Fleas, Ticks, and Heartworm
Preventatives are part of maintaining your dogs health
Heartworm Prevention
How is heartworm Contracted?
Heartworm disease, or dirofilariasis, is a serious and potentially fatal disease transmitted by infected mosquitos carrying a blood-borne parasite known as Dirofilaria immitis. Adult heartworms are found in the heart, pulmonary artery (one of the big blood vessels from the heart), and adjacent large blood vessels of infected dogs. Rarely, worms may be found in other parts of the circulatory system.
Heartworm preventatives are safe, relatively inexpensive and easy to give. If a dog becomes infected, heartworm treatment can be costly and difficult, requiring multiple veterinary visits and months of exercise restriction. Preventatives are given in the form of a monthly treat such as Heartgard and Interceptor; or in the form of an injection such as Proheart. Proheart comes in two different strengths. Proheart-6 lasts for 6 months and Proheart-12 lasts for 12 months.
Heartworm disease, or dirofilariasis, is a serious and potentially fatal disease transmitted by infected mosquitos carrying a blood-borne parasite known as Dirofilaria immitis. Adult heartworms are found in the heart, pulmonary artery (one of the big blood vessels from the heart), and adjacent large blood vessels of infected dogs. Rarely, worms may be found in other parts of the circulatory system.
Heartworm preventatives are safe, relatively inexpensive and easy to give. If a dog becomes infected, heartworm treatment can be costly and difficult, requiring multiple veterinary visits and months of exercise restriction. Preventatives are given in the form of a monthly treat such as Heartgard and Interceptor; or in the form of an injection such as Proheart. Proheart comes in two different strengths. Proheart-6 lasts for 6 months and Proheart-12 lasts for 12 months.
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Flea and Tick Preventative
Fleas are common parasites that feed on the blood of warm-blooded bodies. Fleas cause discomfort because of their irritating bites, but also because they can transmit several diseases. Dog fleas are one of the type of fleas found in homes. Dog fleas get their common name from dogs being one of their two favorite hosts, with rabbits being the other. Dog fleas are found throughout the United States and the rest of the world.
Ticks wait for host animals on the tips of grasses and shrubs. When the plant is brushed by a moving animal or person, the tick quickly lets go of the vegetation and climbs onto the host. This is a process known as questing. Ticks can only crawl; they cannot jump or fly. Some species of ticks will crawl several feet toward a host. Some tick species can be active on winter days if the ground temperatures are above 32 °F for a single day.
Ticks can transmit a number of diseases to dogs with the most common being Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichiosis. Hallmark signs of tick-borne diseases in dogs include vomiting, fever, swelling around joints, lameness and lethargy. Left untreated any of these diseases can be severe or even life threatening.
My dog has their Lyme Vaccine, do I still need to use preventatives?
Yes. The Lyme vaccine has been around for some time and we consider it a core preventative measure to making sure your pet does not contract the disease. It does so by introducing antibodies into the body so your pet has a blueprint of how to fight off a potential infection. However nothing is 100%. For instance, people may receive the flu vaccine and still contracts the flu that season. It is recommended that dogs receive their Lyme vaccine yearly, and flea and tick preventative monthly. The vaccine and the monthly treatment working together improves your pets odd at not contracting the disease.
Ticks wait for host animals on the tips of grasses and shrubs. When the plant is brushed by a moving animal or person, the tick quickly lets go of the vegetation and climbs onto the host. This is a process known as questing. Ticks can only crawl; they cannot jump or fly. Some species of ticks will crawl several feet toward a host. Some tick species can be active on winter days if the ground temperatures are above 32 °F for a single day.
Ticks can transmit a number of diseases to dogs with the most common being Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichiosis. Hallmark signs of tick-borne diseases in dogs include vomiting, fever, swelling around joints, lameness and lethargy. Left untreated any of these diseases can be severe or even life threatening.
My dog has their Lyme Vaccine, do I still need to use preventatives?
Yes. The Lyme vaccine has been around for some time and we consider it a core preventative measure to making sure your pet does not contract the disease. It does so by introducing antibodies into the body so your pet has a blueprint of how to fight off a potential infection. However nothing is 100%. For instance, people may receive the flu vaccine and still contracts the flu that season. It is recommended that dogs receive their Lyme vaccine yearly, and flea and tick preventative monthly. The vaccine and the monthly treatment working together improves your pets odd at not contracting the disease.
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