03/26/2025
Let’s Talk Prevention! 🪳👀
As weather warms up in the Spring, our furry friends have a greater risk of contracting pests and parasites (although believe it or not, these critters were hanging out outside in the winter too!)
Fleas, ticks, heartworm, and intestinal parasites are a few examples of the icky pests that can hitch a ride on or in our pet companions. That’s why year round prevention is so important! Here are a few examples of the prevention we carry in clinic, what it does, and why we love it:
-Bravecto: chewable tablet for dogs (available in topical for cats) that prevents fleas and ticks. The best part? It’s only given every 3 months!
-Simparica Trio: a chewable tablet for dogs that prevents fleas, ticks, heartworms, roundworms, and hookworms. One of the easiest ways to cover all your bases in one pill! Given once monthly.
-Credelio Quattro: a chewable tablet for dogs that prevents fleas, ticks, heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, AND tapeworms. Clinically proven 6-in-1 protection, given once monthly.
So why is prevention so important? Let’s break it down.
Aside from general itch and discomfort from fleas and ticks, ticks are known to carry many diseases that pose a threat to both dogs and humans. Ticks carrying Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, or Ehrlichia can easily transit this to a dog if bitten. While Lyme disease can be treated in dogs, it is never fully curable. Just like with humans, the severity of the symptoms will depend on the individual. Lyme disease is unlikely to be transmitted by cats- however cats can contract fleas!
Dogs contract heartworm after being bitten by a mosquito carrying the heartworm larvae. The larvae then migrate to the heart of the dog where they continue growing, weakening the dog’s immune system over time. Heartworm in dogs and puppies can be life threatening in some cases.
Prevention is key! Year round prevention is the safest way to ensure our furry friends are protected. Please contact the office at 716-608-6383 for more info or to purchase prevention for your pet. (Please note: in order to purchase heartworm prevention your pet legally needs to have an annual negative heartworm test and have not missed previous doses). Let’s be ready for all that Spring and Summer have to offer us and our fur babies! ☀️
