Parasite Treatments
For the long-term health and wellbeing of your pet and your family, it is essential that you routinely use proven, preventative treatments against the most common parasites throughout your pet's life. Remember that prevention is much easier and cost-effective than cure.
Fleas
Fleas are one of the most common external parasites in pets and are the cause of many skin problems. Although you may only see fleas on your pet, they are continually shedding eggs in your home and can lead to a home flea infestation. Flea bites to you and your family can be costly and complicated to treat. Did you know the adult flea can stay in its cocoon for up to 6 months before it emerges?
Although fleas are small, they can make your pet miserable. Once on your pet, fleas can bite every 5 minutes leaving your cat or dog itchy and uncomfortable. You only need to bring one flea inside your home to start an infestation. One female flea can produce enough eggs to quickly escalate the problem in your home.
Fleas live on a variety of animals, such as rabbits, hedgehogs, cats, and dogs. When your pet is outdoors, fleas from the eggs left behind by other animals can jump on your pet. Once on your pet, they feed on their blood and start laying eggs.
Treating your pet with our vet recommended treatment plan will effectively kill fleas and disrupt their life cycle.
Worms
Various worms can infect your pet, and they can pose a threat to your family. Worms that target pets include roundworms, hookworms, lungworms, and tapeworms, and they are prolific across the United Kingdom. Certain worm can produce more than 100,000 eggs per day, which are then passed in the pet's faeces and spread throughout their living environment.
Your family can accidentally ingest worm eggs that have been passed through your pet's faeces. The eggs can then hatch in your intestinal tract, and the worms can travel to various tissues in the body, including the eyes and brain, potentially causing serious infections.
Worms are a year-round threat, and the only way to keep your pet and family safe is through proactive actions to get the best products. Lungworm, which is passed on by slugs and snails, is potentially fatal and many over the counter products do not tackle this worrying parasite.
Please be aware that many products available elsewhere other than sold at Sandhole Veterinary Centre may be ineffective at treating all the species of worms and fleas your pet could get. There are many ranges of worming treatments available, including tablets, liquids, granules and spot-ons.
Ticks
Ticks live in tall grass and wooded areas such as trees, shrubs and leaf piles. They enjoy waiting in the underbrush for an animal or human to brush by, and then grasp the fur or skin and crawl up the leg. They don’t fly, jump or drop from trees. Allergic reactions and certain ticks can pass diseases onto humans and pets when they bite, which can be dangerous.
Dogs and cats pick up ticks very easily, and dogs are susceptible to tickborne diseases. Vaccines are not available for most of the tickborne diseases that dogs can get, and they don’t prevent your dog from bringing ticks into your home.
Ticks and their bites may be hard to detect. Signs of tickborne disease may not appear initially and your pet may take a while to show symptoms of this.
Hazards in our local community
Fleas, worms and other parasites can be caught at local parks; Parks are a breeding ground for parasites, especially in the warmer months from April to October. Don't live in fear of parasites; every year, we help hundreds of pet owners just like yourself have a parasite-free pet. Not only will you save money in veterinary costs, but you will give your pet the quality of life they deserve.
