Parasite Prevention in Durham
Parasites can take away necessary nutrients from a pet, they can cause a number of conditions including anemia, and they can spread a variety of diseases.
The staff and veterinarians at Park Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care will help you establish a safe and effective parasite prevention plan for your pet.
Fleas
Fleas not only cause great discomfort for your pet, they can also cause allergic reactions and skin infections, as well as transmit a variety of diseases. Fleas are small jumping insects that live off of the blood of their host. Once a home is infested with fleas, it is very difficult and exceptionally costly to eradicate them, so prevention is not only the best for your pet, it’s also the best for your pocketbook.
Park Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care carries flea prevention products for every type of dog and cat, and our helpful staff will assist you in finding the most effective product for your situation.
Ticks
Similar to fleas, ticks live off of the blood of their host and, as a result can transmit a number of different diseases. Many of the flea prevention products we recommend also will protect your pet from ticks, saving you money and ensuring that different products will not create a conflict.
Heartworm
Heartworm is a killer for dogs and cats. As its name suggests, the heartworm is an internal parasite that lodges in the heart of its host and causes heart and lung disease, which can be fatal. It is expensive to treat in dogs and takes a significant toll on the affected animal. Heartworms are only spread by the bite of a mosquito and cannot be passed directly from one pet to another.
Currently, prevention is the only means to protect cats from heartworm. Medications used for dogs cannot be used in cats. It is also important to note that even immature heartworms can harm your cat as they contribute to a condition known as heartworm associated respiratory disease (HARD).
Worms
Worms in pets can be very damaging to a pet’s overall health, but they are easy to diagnose, prevent, and treat. At Park Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care, we recommend that pets have fecal checks twice a year to check for worms. If your pet is found to have worms, he or she will be given medication and our staff will help you to contend with any environmental issues to prevent re-infection.
Some worms are also able to transfer to humans. Our veterinarians will alert you if the kind of worm your pet has may also a risk for any members of your family and provide you with the steps that need to be taken to protect your family.
The staff and doctors of Park Veterinary Hospital & Urgent Care will partner with you to prevent parasites from affecting your pet’s health. Please contact us with any questions you may have.
