tail and backside areas for signs of fleas. Pay particular attention to areas behind the neck and the groin area. Use a Flea comb while the pet stands over a white towel. As you cob thru the fur you will see them fall out. They should be thrown in a bucket of soapy water right away to drown them if you find them.

Cat scratch disease is another culprit in the family of Flea Diseases. Although benign in cats they are considered the long term carrier of the infection from being bitten by a contaminated flea. There really are no signs the cat may have it but it can be transferred to a human. It is done so from the cat scratching the person. Children are most at risk since they can agitate a cat more easily than just thru normal contact you or I may have.

People are familiar with the term “plague”. Unfortunately it is also a disease that can be carried and transmitted by a flea and given to a pet. Although there are 10 to 15 cases per year in the U.S., very few over the last 50 years have resulted in a death. Generally other conditions lead to the person not recovering thru a normal regimen of antibiotics.

Although all the potential diseases are serious for all pets at all times, the most common disease and of most concern for puppies is Anemia. You see, puppies are in their most important stages of development at that age. An infestation of Fleas especially at this age causes a serious circulatory imbalance in your pet. This is because of a lower than normal red blood cell count in their system due to the Anemia.

The 3 signs to look for this particular disease are white(ish) pale gums or a very lethargic and weak pet. This is caused by the lower red cell count which in turn thins out their blood. This causes less oxygen to be carried throughout their system. They breathe harder and faster trying to get more oxygen which tuckers them out. That’s what causes the low levels of physical and mental alertness, ie. Lethargy.

Check for Fleas, Flea bites and symptoms on your pet on a regular basis. It they seem to be particularly moody or lazy they could have a problem. Fleas like rabbits reproduce very quickly in large quantities and are a menace to pets and humans alike. It is virtually impossible to avoid all contact with fleas either directly or thru your pets.

Knowing and watching for all the possible symptoms and the diseases they relate to can keep you and your pets from get infections. Responsible pet care and a good Flea and Tick Control Program will prevent this from happening.

Thanks for Reading!

Joe is an on-line author and internet affiliate marketer. As an individual that’s been involved with sports for years including martial arts (2nd Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do), lacrosse, baseball, football, coaching and being a referee health and wellness are an important part of his life. He has also spent years raising cats, dogs and birds. As an engineer he spends a great deal of time working on his house, designing and fixing things and developing his new business platforms. With his experience he has written articles to share the information and experiences developed over the years.