How to Protect Your English Cocker Spaniel from Fleas and Ticks?

The English cocker spaniel is one of the oldest land dogs descended from Spain. They are also called Cocker and Merry cocker. This breed of dogs is great with children, very affectionate and loyal which makes them preferred family pets.

Cockers have a beautiful, thick, and sometimes wavy coat, which may be black, cream, red, brown or a combination of either with white. This beautiful coat requires regular cleaning and care as it becomes a perfect ground for flea and ticks infestation.

Fleas and ticks are external parasites that make the life of your pet miserable. They cause itching which affects the physical and mental attitude of your pet cocker. As a pet owner, it is important to know the difference between these two parasites.

Fleas are wingless insects that can jump and hop around on the body of your pet while ticks attach themselves to the pet where the skin is thin. Fleas become more active when the weather turns warm, while ticks can survive even freezing temperatures until the climate improves and they become active.

As the weather grows warmer, these parasites become active and look for hosts. When you take your English cocker spaniels outdoors, this is the time when the parasites settle on your pet. Fleas can live for more than a hundred days, while ticks from a few weeks to three years. Fleas lay 20-40 eggs per day for many weeks after feeding, while ticks lay thousands of eggs at once and die.

The thick coat of your pet is an ideal place for these parasites to hide. Every time your pet comes back from the outdoors, it is advisable to brush him with a flea comb to remove the fleas before they multiply. Run your fingers through your pet's coat and feel for ticks that have become embedded on the skin, especially near the ears, groin, and hind where the skin is thinner.

Control Fleas/Ticks

As the weather gets warmer, your pet loves to play outdoors and the fleas and ticks start looking for a host. Tall grasses are the place where ticks wait for the right warm body to pass by and cling onto. Once on the host, they find the way to the thin skin region and embed themselves with their spindle. They start sucking the blood which causes irritation to your pet. Remove the ticks by pinching them as close to the skin as possible. Do not twist or break the tick as the spindle will remain inside causing infection. Do not use the burnt matchstick to kill the tick as the tick may release toxins into your pet's body. Ticks are carriers of the deadly Lyme disease.

Fleas are seen hopping on your pet's body. The saliva of the flea causes a reaction which causes severe itchiness to your English cocker spaniel. On a white sheet of cloth or paper, brush the coat of your pet. You will see salt and pepper specs which are flea eggs and feces. Catch the fleas with a flea comb. Destroy these eggs and feces by flushing them. If your house is infested with fleas, vacuum all pet bedding, furniture and furnishing. Use flea powder to kill the fleas.

Keep your pet free from fleas and tick there by keeping him healthy and a happy pet for a lifetime.