Pet Parasite Prevention: Not Just a Summer Thing!

Many people make the mistake of thinking pests like fleas, ticks, and heartworms go dormant in the fall. Unfortunately, this myth leads owners to forget about pet parasite prevention much of the year, leaving our companions vulnerable to a variety of diseases and conditions.

Bugs Still Bug Us in Winter

While some parts of the country experience extreme winter conditions, Texas winters are mild. Mosquitoes thrive in our humid, coastal region and can even survive during 50 degree weather. Therefore, their life cycle continues throughout the year down here.

Ticks also find warm blooded hosts, such as our pets, just as readily in winter as they do in summer. In fact, the black-legged tick that carries Lyme disease is active during every season and only goes dormant when temperatures fall below freezing.

Lastly, we can’t forget about fleas. These parasites commonly find their way into the home via your pet. An infestation (laying up to 50 eggs a day) is not only time-consuming and inconvenient, it will also require flea treatments for all pets in the household.

The Big Deal About Bugs

As you may recall from some of our previous blogs, parasites carry many harmful diseases. Heartworms are particularly nefarious because they can exist in a pet without producing symptoms. Sudden deaths among cats have been attributed to undiagnosed heartworm disease, and treatments for dogs can be costly (and sometimes unsuccessful).

Ticks are also prolific transmitters of some of the worst vector-borne illnesses around, including ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tularemia. In addition, flea bites are one of the primary causes of dermatological problems in cats and dogs (especially canines).

For these reasons (and many more), designing an effective pet parasite prevention plan is essential to protecting your pet and your home.

Good Habits are Hard to Break

Establishing a monthly parasite prevention plan makes it easier to remember and decreases the risk for your pet. Setting a reminder on your phone or calendar is much more convenient than playing a guessing game every few weeks.

Additionally, a lapse in heartworm prevention requires a trip to the vet for heartworm testing, which can cost even more time and money (because your pet could have been infected during the lapse, he or she can’t resume medications until being tested).

Like bad habits, good habits are also hard to break! We hope you make pet parasite prevention a good habit – one that can be lifesaving. As always, please call us to schedule an appointment or for more information.