Fleas:
A flea problem on your pet means a flea problem in your home. Understanding the flea life cycle and methods for its control can be a daunting task. We will gladly assist you in this process. We can provide you with safe, effective flea prevention and if necessary, flea treatment.
Animals become very itchy from the saliva that the fleas deposit when they suck blood.
Fleas are not a huge problem in northern Alberta. Our cold winters help to keep flea numbers low. Often we do have dogs that pick up fleas by travelling to warmer areas of Canada or the United States where fleas are prevalent in the environment ie. the grass in parks, etc. Please ask us before travelling about the very effective flea preventatives that are available.
See the flea article in the Pet Health Library
Lice:
We do see louse infestations. Lice look like tiny dark brown spots next to the skin. They do not move. There are 2 types of lice-biting & sucking. Lice do make the animals itchy. Lice like warm areas on the body such as the armpits and the underneath side of the neck. For an animal to get infested with lice it needs to have direct contact with an animal that has them. We do recommend a preventative if your pet is around a lot of other animals on a regular basis such as a doggy day care. There are very good preventatives that can be applied once monthly.
Sarcoptic mange:
This disease is caused by a mite that burrows rapidly in the skin. It is very contagious and contracted from animals that have Sarcoptic mange. The animals are extremely itchy and there will be hair loss. The areas first affected are the ears, elbows & around the anus. There are very effective medications given once monthly to clear this mite from the animals body.
Demodex:
Demodex is another mite that burrows in the skin. It is normally present on most animals but only causes problems if the animal’s immune system is compromised. Usually occurring in young animals. Pets are not itchy from the parasite but some hair loss often occurs initially around the eyes & face. Hair loss can be patchy or generalized. It is more difficult to treat.
There are other less common external parasites of animals. If your animal is itchy and/or experiencing hair loss it is important to get it examined to get a diagnosis and proper treatment.