Parasites Awareness Month

As the weather gets warmer and you spend more time outside, your pets are more likely to be exposed to sometimes-serious infections and parasites. Cost of treatment can be expensive and some diseases can lead to serious illness. Just as bad, many of these diseases can be transmitted to people the very same way our pets get them. We’re looking out for your whole family with tips for parasite and disease prevention.

Types Of Parasites

There are two main groups of parasites that affect our pets. ENDOPARASITES are parasites that live within the body (ie worms) and ECTOPARASITES are parasites that live outside the body (fleas, ticks etc).

Ectoparasites

Fleas

The most widely known ectoparasite of dogs and cats is the flea. They can live both outside and inside the home. Sometimes, Tape Worm larvae use fleas as a host, for if your pet ingests the fleas while grooming, they can become infected with Tape Worm as well.
Flea infestations can be hard to get rid of, it is important to remember to treat ALL of the pets in the home for a minimum of 3 months

Ticks

Ticks are becoming more of a problem in our area. They are a member of the spider family and feed on people as well as pets. They transmit diseases such as Lyme Disease and Anaplasmosis.
The best way to remove a tick from your pet or yourself is with a "tick-twister". Other methods, such as burning or smothering the tick can cause it to regurgitate, causing unnecessary exposure to diseases.

Mites

Mites are also members of the spider family. They are very small and can be difficult or even impossible to see with the naked eye. Ear mites and skin mites are common in dogs and cats, with the most well known probably being Demodex, the mange mite.

Endoparasites

Endoparasites, or "worms" are very common in both dogs and cats. Most people are familiar with intestinal worms (such as Tape Worms, Roundworms, Hookworms and Whip worms) but our pets can also be at risk for Lung worm and Heart worm (though less commonly in Atlantic Canada).
It is important to protect our pets from Endoparasites because you don't always know that they are there.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU DEWORM YOUR PET?

How often a dog needs to be dewormed has a lot to do with their lifestyle. Check out the video and fill out the survey below to see how often you should deworm your furry friend.