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Parasite
Control Products
Our
doctors recommend every animal be on monthly broad spectrum
parasiticide in order to reduce the risk of parasites (heartworms,
hookworms,
roundworms,
whipworms)
in our animals and to decrease the chance of humans getting roundworms
or hookworms.
Our doctors recommend that dogs be on Interceptor or Sentinel year
round. Our doctors also recommend Vectra 3D seasonally
(April-November) for dogs that are exposed to ticks and other
external parasites. Vectra 3D kills and repels fleas, ticks,
mosquitoes, flies, lice and mites.
Not
only is it expensive to treat for heartworm disease, but it can be
dangerous for your pet. It is much easier and cheaper to
prevent heartworm disease by administrating a monthly heartworm
preventative.
We
recommend yearly use of heartworm preventative, because not only
does it prevent heartworm disease, but it also controls intestinal
parasites. Every month you are essentially deworming your dog.
By skipping a month (or several months if you are only treating
seasonally) the parasites are being exposed to low doses of the
product, which can lead to product resistance.
The
manufacturer of the Interceptor and Sentinel stand by their product
(only if it is used year round) and if your pet tests positive for
heartworm or for an internal parasites that Interceptor or Sentinel
cover, the manufacturer will pay for the treatment.
Our
doctors recommend that cats be on Revolution for heartworm, flea and
internal parasite protection or Vectra for flea protection.
Yearly Blood Borne and
Internal Parasite Tests
Even with year round
monthly heartworm protection, a yearly test for heartworm disease
and internal parasites is still required. There is always the
possibility of heartworm resistance to the prevention and your pet
should be monitored for infection. Furthermore if your dog misses a
dose of heartworm prevention or not absorb the heartworm prevention
(vomits, diarrhea or other causes of reduced absorption) the
microfilaria (baby worms) that are transmitted by mosquitoes can
grow up to adult worms. If the microfilaria get the chance to grow
up to adult worms, the adult worms will not be treated with routine
heartworm prevention. Furthermore if the adult worms start producing
more microfilaria, a single dose of heartworm medication can kill
the microfilaria sending massive emboli to organs which can result
in anaphylactic shock or sudden death.
These adult worms would be
detected on the heartworm test that your dog gets every year. Our
heartworm tests not only tests for the presence of the female
heartworm, but also tests for Lyme and Ehrlichia, which are diseases carried by ticks.
Testing for internal parasites is done by providing fecal sample.
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