Flea, Tick, Heartworm, and Intestinal Parasite Prevention

Comprehensive Parasite Prevention for Your Pet’s Health

Keeping your pet free from fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites is crucial for their health and comfort. These parasites are more than just a nuisance—they can cause serious health issues and transmit diseases. Here’s what you need to know to protect your furry friend year-round:

Flea and Tick Prevention:

• Why It Matters: Fleas and ticks can lead to skin problems, allergic reactions, intestinal parasites, and serious diseases. Effective prevention is essential to keeping your pet and home free from these pests.
• Year-Round Protection: Fleas and ticks can be active even in cold weather. Fleas thrive in warm, indoor environments and can find their way into your home year-round. Keeping your pet on year-round prevention helps eliminate fleas and ticks and prevents reinfestation. It takes about 3 months to fully eliminate fleas from your home due to their life cycle, so consistent prevention is key.
• Current Recommendations: While it used to be common advice to stop tick prevention during colder months, mild winters have led to ticks being present year-round. Therefore, we recommend keeping your pets on tick prevention throughout the year to avoid exposure to tick-borne diseases.

Heartworm Prevention:

• Why It Matters: Heartworm disease is a serious condition transmitted by mosquitoes. Even if your pet doesn’t go outside often, mosquitoes can still enter your home and bite your pet. Regular heartworm prevention is crucial.
• Yearly Testing: Even with year-round prevention, annual testing is recommended to ensure your pet remains heartworm-free. Mosquitoes can be sneaky, and maintaining preventative measures and regular testing ensures your pet’s health.

Fecal Testing for Intestinal Parasites:

• Initial and Ongoing Testing: At your pet’s first visit, we will send a fecal sample to our lab for testing. For ongoing health, we recommend bringing in a fresh fecal sample yearly. The fresher the sample, the more accurate the results. Please ensure the sample is no more than 24 hours old and store it in your refrigerator if needed. For cats, cleaning the litter box the night before and checking for a fresh stool sample in the morning is helpful. It’s okay if the sample has some litter on it.
• Results and Timing: When you drop off the sample at our clinic, we’ll handle the rest and usually have results within 1-2 business days.

Preventative Products:

• Available Options: We carry a select range of preventative products, including Bravecto, Revolution Plus, Interceptor Plus, and Simparica Trio. We also offer a wider variety of preventatives through our online pharmacy, which can be shipped directly to your home. Setting up auto-ship ensures you never miss a dose, keeping your pet protected at all times.

Taking proactive steps to prevent fleas, ticks, and heartworm ensures your pet’s health and comfort. If you have any questions about the best preventative options for your pet or need to schedule a check-up, please contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my pet has heartworm?

A veterinary test is required for a definitive diagnosis. However, symptoms such as a persistent cough, fatigue, swelling of the abdomen, weight loss, and difficulty breathing can be signs of heartworm disease. If your pet is showing any of these symptoms, we recommend scheduling an appointment right away.

Can people get fleas from pets?

While humans don’t provide an ideal home for fleas to live and breed, we can certainly be bitten by fleas that jump from our pets. These bites are generally not serious but can be itchy, uncomfortable, and irritating. Protecting your pet with regular flea prevention helps keep the whole household bite-free.

How do I remove a tick from my dog?

To remove a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your pet’s skin as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure—do not twist or jerk, as this can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. After removal, it is important to bring your pet in for a check-up to ensure they haven’t contracted a tick-borne illness and that the bite site is healing properly. Remember, tick prevention is far more affordable and less invasive than treating diseases like Lyme disease.

How do I know if my pet has intestinal parasites?

Common signs of intestinal parasites include weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive scratching or scooting, or visible worms in your pet’s feces. The good news is that most intestinal parasites are highly treatable. If you notice any of these symptoms, please contact our office promptly so we can begin diagnostics and start your pet on an appropriate treatment plan.