Flea problems on the rise in Fort Worth. Hot and humid summer to blame

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Donut never had fleas until this summer. The beagle pup caught them twice at a dog park.

I came home and she had fleas on her stomach, said Donuts owner and Fort Worth resident Kristi King. I was like, Oh no.

Donut isn’t the only pet that has brought home a friend, or five, from outside. Many pet owners, veterinarians, and pest experts in Fort Worth struggle with flea problems. The flea-friendly environment in North Texas is the culprit.

The weather has been very opportunistic for them, said Janet Hurley, senior extension program specialist at Texas A&M AgriLife.

Fleas don’t have a designated peak season, but benefit from weather that’s neither too hot nor too cold, said Hurley, who specializes in pest control. In the extreme heat of North Texas, shady areas and humidity caused by humidity and occasional rains create the perfect environment for them.

We also have a type of soil that is a mixture of clay and sand, which allows fleas to burrow around ground-nesting mammals, Hurley said.

Fleas live and move with furry wild animals and are transmitted to pets or humans when the opportunity arises. Pets with fleas may travel more due to Tarrant County’s open land areas, Hurley said.

If there’s an area in your yard where rabbits have been lying down, you can see that depression in the ground, she said. Kick it up fleas do not survive if the ground has been disturbed and disturbed, as they need a compact, undisturbed moist area.

Other possible solutions include sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the yard, pest control, and removing piles of leaves and other places where animals and fleas burrow.

You’re going to try to make things unhappy, Hurley said. Happy for you, but not happy for them.

A happy environment for the fleas was where Donut was playing when they latched onto her, her owner said.

Donut was near a pond in the center of the dog park, where water and dirt meet moist soil that fleas love.

She scratched and itched, and my dog ​​doesn’t itch, King said. So usually whenever they itch profusely, you’re like, something’s wrong,

She turned Donut over to see a few chips on her lower abdomen. She immediately grabbed the parasites and killed them.

A week later, Donut played in the same area of ​​the park and came home itchy.

It’s important for owners to pay attention to a pet’s behavior in hot weather, said Dr. Shawn McCorkle, veterinarian and owner of Summer Creek Animal Clinic in Fort Worth.

Each year the veterinary clinic sees an increasing number of pets with flea problems during the summer months.

The most detrimental effect for dogs is the quality of life issues we see especially in dogs with flea allergies, which is quite common, McCorkle said.

How to check if your dog has fleas

Owners more often find signs that their dog had fleas than see the fleas, said veterinarian Shawn McCorkle. Here’s how to check and what to look for:

Start at the base of the tail and slowly run your fingers through the hair working your way up to the base of the neck. Use the thumbs to lift the hair and see the skin better. Owners can occasionally find fleas, but are more likely to find small black spots near the base of the hair. It can be dirt from fleas or feces.

Any animal bitten by a flea will experience itching, but there is a significant difference in effects when the animal is allergic to the flea’s saliva, he said. Even a few flea bites can affect a dog’s immune system and stimulate inflammation and intense itching.

McCorkle advises owners to watch for signs of their dog’s flea allergy, such as itching near the base of his tail or along his back, hair loss near the area, or irritated skin. If symptoms are observed, owners should consult a veterinarian.

Disease transmission, especially tapeworm infection, is another potential consequence for dogs. If a dog ingests a flea harboring the tapeworm, the flea can then complete its life cycle in the dog’s body.

Owners may observe symptoms such as their dog dragging its rear on the floor or small pellets around its rectum, McCorkle said.

The most effective way to avoid these situations is to make sure your dog has good flea prevention year-round, he said.

Medications are available over-the-counter and by prescription to treat and prevent dogs from getting fleas.

King put Donut on a three-in-one flea, tick and heartworm preventative medication after giving him a long flea bath.

She hasn’t had fleas since, she said.

Now King says she’ll make sure Donut stays away from flea-prone areas, watch her behavior and keep her furry friend flea-free.

Sara Honda is public engagement and social media lead for the Fort Worth report. Contact her at [email protected]. At Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Learn more about our Editorial Independence Policy here

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