What Form of Parasite Prevention Is Right for My Pet?

Our pets sit at the heart of our family- often sleeping in bed with us, lounging on our couch, or sharing common living spaces, and this makes parasite prevention a key component of wellness (both for our patients and their human family members!). Each year, many pets are diagnosed with diseases carried by insects and parasites (think mosquitoes, fleas and ticks!).

Cost of treatment can be expensive and some diseases can lead to serious illness. Just as bad, many of these diseases can be transmitted to people the very same way our pets get them. All dogs and cats are at risk for parasites, even if the parasites are not easily seen. External parasites like fleas and ticks are usually easy to spot if you know what to look for, but others, like intestinal parasites and heartworm, can easily go undetected until they cause serious illness.

At your next wellness visit, your doctor can help you address any of the following common questions and customize a parasite prevention plan that is right for your entire family:

• How can I tell if my pet has ticks or fleas?
• Which preventive is right for my pet?
• What steps can I take to reduce my pet’s exposure to fleas and ticks outside of the home?
• Are fleas and ticks seasonal parasites?
• How common is heartworm disease and what can be done to prevent it?

Heartworm & Intestinal Parasite Prevention

As part of annual physical exams at Sacramento Animal Hospital, we test for heartworms and provide a prescription for a heartworm preventive that can be taken monthly. Heartworm in cats is a significant health risk and, given the difficulty in diagnosing and treating this parasite in our feline friends, we recommend monthly prevention.

We look forward to answering any and all of your questions regarding flea and tick prevention. Contact us today for more information on all of our pet health services.