The importance of dealing with fleas properly

Fleas are commonly regarded as huge problems for anyone with a pet, but do you know the true reasons why?

Of course no one likes having tiny parasitic insects living in their home and on their pet, but the potential health consequences of fleas go even further than that. There are a number of health risks when it comes to letting fleas have their way, including:

• Flea allergy dermatitis. Some dogs are actually allergic to flea saliva, meaning an annoyance can become a serious health concern quite quickly. Symptoms of FAD include excessive scratching, gnawing, and licking of bitten areas. If FAD and a flea infection are left untreated, it can lead to painful sores and infections.
• Anemia. Dogs rely on a stable count of red blood cells, just like humans. But since fleas feed on blood, an untreated infestation can lead to a drop in red blood cell levels, potentially leading to anemia in serious cases. A single flea can bite your dog hundreds of times a day, so consider how much blood your dog would lose to hundreds of fleas over a week or so. Symptoms of anemia include weakness, lethargy, and pale gums, and is of particular concern for older and small dogs.
• Tapeworm infestation. As if fleas themselves weren’t bad enough, they can also sometimes transmit yet another parasite to their hosts: tapeworms. If you’re not familiar, tapeworms are parasitic worms that latch onto the small intestine of their hosts, siphoning nutrients from the food it eats. If a tapeworm in your dog is left untreated, it can lead to nutritional deficiency, extreme weight loss, and more. Symptoms of a dog with a tapeworm include an unusually strong appetite, ongoing fatigue/lethargy, and even chronic diarrhea or constipation in more severe cases.

As you can see, there’s a lot more to flea infestations than just some itchy bites! So how do you go about deciding how to tackle a flea problem, and who is your best option in the Victoria BC area?

Getting your dog the care it needs

If you’ve discovered fleas on your dog, we’re here to help. Our whole team is highly trained and experienced in ridding pets of fleas, and we also pride ourselves on our approach to each and every client.

Too often, dog care feels like a large-scale business, where individual dogs become just another number on the list and aren’t cared for on a personal level. And if you love dogs as much as we do, you’ll agree that they deserve better than that. That’s why we take a different approach to caring for your dog! When you bring your furry friend to Dog World Beauty & Health Spa, you can feel confident that they’ll be cared for with the utmost respect, care, and patience, no matter which of our staff they’re working with that day. 

At the end of the day, no one loves and cares for your dog quite like you do—but we’re always striving to be a close second! And when you share such a special connection with an animal, it only makes sense to bring them to a grooming spa that treats them as another member of the family!