Protecting Your Pet From External Parasites

External parasites are organisms that feed on other animals. While fleas and ticks are the most well-known pests, other parasites include mites, lice, and tapeworm. 

If left untreated, your pet could experience mild to even fatal symptoms. Parasites can also affect humans. Certain parasites can cause zoonotic infections, which means that they can transmit from pets to people. 

Fleas

Fleas live on your pet's body. Dogs and cats can get fleas from their mother (when they are young), from another dog, or from their environment. When infected, your pet might bite or scratch himself frequently. Severe allergic reactions from flea bites can include Flea Allergic Dermatitis, which can show up as encrusted lesions on the skin. Not only can fleas cause dermatitis, but they can also transmit diseases to other animals and humans, such as tapeworm. 

If your pet has fleas, it is important to treat both your pet and his environment. Flea season can last several months and there are several ways to combat fleas. From washing your pet's bedding and deep cleaning, to utilizing a treatment and preventative that is veterinarian approved, you can help your dog or cat to get relief from fleas. 

Ticks

Pets are most likely to pick up ticks in wooded area in the summer and spring. Bites from certain types of ticks can cause irritation and infection at the point where the tick attaches to the pet's skin and can transmit diseases including Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease. Tick infestations can lead to anemia, weight loss, paralysis, and even death. 

Parasite prevention products for fleas and ticks, like Bravecto, can work effectively to eliminate pests living on your dog or cat within hours. We recommend partnering with your veterinarian to determine the best course of treatment for your pet.

Mange Mites & Ear Mites

Mange mites are tiny organisms not visible to the naked eye. They live on your pet's skin or in hair follicles and they lay their eggs under the skin. As your pet scratches and rubs, the skin becomes dry and thickened leading to hair loss and hardened crusty patches. It is highly contagious to both animals and humans and must be treated by a veterinarian promptly. 

Ear mites will cause your pet to scratch their ears or shake their head. You can tell if your pet has ear mites by checking the ears for dark earwas or specks resembling dried blood or coffee grounds. Ear mites can cause ear infections and are also highly contagious to other animals. Treatment will require veterinary care. 

Ringworm

Ringworm is caused by a fungus and will appear on your dog's or cat's skin as round, bare patches on the skin. If your pet has ringworm, avoid contact with other animals as ringworm is highly contagious and can be transmitted to other animals and humans. Your veterinarian can treat ringworm with medication. 

Seeking Veterinary Care

Even the best cared pet can get ill from time-to-time. Changes in behavior can be early indicators of illness. If your dog or cat exhibits changes, or other unusual symptoms, contact your veterinarian for guidance and care:

• Loss of appetite for more than an day
• Diarrhea, constipation, difficulty with urination, or blood in the stool or urine
• Vomiting
• Fever - usually indicated by a dry, hot nose, dull eyes, and an increase in body heat
• Pain
• Excessive panting or difficulty breathing
• Coughing and sneezing
• Head shaking
• Constant scratching or biting
• Biting or other aggressive or unusual behaviour in a normally well-tempered pet
• Bad mouth odor 
• Lump beneath the skin
• Dull hair coat
• Scooting along the ground

Do you live in Cypress, Tx or the surrounding areas? We are happy to help! Give us a call at 281-970-0601 or make an appointment conveniently online.

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