As dog owners you are probably well aware of the potential of the possibility of unwanted guests.

It is important to prevent fleas, as they are more than blood sucking insects, fleas can also transmit diseases in dogs including dermatitis and tapeworm.

When a flea bites your dog, it injects a small amount of saliva into the skin to prevent blood coagulation. Some animals may have fleas without showing discomfort, but an unfortunate number of dogs become sensitised to this saliva. In highly allergic animals, the bite of a single flea can cause severe itching and scratching. Fleas cause the most common skin disease in dogs – Flea allergic dermatitis.  Causing the dog to scratch and chew himself until the area is sore; this may lead to hair loss, redness and bacterial infection.

            Tapeworm                              Flea

Remember that the flea spends the majority of its life in the environment, not on your pet, so it may be difficult to find. Your dog may scratch without you ever seeing a flea on him. Check your dog carefully for fleas or sighs of flea dirt, which look like bits of course ground pepper. When moistened, flea dirt turns a reddish brown because it contains blood. The best way to detect this is to brush your dog onto a white sheet or paper, as the dirt shows up well. A single flea found on your pet means that there are potentially hundreds of fleas, pupa and eggs in your house.

The other reason to rid your house of fleas is that Tapeworm are a common parasite associated with fleas. Though not transmitted by bites, fleas cause tapeworm infestation when a dog grooms, ingesting a flea carrying the tapeworm larva. After ingestion, the tapeworm larva continues to develop in the dog’s gastrointestinal tract. When developed, the head of the tapeworm will attach to the intestinal wall and small egg filled segments periodically break off and are passed out the rectum. These segments are fed on by flea larva and so the cycle continues. The flea season is now upon us, so prevent infestation by following a few simple rules.

Regular cleaning of areas where your pet lives simply by vacuuming can be a real aid to removing flea eggs and immature fleas. Pay special attention to cracks and corners and empty your Hoover regularly.  This can dramatically reduce a problem in the environment.  And of course treat your pet regularly with a flea treatment. Really it is down to owner preference as there are many products available now that may be given topically or orally, from prescription medications to natural herbal remedies that are all highly effective as long as given regularly.

Wishing you all a flea and worm free 2010!!!

Jayne, VN— M.D. - The ‘All Natural Pet Food Company.

All they need to do is tell us your name when asked at the checkout and we will send you a promotional code via your email address.  All you then need to do is when you make your next order, type in the code when asked at the checkout and a 10% discount will automatically be applied to your balance as a thank you from us!  Simple!

The festive season is rapidly approaching so we should be turning our attentions to our pets and thinking ahead, in order to make it a stress free time for them.
If your pet is particularly bothered by this time of year, and you are left wondering how you will cope this year, then hopefully ,we can help with fantastic herbal remedies and advise from behaviourists.
There are a number of proven natural herbal remedies to help calm dogs during this
stressful period. These usually contain chamomile and valerian which are tried and tested in helping to reduce fear, stress and anxiety, without the use of sedatives.
We recommend using our Calm Down herbs. For the best result they should be given 3-6 weeks before.

Here are a few other points to consider:
- Create a safe comfortable quiet den, furthest away from the fireworks where he is used to resting. Make sure he is free to come and go and not locked in a room on his own.

- Feed him an hour before the event and stock up on chews and treats.

- Play music or have the TV on loud to help drown out the noise and close the curtains.

- If your dog does not settle, try distracting him by playing games, and reward with his favourite treats.

- DO NOT attempt to soothe your dog by stroking him if he is showing signs of stress. This rewards how he is behaving and teaches him that he is right to be scared.

- It is better for him that you ignore the noise and show him that you are not concerned.

- If you are very concerned talk to your vet who will be able to advise you too.

- For more information and helpful hints, take a look at this website www.petfireworkfear.co.uk