Parasite Prevention & Control
Dogs and cats are at risk of contracting a variety of different parasites including fleas, ticks, heartworm, and intestinal parasites. Since parasites and the diseases they carry can make both your pet and the human members of your family sick, parasite prevention and control should be thought of as vital aspects of your pet’s ongoing wellness and preventative care routine.
Parasites and the Dangers They Pose
Intestinal Parasites
Intestinal parasites can cause pets a great deal of gastrointestinal discomfort and lead to malnutrition. Additionally, they can be transmitted between pets and people, making them a threat to your entire household.
Fleas
Fleas are some of the most commonly encountered parasites. They can transmit bacterial diseases to pets, can lead to blood loss, often cause allergic dermatitis in pets, and can even transmit tapeworms to pets.
Ticks
Ticks are another type of parasite that are dangerous to both pets and people. They can potentially carry a variety of serious infectious diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, leptospirosis, and more.
Heartworm
Heartworm parasites are spread via mosquito bites. If an infected mosquito bites your dog or cat, it can transmit heartworm larvae to your pet’s bloodstream.
Cats are not considered natural hosts for heartworm, but they can still suffer negative health effects from the parasites. Dogs are natural heartworm hosts. As a result, heartworm is often fatal for dogs.
Unfortunately, there’s no treatment for cats with heartworm disease, and the treatment for dogs is not usually 100% effective. As a result, heartworm is often fatal for pets. For this reason, prevention is imperative.
Parasite Prevention
Our veterinarian can recommend parasite testing, treatment, and prevention based on your pet’s lifestyle, exposure risk, and history. This might include regular de-worming, a topical or oral flea and tick preventative, and even injections to protect your pet from heartworm disease.
Parasite Testing, Control, and Prevention With Our Veterinarian in Frisco
If you’re not sure whether your pet is fully protected from parasites, then we strongly encourage you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Moore at Frisco Pet Hospital. He can discuss parasite testing with you to determine whether your pet has contracted any parasites. Depending on the findings of these tests, he will then discuss parasite control measures and recommend a parasite preventative that will be effective and safe for your whole family.
To learn more about parasite control and prevention for dogs and cats, we welcome you to contact Frisco Pet Hospital today.
