FLEAS
A common parasite, fleas are found in almost every area of the U.S. Fleas can be found on dogs, cats, and many wild mammals. They survive year to year even in cold climates because they live on pets, in buildings, and on wild animals.
There are four stages to the flea life cycle. Eggs are laid by an adult female flea which is on a host. The eggs roll off into the environment and after a few days they mature into larvae. Larvae survive by eating eat flea feces, flea egg shells, organic debris, and other flea larvae. They can crawl and move as far as six inches per day. After a few days, and once conditions are conducive, larvae mature into pupae. Pupae have very thick shells and are very resistant to environmental conditions. After a few days, and once the pupae detect a host is present, they mature into adult fleas that hop on another host.
There are many types of flea treatments. Unfortunately, there is no one drug or chemical that can kill all four stages of the flea. There are several types of good products to kill adult fleas: Frontline, Advantage, Comfortis, Capstar, and Revolution. Older products of various formulations of synthetic pyrethrins are also available, some of which are highly toxic to cats. Lufenuron and methoprene are chemicals that work on immature stages of the flea, although there is no chemical that will kill the pupal stage.
Fleas should be treated as they can carry several diseases: tapeworms, Cat scratch disease (Bartonella), murine typhus, and the bubonic plague. Also fleas are the number one allergen of dogs and cats and can cause severe skin disease.
Your veterinarian can help you with a flea control program depending on what kind of pets you have and the level of flea infestation. Control may involve treating the environment as well as the pets.
Rabid animals found in the city of Burleson
Due to 4 cases of rabid skunks in the area, the city of Burleson is recommending that all domestic animals receive a rabies vaccination yearly; regardless of their pets rabies status. Those who live in the city of Burleson and surrounding areas can contact the public information officer at 817-426-9622 or Burleson Animal Shelter 817-426-9280.
GET YOUR PET'S REQUIRED CITY LICENSE - FREE (FORT WORTH)
With the help of area veterinarians, the city if Fort Worth's Animal Care and Control Division is offering a way to reward responsible pet owners with a city license at no cost. When owners take their pets to a veterinarian for an annual checkup - and get theri pet's required rabies vaccination, as well as having them micro-chipped and either spayed or neutered - they can pick up a pre-addressed envelope that can be mailed to the Chuck Silcox Animal Care and Control Center, 4900 Martin St. In return, the division will mail back a city license at no charge.
Pets that already have been micro-chipped and spayed or neutered are eligible. All that's needed are copies of the documentation of those procedures and proof of a current rabies vaccination and an annual veterinarian visit. The licenses are good for a year with a one-year rabies vaccination, or three years if the pet has receied a three-year rabies vaccination. Part of PAW (Pets Are Worth it), the licensing program can save owners up to $36 per year - much better than penalties that could be as high as $500 for failure to comply. All dogs, cats and ferrets in the city must have a current license, renewed annually or triennially depending on the microchip status and vaccination schedule of the animal.
For any other question or concerns please contact the Fort Worth Animal Care and Control Division at 817-392-PAWS (7297) or check out there website FortWorthGov.org/animals.