Doc Ferdz Recio shares tips on how to fight fleas, ticks and mange
Is your fur baby infested with fleas (pulgas) and ticks (garapata) or infected with mange (galis)? Don't worry. Born To Be Wild host and handsome vet, Doc Ferdz Recio, shared some tips on how to fight them in his latest vlog.
Doc Ferdz with Bherger, Gladys Guevarra's fur baby Source: @ferdzrecio (IG)
Identifying ectoparasites
Ectoparasites live on the outside of its host's body, or on the host's skin, where they usually feed.
Three of the most common ectoparasites, which affect cats and dogs, are fleas, ticks, and mites that cause mange.
And the first step to getting rid of these parasites is by identifying which one is bothering your fur baby.
According to Doc Ferdz, fleas are tiny, flat, and wingless insects, which can jump up to seven inches high.
So, if you feel tiny insects biting your legs, your pet is most probably infested with fleas.
Flea bites can cause extreme itchiness that may prompt your fur baby to scratch its skin non-stop.
It can potentially lead to hypersensitivity reaction known as flea bite dermatitis or a secondary bacterial infection if your pet's skin gets wounded from scratching.
Fleas are also known carriers of diseases, including the notorious Bubonic plague.
Ticks, on the other hand, are the bloodsuckers you usually see on your pets.
According to Doc Ferdz, they are closely related to the spiders and thrive on a humid environment.
The bigger ones are the female ticks, while the flat and smaller ones are the males.
If an animal gets infested with too many ticks, it can lead to Parasitic Phlebotomy.
Aside from sucking out blood and nutrients from your pets, ticks can also transmit diseases such as Ehrlichia or Erlichiosis, which Doc Ferdz dubbed as 'pambansang sakit ng mga aso' and 'dengue of dogs'.
Ticks | Source: Pinterest
Meanwhilie, there are three types of mites that can cause infections in your fur babies.
The ear mite or hanip can cause ear mite infection, which can make your pet scratch relentlessly.
The second mite is the sarcoptic mite or itch mite, which causes mange or galis and can also affect humans.
Common signs of mange infection are itching, thickening of the skin, Erythema or redness of the skin, and alopecia or loss of fur in the affected area.
The third type of mite is the demodex mite, which Doc Ferdz describes as cigar-shaped mites with tiny hands.
It burrows deep into the animal's skin and also causes fur loss and thickening of the skin.
This type of mite can cause Demodectic Mange, which can affect only one area or the whole body.
Ear mite, sarcoptic mite, and demodex mite | Source: @Joel Mills, @Kalumet, and @Blauerauerhahn~commonswiki (Wikipedia)
How to fight and prevent them
The first advice from Doc Ferdz is to consult a vet first, so your pets can be properly diagnosed and treated.
According to Doc Ferdz, oral medicine and topicals -treatment administered directly on your pet's skin -are available to fight off ectoparasites.
Topicals are ideal for pet owners who have a hard time getting their fur babies to take medicine orally.
Another option to control ectoparasites is injectable treatment. However, Doc Ferdz said some animal dermatologists claim that this type of treatment is not as effective as topicals.
Doc Ferdz also warns that if you're going to use topicals, you should not bathe your dog three days before and after, as it would reduce the efficacy of the treatment.
To learn more about ectoparasites, watch the full vlog of Doc Ferdz Recio below.
For more lifestyle content, head out to GMA's Lifestyle page.