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Parasite Prevention
Whenever you want to treat or prevent certain pests from attacking your cat or dog, consider us for effective parasite prevention and control. We can help to protect your pal from a variety of parasites, including the following.
Ticks
We provide tests for ticks. Even if they don’t attack cats and dogs as much, they still come with harmful effects. For instance, these small arachnids will cause your pet’s skin to be swollen. Some of them carry bacteria that cause diseases like Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
How to Know when your Pet has Ticks
It’s easy to know when your pet has ticks. Run your hands over the cat or dog’s body and if you feel any bumps, bring it in for a test. Your pet is likely to have ticks if its bedding or any other place in your home has them. It might also have unexplained scabs or fevers as a result of tick bites. Again, ticks tend to attach themselves around your pet’s ears, eyes, and feet, so make sure to check those places.
Of course, to notice a tick on your pet’s body, you must know how it looks like. Ticks resemble small spiders that grow larger with time, and they have egg-shaped bodies. When they are younger, their bodies are whitish, but they turn darker as they suck more of your pet’s blood.
Fleas
Fleas are prevalent among household pets such as cats and dogs, and they thrive in warm environments. The most hazardous thing about them is that they’ll attack your pet as well as your family. Hence, when your pet has them, everyone else at home can also have them. That’s why you need to protect yourselves against the parasite first before they become a household menace.
Fleas have many negative effects on your pet, and we have explained some of them below.
Itchiness and Discomfort
Cat and dog flea bites can cause a lot of itchiness, especially if your furry buddy is allergic to the parasite’s saliva. They might even scratch the same place for hours, causing wounds or skin complications that will need a veterinarian’s attention. To avoid such issues, and spending money on treatment, protect your pet beforehand.
Transmission of Infections
Fleas also cause infections for both pets and humans. Most of them carry diseases such as tapeworms, leading to various symptoms, including vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. If too many fleas attack you or your pet, you could suffer from anemia, which is deadly.
You should not underestimate the importance of protecting your pet against fleas. Remember that a female flea can lay up to fifty eggs daily. Ignoring the problem for a few days could cost you a lot in the future.
Intestinal Parasites
Effects of Intestinal Parasites
When your dog has an intestinal parasite, it could exhibit some of the following signs.
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Rapid weight loss
- Intestinal parasites
- Anemia
- Malnutrition
- Stunted growth or death for puppies and kittens
Note that most of these intestinal parasites affect human beings too, especially kids. Some of them can lead to severe issues such as blindness. Hence, it is crucial that your pet gets prevention against them.
Heartworms
Heartworms usually enter a dog or cat’s bloodstream through an infected mosquito’s bite. They can cause serious health complications that could even lead to your pet’s death. Once they infect your cat or dog’s heart, they grow; a mature heartworm can be one-foot long. Eventually, they clog your furry friend’s heart, leading to disruption of blood flow and making it impossible for their heart to function properly.
When your pet has heartworms, they might have a mild but persistent cough. They could also have a loss of appetite and get easily fatigued after a few minutes of physical exercise. If you don’t get them medical help in time, they can suffer from heart failure.
Most cats and dogs do not show any clinical symptoms when they have heartworms. We recommend regular screening tests and that you ensure that your pet is always on heartworm prevention medications.
Skin and Ear Mites
Ear mites don’t attack human beings, but they are prevalent among pets. If your lovely cat or dog keeps shaking their head or they have itchy ears, they probably have ear mites. The latter could be present when your pet’s ears look like they have coffee grounds on them. The ears may also redden. If you are unsure, use a microscope to confirm.
These are among the most widespread parasites that could affect your furry pal. We recommend the measures below to prevent them.
- Give your parasite prevention as instructed by your veterinarian
- Follow an efficient parasite prevention plan
- Take your pet for a routine wellness screening once or twice a year
- Keep your pet clean and ensure that everyone is hygienic at home, including your children
- Monitor what your pet does while outdoors to prevent it from eating dirty substances or other pets’ stool
- Always dispose of your cat or dog’s stool as soon as possible
Everything Your pet needs in one place
To make your first visit as easy as possible, please proceed to request an appointment.