To distinguish flea dirt from plain ol' dirt, take a moistened paper towel and rub some of the material on it. As fleas feed exclusively on blood, flea dirt will leave a reddish color on the towel. Of course, you may also be able to see adult fleas on the animal's skin, particularly if the hair coat is short. Don't wait until you see fleas on your dog before thinking about flea control. There are several wonderful flea control products available from your veterinarian, and they all work best when used as preventatives.
Fleas reproduce at astounding rates, and now is the time to nip the problem in the bud.
June is one of the worst months for tick activity in our practice area. Diagnosing a tick problem on your dog is straightforward, they are easy to find on most dogs. Be sure to check in and around the dog's ears as that is a favorite tick hiding place. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme disease, tick paralysis, and ehrlichiosis are all seen in canine patients. In order for the tick to transmit most of these diseases, it must remain attached to the host for 24 to 48 hours.