Our pets are susceptible to disease, like all living things. But the most bothersome and unpleasant sensations to the animal are external parasites. They live on the skin or inside the pet, can affect only one type of animal, and sometimes parasitize on several. Most of the pets even with proper care of them become infected with fleas or other parasites at least once in their life. Therefore, the owners need to know how to deal with such intruders.
The most common external parasites in cats are fleas. And they can be transmitted from one animal to another. Although parasites in cats and other animals are not always visible to the naked eye, to understand that your pet has got fleas is easy, you just need to look closely at the behavior of the animal. The pet begins to itch and behave uneasily. Having looked closely, you can see black dots on the wool. If your animal has a dark color, you should plant its white sheet and comb it. If, after touching the wool with a cotton swab moistened with water, the dark specks of dust turn red, then this is a flea discharge and the animal must be treated. If cat parasites are wound up in large numbers, the cat can comb itself to the blood. The dog behaves similarly. Today in veterinary pharmacies you can buy a variety of effective flea remedies. Therefore, if they are found in pets, it is necessary to treat the pet without delay. Do not forget about the disinfection of the home, as fleas can live outside the body of the animal for up to 18 days.
Lice-eaters are external parasites in cats and dogs that are specific to the choice of an animal. Each species has its own. Lice beetles, unlike fleas and lice, do not feed on blood, but on epidermal scales and hairs. Symptoms of the presence of these parasites are skin itching, lack of appetite. With severe infection, skin patches bald. For treatment, the animal needs to be treated with a special insecticidal preparation, but it should be remembered that the anti-lactose drugs are very poisonous, so wool can be treated no more than twice a year.
Ticks are canine and feline parasites that live on the skin of animals or in the ear canals. They very often cling to animals that have the opportunity to walk along the street. Therefore, after each walk, the pet must be carefully examined, especially in parts not covered with wool. Having found a tick, it is necessary to drip a drop of alcohol on it and wait until it comes out. If this does not happen, carefully pull it out with tweezers, taking care not to leave part of the insect in the body of the animal in order to avoid possible infection.
External parasites in dogs and cats bring the animal a sense of discomfort. One of these insects is small scabies ear mites that are not transmitted from species to species. The initial sign of the presence of these parasites is the appearance of dandruff in the animal. Having settled in the ears of the animal, they force it to comb the place behind the ear until the blood. This contributes to the ingress of other infections into the cat or dog and to serious ear diseases. These parasites in dogs and cats can invade the skin of the cheeks, in the area between the eyes and ears, causing irritation. For treatment in this case, special ointments and drops are used, but only after your veterinarian inspects your pet.
Parasites in cats and dogs, such as lice, are rare. Usually they parasitize exclusively on sick, weakened or groomed animals. Healthy cats can fight lice on their own, constantly licking themselves, and dogs destroy them with the fact that they like to swim.
Remember that external canine and feline parasites not only cause discomfort to your pet, but also are dangerous carriers of infection. Therefore, carefully care for the animals and be prepared to come to their aid if necessary.