Heartworm is a disease that affects dogs and occasionally cats. The heartworm larvae size is microscopic and they are spread by mosquitoes. The larvae develop into adults and live inside the heart and blood vessels of your dog.
Prevention for heartworm should commence when your puppy is six months of age and continue throughout the dog’s lifetime. You can protect your dog against heartworm using medications such as a monthly chewable, spot-on therapy or an annual injection.
You should take the time to discuss this with your veterinarian and decide which product will suit you best.
Beware: Store-bought dewormers. We would not recommend “chocolate-labelled dewormers”. There are good ones available that are safe and effective to use.
Before you buy read the label. If it says heartworm and it is to be given daily, this is not the recommendation for intestinal worms.
Fleas: Fleas feed on blood and are a common cause of anaemia, skin irritation and itchiness. They can help to transmit certain parasites to your puppy, such as tapeworm.
Flea control is recommended for all household pets. Please note, dog products should never be used on cats as they cause toxic reactions. Lots of different products are available for flea control and they are often combined with an intestinal wormer.
Be careful if you use flea collars or flea products that are available in the supermarket, as some of these products are generally ineffective and often unsafe.
Flea shampoo can assist in removing a heavy burden of fleas but does not eliminate fleas once the haircoat is dry.
Ticks: Ticks are uncomfortable for your dogs and cause damage to their skin. Ticks feed on puppies and dogs blood and heavy tick infestations can cause anaemia (insufficient red blood cells), they are also responsible for the spread of certain diseases. You should check your pet for ticks every day and gently remove any that you find by grasping the tick right against the skin and pulling steadily until the tick is off. Do not attempt to remove ticks using boiling water, kerosene or fire. Some products are available that treat both ticks and fleas; and some products can last up to six months – these generally need veterinary approval.
Ticks attached to dog skin, ticks life cycle size comparison
Fleas and ticks live in your pet’s environment. You should regularly treat their bedding and living area with an appropriate insecticide, as well as vacuum +/ or launder bedding and surfaces.
Talk to your veterinarian for information about what products are effective and safe to use.
• JO OLVER is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) with SPCA Fiji Islands. The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the views of this newspaper.
