Halloween isn’t the only time for creepy crawlies. As the weather gets warmer and you spend more time outside, your pets are more likely to be exposed to sometimes-serious infections and parasites. Each year, many pets are diagnosed with diseases carried by insects and parasites. 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.
Pet Health Network and DogsandTicks.com are looking out for your whole family with tips for parasite and disease prevention, ways you can test your preventive-health prowess, questions to ask your veterinarian about preventive-health screenings and prevalence maps of some of the most-common pet-health infections. Check out these quick parasite prevention tips from the Companion Animal Parasite Council and Dr. Ruth MacPete, then learn more about parasites A-Z below:
- Deworm your pets according to your veterinarian’s recommendations
- Keep your pets on monthly year-round parasite preventatives
- Take your pet to the veterinarian annually for routine parasite screenings
- Wash your hands after any exposure to soil, sandboxes, and raw meat
- Don’t let children eat dirt or food that has fallen to the ground
- Pick-up after your pet and keep your yard free of feces
- Cover sandboxes and play areas
| Parasites 101 Pets, Parasites and Protecting Your Family By Dr. Ruth MacPete All dogs and cats are at risk for parasites. 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. Learn the basics about protecting your whole family from parasites. Read more> See the Companion Animal Parasite Council's 2014 Parasite Forecasts> |
| Intestinal Parasites and Dogs Intestinal Parasites and Dogs A-Z Reviewed By Bill Saxon DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC These harder-to-detect parasites can cause issues from weight-loss, to diarrhea, to human infection. Find out what you need to know about common intestinal parasites, which ones to ask your veterinarian about and how to protect your whole family. Read more>
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| Fleas and Dogs By Dr. Ruth MacPete Although fleas can be a year-round problem depending on where you live or whether they have settled inside your home, summer marks the peak of flea season. Get the facts about preventing, detecting and getting rid of these pesky parasites. Read more> |
| Heartworm and Dogs Mosquitoes, Dogs and Heartworm Disease Reviewed By Peter Kintzer DVM, DACVIM Mosquitoes can carry the Heartworm parasite, a dangerous and common parasite that can affect your dog's heart and other organs. Get the facts on Heartworm prevalence, screening and prevention to keep your pup safe. Read more> |
| Dogs and Ticks Dogs, Ticks and Tick-Borne Parasites Reviewed By Peter Kintzer DVM, DACVIM Ticks are more than just creepy; they can spread a number of different diseases that affect both pets and people. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, anaplasmosis, tularemia, and babesia. So what can you do to protect your pets and your family from tick-borne diseases? Read more> |
| Cats and Parasites Reviewed By Peter Kintzer DVM, DACVIM Are you a proud cat parent as well? Don't forget that kitties need protection against many of the same parasites as dogs. Read more> |
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