ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
Is He Chasing His Tail? What You Always Wanted To Know About Fleas
My dog has fleas. That one statement is enough to make any visitor to my house run back down the walk to their car. If you own a pet it's one of those unwritten facts that they will, at one time or another, have fleas. One of the not-so-fun jobs of pet ownership is dealing with an infestation or working to avoid one. To cope effectively with fleas you should have an understanding of their habits and life cycles. I realize that doesn't sound like fun, sitting-in-front-of-the-fire reading material, but knowing what you're up against is winning half the battle before it starts. So here's the low down on fleas. Adult flea - lives on the host animal (dog or cat), where the female lays her eggs. Egg - flea eggs are laid on the animal but fall off into the bedding, carpeting, and elsewhere in the animal's home and hatch into larvae within a few days (depending on heat & humidity). Larva - flea larvae feed on organic material in the environment and on the droppings from adult fleas. I know it's gross. As the larvae feed on adult flea droppings, they are found in highest numbers in areas where flea-infested animals spend much of their time. Pupa - after 5-11 days, the larvae produce a cocoon in which they complete their development. During this stage of their life cycle, fleas are resistant to flea sprays, shampoos, medications,etc. In ideal conditions, adult fleas hatch from their cocoon in as little as 5 days, although they can live in the cocoon for up to 5 months. Hatching is brought on by vibration, physical pressure, heat, and air; in other words, the your dog walks in the room, sits down and BAMM. After hatching, the adult flea finds an animal and within 2 days the female flea begins producing eggs. Fleas can continue to produce eggs for up to 100 days and believe it or not, a single flea can produce thousands of eggs. I know the whole concept of fleas and their life cycle is gross and personally if I wasn't confronted with our three dogs in constant agony looking at me with those big, sad eyes .. well I'd probably ignore the whole flea thing. What you do now that you're armed with all this terrific flea knowledge is: 1. Control the fleas on your pet - keep them groomed and use shampoos made for flea control. There are flea medicines that we use in my house. Personally, I prefer "Frontline" because it is a gel and I just rub a little dab at the nape of their neck (do dogs have a nape?) and the fleas are ousted for thirty days or so. You can also get pills like "Program" that control the fleas by sterilizing any female flea that bites your dog. 2. Keep the pet bedding flea-free. This is probably what I had the most trouble with because I have three dogs and they don't sleep in actual beds. But, if you can keep the fleas off the bedding, blankets, carpeting or whatever area they stake-out as their own space, your battle is much easier. Some people even studied fleas and they decided that only about 5% of the adult flea population actually live on your dog. That means the other 95% plus are living either outdoors or in the bedding, carpeting and such. Don't give up. If you can keep the fleas off your pet or at least under control AND if you are vigilant with the whole bedding issue then fleas won't control your life or that of your dog. The author of this article, Joanne Robbins is an internet publisher of many sites including http://www.jrsbigdog.com where you can find more information about fleas, flea control, selecting the proper pet for your household plus additional health topics. Also read her Blog at http://www.jrsmarketplace.blogspot.com
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Correcting Cats Bad Behaviour: How To Discipline Your Cat; Youll Be Happy; Your Cat Will Be Too! At some time or another even the sweetest cat "misbehaves." Ironically, a cat's bad act is usually quite normal behavior for her, but may have a result humans don't like or want. Screaming at the cat or physically punishing her won't alter negative behavior. The best way to change undesirable behavior is to eliminate the opportunity and/or distract the cat to an acceptable alternative. Training Your Dog To Jump The Rope Trick: Simple and Fun Dog Trick To teach a dog to jump, with your right hand hold a cane just high enough above the ground so that your dog can easily step over it, and in your left hand hold a piece of treat just in front of him, so that he will have to step over the stick to get it. As the dog grows older and understands what you want him to do, you can raise the stick a few inches at a time, so that he will be obliged eventually to jump over it to obtain the reward. Occasionally refrain from rewarding him, and thus accustom him to jumping without a reward. Online Guide For Training A Dog Guide for training a dog Things You Should Never Feed Your Dog Sadly, there are several household items which we tend to take for granted that are potentially very hazardous to your dog's health. It is especially important to be aware of this because as you know, dogs are very much scavengers and will often eat whatever they can sink their fangs into. I would say that may own dog is more like a mobile garbage disposal. It is also very important to be aware of these items since their sense of smell is so well developed that your pooch will be able to find what you may think is well hidden. Pet Doors: Giving Your Pet Freedom to Come and Go as They Please Helps Solve Behavior Problems Pet Doors Westie Merchandise that Benefits your Dog There are many places to find Westie merchandise, but before you make a purchase for yourself or your Westie, consider first a retailer or non-profit organization that uses sales of Westie merchandise to benefit the breed. Buster the Beloved Pussycat "Dogs have owners; cats have staff," and I have worked for some wonderful cats in my time. The one I loved best was named Buster. Buster had an unusual mind. He didn't think like other cats; he didn't act like other cats. Maybe that's why I loved him so. Chances Of A Lost Pet Being Recovered Increase Every day we are looking for ways to make our life better, this includes protecting our families, and also included is the family pet. This once wild animal has become a domesticated pet and also become an integral part of the modern family, and there are many laws devoted to stopping abuses to animals. What is lacking in the modern family is proving a means to recover the family pet, if they should ever become lost. Ensuring that a lost pet will be returned to its owners should be the number one priority when finding ways to improve our lives, because the loss of a family pet can be a very devastating time in our lives. Housetraining Tips for Your Dog or Puppy Puppies need to go to the bathroom after they play, chew, drink, eat or sleep. Start by putting them on a leash and tethering them to you. That way you can be aware of them when they start sniffing the ground (usually a cue the puppy needs to go potty). Pick them up and carry them outside. When they go potty, tell them "good potty" and give a cookie as a reward. Do not let your puppy off leash until they have finished going so they get into the habit of going potty, then playing. Many puppies will want to go outside just to play if you let them off leash first. No More Stillborn Kittens ? Know How To Care For A Pregnant Cat 'I named all kittens, although they were all stillborn.' 'My pregnant cat has a bloody vaginal discharge.' 'I had a litter of five, but only one kitten survived.' Five Cat Food Factors That Discourage Feline UTD One of the most common causes of Feline Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) is what your cat eats. A feline diet that is too high in carbohydrates and magnesium, and low in protein can lead to FLUTD. When their cat is initially diagnosed with FLUTD, feline owners will usually first try to get their kitty to eat the prescription food recommended by their vet. Cat Lover Gifts Among the most well known cat lover gifts are photo frames for the cat or cats in question. A majority of cat owners have more than one cat, and love to show off pictures of their "babies" to anyone willing to listen, gush over and admire the beauty of their feline friends. Dog Training Collars: Teaching Your Dog Basic Obedience and Breaking Bad Habits Dog Training Collars Crate Training Your Puppy or Dog Introducing your puppy to the crate should be an easy and fun process. First, start by putting the crate somewhere the puppy enjoys being. Try the family room or wherever everyone "hangs out". Open the door and just let your puppy explore at his own pace. Reward him for going near it by tossing a cheerio or some other small treat. What Type of Cat Food is Really Best For Your Cat? Which cat food should you feed your cat to be certain that he or she will have the proper nutrition? What is the best mix of food to assist your cat in living to the limit of it's life span? Animal Communicator I have a business card burning a hole in my Rolodex. It's from an animal communicator. Someone who allegedly interprets mental pictures from animals. I love my dog dearly. He communicates with very expressive eyes and I don't seem to have much trouble" getting" him. But because I'm so attached to him I've been toying with the idea of going that step further to find out what's really in his mind. So why don't I? How To Setup A Freshwater Tropical Fish Tank This is an 11 step guide to setting up a freshwater aquarium in your home. Is He Chasing His Tail? What You Always Wanted To Know About Fleas My dog has fleas. That one statement is enough to make any visitor to my house run back down the walk to their car. Take that Junk out of your Trunk Your local grocery store is chock full of food and treats that are stuffed with bad quality ingredients. It is a real shock that the shelves do not simply collapse under the weight of all that rubbish. Here are some bad protein items you will want avoid like the bubonic plague: Soybean meal, wheat or wheat middlings, corn gluten meal, corn meal, whole/crushed corn, and maize are all too often often used for their protein because they cost a heck of a lot less to include in a treat or food than their real-meat protein counterparts such as chicken. Food coloring can also be a big concern with regard to pet food and treats: it is not too unusual, for example, for biscuits to be dyed in order to make them look like fresh meat or vegetables. This would not be a huge thing if we were still the fifties, back when when food dyes were still based on plant-based compounds of one sort or another. But in order for pet food manufacturers to save money and increase longevity, they began producing food colorings largely from chemicals. All too many studies show that chemical food coloring makes hyperactive kids more so, and some dog trainers sat the same applies to hyperactive dogs as well. This artificial food coloring is still widely today despite the reality that they are entirely unnecessary and have been linked to certain medical problems. It is believed by large number in the medical field that if an ingredient is not organic to the body (such as chemical coloring), the body reacts to it and can create a lot of health issues. Pets care about taste, not color, so food dyes are more for people than for them. Give a Homeless Cat or Dog a Gift of Good Cheer The holidays are a wonderful time of year, full of excitement , expectation, and celebration.
|
|
|
|
|
