Pet Parasites, the final post

By now I've actually mentioned all four of the groups of parasites that we need to talk about.  Ticks and heartworms were title topics in past blogs on this site.  Fleas and intestinal parasites got honorable mention.  The truth is, once we assess the risk factors for our pets and ourselves (yes we can get some of these nasties as well as our pets), we need to pick a program of parasite control that will keep everyone in the house safe.

But first, a brief discussion about intestinal parasites.  These little critters, often lumped into the collective grossness of worms, live in our pets GI tracts and can cause serious disease.  In addition, some of them can be transmitted to us.  This is a more significant problem if there are kids in the home, or if a family member has a compromised immune system.  We can leave a more detailed discussion of intestinal parasites for a later post.  Suffice it to say, all pets are at risk, even cats that never go outside, and they should be prevented. 

For a hint as to how your indoor cat might get intestinal parasites, visualize this scenario:  Your cat is in the den, sitting on the couch.  A fly passes by.  What does your cat do?  Most will pounce on the fly.  Some will eat the fly.  Where might that fly have been prior to being in your den?  Perhaps in your neighbor's yard?  You know, the one with the little puppy that leaves piles of poop around, covered in flies.  I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

So here are my comprehensive recommendations for parasite prevention and control in our pets.

Cats should all be on Advantage Multi or Revolution for prevention of heart worm, fleas, and intestinal parasites.  These topical products are applied once a month and if you can't bring yourself to use them all year 'round, at least use them from spring through the first frost.  I prefer the Revolution in cats because it has a slightly better safety profile (at least on paper) and better intestinal parasite coverage.  The Advantage Multi kills fleas faster. So, assess your situation and take your pick, they are both good.  If ticks are a problem, add a Seresto collar for 8 months of protection and you are good to go.

In my opinion, all dogs need to be on some prevention for heart worm, fleas, and intestinal parasites.  Ticks may be an issue for some, so think about your dog's risk factors.  Dogs that go out east, up state, or have ever tested positive for tick borne diseases should be on tick control.  I like Advantage Multi for topical prevention of everything but ticks.  If you want a pill, then Trifexis will give you the same coverage.  Add a Seresto collar and the ticks are gone as well.  (Bayer has some hefty rebates right now for collars and Advantage Multi)

If all you want is heartworm and parasite control, then  Heart Guard is a good option, but in my mind, for a few extra bucks, spring for the flea control. There is nothing like having to bomb your house to get rid of risky fleas to convince you that prevention is better than treatment.

Finally, if you recall, I mentioned that heartworm is the parasite that can kill your dog or cat.  If you can't remember to give your monthly preventative, there is a 6 month indictable product, Proheart6 (clever name don't you think?)  You'll need to add a collar for the fleas and ticks, but one shot and one collar and you're good for 6 months.  We send reminders at Great Neck Dog and Cat Hospital to make sure you stay current, but if your vet doesn't, then you can just mark your calender.  Since this product won't sufficiently prevent intestinal parasites on it's own, you need to make sure that you get fecal tests done every 6 months (which you should be doing anyway).  We give a dose of prophylactic deworming medication at the time of the injection.

Now is the time, assess your pet's risk factors, your lifestyle and level of commitment, and discuss it with your veterinarian.  Then pick a plan that will work for you and do it!  The bugs won't wait for you.