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Protecting your pets from summer pests

June 16, 2011|By Martha Stewart

Animals thrive during the summer months. Unfortunately, so do fleas, ticks, and other pests that can affect their health. The good news? There are many preventive options. “Pest control can involve a combination of approaches based on the pet, lifestyle of the pet and owner, and where the pet lives,’’ says Melinda Miller, hospital director of Smith Ridge Veterinary Center in South Salem, N.Y. She advises owners to use natural solutions whenever possible. “Chemicals were the easy prevention and treatment default for years, but they can take a toll on a pet’s health,’’ she says.

Feeding your cats and dogs well is one of the top things you can do. “Healthy animals can repel fleas and ticks naturally,’’ Miller says, adding that pets that eat balanced, high-quality diets seldom have pest problems. Ultra-premium canned food or a balanced home-cooked diet are among the best choices. Beyond that, follow these tips, and make sure to consult your vet for more specific advice.

Fleas and ticks

Fleas can hitch a ride indoors on your pet and make a home in your carpets, baseboards, and bedding (though fleas feed off a pet’s blood, most don’t live on their bodies). As for ticks, they climb tall grass and foliage. So when animals or humans walk by, ticks can crawl onto their skin and embed themselves. For many pets, flea bites cause only slight skin irritation. Other animals have a more severe reaction, which can include hair loss, lesions, and ulcers. A serious infestation can trigger anemia, especially in puppies and kittens. Fleas may also carry infectious diseases and parasites such as tapeworm. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease; Rocky Mountain spotted fever (rare in cats); and Ehrlichiosis, a disease that can attack white blood cells, the spleen, the liver, lymph nodes, and bone marrow.

Prevention: For flea control, vacuum daily (dispose of the vacuum bag or debris outside), wash pet bedding in hot water, and keep grass short. Consider adding beneficial nematodes (microscopic worms that feed on young fleas) to your yard. You can also sprinkle diatomaceous earth — a natural substance that causes fleas and ticks to dehydrate and die — indoors and out.