Flea & Tick Prevention Services

There are several good flea and tick preventives on the market.  You should always purchase preventives from your veterinarian, as some OTC products have been known to cause serious adverse side effects such as tremors.  Preventives come in both oral and topical forms and your veterinarian can guide you on which prevention is best suited for you and your pet.

Ticks in Ohio

There are four main ticks in Ohio, the american dog tick, the brown dog tick, the black-legged or deer tick, and the lonestar tick.  Each of these have a three stage life cycle and each stage will take a blood meal off of a host.  Ticks spread infection by contracting it from the blood of a host during the first two feedings and then transferring the infection during subsequent feedings.  Brown dog ticks are less known to spread disease in Ohio, but are the only tick that can infest an indoor area.  Diseases that are commonly spread in Ohio include Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Erlichia, Lymes disease, and Rickettsia.  All of these diseases can be serious and require medical attention.  The best way to prevent illness is to prevent tick infestation in your pet by using a high quality preventive, keep your yard free of brush and leaf piles, and keep your pet out of tall grasses.

Fleas

Fleas are very common on indoor and outdoor dogs and cats.  They are small in size and can easily come into a home through screens, on pets, or on human clothing.  Fleas have three stages in their life-cycle and progress from larvae to pupae to adults in varying amounts of time depending on climate.  Adults begin feeding on your pet immediately and females can lay 40-50 eggs per day after taking a blood meal.  Adult fleas can live 2-3 months.  It is easy to see how quickly one adult flea can become an infestation on your pet and in your home.  Fleas spread blood borne diseases such as Rickettsia, Bartonella, and Mycoplasma, as well as tapeworms.  They also cause skin allergies in some pets that can be severe when left untreated.

If your pet becomes infected with fleas schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to assure you are getting a safe and effective flea treatment product.  Also be sure to discuss other pets in the house, as all pets must be treated simultaneously in order to get rid of the fleas.  In some cases, the home must also be treated by frequent vacuuming, washing bedding in hot water, and sometimes hiring an exterminator.

Call 330-904-2129 or contact us today to learn more about how we can help prevent and treat fleas and ticks or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Sarah Ford.