Preparing for Flea, Tick and Mosquito Season

The warm weather has finally arrived in Atlanta and while it’s a great time to get outdoors with your pets, it is also when the bugs and pests come out. In Georgia, our winters aren’t typically brutally cold, so we have to stay vigilant year-round, but spring is when we notice an increase in activity and a great time to make sure you and your family are taking the proper precautions by knowing the signs and symptoms of fleas and ticks.

Prevention is Key for our Pets Pests

Fleas, ticks and mosquitos may thrive in the spring and summer heat, however they can survive in our mild winters.  This is why it’s especially important to have a prevention plan in place.  Not to mention, if they get inside our homes, it’s normally a cozy temperature so that they can survive.

Year-Round Protection

Because we have such mild winters, year-round prevention is important. Don’t stop giving your pets their heartworm prevention during the winter months. Your dog or cat can still get heartworms if we have a warm spell or if they get inside the house.  Many veterinarians even recommend year-round heartworm prevention for the northern part of the country as well.

Our pets are too important to us to let this key prevention slip during the winter months. Heartworm treatment can be extremely hard on a pet and also costly.

Symptoms of Fleas and Ticks

Fleas can be hard to get rid of once they’ve gotten into your home, so check your pet regularly for signs of fleas and ticks.  You can generally see ticks with the naked eye, but sometimes they can be very tiny. Both fleas and ticks can cause skin irritation and itching and even chewing or licking a specific area.  Fleas can leave “flea dirt” behind that is visible by looking at your pets’ fur or by using a flea comb.

While these pests may seem like a nuisance, they can cause health problems for our pets and can lead to serious issues if not properly treated.

Treating your pet, home and lawn for fleas, ticks and mosquitoes is important, but please talk to your veterinarian about the best course of action for you and your family.  Some chemicals are harmful to pets and if a lawn is treated pets (and people) may not be allowed on it for a while.  There are also ingredients that may be safe for your dog, but not your cat and vice versa.  For instance, many of the preventative medicines are specifically for your dog or cat and should not be given to both.

We want our pets to have a happy and healthy life and pesky fleas, ticks and mosquitos are no fun for us or them. Talk to your veterinarian if you believe your pet is having issues for the best course of action for your family.  Stay healthy and play on!