Beating the Bugs: Preventing Fleas, Ticks, and Mosquito-borne Illnesses
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In a perfect world, pets wouldn’t be bothered by parasites. They would just carry on with all their delightful exuberance and curiosity, unburdened by vector-borne illnesses. While parasites are a necessary part of the food chain, it can seem impossible to peacefully coexist with them. Not only irritating, parasites like fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes threaten pet health. With a year-round approach to parasite prevention, you can safeguard your pet’s wellness today and tomorrow.
Facing Fleas
A single female flea can infest a home in a matter of days, and they won’t stop at feasting on everyone, pets and people alike, in the house.
Flea saliva has the potential to cause a terrible allergic reaction called flea allergy dermatitis. This leads to constant scratching at itchy skin, open sores, and secondary bacterial infections. Anemia can also be experienced by pets that host fleas.
Treatment involves:
- Bathing
- Topical products like gels or ointments to kill fleas
- Eliminating eggs in the home (shampooing carpets, upholstery, and even hiring an exterminator).
- Getting pets up to date on parasite prevention medication to prevent future infestations and flea-related health issues.
Terrible Ticks
Ticks have a way of striking fear into most pet owners. Not only are ticks so small there are almost undetectable, but hosts fail to register the sensation of a tick bite. This means that ticks have the potential to latch on for as long as they wish, potentially transmitting diseases like Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Overgrown areas of shrubbery, wood piles, and compost heaps can be tick hot spots. Pet owners can get in front of tick problems in these ways:
- Always conduct a daily tick search, even on days that pets stay home. Ticks can hitch rides on human clothing and shoes to get inside the home.
- Manage the property and keep the yard/garden trim and tidy. A barrier of mulch or rock can reduce tick-carrying animals from entering your pet’s area.
- Remove ticks immediately. Protect yourself with gloves/glasses. With tweezers reserved just for tick removal, carefully extract the tick from the skin. Be sure the head does not get separated from the body. Store in a ziplock and save in case testing is necessary.
- Watch for symptoms of tick-borne illness, such as lethargy, limping, fever, and pain.
- Schedule an exam to have your dog vaccinated for Lyme disease and acquire a prescription for the parasite preventive that works for their lifestyle.
Mosquito Bite Prevention
Heartworm disease, among others, is carried and spread by mosquitoes. This can be very costly to treat in dogs, and there is no cure for cats.
Microscopic worms are deposited directly into the bloodstream during a mosquito bite. Over time, these worms move to the lungs and heart where they mature and reproduce. Known for causing breathing problems, lethargy, weight loss, and more, heartworm disease affects vitality and longevity.
The good news is that heartworm disease is entirely preventable with monthly oral medication.
Here to Help
Curem Veterinary Care is always here to help your pet. Please call us at (480) 787‑0544 with any questions or concerns.