Illnesses from fleas, ticks and mosquitoes have tripled in the United States over the past 13 years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

An important part of keeping your pets healthy and happy is flea, tick and mosquito control. Which in turn, helps keep your family and community healthy. Treating for these pests year-round is best. Be sure to pick the right products which treat the issue and keep it from reoccurring. As mosquitoes are most active at dawn or dusk, you can reduce the risk of being bitten to you and your pet if you change your daily walk to a different time. Remember the adage, an ounce of prevention is a worth a pound of cure.

DEET is the active ingredient in many common bug sprays, but it is very dangerous for your pet. It can cause seizures, vomiting, and skin irritations in dogs and cats. Your cat requires flea and tick prevention specifically formulated for cats due to their self-cleaning. You don’t want them to ingest a harmful chemical.

Checking your pet for these pests is an easy process. Flea dirt is small curly dark droppings and can be found in the fur. A way to test if you find something like this on your fur baby is to place some of the debris on a piece of white paper towel and add a drop of water. If it turns red, you may have fleas. Ticks attach to the skin, but they can be found crawling on your pet. Do a quick spot check of your pet after they have spent time outside. Run a comb or brush through their fur or use your hand to part the fur to the skin. Eliminate mosquitos breeding grounds by removing any standing water around your house. We are in a very raining spell, so check under bushes and sheds and empty any container that collects water. Did you know that dragonflies eat mosquitos? This makes them a very beneficial insect to have around.

If you find you have an issue it is important to treat promptly and properly.

• Bathe your pet in shampoo designed to remove the pest
• Remove the pest from your home by thoroughly vacuuming carpet
  and washing the pets bedding, blankets and soft toys in hot water.
  You may need to use a fogger or house spray.
• Treat your yard with an insecticide listed as safe around pets and
  children to prevent a reoccurrence
• Apply a flea and tick preventative to your pet

Petland is here to help with any questions you may have. We have a wide range of products to help solve any issue you may have.