Parasite Control
Intestinal worms
Keeping pets worm free
Intestinal worms are quite horrifying, especially if you have seen these alien monster looking parasites under a microscope. Worms can make your pets and your family sick. Luckily prevention of worms is painless and easy.
There are a few common types of worms that vets treat for
- Roundworm
Roundworm can affect puppies and kittens just about from birth. If your pet is from a breeder make sure you know the deworming history of the parents of the animal too. Contaminated soil or poop is responsible for spreading roundworm. Roundworm eggs and larvae can survive a long time in the faeces of dogs or cats. Licking and playing can spread the eggs around. Smaller animals and children are especially vulnerable because they play in the dirt. Unless the pet has a severe infection there are no major symptoms to look out for, so it is safer to prevent an infection.
- Hookworm
Dogs and cats face severe effects from hookworm, the younger your pet the more severe the effects. These parasites cause bleeding in the intestinal tract which can lead to internal bleeding and blood loss, diarrhoea and weight loss. If you suspect that your dog or cat could have hookworm, make an urgent appointment with your vet. Walking barefoot through contaminated soil or ingesting the larvae are common ways to contract hookworm.
- Whipworm
Contamination happens when your pet, or you, consume infected soil. Most animals will show no symptoms of whipworm, on occasion there will be some rough fur or weight loss. Severe infections cause diarrhoea which may contain blood, poor overall condition and your pet will lose weight. Untreated the parasite will continue to cause damage to your pet’s health. People can get whipworms from contaminated soil or water.
- Tapeworms
These flat worms resemble a measuring tape, which is where the name comes from. Fleas carry the larvae of the tapeworm and pets can accidentally ingest one of the infected fleas. It is important that you keep your pets flea free. There are no major symptoms unless the infection is really severe. Then you will notice weight loss and anaemia. Tapeworm segments contain eggs, the segments are excreted through faeces. The passing of the segments may cause a bit of irritation which your pet will alleviate by scooting their bottom on the floor.
Flea control
Keep your pets flea free
Fleas are tiny, ticks are tiny, but they can cause some not so tiny problems. No one likes to be itchy and it is avoidable for you and your pets. Ticks and fleas can also cause other problems for your pet. Let’s have a look at some reasons to make sure that your pets are tick and flea free.
Skin Health
Flea bites cause itchiness, on pets and humans. Depending on the sensitivity to the saliva an allergic reaction can cause more damage. In severe and untreated cases flea bites can lead to skin infection, this is because of continuous scratching.
Fleas in your home
Fleas do not live very long so they multiply quickly. Once they have fed on the blood of your pet they can lay up to 50 eggs per day. They find their way into your home on your pet’s fur, by hitching a ride on your clothes or any number of ways. The fact that they can start laying eggs within 24 hours of being in your home, means that 1 flea can cause a serious infestation. Preventing fleas on your pets means preventing fleas in your home. If you do find yourself with an infestation remember that you will need to use foggers or sprays two weeks apart, possibly three treatments to break the cycle.
Proactive vs reactive
As pet owners the health of our furry friends is very important. We at Crofton Down Veterinary clinic understand how much you care for your pets. Preventing your pet from getting sick is so much better than having to treat an illness. The best cure is prevention. Our vet will set up a schedule for you to fit in the parasite treatments with vaccinations and deworming. They can also advise on the best way to set up a regimen to keep your pets and home parasite free.
Keeping your pet safe from fleas, ticks and other parasites keeps your family and your home safe from these annoyances too.
Steps to being parasite free
Speak to your vet about what sort of parasite prevention would work best for your situation. There are a variety of options available – oral (tablets), topical(directly applied) and wearable (collars). Discuss the required dosage for your pet to make sure they are well protected. We have a wide variety of parasite preventable treatments.
Our vets will go through the pros and cons of each of the treatments available. Together we will make sure that your furbaby gets the best possible flea prevention.
