Flea, Tick & Heartworm FAQs
As the weather slowly starts to warm up, we get to thinking about enjoying the outdoors once again and so do your pets!
Now is the time of year when many are asking questions about flea and tick medication for their pets, so we thought we'd put together this quick and easy
Flea/Tick/Heartworm Frequently Asked Questions section for you!
Question: What months of the year do I need to prevent my pet from fleas and ticks?
Answer: All months of the year. Fleas are not killed off with cold weather. Fleas live on a host, often pet dogs and cats, stray cats or wild rabbits. These hosts then drop flea eggs wherever they go like a little walking salt shaker. Your pet travels through these areas making them the unsuspecting target for fleas. Because there is no seasonality to fleas, we recommend using prevention all year.
Question: What are my options for flea and tick products?
Answer: There are several topical products which have continued to work well for us. These products are Frontline and Revolution. These products are applied between the shoulder blades, working through the oil glands to fight against all stages of the flea. While these products do work very well for us, one disadvantage is that your pet does need to stay dry for a period of time. This can be very difficult for dogs that live outdoors or need frequent bathing. They can also temporarily leave an oily residue on the coat. For some patients, the topical preventatives are not the ideal product that's why we now also carry a chewable product designed to kill BOTH fleas and ticks. The product is very palatable and kills fleas before they can lay eggs, thus preventing infestations. Just as Frontline and Revolution, the chewable product (NexGard) is also good for 30 days after administration.
Question: Does my pet need a vet visit to get these products?
Answer: No vet visit is required for flea and pet medication, although we are happy to help answer any questions to make sure your pet gets the product that is best for them! Simply stop by the clinic to pick them up.
Question: Should I be concerned about heartworms?
Answer: Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes. The mosquitoes inject microscopic worms into the body which mature between the right side of the heart and the lungs. As the microscopic worm grows, the heartworm creates heart disease and induces failure. Before starting any heartworm prevention, a blood test is required to be certain that the dog is not heartworm positive. Once we confirm this negative diagnosis, then we start a once monthly heartworm preventative. We carry Heartgard Plus to prevent heartworm disease. This not only prevents heartworm disease but also provides an intestinal parasite dewormer.
To read more about heartworm disease and the associated risks, please visit www.heartwormsociety.org.
There are currently specials on all of the above listed products, which you can find here.
As always, we are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Contact us at 319.334.6021 or pvci@pipevet.com.
Enjoy the great outdoors with your pet!
As the weather slowly starts to warm up, we get to thinking about enjoying the outdoors once again and so do your pets!
Now is the time of year when many are asking questions about flea and tick medication for their pets, so we thought we'd put together this quick and easy
Flea/Tick/Heartworm Frequently Asked Questions section for you!
Question: What months of the year do I need to prevent my pet from fleas and ticks?
Answer: All months of the year. Fleas are not killed off with cold weather. Fleas live on a host, often pet dogs and cats, stray cats or wild rabbits. These hosts then drop flea eggs wherever they go like a little walking salt shaker. Your pet travels through these areas making them the unsuspecting target for fleas. Because there is no seasonality to fleas, we recommend using prevention all year.
Question: What are my options for flea and tick products?
Answer: There are several topical products which have continued to work well for us. These products are Frontline and Revolution. These products are applied between the shoulder blades, working through the oil glands to fight against all stages of the flea. While these products do work very well for us, one disadvantage is that your pet does need to stay dry for a period of time. This can be very difficult for dogs that live outdoors or need frequent bathing. They can also temporarily leave an oily residue on the coat. For some patients, the topical preventatives are not the ideal product that's why we now also carry a chewable product designed to kill BOTH fleas and ticks. The product is very palatable and kills fleas before they can lay eggs, thus preventing infestations. Just as Frontline and Revolution, the chewable product (NexGard) is also good for 30 days after administration.
Question: Does my pet need a vet visit to get these products?
Answer: No vet visit is required for flea and pet medication, although we are happy to help answer any questions to make sure your pet gets the product that is best for them! Simply stop by the clinic to pick them up.
Question: Should I be concerned about heartworms?
Answer: Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes. The mosquitoes inject microscopic worms into the body which mature between the right side of the heart and the lungs. As the microscopic worm grows, the heartworm creates heart disease and induces failure. Before starting any heartworm prevention, a blood test is required to be certain that the dog is not heartworm positive. Once we confirm this negative diagnosis, then we start a once monthly heartworm preventative. We carry Heartgard Plus to prevent heartworm disease. This not only prevents heartworm disease but also provides an intestinal parasite dewormer.
To read more about heartworm disease and the associated risks, please visit www.heartwormsociety.org.
There are currently specials on all of the above listed products, which you can find here.
As always, we are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Contact us at 319.334.6021 or pvci@pipevet.com.
Enjoy the great outdoors with your pet!
