Fleas and pests and how to avoid them

Fleas – a groomer’s worst nightmare?

Flea infestations are something groomers try to avoid at all costs. Beware the new client that books their dog in for a long session because their coat is ‘tangled.’ All too often groomers discover they have taken on more than they bargained for but why are fleas so feared?

About fleas:

Fleas are parasites that feed on blood.

Fleas can live on any warm-blooded animal, but seem to prefer to live on humans, cats, dogs and rodents. They can also infest pet bedding, carpets, blankets.

So why are fleas so feared?

Fleas are best known for spreading the Bubonic Plague. They also transmit the bacterial disease murine typhus to humans through infected rats. Their saliva is an allergen that can cause allergic reactions in pets and humans. Fleas can also transfer tapeworms and cause anemia in pets. Flea bites cause painful, itchy red bumps.

Pesky Parasites

Debby Knight LCGI of The Bristles Dog Grooming and Training Centre - an Assessment Centre for Summit Training Group, shares her knowledge of pesky parasites: Parasites...The thought we may catch or be carrying parasites is not a nice one , but the reality is working around dogs , we have a very good chance of being infected by them. Tapeworms, Roundworms, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, P.Falciparum, D.Fragilis,Toxoplasma, Guinea Worm, Lice, Scabies, Fleas and Ticks to name but a few. So let’s look at the different parasites: LICE - these insects live on your blood and there are three types, head ,

Flea fact file:

Fleas transport themselves on rodents and other mammals, and usually remain on their hosts at all times. The most common species is the cat flea, which often feasts on cats, dogs and humans.

Fleas do not fly. Instead, they jump from one place to another. In fact, fleas can jump as high as 8” vertically, which is 150 times their own height. If we could do this, we would be able to leap over skyscrapers! • Size: 1/12” to 1/6” • Shape: Flat • Color: Dark, reddish brown • Legs: 6 • Wings: No • Antenna: Yes • Clean and vacuum frequently to keep areas flea-free. Give dogs lots of baths, regular flea and tick treatments. There are natural products now available that can also help to keep these pests at bay.

body and pubic. Luckily only body lice spread diseases and they crawl. They lay eggs on you and when they hatch, you start itching. They are easily treated with shampoo and other over the counter medications. SCABIES - dig into your body and lay eggs . Caught by skin to skin contact from an infected person and causing you to itch at night creating a pimply rash, crusty patches and sores. This is treated with a prescription that will kill the scab. PORK WORMS - obviously caught from eating raw or undercooked pork or coming into contact with someone who has them. The disease can lead to infecting the intestines and brain and can lead to a disease called cysticercosis. Some people get better with or without medication others need surgery. ROUNDWORMS - which include Ascariasis, which causes belly pain. Hookworm - causes blood loss and is very common in dogs. Pinworm, anal itching and is common in kids. Trichinosis - pain fever,pink and a rash and Whipworm , mucus , water and blood in poo and few other nasty things. Drugs can be prescribed for all these. TAPEWORM - creates abdominal pain , nausea , diarrhoea , weight loss . This needs medication to kill them and is 95% curable. GIARDIA - is commonly caught when people go camping and you get gas, cramping, bloating and nausea. It is caught from food or drinking water or contact with poo of an infected person or animal. This is treated by prescription drugs . CRYPTOSPORIDIUM - also referred to as ‘crypto’. This is be transmitted by contact with human or animal poo and kids often catch it form pool water. It causes diarrhoea , which can last a long time , but usually goes away on its own . P.FALCIPARUM - mosquitoes can carry this parasite and it causes malaria . This diseases kills many people, so maleria pills and early treatment is necessary . D. FRAGILIS - this can cause stomach pain and diarrhoea and infects the large intestine. You may however have no symptoms at all. This is common through out the world. TOXOPLASMA - is found in meat , water and infected cat faeces. Pregnant women are told to avoid cat litter trays as this can lead to serious symptoms like cysts in the brain , muscles and eyes . Though this disease is generally not treated, medication can be prescribed for severe infections. GUINEA WORM - this is a roundworm which use to be very common in the day before clean tap water when people drank water from ponds , it could be infected by the larvae and the worms mated and grew in the stomach, then burst out through a blister in the skin .It could take up to a year for for the symptoms to show and there is no treatment for the disease . FLEAS - blood sucking insects that love warm blooded animals and humans .They create itching in an animal and leave signs of ‘flea dirt ‘ on the fur. They also make us itch and leave small pimples where they bite. TICKS - of which there are several types: Dog ticks, sheep ticks and hedgehog ticks all of which can infect your dogs, but are treatable and can be eradicated by breaking the breeding cycle. These parasites require a host to feed and breed from and spread infectious diseases to both pets and people. Ticks can cause a serious illness in humans called Lymes disease which if not diagnosed quickly enough is incurable and leads to nasty symptoms. There are also good parasites and research is looking at ‘worm therapy ‘to help treat asthma, Crohn’s disease, colitis and type 1 diabetes, so it’s not all bad news . But next time you hug and kiss the dog you are grooming and forget to wash your hands before you eat your lunch think again of what you could catch !!

UK’s Most Spoiled Pets

New data from personalised pet gift shop Yappy.com has revealed the UK’s top ten most spoiled dog breeds, with Cavapoochon’s topping the list!

The triple crossbreed (a mix of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bichon Frise and Poodle) came out as the UK’s most pampered pet, with Maltipoos and Chow Chows in close second and third place.

Following a fur baby boom over the last year with over 3.2 million Brits all becoming puppy parents, Yappy.com has studied over 300 popular breeds and over 5000 individual pet profiles to identify the most opulent pups from every area of the UK.

The Top 3

Cavapoochons are celebrated for their puppy looks and are the most likely dog in the UK to be lavished with treats and gifts. They are extremely playful with cheery personalities and are incredibly generous with kisses and cuddles - no wonder they find themselves living the life of luxury!

Maltipoo comes hot on the tail of the Cavapoochon as the UK’s second most-spoiled dog. These silky-coated pups are ideal for owners with allergies, are easy to train and are full of adoring personality! Maltipoos are much-loved by celebrities too, with famous names such as Laura Whitmore being proud owners.

In third is the cuddly Chow Chow. One of the oldest dog breeds in the world, Chow Chows are now one of the most expensive dog breeds in the UK and are the third most spoiled! Thanks to their teddy bear appearance, the breed is highly sought-after and adored.

Cavapoochons are UK’s most spoiled pets Chow Chow comes in third

Whilst it’s no surprise to see popular breeds like the Sproodle, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Hungarian Vizsla in the overall top 10 list, the data shows that other much-loved breeds such as Dalmatians, Siberian Husky and Shih Tzu all placed in the bottom 10 of the UK’s most under indulged dogs.

Based on the average spend of dog owners, Yappy.com has calculated which breeds are the most spoiled in each area of the UK.

The map identified that in Scotland the most spoiled dog breed is the Cockapoo, in London it’s the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and in Yorkshire, it’s the Chihuahua!

Dog First Aid Training Courses and Equipment

Animal Aiders

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Food Grooming and Hygiene

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Shampoo

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Mutneys

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Trade Association For Pet Care Specialists

The British Dog Groomers’ Association is a trade association offers dog groomers a range of practical and financial benefits, including insurance, a legal helpline and qualifications. It is part of the Pet Industry Federation family and provides access to invaluable support mechanisms to give dog groomers the skills and confidence to cope with the challenges of running a business. T: 01234 273933 E: info@petfederation.co.uk W: www.petfederation.co.uk

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Going Mobile…

Winner

Grooming Van of the Year

The Portable Palace

Created from our Revolutionary insulated panel, the Palace provides groomers with unrivalled benefits never seen before in the industry! This amazing new concept was born due to our lining's incredible lifespan - they often out live the vans they were placed in - so we created a demountable pod where your business can be moved on to the next chassis easily when needed - or if you no longer wish to be mobile, you can demount the pod and work from your garden!

• As the chassis ages, the Palace can be removed and placed onto a brand new chassis - resulting in a

much cheaper cost than having to buy a whole new van and conversion with next to no downtime

• If the chassis is involved in an accident or breaks down you can simply remove the body, place it on the

ground and work from your driveway whilst you wait for it to be repaired.

• The lining will not out live the vehicle like so often seen with used van conversions. You then have to sell

the van & conversion and then buy a new van and conversion and wait whilst it is converted. Whereas with the Palace, you can keep the pod forever and change the chassis as you need to.

• Once you choose to retire from mobile grooming you can remove the Palace, sell the chassis and work

from the Palace in your garden instead of having to buy a parlour or convert a room in your house.

• When you choose to move home, you can take the pod with you and this portability combined with the

size means they will not normally require planning permission in your garden.

• You never need to buy a Brand new chassis that can depreciate - simply buy used a chassis and then

swap them out as they get too old.

• Smaller than its LWB Van equivalent but provides a more workable space inside that is highly

customisable as there are no van strutts or vehicle constraints

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Say goodbye to having to buy a whole new van and conversion every few years - simply move your Palace from one chassis to another with zero down time and when the time comes and you no longer want to be mobile, simply

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G;Rooms

Our fantastic portable grooming Pods allow you to groom from the comfort of your own garden in a fully waterproof, insulated & professional environment. They are completely self contained - for electric you simply plug the cable provided into your house, for water in you simply attach your garden hose and this is piped straight to your Hydrobath. Waste water is held inside the bath and piped out to a location of your choice. The Pods do not normally ever require planning permission and they can be delivered to even the hardest to reach locations. And if you move house? our Pods move with you! Each pod is fully portable and can be moved an unlimited amount of times. Choose from an unlimited amount of interior & exterior options with fully customisable packages to perfectly suit your budget and design with ever Pod and conversion available on finance from as little as £20+vat per wk! Trailers

Made from our Revolutionary insulated panel, our VCA Approved Grooming trailers provide the perfect solution if you would like to work from home and be mobile without the running costs associated with a van - with no tax or MOT required with trailers! You can leave the trailer on your drive way or hitch up with your vehicle when ever you need to. And when you have finished being mobile you can permanently demount the trailer from the axels and use it as a Garden Pod!

Vans

Our industry leading dog grooming vans provide unrivalled levels of luxury combined with practicality. Choose from new or used vans or supply your own, we work with you to create the perfect package for your business. Complete with a 10 year lining warranty our conversions outlive and out perform all in their class with a build quality that is second to none. Unlimited optional extras and packages are available including sign writing and free delivery back to you. New vans Available fully converted from just £68+vat per wk!

Portable Palace

Your parlour for life. Our new revolutionary demountable Palace offers benefits never seen before in the industry. Once your chassis reaches the end of its life or is involved in an accident, you simply demount your Palace and work from home or swap it onto a new chassis. If you no longer want to be mobile you can demount the pod and use it as a parlour in your Garden. The palace’s can be driven on a standard UK driving License and are often smaller than their van based equivalent whilst giving you more usable space. Available in a wide range of sizes with unlimited conversion configurations. Available on finance

NATURALLY BETTER Treat little stinkers kindly!

If you prefer your 'natural' shampoo pure, without chemical scents or artificial colour, give this one a go! Enriched with essential oils to super hydrate and deeply nourish the coat and skin, what's not to like?