Fleas and Ticks Don’t Shelter In Place!
Walking your dog may be the bright spot of your day, especially when so many of us are sheltering in place. But whether it’s to get away from your family or get your pet some much-needed exercise, spending time outdoors means an increased exposure to parasites.
These pests aren’t just annoying: fleas can transmit tapeworm and cause anemia, while ticks are well-known carriers of many diseases including Lyme disease and typhus. Tick-borne diseases impact people too, another reason an effective tick repellant is critical to the health of your pet and your family. If your dog is on tick control, the ticks the dog encounters are killed, and they’re not in the home environment where they can transmit infection to your family or other pets.
Heartworm is an even more dangerous threat to your pet. Mosquitos, which are active all year in Missouri, can transmit these deadly parasites to pets through just one bite. Indoor pets are not immune, as 1 out of 4 cats diagnosed with heartworm disease are strictly indoor pets.
As the name suggests, heartworms live in the heart, and they can also thrive in the lungs and blood vessels. Because they constrict blood flow, they can damage internal organs and cause lung disease and heart failure.
Sadly, many animals don’t show symptoms until the disease is advanced, if at all. While there is treatment for canines, it is expensive and can be very hard on your dog. (There is no heartworm cure for cats.)
At Kimberling Animal Hospital, we know how important it is to protect your pet from parasites of all kinds. That’s why we carry wide array of preventatives in our clinic, including:
- Bravecto 3-month chews for canine flea and tick prevention
- Revolution Plus monthly topical for feline flea and tick prevention
- Proheart 6 and 12 injectable for canine heartworm protection
And just a reminder: if you need to purchase parasite preventives, we are still open for you to do so and offer curbside pick-up to minimize exposure—just give us a call. You can also order from our online pharmacy for home delivery. We always recommend purchasing directly from us or our trusted pharmacy partner because you can rest assured that the products you receive were handled properly and all the guarantees for safety and effectiveness remain intact.
Want to place an order or have questions? Call us at 417-739-4090!