When it comes to protecting your pet, what comes to mind? Maybe you keep your dog on a leash or keep a breakaway collar on your cat. And while these are important ways to keep your pet safe, keeping your pet pest-free during the summer months could protect your pet’s life. What makes bugs such a big deal? Here are the top reasons your pet deserves flea, tick, and heartworm prevention:
1. Fleas Can Infest Your Home & Strain Your Pet’s Health
Fleas consume 15 times their body weight in blood. And while individual fleas don’t weigh very much, they have power in numbers. For every 3 fleas you see, there are 150 hidden nearby. This can have a major impact on your pet’s wellbeing.
These itty bitty-biting bugs can spread tapeworm larvae and cause anemia. They can also spread cat scratch fever to your beloved feline, which can be passed onto you or your family members. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that constant bites also cause great mental distress and the inability to enjoy restful sleep.
Many pets also experience extreme pain, discomfort, and chronic infections due to flea allergies.
2. Ticks Spread Disease
Ticks are experts at hiding in tall summer grasses and shrubs. Unfortunately, they’re also experts in transmitting painful and deadly diseases. Ticks can spread Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (which is very common in the Midwest), and ehrlichiosis. Frighteningly, some of the most serious tick-borne diseases can go unnoticed for weeks, months, or longer.
These diseases can be debilitating for pets, preventing them from partaking in all the activities they enjoy. The effects of tick-borne disease can also last your pet’s lifetime.
3. Heartworm Disease is Deadly
Heartworm larvae are transmitted by mosquitoes and slowly rob pets, especially dogs, of their ability to breathe. Heartworms grow to adulthood over 6 months. Then they begin to multiply, making life difficult for their host. From there, they begin to clog a pet’s heart, lungs, and bloodstream.
Eventually, when left untreated, heartworms are 100% fatal for dogs. As for cats, there is no treatment for heartworms.
Even when dogs do receive treatment, the procedure is arduous, expensive, and the damage from heartworms can result in permanent damage.
How Can You Protect Your Pet from These Deadly Pests?
Luckily, there are simple ways to prevent your pet from becoming a victim to these deadly pests.
The first and most effective way to safeguard your pet is to use prescription flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives. These medications eliminate pests before they can have a chance to ravage your pet’s health. In order for these medications to be fully effective, it’s vital to not skip any doses throughout the year.
Next, you want to be vigilant about checking your pet and noticing signs of pests. What should you look for?
- Fleas leave small specks of blackish ‘dirt’ on your pet’s skin and often where they sleep. You will also notice your pet scratching and chewing
- As for ticks, they tend to aim for warm, dark, and damp areas. These include your pet’s armpits, belly, between the toes, and ears.
- Dogs and cats with heartworm infections often begin wheezing, coughing, and appearing out of breath.
Keeping your pet away from areas where wildlife frequently travels can reduce exposure to the parasites they often carry. You can also reduce the number of mosquitos around your home by checking for and emptying any containers of standing water.
Don’t Let Summer Pests Take a Bite Out of Your Pet’s Health
Your pet’s life and health are precious. Luckily, you have the ability to protect your pet from pests that can rob your pet of their health, happiness, and peace of mind. Give us a call today at 952-884-1868 to schedule an appointment for your pet’s check-up. We are happy to chat about what prescription medications would be best for your pet and your pet’s lifestyle.
