Protect Your Pet and Your Household from These Disease-Carrying Pests
Fleas are a common cause of itchy skin in pets. They live on blood from their host animal, and their bites can lead to flea allergy dermatitis in pets allergic to their saliva. As pets try to relieve the itching caused by flea bites, they often end up swallowing fleas, sometimes leading to tapeworm infestations. Humans can also contract tapeworms from swallowing fleas.
Often, by the time you notice fleas on your pet, they have infested your home, living in bedding, carpeting and between the cracks of a wood floor. Our veterinarians can recommend products to rid your pet and your home of fleas, but the best strategy is to use an oral or topical flea preventive to eliminate any adult fleas infesting your pet and prevent them from successfully reproducing and spreading to your home.
The most common species of ticks in Indiana are the American dog tick, the lone star tick and the black-legged tick, known for carrying Lyme disease. Other diseases commonly carried by ticks are Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis. A number of other serious infectious diseases can be transmitted to your pet through a tick bite.
At Small Animal Primary Care, we strongly recommend year-round prescription flea and tick preventives for most dogs and cats. There are a number of products available as tablets and topical applications, usually effective in preventing both fleas and ticks as well as other parasites.
Our team will advise you of the many options available and help you choose the best one for your pet.
