Parasite Prevention

Let us help keep your pet safe from parasites.

Fleas And Ticks

Here at Independence Small Animal Clinic, we truly believe in the importance of flea and tick prevention for our patients.

A flea infestation is terrible. You might know that your pets have fleas, but have you thought about how many fleas are in your home? They commonly live in dark and warm spaces. They can be found in your carpet, bedding, and everywhere else they can find to hide. Once you have fleas in your home, getting rid of them all can be a challenge.

Fleas are very irritating to pets. You may notice that your pets are constantly scratching and shaking. They may dig and dig, causing hair loss, raw skin, and infections. Even worse, some pets need only one or two fleas to drive them crazy.

Ticks are another common problem. They bite your pets to feed off of their blood. This usually is not enough to make your pets sick unless they are allergic to tick bites. However, some pets won’t be able to walk due to a tick bite!

Ticks carry some awful diseases including Lyme Disease, Ehrlichia, and more. The ticks can also bite you, causing you to become sick also.

We have preventative choices to offer our patients. These need to be given every month (and year round) for the best results.

Intestinal Parasites

Common intestinal parasites in dogs and cats include hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, tapeworms, and coccidia. All of these organisms can cause illness in your pet.

Although parasites can affect pet health long before symptoms appear, you may notice vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, or poor overall condition. Additionally, some worms are zoonotic parasites, which means they can also infect humans. Our veterinarians recommend routine testing and monthly preventives for intestinal parasites.

Heartworm Disease

Heartworms reside in the heart and lungs of infected dogs and cats. This deadly disease is carried by mosquitoes, transmitting heartworm larva into the bloodstream with a bite.

Fortunately, this is a preventable disease and there are a number of excellent heartworm preventives available. We can help you decide which product is best for you and your pet.

If you have any questions about flea, tick and heartworm prevention, don’t hesitate to contact us here at 940-668-8282