Parasite PSA

This week’s blog is short and sweet – this is a PSA and reminder with all of this warm weather – check your calendars!! When was the last time you applied your flea and tick medication? Also, when did you last give your pup their heartworm preventative??

Parasites LOVE warm weather, and this gorgeous weather is the PERFECT time for them to be out, infesting us all, with their disgustingness (yes, that’s a word)….let me properly gross you out with a massive list of all of the parasites that we see at PRAH….

*Deep inhale*

Fleas, ticks, heartworms (spread by mosquitoes!), roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms, hookworms, coccidia, giardia, ringworm (not actually a worm, skin lesions!), demodex (often spread by foxes), sarcoptic mange (scabies!), ear mites, lice…..have I done it? Are you grossed out?

BUT WAIT…there’s more….did you know that a bunch of these are zoonotic? Guess what that fun word means? It means that these parasites can be spread to PEOPLE too! So now…check your calendars – when was the last time you gave your pets their preventatives?

This is a friendly reminder, from your neighborhood veterinarian, to give those preventatives – they do good things to protect our pets. Not only are these parasites gross to deal with, but many of them spread other diseases too, and can make our pets really sick (hello Lyme disease!). Most of these are spread by wild animals, or by other dogs and cats – some are through direct contact, but many are through exposure to their feces in the soil, or water, or even just by walking through contaminated dirt and then licking their feet! There are a ton of options out there for preventatives, so that you can find the one that you are comfortable using – and you can always ask us (or your regular veterinarian) for advice if you need it too!

So get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather…but, don’t forget to protect your pets while you do it! Happy Sunday!!