You'll probably agree that fleas can be found anywhere on our planet! This is why it can come as no surprise if your dog or your pet somehow runs into fleas when they visit the park or have their daily morning walk. Furry mammals can easily pick up fleas wherever they go, even just by resting and taking a break in your backyard can ultimately expose them to fleas!
Protecting Your Pets From Fleas
Flea bites are another thing that can come off as a problem. First of all, their bites can be so irritating for your pets even in most times annoying at that! Not only do these little creatures spread annoyingness, but they can also spread diseases to your dogs and affect their entire well-being. Ultimately, no one wants any type of pests in their homes let alone fleas on their pets! To give you more of a sense of how fleas can affect your dogs, here are some health concerns that flea bites pose:
Flea Allergy Dermatitis
Many dogs naturally have allergic dermatitis against fleas – it’s the flea bites that irritate the victim's skin. Unfortunately, this problem seems to keep pet owners from going back and forth to a veterinarian. When fleas bite on the skin of their host, they also release a saliva that can cause various types of skin reactions in pets. Some do not even feel any effect of the flea saliva but for some the effects can be quite prevalent and painful. More often than not, dogs who have flea allergy dermatitis, tend to have the skin irritation spread all over their bodies which can ultimately result in hair loss and skin scabs which can make the problem more severe.
Tapeworms
Chewing on infested skin or licking a body part to remove dirt can be ways for dogs to ingest fleas into their system. And it’s not usually a problem if it’s just simple fleas, but if the fleas ingested are infected with tapeworms then there is a high probability that the dog will also become infected. Once an infected flea reaches a dog’s digestive tract, the tapeworms inside the fleas will then attach themselves to the intestine walls through their sharp beak-like mouths. In severe cases, these tapeworms can cause vomiting and other digestive tract problems in the host.
Bartonellosis
While Bartonella is mainly found in cats, dogs are still not a hundred percent safe from this type of virus. The source of Bartonella in dogs is commonly associated with fleas and so there are still a lot of ongoing studies with regards to how fleas can affect dogs. This is why homeowners and pet owners need to maintain a clean environment so that even the smallest of pests won’t be able to go through their homes. Call Go-Forth Home Services now and set up a meeting with our team. Let us discuss with you how we can make a safe place for you!