Protect Your Pet: Parasite Prevention And Treatment

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Parasites don’t just affect your pet’s health; they can also impact your home and family. Here’s why treating and preventing parasites is so important.

1. It Protects Your Pet’s Health
   Some parasites can cause serious health problems in pets. For example, Lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) can lead to lung damage and uncontrolled bleeding in dogs. Fleas might be an annoyance to older pets, but in puppies and kittens they can cause life-threatening anaemia. Intestinal worms, including roundworms and tapeworms, can also be very serious in young animals, and can lead to digestive issues, anaemia, and in severe cases, even death.
2. It Protects Your Family’s Health

Many parasites that live on cats and dogs can also affect humans. For example, some roundworms and tapeworms that live in our pets’ intestines can also infect us, and may cause serious illness in young children or immune-supressed adults. Fleas may not be able to infest humans, but their bites can still be seriously irritating. Regular treatment will help reduce the risk of your family being exposed.

1. Preventing Disease Transmission
   Some parasites can transmit diseases that affect both animals and humans. For example, ticks are known to carry Lyme disease, an infection that causes unpleasant illness in both dogs and humans. By treating your pet, you can help protect your family from these diseases.
2. Comfort and Wellbeing
   Some parasites are more of an annoyance to adult pets, but they can still make them feel uncomfortable, restless, and unwell. Appropriate parasite treatment ensures your pet is free from the irritation and discomfort caused by parasites, and improves their overall quality of life.

• Fleas: Fleas are the most common parasite that affects dogs, and can be picked up in the garden or out on a walk. Symptoms of fleas include itchiness and red, blotchy skin, especially around the base of the tail, back legs, and groin.
• Ticks: Dogs can pick up ticks anywhere where wildlife (especially deer) or farm animals have been. They attach to your dog’s skin, causing pain and irritation, and can also transmit diseases such as Lyme disease or Babesia.
• Mites: Several different types of mites can affect dogs, including Demodex and Sarcoptes. These infections are rare, but can cause severe skin irritation and inflammation.
• Intestinal Worms: Common worms that can be found in the stomach or intestines of dogs include roundworms and tapeworms. Symptoms of intestinal worms include vomiting, diarrhoea, and tiredness. These are usually mild in older animals, but can be life-threatening in puppies
• Lungworm (Angiostrongylus Vasorum): A parasite carried in slugs and snails that dogs can pick up if they eat or chew things outdoors. Symptoms of lungworm include coughing, wheezing, collapse, and uncontrolled bleeding. This is a serious infection even in adult dogs, and sadly, it can prove fatal if not treated rapidly.

• Fleas: Outdoor cats can easily pick up fleas and will pass them on to any dogs or rabbits in the household. Some cats show no symptoms of fleas, but others will become itchy and sore along their back and may develop lots of small scabs under their fur.
• Ticks: Cats can also pick up ticks while traveling outdoors. They will often remove them when they groom themselves, but if they get dropped indoors, they may then attach to another pet or a human.
• Intestinal Worms: Cats can get roundworms and tapeworms, which can lead to digestive issues and discomfort. Intestinal worms are especially serious in kittens, and

Lungworm (Aelurostrongylus abstrusus): This is a different parasite from the dog lungworm, and although the symptoms are less severe, they can still be unpleasant. Symptoms of lungworm in cats include coughing, shortness of breath, and a lack of energy.

• Fleas: Rabbits are susceptible to fleas, which can cause irritation and discomfort. They can pick them up from other pets in the home or from wildlife near their outdoor run.
• Intestinal Worms: Rabbits can occasionally suffer from worms in the stomach or intestines, which can lead to digestive problems
• Ear Mites: These mites can be picked up from contact with wild rabbits, or contaminated bedding. They cause painful, itchy crusts to develop in the ears, which can lead to scratching and headshaking in rabbits.

Skin Mites: Sometimes called “walking dandruff”, these little white mites can lead to scabby, scaly skin that can be very itchy.

• Understand The Risks: Every pet is different, and their risk of picking up parasites can be different, too. It’s important to speak to your vet about your pet’s lifestyle so they can help you understand what parasite treatment your pet needs.
• Prevent When Recommended: For pets at high risk from parasites, or for parasites that are uncommon but potentially deadly like Lungworm, prevention is much better than trying to treat each infestation.  Preventing parasites is much easier (and more cost-effective) than treating an infestation. Regularly using treatments as recommended by your vet will help to keep your pet protected.
• Regular Check-ups: Your pet’s risk of picking up parasites will change over time, so it’s important to speak to your vet about parasite treatment each time your pet goes in for their annual check-up.
• Consistency is Key: To protect your pet effectively, make sure you follow the prescribed treatment schedule. Most parasite treatments require monthly use to prevent infections, so if that’s what your vet has recommended, try to stick as closely to it as possible.

To find out more about how to protect your pet from parasites, find your local practice and call us or click here to book your pet’s appointment.  Our expert vets will guide you in choosing the right parasiticide treatments and help you create a tailored plan to ensure your pet stays healthy and parasite-free.