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Pet Fleas, Ticks, and Heartworm
Fleas and ticks carry diseases that can cause serious harm to your pet.
Pet Fleas, Ticks, and Heartworm in Rancho Cucamonga, CA
The most common problem associated with fleas is flea allergy dermatitis, which causes excessive itching, skin inflammation, sores, and hair loss. The second most common problem associated with fleas is tapeworms. Fleas can carry tapeworm eggs, and when the flea bites your pet, the egg can be deposited under your pet’s skin, causing a tapeworm infestation.
Pet Health Hazards Of Fleas & Ticks
Ticks are known to carry many different types of bacteria that can cause zoonosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Lyme disease. Lyme disease causes lethargy, pain in your pet’s joints, and decreased appetite. Rocky Mountain spotted fever can cause skin lesions, vomiting, problems with your pet’s nervous system, and depression. Zoonosis is known for causing bloody diarrhea, fevers, runny noses, and watering eyes.
A severe flea infestation can cause anemia in pets that are small or advanced in age. Anemia is characterized by rapid breathing, lack of appetite, and excessive sleeping. If you suspect your pet has anemia due to fleas, it is an emergency situation.
Types Of Flea Prevention Medication Available
When it comes to preventing fleas and ticks, there are several different types of medications available, including sprays, oral tablets, spot-on treatments, and flea collars. Baseline Animal Hospital can help you decide which method is best for your pet, depending on their lifestyle.
- Chewable Tablets: Given as directed, systemically effective for 30 or 90 days, depending on the option selected.
- Topical Treatment: Placed between your pet’s shoulder blades, effective for 30 or 90 days.
Flea and Tick Prevention Help With Baseline Animal Hospital
You can count on us to provide you with the right type of flea and tick medication for your pet and advice on how to rid your home of flea infestations. Oral chews may be the right solution if you are looking for a no-hassle way to control fleas and ticks in your dog or cat. If you have a flea infestation, you may want to use a spray treatment that kills fleas and ticks on contact.
Fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites can pose problems for dogs and cats. Because these parasites can cause discomfort or illness in your pets, it’s crucial to provide them with regular parasite prevention. If you’re searching for a veterinarian near you to assist with this, consider reaching out to Baseline Animal Hospital in Rancho Cucamonga. Our veterinarians can help you determine the most suitable parasite prevention approach for your pet.
Heartworm Prevention for Dogs
Heartworm prevention for dogs is an important concern for every pet owner. Prevention is an important part of providing essential care, and heartworm disease prevention for dogs is something every owner can do. Consider:
- Dogs have been diagnosed with heartworm disease in every state in the U.S.
- Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes, so any area of the country that has mosquitoes—even just a few of them—can also have heartworm disease.
- Dogs don’t just need prevention during warm-weather months. Heartworm preventives work by treating heartworms that have already infected the pet within the past month or longer; meanwhile, preventives need to be given on time every time to be effective. That’s why the American Heartworm Society recommends year-round heartworm prevention for pets.
- The American Heartworm Society estimates that more than a million dogs in the U.S. have heartworm disease—and heartworm disease can be fatal.
- Cats and ferrets can also get heartworm disease.
- Heartworm preventives are safe, relatively inexpensive, and easy to give. Still, if a dog becomes infected, heartworm treatment can be costly and difficult, requiring multiple veterinary visits and months of exercise restriction.
- While there are drug-free strategies owners can put in place to reduce a pet’s exposure to mosquitoes, there’s no such thing as a “natural” heartworm preventive.
Heartworm preventives come in different forms, including monthly chewable pills. Heartworm preventives are available only by prescription from veterinarians.
Some preventives only prevent heartworms, some protect pets from heartworms and intestinal parasites, and some protect pets from many different parasites, including heartworms, intestinal worms, fleas, ticks, and mites. Because veterinarians know which parasites are common in the area in which they practice, owners should talk to their pet’s veterinarian about what product or products will be best for their pets.
Internal parasites
Many internal parasites are worms that live in your pet’s intestinal tract. These include roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms. Giardia, cryptosporidium, and coccidia also fall under this category and are extremely contagious among dogs and cats.
Internal parasites are especially dangerous to the growth and development of puppies and kittens. Likewise, internal parasites can quickly become life-threatening for pets with weak immune systems.
There are chewable preventatives available for intestinal worms. Giardia, cryptosporidium & coccidia can only be treated after diagnosis by a fecal sample. Annual fecal testing is a great way to screen for intestinal parasite infestations that may go unnoticed when your pet is asymptomatic.
Contact Baseline Animal Hospital in Rancho Cucamonga, CA
If you have a dog or cat and are interested in parasite prevention and treatment, contact Baseline Animal Hospital to get started. Our veterinary team is available to answer any questions related to pet parasites and provide other medical, grooming, and boarding services. Call our office today at (909) 987-4788 to learn more about our practice and the available treatment options for pet parasites.