WOMAN’S VET EMMA MARCHINGTON HELPS YOU AND YOUR PETS
Emma has worked in several small-animal practices in the South East.
Much of her time is spent looking after her four young children, Izzy, Leo and twins Daisy and Alfie, but she also teaches veterinary students and plans to return to being a full-time vet when the kids start school.
STOP fleas, ticks and worms this summer
Summer is almost here and I’m enjoying getting out more with my lab. There’s lots to look forward to with picnics in the sunshine and long walks during the lighter evenings. Yet of course every silver lining has a cloud, and for dog owners the warmer weather tends to bring problems with parasites, particularly fleas and ticks.
Fleas can be troublesome all year round, although they thrive in the warmth. Ticks, on the other hand, are still very much a seasonal problem. Spring and autumn are the main times to keep your eyes peeled for them. As well as fleas and ticks, various types of worms are more likely to cause trouble during the warmer months.
The best way to keep your pet fit and healthy throughout this period is to follow a programme of preventative flea, tick and worming medicine recommended by your vet. It’s important to give the medicine at the correct intervals, so make a note on the calendar to remind yourself.
The dose of medication will be calculated on your pet’s weight, and it won’t be fully effective if you underestimate. Animals can easily put on a few pounds over winter, so pop your pet on the scales at the vets’ to get an accurate, up-to-date reading. If you have a monthly plan with the vet then it may include some or all of the recommended tick, flea and worm treatments.
How dangerous are ticks to pets?
Q My dog loves running through the grass and I’m worried he’ll pick up a tick. Will he become poorly?
A Ticks attach to your pet by biting into the skin. This irritates the bite, where the animal reacts to irritants in the tick’s saliva. It’s rarely serious, although it may cause a red, swollen area around the bite area, which can be itchy and uncomfortable. Ticks feed on the animal’s blood, but each tick only takes a tiny amount, so blood loss isn’t a problem unless an animal has hundreds of ticks.
The biggest concern is the diseases that ticks can carry. Lyme disease is the most common, but the good news is that it usually takes between 24 and 48 hours for it to transfer. If your medication is up-to-date then the tick should be repelled or killed before it ca
