Fleas – Spot Them, Stop Them, Kill Them
Introduction
Your cat is your best friend. She plays in the house, snuggles with you when it’s cold, and terrorizes the local wildlife. But whether your cat stays indoors or goes outdoors, she can be susceptible to fleas. While it’s more likely that an outdoor cat will pick up fleas, don’t feel safe if she’s an indoor only cat. Fleas can catch a ride on your clothes and when they find your cat they can multiply very quickly.
Fleas are an inevitable annoyance that can be avoided, and you can keep your cat protected with a little effort and vigilance.
The Signs
You need to keep an eye on your cat, especially in summer when your cat is more likely to socialize with other cats and pick up those little pests! Watch for your cat scratching around her neck more than she usually does. This may be due to collar irritation, (your cat does have a collar – right?), but it’s more likely to be fleas if your cat has worn her collar for a while.
Another thing to watch for is more than normal grooming by your cat on her lower spine. The neck and lower spine are favorite places for fleas to hang out. A total give away is if you feel small bumps on your cat when you stroke her. If you do it’s probably skin irritation caused by the saliva of the flea when it bites. It may also be a tick on your cat that will need to be removed. If you find that it is a tick, take your cat to the vet, don’t try and remove it yourself.
If you’re still not sure if your cat has fleas or not, stand her on a large piece of white paper and run a comb, (flea combs are ideal for this!), through your cat’s hair and then check the paper. If you find small brown dots that turn red when wet then your cat has fleas. This is dried blood that the fleas excrete.
Prevention
Luckily for us prevention and cure has been made easy for cat owners with modern medicine. Today most flea prevention medications include a flea cure too. The most popular flea medications like Advantage® or Frontline Plus® are topical medications. When used regularly they will not only kill the adult fleas on your cat, they will also protect her from re-infection. Consult your vet for the best treatment for your cat.
If your cat has been infected with fleas it’s a good idea to clean and vacuum the areas where your cat likes to sit and sleep. Wash all of the cat’s bedding in very hot water to kill any fleas and eggs. Vacuum all of the carpets and curtains in the house, as we mentioned earlier fleas like to catch a ride on your clothes too. Finally if you’re really brave and your cat trusts you, give her a bath. Good luck with that!!
Cure
Fleas can live anywhere from 2 months to 2 years. The eggs lay dormant just waiting for a warm body to pass by so that they can hatch. They are not too particular about what warm body it is, which includes you! It’s reasonably rare that you will be bitten though, fleas are species particular and will usually only bite by mistake.
You can find sprays that will kill and protect your carpets and curtains from fleas and ticks. In the main these are very effective. However if you do use a spray, make sure that you air the room afterwards, the vapors can be pretty toxic. Also make sure you spray the edges and seams of carpets as these areas are hard to vacuum and can be collection points for eggs.
Ideally you should talk to your vet to find out the best flea and tick control for your circumstances and your cat. There are various factors that determine what’s best such as the climate you live in, the time of year, your cat’s habits and activities, and how she responds to the various available control methods.
Fleas and ticks are an annoyance and with some common sense and a good control regime they are a problem that can be easily managed and controlled.
Mary Amos is a cat lover and long time cat owner. Find more articles and resources about caring for your cat or kitten at Cat Care and Cat Health and for other supplies visit CatSupplies and Cat Food.
English Setter Origin and History
English Setter Breed Origin
The English Setter dog breed originated initially in France with the crossing of the Spanish and French pointers nearly 500 years ago. Brought to England in the 1600s, the English Setter was further modified with the addition of the Water Spaniel and the Springer Spaniel. The dog has been used successfully as a hunting dog, primarily for game birds, for several hundred years since and is one of the oldest gun dog breeds. The name "Setter" derives from the unique position the dog assumes when it has found its prey as the dog crouches low to the ground, setting his quarry.
The English Setter that we know today was fully developed by the work of two men, Edward Laverack and R. Purcell Llewellin. Laverack began a project of methodical inbreeding in the mid to late 1800s. He was able to obtain two English Setters that had been owned by a reverend who had kept his dogs "pure" for some 35 years. Laverack's dogs became famous for their beauty and refinement, and they are really the foundation stock for many of the top show dogs in English Setter history. Further changes to the English Setter breed came about through the work of Llewellin. His work developed a strain in the breed used primarily for hunting in the field rather than show. This line of field Setter is oftentimes called "Llewellin Setters", but they are actually not a separate breed but simply a field-bred English Setter.
English Setter Breed History
The English Setter has been used as a hunting dog since it inception and the breed history shows that it is one of the most proficient bird dogs among hunting breeds. Additionally, through the work of Laverack, the English Setter has become a formidable and accomplished show dog. First shown in England in 1859, the dog became popular immediately as a show and field dog. The English Setter was brought to the United States soon thereafter and the American Kennel Club recognized this large breed dog in 1878, one of the first pure breeds to be accepted by the AKC. There is a statue in Pittsburgh at the Carnegie Museum of Count Noble, the famous field English Setter from the 1870s that is the very foundation of the American Llewellin strain of the breed. The English Setter breed continues to serve as a dual-purpose dog today as it is used as both a field and show dog.
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15 Helpful Dog Allergy Prevention Tips and Dog Allergy Friendly Breeds
Unfortunately, there are no cures for dog allergies. However, there are several things you can do to make life with your dog more comfortable:
1. Wash your hands frequently.
Wash your hands with soap and hot water immediately after handling your dog. If you are unable to wash your hands right away, avoid touching your hands with your face especially your eyes, nose, and mouth. If you have severe allergies and are in close contact with your dog, you may need to take frequent showers and change your clothes throughout the day.
2. Feed your dog a well-balanced diet.
Your dog's diet should include some natural fat. This fat helps to make your dog's skin less dry, resulting in less shedding. Talk to your vet about his recommendations on how to safely add fat to his diet.
3. Don't allow your dog in the bedroom.
This tip takes a lot of discipline, but it does make a big impact on your reaction to allergies. Keeping your bedroom door closed is ideal because it keeps airborne particles away. Sleep on mattresses and pillows with hypoallergenic polyester fillings. Also, as an extra precaution, cover your pillows, mattresses, and box springs with plastic, zippered, allergy-proof covers.
4. Brush your dog often.
It is ideal to brush your dog daily. However, if you suffer from allergies, you'll need to give another family member the responsibility of brushing the dog. If possible, the dog should be brushed outdoors. If you live alone with your dog, consider taking him to a professional groomer. You could wear a dust mask and gloves for brushing him in between grooming visits.
5. Bathe your dog often.
Check your dog's current shampoo. It should be ahypoallergenic or oatmeal based shampoo. If it's not, try switching brands. If your allergies can't handle the bathing, have another family member be responsible for giving baths. Or, have your dog visit a groomer.
6. Wash your dog's belongings.
Get into the habit of washing your dog's bed, blankets, and toys on a weekly basis either by hand with a safe soap or in the washing machine.
7. Check your vacuum.
Make sure your vacuum cleaner has a HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Air) filtration system. This type of system will help pull up and trap more of your dog's dander from the floor.
Note: vacuuming is recommended over sweeping because sweeping can stir the dander into the air, rather than trapping and removing it.
8. Have carpets cleaned regularly.
Even though you use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filtration system, it is important to still have your carpets steam-cleaned throughout the year. Try to have this done at least quarterly.
9. Dust often.
Use a damp cloth to wipe down surfaces such as tables, shelves, window sills, wall hangings, lamps, and other furniture and accessories. If necessary, wear a dust mask as you clean. Reccomended cleansing solutions:Oti-Clens Cleansing Solution
10. Keep the air fresh.
Use an air purifier one that contains a HEPA. This type of system will help eliminate dander from the air.
The less a dog sheds the less dander it produces. The following breeds typically produce less dander:
Airedale
Basenji
Bedlington terrier
Bichon frise
Chinese crested
Irish water spaniel
Italian greyhound
Kerry blue terrier
Maltese
Poodle
Portuguese water dog
Schnauzers
Shih tzu
Soft-coated Wheaten terrier
Tibetan terrier
Wire-haired fox terrier
Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican hairless)
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