Today we're talking about.... TICKS & FLEAS Fleas and ticks are a problem typically during the warmer seasons although, especially fleas, they can be present all year round in favorable climatic and environmental conditions. FLEAS They are small insects (one or two millimeters) which can be found on the skin surface of pets. They are very active and leave small, dark debris on the skin, which is nothing more than feces made up of digested blood. Fleas are particularly prolific and have a very rapid life cycle, which is why their infestation is more common and difficult to eradicate.The infested pet is often restless, agitated and chews nervously. In some individuals allergic to fleas, allergic dermatitis may also develop which requires specific treatment in addition, obviously, to the elimination of the parasite. Fleas do not spend their entire lives on our animals’ bodies, as some stages of their development occur in the external environment. It is therefore better to prefer those products which, by formulation, allow for greater activity of the insecticide. The fight against fleas requires a three-step process for complete elimination: 1. elimination of the insect, larvae and eggs; 2. control of the reproductive activity of fleas; 3. environmental hygiene. - Elimination of the adult insect, larvae and eggs Ectoparasiticides may present in the form of spray, dust, spot-on, nebulizer, collars. Many products on the market, such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, are highly toxic. More modern products such as fipronil, imidacloprid, selamectin are preferable due to their safety and effectiveness. - Control of the reproductive activity of fleas A molecule that inhibits parasitic growth has recently been introduced on the market: lufenuron. This active ingredient administered to the animal monthly, orally or parenterally, is able to inhibit the synthesis of chitin, the main component that constitutes the exoskeleton of fleas. The effectiveness occurs over a longer lapse of time, therefore, it must be combined with a parasiticide and administered for a continuous period of six months or more. - Environmental hygiene It is advisable to eliminate blankets, bedsheets and pillows that have been in contact with the insect, using a vacuum cleaner and disposing of the bag immediately after. Steam cleaners are also useful. Finally, you can move on to a chemical treatment of the environment with parasiticidal products in various formulations, selectively used for this purpose. TICKS Belonging to the class of arachnids, they have an unusual anchoring mouthpart used to attach to the animal's body. They can feed on the host for several days, falling to the ground once full. They can be hardly noticed before they start feeding, as they measure a few millimeters, but they can swell up to the size of a bean. We must be careful when we remove a tick because of their mouthparts which, if not correctly extracted, could break causing damage to our animal's skin or to ours.If present in limited numbers, ticks can be removed manually, possibly after stunning them with a swab soaked in alcohol or ether. The tick must then be grasped with fine-tipped tweezers, as close as possible to the surface of the skin, and removed by pulling gently, trying to make a slight rotational movement. Once removed, they must be destroyed and eliminated without crushing them (so as not to contribute to spread eggs in the environment). It is then advisable to follow an anti-parasitic treatment using anti-flea products. However, the aforementioned growth inhibitors are not effective against ticks, but there are products specifically formulated to fight against ticks such as flumethrin.