It’s so nice to finally be enjoying some heat after a long winter. However, we have had a busy spring so far, as it seems the bugs are also happy to see the weather change! External parasites like ticks and fleas are now in full force. Ticks can transmit diseases such as lyme, anaplasma and babesia to pets and people. Fleas can transmit both tapeworms and the bacteria that causes cat scratch fever in people. The other bugs that are enjoying the heat are internal parasites, like roundworms and giardia. Although we can’t always see these parasites with the naked eye, they are no less important to prevent. These bugs live in the intestines and can cause severe gastrointestinal upset to your pets. They also have the potential to be transmitted to people. A simple fecal analysis sent to a specialized lab allows us to accurately detect giardia even if it is not currently being shed by your pet. It is important that your pet has a fecal analysis done yearly to ensure they are receiving the appropriate type of parasite prevention. There are a wide variety of preventative products available to protect your pets from these parasites. Please give us a call to learn more about how to keep you and your pet healthy and happy this summer.
