No pet is immune to fleas, especially in the south. Adult fleas live and feed off animals while producing eggs which stay in the environment. The life cycle of a flea can cause an infestation in a several day period.

You may not see fleas until they become a major problem. This is especially true for cats because of grooming habits. Signs of fleas are scratching, licking, chewing, black specks in fur, and hairloss.

Fleas feed off the blood of mammals causing illness and diseases. Health risks of fleas include allergies, skin infection, tapeworms, and anemia.

We can prescribe safe and effective flea control and create a gameplan to keep your pet flea free.

Ticks come in a variety of species and sizes and attach deeply into their host’s skin to feed. This can make it hard to see or feel ticks in long-haired pets.

Ticks are commonly picked up from tall grasses and wooded areas. Once a ride is hitched, the tick will gorge on blood for days. Ticks pose a serious health risk to people and animals. Ticks can not only cause skin irritation, but can also transmit Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Fever, and Anaplasmosis.

We offer in-clinic tests for common tick diseases, can remove embedded ticks, and recommend a safe and vet approved preventative and treatment plan.

Worms don’t live in poop but in the intestinal tract of dogs and cats. We only see worms in stool with certain types and once the burden is high. Worms aren’t the only organism that will infect your pet. That means a pet with normal stools can still have intestinal parasites.

Common intestinal parasites are hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, giardia, and coccidia. Parasites can cause weight loss, malnutrition, skin changes, anemia, diarrhea, loose stool, vomiting, and even blockages. Many are contagious to people.

We will recommend a fecal test if we suspect your pet has intestinal parasites. Our tests not only detect the eggs of common parasites, but we also use the latest laboratory antigen testing. Bringing a stool sample to your visit can expedite the process.

Our vet will prescribe proper treatment based on symptoms, type of parasite, and severity of infection.

Skin and ear mites are common in younger and outdoor animals. Mites can only be seen microscopically, but do a lot of damage.

Skin mites or “Mange” is usually a condition of young dogs. Mites include Demodex or Scabies. The mites burrow in the hair follicle causing hairloss, scabs, thick skin, and itching.

Ear mites are well known in cats and cause intense itching of the ear canals. The ear mites damage the skin of the ear making secondary infections common. Black or brown discharge from the ear may be related to mites or an infection. Performing a microscopic exam is the only way to determine the cause.

Our team can perform in-clinic testing for skin and ear mites to determine the right course of medication.

Heartworms are a silent killer of dogs and cats. Your pet becomes infected with Heartworms through the bite of an infected mosquito. It takes 7 months for the worms to form in the heart after being bitten. These parasites create permanent damage of the heart, lungs, and vessels. Signs of Heartworm disease are coughing, exercise intolerance, breathing changes, weight loss, fluid in the abdomen, and sudden death.

We recommend preventative medication for dogs and cats year round and annual testing for dogs. Preventative medications only kill the larvae and not the adults.

If your dog is positive for Heartworms we will recommend a treatment plan and can refer you for adulticide therapy at a full-service hospital. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for cats. We are here to help your pet beat this horrible parasite.

Companion Animal Parasite Council

https://capcvet.org/

Pets and Parasites

https://www.petsandparasites.org/

American Heartworm Society

https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources