Pets are an important part of our lives. They provide love, companionship, love, and security. However, pests can threaten the safety and health of your loved furry friend.
If not taken care of, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes can transmit diseases and parasites to your pet, causing them to fall sick, or kick the bucket.
Below, we highlighted 6 pests you should be wary of as they pose the greatest threats to the health and safety of your loved furry friends.
1. Ticks
Of course, ticks have to top the list for obvious reasons.
Ticks are a well-known threat to pets.
And there is a huge chance that you are already used to inspecting your pet, including your skin, for these bloodsuckers after being outdoors.
Unfortunately, contrary to what many of us believe, ticks thrive indoors too. So ensure you try to prevent a tick infestation and know how to handle the insects if you see them on your pet.
In case you don’t know, tick bites can result in serious diseases for you and your pets. These diseases include Lyme, Rocky, Mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis.
While dogs are more prone to tick-borne diseases, cats aren’t. However, they can contract cytauxzoonosis, a life-threatening infectious disease.
2. Mice
Wait, aren’t pets supposed to be a threat to mice? Well, sadly, that isn’t often the case.
While cats are known to hunt and kill their nemesis: mice, this pest can pose a real risk to your puss, and you as well.
In addition to their bigger cousins: rats, mice can carry parasites such as toxoplasmosis and roundworm, bacteria like leptospirosis, and Hantavirus—a family of viruses commonly attributed to rodents.
Mice are also known to carry fleas—the same with rats. So ensure you treat rodent infestation in your home with all seriousness, especially if you have a pet.
3. Rats
Many homeowners depend on their cats to get rid of their rat and mouse problems. But while cats are excited to chase mice around the home, they aren’t often adept at catching cats. In fact, in many cases, they’ll watch uninterestedly as the rats scurry or stroll past them.
You don’t necessarily have to blame your cat for this nonchalant behavior as they are trying to protect themselves. A rat bite is likely to be more fatal than that of a mouse.
So rather than depend on your cat to rid of your home or rats, consider calling in pest control experts. Terminix – your go-to pest control experts can handle rats and all types of rodent infestation. They can inspect your home for other kinds of pests and offer advice on the proper pest treatment to use.
4. Mosquitoes
Do mosquitoes bite pets too? Of course, they do. Anything that has blood coursing through them is easy prey for mosquitoes, including your furry friends, who may be defenseless against this blood-sucking pests.
In addition to their annoying high-pitched whine and itchy bites, mosquitoes are known to transmit diseases like heartworm, equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, and West Nile virus.
Hairless pets like Syhnx cats or Xoloitzcuintles (a Mexican hairless dog breed) are more prone to mosquito attacks. And while a dog’s fur may help protect them from mosquito bites, it won’t defend them the whole time.
Ensure there isn’t stagnant water in and around your home as they can serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. And if you already have a mosquito issue, try some natural solutions to get rid of them.
5. Stink bugs
Do they stink? We don’t know. But they are a threat to your pets.
Dog’s love for smelly food and stuff like your old sneakers, litter box residue, and even their pop makes it easy for them to pick up stink bugs.
Of course, no serious harm will come to a pet if they consume stink bugs. However, they may experience upset stomach, nausea, and diarrhea, all of which can make them, including you, uncomfortable.
6. Mite
Mite’s small size makes it easy for them to latch on to pets.
Want to know if your furry friends are having issues with these annoying critters? Watch out for these signs:
- Hair loss, which can be patchy or all over
- Excessive scratching
- Patches of red, angry-looking, or scabby skin
- Symptoms linked with bacterial or fungal infections
Though mites are small, they are visible to the naked eye. You can check your pet’s fur for this pest. Do it regularly. And if you notice them on your furry friends, give them a simple anti-parasitic wash. Antiparasitic shampoos can help rid your pets of many types of mites. They can be gotten from nearby pet shops.
Conclusion
If you have tried all possible means within your power to protect your pet from rampaging pests in your home, all to no avail, you may want to consider calling in pest control. Also, it’s important you take your furry friends for regular checkups to determine their health status.
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