Parasite protection can be confusing, there are different worms; roundworms, tapeworms and lungworms for example, and different external parasites, fleas, ticks and assorted mites. Amongst these there are different subsets of fleas, ticks, worms etc. Some of them transmit other diseases, for instance fleas can spread tapeworms and ticks can spread diseases such as Lyme Disease which is infectious to humans. On top of this different pets’ lifestyles will change their risk. Cats that hunt, for example, are much more likely to get worms and fleas than cats that stay at home. Fleas can also infest the home so any treatment may need to cover this aspect too.
We also have to consider the age of the pet. Both cats and dogs are born with worms they get from their mothers in the womb and from the milk and this can happen even if the mother is regularly wormed. So kittens and puppies are wormed more frequently than adults and usually there is little chance of them picking up fleas, ticks or tapeworms so we don’t treat for any of these. Yet another factor is the humans around the pet. Children have a very small risk of being infected by dog roundworms which can occasionally lead to blindness so dogs around children need to be wormed for roundworms at least every 4 weeks.
The list goes on, your pet’s weight is important. All the parasite treatments have a weight range they work in and if you don’t use the appropriate product it may not be effective, At Withy Grove we can weight your pet accurately, you don’t need an appointment for this, just turn up and one of the nurses will help you weigh your cat or dog.
The best care for your pet
So, we try and match the best and most effective treatment to the lifestyle of your pet. You can’t really over treat for parasites (within reason, of course), but treatments that are not necessary should be avoided. There is also some evidence that some of the spot ons used on dogs can get washed off into streams and can add to pollution levels.
Our special offer
This spring we are giving you four treatments for the cost of three. This offer only applies to two products, a pill for dogs and a spot on for cats (we can’t name them in a public forum like this blog owing to advertising restrictions, but give us a ring if you want more details).
The pill we recommend treats for ALL species of fleas and ticks your dog is likely to come into contact with. We can combine it with a worm pill to give you full cover against parasites.
This is a spot on, it gives probably the best available cover against fleas, also helping treat any that have got into your home also treating tick infections AND round worms for a full 4 weeks. Depending on your cat’s lifestyle, he or she may also need cover against tapeworms which we can provide with either another pill or a spot on.