We have heard it many times, "but it is winter time, how can I have fleas?"

         We aren't buried in snow except on our glorious mountains and we don't get overly hot during the summer. We live in a temperament climate, and although that might save us from some of nature's more unpleasant extremes and give us beautiful, enjoyable weather in the summer, it also provides a perfect breeding ground for fleas. It gets neither cold enough or hot enough in the mainland or coastal areas of BC to completely kill off the fleas in any of the seasons.

Well just how do I get fleas? I didn't see any fleas on any of the animals my dog or cat came in contact with!  

        Fully formed adult fleas are usually smaller than two millimeters in length. Eggs and and larvae are even smaller. Unless an infestation is quite bad, the chances of actually being able to see fleas on a cat or a dog at first glance are miniscule. Not only that, but if your cat or dog are left outside unattended, you might not see every animal that they may come in contact with. Even wild animals can have fleas and deposit them in your yard and be spread to your pet from just being out in the yard or even on a hike.

Now I have fleas, what do I do?

          There are several things that we would recommend you to do. First, to...

Healthy Dog Series: Dog's Skin and Nails Care

Healthy skin is smooth and flexible, ranging from pale pink to brown or black.  Spotted skin is normal in dogs with spotted or solid-color coats. No scales, scabs, growths, or areas of redness should be visible. Dogs have seasonal shedding cycles, which may occasionally change.  A healthy coat, however, is glossy and pliable without dandruff, excessive oiliness, or areas of baldness.

Check to see that your dog does not have fleas, ticks, lice, or other external parasites by running your hand against the grain of the coat, some pests are stationary, while others, like fleas, may scurry away as soon as they are exposed.

Signs of fleas include itching and the presence of  small black and white specks on the skin, which are flea dirt or feces.  It's a good idea to check the skin of long-haired dogs in several places.

If you notice any of symptoms described above book an appointment to immediately see a veterinarian at our Vancouver Animal Hospital in Norgate.

Dogs Nails Care

Regular exercise on rough ground helps wear some nails down to an appropriate length.  If not dog's nails should be trimmed until they just clear the floor.  Long nails can cause the foot to splay of spread.  Even worse, they can curl under and pierce the skin. This happens most often with the dewclaws, the nails...