Flea, Tick, Heartworm, and Intestinal Parasite Prevention

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.