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Trim back all low-hanging trees. Keep
your grass cut short and prune hedges so that low branches which could
come in contact with your dog are eliminated. Immature ticks wait on low
vegetation for suitable hosts.
If you plan to plant sod, buy from a
reliable dealer who will guarantee that it is tick free.
If your dog has an outside run or pen,
trim the tall grass around the perimeter. If hay or straw is used for
bedding, check it carefully to be sure it isn't tick infested. Burn old
or infested straw; if burning is not permitted in your area, place the
infested bedding in garbage bags, seal tightly, and discard promptly.
For inside dogs, wash the dog's blanket
or other bedding in hot water at least once a week. The hot water will
kill any fleas, lice or ticks that may be hiding in your dog's bedding.
If fleas have infested your home, set
out flea traps in the rooms frequented by your dog. Homemade flea traps
can be constructed by positioning a small light over a pan or bowl of
soapy water. Of course, care must be taken to prevent contact between
the light and the water. Commercial flea traps, using fly paper, are
sold in pet shops and pet supply catalogues and are safe to use around
children and pets.
When you bathe your dog, use a rinse
designed to repel fleas. Some of these rinses leave a pleasant fragrance
on your dog.
Vacuum your carpets daily during flea
season. Add 6-10 moth balls to the vacuum cleaner bag which should
subsequently be burned or sealed in a plastic bag for disposal. If your
dog rides in your car or van frequently, be sure to vacuum it also.
Comb your dog daily. A flea comb has
closely spaced teeth that mechanically remove fleas when pulled through
the dog's hair. Destroy the removed fleas by dipping the comb in hot
soapy water or by crashing the fleas against the comb.
If you uncover ticks while checking
your dog, they can be removed with tweezers or with your fingers.
Dispose of the tick by burning it in an ash tray or by dropping the tick
in a tick jar. A baby food jar, with a metal top, filled half way with
turpentine, works well for this purpose. When the jar is full of ticks,
seal it tightly and discard. You may need several jars to get through
the tick season.
Be sure to wash your hands carefully
after removing fleas and ticks from your dog, because these parasites
can transmit several serious diseases--tapeworms, Rocky Mountain spotted
fever, and Lyme disease.
Pick up all dog droppings from your yard
at least once a day. Twice a day (morning and evening) is better.
Dispose of the droppings with the trash. Do not compost dog droppings
for use in gardening because there are several diseases, such as
visceral and cutaneous larvae migrants, which can be transmitted from dog
to man.
Don't permit your dog to eat dead
rodents or other animals. These animals are often intermediate hosts for
canine parasites such as tapeworms.
Mineral oil can be poured in your dog's
ears to kill ear mites. Massage the ears and wait 5 or 10 minutes before
removing the oil with cotton balls or swabs. The oil smothers the mites.
If these measures fail to free your dog
of parasites, you should consult your veterinarian and carefully follow
his directions for using insecticides or anthelmintics.
Courtesy of the www.AnimalDen.com |
