Tips to protect your family from the risk of ticks this winter

With an extremely mild winter becoming a factor in many parts of the country, the deep freeze that usually eliminates most of the fleas and ticks has allowed these pesky insects to hang around much longer than usual. As a result, if your canine happens to bring one of these bugs indoors, it could put your family at risk of Lyme disease and many other potential ailments. Thankfully, there are a few preventative methods and regular practices you can incorporate into your regular routine to keep these pests at bay.

According to WDBJ7.com, canines who have been bitten by a tick won't contract potential germs from these insects right away.

"In order to get tick diseases the tick has to be attached for six to eight hours to transmit it so it doesn't happen right away," veterinarian Dr. Erika Henson, told the news source. "If you catch it early and remove it then they won't get Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Lyme disease."

When your dog goes outdoors to do his business or taking a walk, get in the habit of giving your dog's coat a quick inspection. You may just find a tick who has attached himself to your companion's skin that could pose a risk to your family. If you happen to see one, be sure to use a pair of tweezers and remove the insect while lifting from the top of its head. Since the bug can become impacted in your dog's skin, this is the only reliable way of removing it intact.

Along with a change of habits, using a monthly flea and tick preventative can drastically reduce your canine's chances of bringing one of these pests indoors. Hartz UltraGuard Pro Flea and Tick Drops for Dogs are the ideal solution that will kill fleas, ticks and mosquitoes on contact for 30 days. These topical drops are placed at skin level between your dog's shoulder blades down the length of his back to the tail. This will kill common parasites at any stage of their life cycle, so you'll have peace of mind, even during one of the mildest winters in recent memory.

Ticks are looking to be a major concern for much of the winter, but you can keep your furry friend and your family safe by using a flea preventative and being mindful of his skin health.

For more information on Hartz flea & tick Control Products and flea prevent, visit http://www.hartzultraguard.com .

How to Tell if Your Dog has Fleas

Fleas are the most common external parasite that can affect your dog.

Left untreated, chronic infestations not only make your dog miserable but can lead to infection and more serious flea-related diseases. Being aware of the signs and symptoms of flea infestations, along with prompt treatment, will help you keep your dog and her environment a healthy one.

Symptoms of Dog Flea Allergies:

Itching and scratching: Like all parasites, fleas depend upon a host animal for their survival - in this case, your dog’s blood. Dogs can be allergic to the protein in flea saliva and will itch or scratch as soon as the flea bites the dog’s skin. Even a single flea bite can cause a dog to become nervous or agitated and scratch excessively for several days.

Red pimples or bumps: These symptoms may appear on your dog’s groin or belly, under the legs, at the base of her tail or on her behind (rump). Constant itching or scratching of these areas can result in hair loss and dry skin. Left untreated, crusty lesions and infection can develop and lead to more severe flea-related diseases.

How to Check Your Dog for Fleas: Make it a habit to check your dog’s comb or brush during regular grooming sessions. If you suspect a problem, there are several ways to check your dog for fleas.

Visual check: Adult fleas are small and brown and are relatively easy to see with the naked eye. Have your dog lie on her side and check thinly-haired areas like her abdomen or the inside of her hindquarters.

Flea comb: Fine-toothed, metal flea combs are available from your vet or local pet supply store. Run the comb along her back or underbelly making sure to apply enough pressure so the comb comes in contact with her skin. Adult flea feces – commonly called flea dirt – looks like small black pepper specks. Have a small bowl of soapy water handy to drown any adult fleas you may pull up with the comb so they don’t hop back onto your dog.

White towel test: Have your dog stand on a white paper towel or cloth. Brush or rub her coat and check to see if there are black droppings on the towel. Flea dirt will look like tiny grains of sand and will turn red if water is applied.

If you can’t detect any fleas, flea dirt or eggs, but your dog continues to scratch or seems uncomfortable, have your veterinarian check her over. There is a skin test your vet can administer to test for flea allergies. It’s also possible that your dog is suffering from another type of allergy such as a food, atopic or contact allergy which the vet can diagnose during your visit.

Safely Rid Your Dog and Home of Fleas

Adult fleas can continue to reproduce and thrive on your dog and in your home until you break their life cycle. Fortunately, there are safe and effective treatment options. From powders and sprays to shampoos and topical liquids, numerous products are available to prevent or eliminate fleas, and treat your dog’s surroundings.

Hartz offers a complete pest management system designed to prevent fleas from attaching to your dog, and to break the 4-stage flea life cycle if your dog is already infested. In severe cases, you may need to contact your vet who can treat your dog with creams and antibiotics. Either way, prevention and/or prompt treatment are the best ways to ensure that your dog avoids developing a more severe flea-related disease down the road.

For more information on Hartz Flea & Tick Control Products and flea prevent, visit http://www.hartzultraguard.com .

Hartz launches Flea and Tick Education program on Facebook

Whether it's the dead of winter or the height of flea season, it can be difficult to find reliable information about your dog or cat's flea and tick prevention needs, and Hartz has set out to solve that problem. The company has created a Flea and Tick Education page on Facebook to bring helpful information about proper product usage, frequently asked questions, news updates and many more pieces of helpful information. Hartz hopes that this new informational source will provide pet parents with everything they'll need to make an informed decision about their four-legged friend's parasite prevention.

 Since Hartz creates products that measure up to the high safety and efficacy standards of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the new Flea and Tick Education page holds a wealth of information from this government office. The site offers a tutorial about proper label usage of flea and tick products, the efficacy records of common parasite prevention products as well as an EPA fact sheet that provides a comprehensive overview with safety tips and advice that can assist a pet parent dealing with a potential flea infestation, removing insects from a pet's skin or the frequency of parasite outbreaks around the country.

 One of the biggest additions to the Flea and Tick Education page is a How-To guide that will teach owners about the proper application of parasitic prevention products. For first-time pet owners who are just starting to use topical drops or flea sprays, this can be an excellent tutorial to figure out the appropriate method of applying them. In addition to a handy visual aid, the website also has an expansive FAQ section that covers a wide variety of topics. Subjects ranging from the appropriate use of Hartz products to environmental factors to dog- and cat-specific questions are tackled in a straightforward and helpful manner.

The new Hartz Flea and Tick Education Facebook page is another way that the company is tapping into the world's most popular social media platform to improve the health and well-being of pets everywhere. With an extensive set of information about Hartz products, common dog and cat flea problems, news and updates, everything is right at the fingertips of concerned pet owners. It may be all that pet parents need to keep their four-legged friends happy and healthy during any season.

To know more about the Hartz flea & tick control products, Visit its Site http://www.hartz.com/