Fleas are one of the most common external parasites found on cats and dogs. They feed on your pet's blood and lay eggs that fall off anywhere your pet goes in your home, such as the carpet, furniture, and bedding. The eggs then hatch and develop into adult fleas that can then reinfest your pet. 

 

Fleas can cause skin irritation or flea allergy dermatitis. They can also transmit tapeworms (an intestinal parasite). Once infested, fleas can be difficult to treat. Hundreds of unseen eggs and immature fleas can develop around the home, making it important to use a medication that eliminates adult fleas and flea eggs.

 

Signs of fleas may be:

• Itching and scratching
• Unusual amount of chewing or licking
• Fleas  or evidence of fleas, including black specks (known as "flea dirt") on your pet's skin or coat.

Even if you have an indoor pet, they are still at risk of getting fleas. They can be brought in by other animals or people. Once inside, they can multiply quickly. It's always best to treat your pet using a monthly preventative (even in the cold months).

 

 Ticks are common parasites that can be found anywhere, from the deep woods to urban parks. Each year many dogs become infected with serious diseases transmitted by a number of different ticks. Diseases like ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and others.

 

Generally known as vector-borne disease, the risks they pose to your dog can be minimized with preventive measures (topical medications, tick collars, etc.) and annual checkups include vector-borne disease screening. This is especially important, as symptoms of vector-borne disease are often vague and difficult to recognize. Because of this, many pet owners don’t know their dog is suffering from a debilitating tick disease until it’s too late. 

 

At our hospital, when we test your dog for heartworms annually, we also test for the tick-borne disesases ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors or you frequently find ticks on them, we also offer a Lyme vaccine.

 

You can purchase flea and tick preventatives at our hospital or via our online pharmacy.