Parasite Control
Parasites come in many forms and can be fatal to your pet. Unfortunately, many animals are at risk of contracting fleas, ticks, Heartworm, and different types of intestinal worms.
When it comes to parasites, prevention is the best protection, and on-going treatment should form part of your pets regular healthcare routine.
Fleas
Fleas can occur all year round and unfortunately are not always easily detected. Signs of fleas can include:
- Scratching
- Biting
- Hair loss
While fleas can only survive by attachment to a food source, their eggs can live in a pets environment without you being aware of it. This is why we recommend using a preventative flea product which can be applied to the skin or ingested orally, rather than a flea collar or shampoo.
Speak to our team to find a suitable treatment for your pet.
Heartworm
Heartworm is a parasite spread by mosquitoes entering through an animals skin and travelling through the body. Early signs of Heartworm may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of stamina
- Dry cough
As time progresses, your pet may also experience:
- Swelling of the abdomen
- Lethargy
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
Fortunately, Heartworm prevention can be administered at an early age. At Cannington Vet, we have highly effective preventative treatment options available including chews, tablets, spot-on’s and an annual injection for dogs administered by one of our vets.
Intestinal Worms
Puppies and kittens are one of the most vulnerable species to intestinal worms and should be protected against them early on. Worming is one of the first treatments your puppy or kitten will receive, usually administered every 2 weeks until they’re 12 weeks old, and then every 1-3 months after this.
As with all parasite prevention, treatment is on-going, and will fall within their regular health care routine. Animals can become exposed to worms whilst roaming, out on walks, or from other animals.
Common Australian intestinal worms are:
- Tapeworm
- Roundworm
- Whipworm
- Hookworm
Ticks
If your pet is predominantly outdoors, regularly wanders into long grass and bush, or you live close to native wildlife, they could be at high risk of contracting a tick.
There are a number of ways to protect your pet from ticks ranging from tick shampoos, sprays, topical applications, tablets, chews, collars and more. However, these methods can not guarantee 100% protection and we recommend conducting regular tick searches by slowly running your fingers through the entire surface of your pets skin, particularly around the face, ears and neck.
Symptoms of a tick can vary so we recommend contacting your vet immediately if you come across one or if your pet is displaying any of the below symptoms:
- Weakness in hind legs
- Retching or coughing
- Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing
- Vomiting or regurgitation
- Change in voice or bark
- Loss of appetite