Fleas, Ticks, and Heartworm
Like most pet owners, you probably enjoy spending quality time with your pets both indoors and out. Don’t leave them at risk for any unwelcome visits from pesky parasites like fleas and ticks, or deadly parasitic diseases such as heartworm!
Fleas and ticks can be very damaging to the human-animal bond, particularly when flea invasion gets out of control or when ticks hitch a ride with your pet. Not only can these unfriendly parasites make your pets extremely uncomfortable, they pose health risks and can transmit disease to humans as well.
Since fleas can survive a cold winter by feeding on unprotected pets and ticks are active whenever it is warm enough outside for them to crawl about their surroundings, preventive measures should be taken year-round.
Heartworm is potentially deadly and dependent upon mosquitoes for transmission. Unfortunately, most pets don’t show symptoms until the disease is well advanced. With warmer, wetter seasons nationwide, we recommend 12-month heartworm protection as well.
There are many safe and effective flea, tick and heartworm control products available, and our veterinary team will help you choose the correct preventive regimen based on your pet’s risk factors and health status. Once a year, it is important to discuss with your veterinarian which external pest control products are ideal for your household, based upon the everyday life of your pet.
Intestinal Parasites
Intestinal parasites such as hookworms and roundworms can be a troublesome concern, especially for very young animals. Most puppies/kittens are born with worms and dogs/cats remain susceptible to the harmful parasites throughout their lives. Worms live inside your pet, so fecal analysis is necessary for detection. Internal parasites can not only harm your pet, but many can also be transferred to children and adults, making them sick as well.
Our hospital performs a fecal analysis on all new puppies and kittens. If your pet does have a parasite problem, our veterinarians can provide you with different medications and treatments to remedy the problem and steer your pet back to good health.
If you have questions about parasites or want to schedule an exam and testing for your pet. make an appointment online or call us at (410) 838-7797 ext. 2.