Parasite Control
Protect your pet from fleas, ticks, intestinal worms and heartworm with the right treatment all year round.
Protecting your pet from parasites
There are various nasty parasites you need to protect your new kitten or puppy from, including heartworms, intestinal worms, fleas and ticks. Whilst some treatments cover all of these parasites, it’s best to talk to your vet about the treatment that’s right for your pet and location.
Whether it’s oral chews, spot-on products or injections under the skin, it’s important to get on top of parasite treatments as soon as you bring your new pet home, as introducing them to new environments can increase their exposure to disease.
Fleas
Fleas are one of the most problematic parasites for pets, with the ability to cause skin disease and allergic reactions. In addition, they can be challenging to diagnose, as a pet with flea allergy dermatitis may never actually be seen with fleas! That is why flea treatments should be used every month of the year to prevent and control flea infestations effectively.
Look out for these clues:
- Your pet might constantly be scratching or chewing and become quite irritable.
- You might notice red, sore-looking bumps or blisters on your pet’s skin.
- If you look close enough, you might see ‘flea dirt’ – this is a flea waste product that looks like tiny little flecks of pepper.
- Sometimes, you can even see the fleas moving around themselves – tiny little brown or black wingless insects, with an incredible jump!
Flea bites are not only uncomfortable and frustrating for your pets, but they can also lead to serious wound infections, anaemia, tapeworms, and dermatitis. Moving swiftly is the key to flea treatment! You will need to treat every pet in your household, pet bedding, carpet, furniture and any other soft furnishings a flea or its eggs might be hiding in.
In clinic, we offer a wide range of products and tools to treat your pet for fleas, and we can offer some very helpful tips for dealing with an outbreak.
Ticks
There are several types of ticks in Australia, with varying degrees of risk – from the nuisance bush tick to the deadly paralysis tick. The most common species that affect our pets are the paralysis tick, the bush tick, the cattle tick, and the brown dog tick.
- Paralysis ticks are particularly dangerous, as they deliver a neurotoxin into our pet’s bloodstream as they feed, leading to symptoms such as breathing difficulty, weakness, paralysis of the legs and vomiting, and can prove fatal.
- Brown dog ticks are not deadly themselves but can cause dermatitis and anaemia, as well as carry some nasty diseases, including Ehrlichiosis.
Even when a prevention product has been applied, you should check your pet for ticks during tick season. Run your fingers through their coat to feel for any unusual lumps, checking their entire body, especially around their head and ears, inside their ears, in their mouths, under their tail, between their toes and underneath their collar.
If you come across a tick, be sure to give us a call to organise its removal as soon as possible – it is vital to act quickly and we will ensure to remove all of the tick, as even a small part left over can continue to cause problems.
Tick prevention products include oral chews, spot-on products, tick collars, sprays and rinses. Our team are happy to advise the best preventative for your pet.
Intestinal worms
Intestinal worms are parasites that live in the intestines and feed on the nutrients that your pet consumes. The most common intestinal worms in Australia are roundworm, tapeworm and hookworm. If left untreated, these parasites can cause a wide range of health problems, from malnutrition to anaemia and even death. The most common way for kittens and puppies to become infected is by ingesting the eggs of the parasites, which can be found in contaminated soil, faeces, and other sources.
To protect your pet, regular worming treatments should be provided. Following the below worming protocol will keep your kitten or puppy free from intestinal worms:
- Every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age
- Then once a month until 6 months of age
- And every 3−6 months for life (more often for dogs around young children)
More about worms
Heartworm and mosquitoes
Heartworms are parasites transmitted by mosquitoes that live in the heart and lungs of pets and can cause serious damage to their health, and often death. Heartworm prevention is the best way to ensure your pet stays healthy and free from these parasites.
An annual heartworm injection is the most reliable way to protect your puppy from heartworm as it doesn’t rely on you remembering to treat them monthly. This can be given from as early as twelve weeks of age. Monthly heartworm medications are also available, however, this is best discussed with your vet as it can be fatal to administer a treatment when there is an active heartworm infestation.
Reducing mosquitoes
We recommend making sure there is no stagnant or still water around the backyard – this is where mosquito larvae grow. If possible, bring your pets indoors between dusk and dawn, or make sure they have a safe, meshed area to sleep in. Pet safe mosquito and insect repellents are available that may be used.
