As the humidity rises across Assam, so do ticks and fleas. A dog scratching more than usual is often the first sign. Both parasites are far easier to keep away than to clear once they have settled into a home.
Why they are more than an itch
- Tick-borne disease: ticks spread Babesia and Ehrlichia, the causes of tick fever, among the most serious infections vets treat in Assam.
- Blood loss: a heavy infestation can cause anaemia, especially in puppies and small dogs.
- Allergy: some dogs are allergic to flea saliva, and a few bites set off intense itching, hair loss and broken skin.
- Tapeworm: fleas carry the dog tapeworm Dipylidium, which a dog catches by swallowing a flea while grooming.
Where fleas really live
Adult fleas live on your pet, but their eggs fall off into bedding, carpets, sofas and cracks in the floor. There they hatch into larvae and then pupae, which can wait for weeks or months for an animal to pass by. At any moment, only a small share of the fleas in a home are adults on the pet. That is why treating the dog alone so often fails.
The tick that lives indoors
The brown dog tick, the main carrier of tick fever, can complete its whole life cycle indoors, laying eggs in cracks in walls and floors, in kennels and in bedding. A house can become infested even if the dog rarely goes out.
Check your dog
After walks, run your fingers through the coat and look:
- inside and around the ears
- under the collar and around the neck
- between the toes and in the armpits
- on the belly and around the tail
Fleas are small and quick. Comb the coat over a white sheet with a fine flea comb; black specks that turn red-brown on damp paper are flea droppings.
Remove ticks properly
Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick remover, grip the tick as close to the skin as you can and pull steadily straight out. Do not squeeze its body, and do not use oil, kerosene or a flame. Clean the spot and wash your hands.
Prevention that works
- A vet-recommended preventive, used without gaps. Modern tablets, spot-ons and collars protect for one to several months. The right one depends on your dog's weight, age and health. In Assam's climate, protection all year is safer than seasonal use.
- Treat every pet in the house at the same time, or the fleas move to the untreated one.
- Never use dog products on cats. Some dog spot-ons contain permethrin, which is highly toxic to cats.
- Treat the home: wash bedding hot every week, vacuum carpets, sofas and corners and empty the vacuum outside, and fill cracks where ticks hide.
- Keep the grass short around the house and any kennel.
The common mistake
Buying a shampoo or powder over the counter and hoping. Many kill only the fleas and ticks present on the day, do nothing about the eggs in the house, or are not safe for puppies and cats. If the problem keeps coming back, ask a vet for a plan that covers the dog and the home together.
See a vet if
- there are many ticks, or fleas keep coming back despite treatment
- the skin is broken, bleeding or infected from scratching
- your dog is tired, off its food or has pale gums, which can be signs of tick fever
Sources
- Companion Animal Parasite Council: Fleas guideline
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Fleas
- Bhattacharjee and Sarmah (2013), Veterinary World: Prevalence of haemoparasites in pet, working and stray dogs of Assam and North-East India
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Ehrlichiosis and related infections in dogs
General information, not a diagnosis. If your pet seems unwell, contact a vet.
