The Companion Animal Parasite Council has developed important guidelines for protecting pets and pet owners from parasitic infections.  St. Francis Animal & Bird Hospital is committed to providing you with these important guidelines and helping you make choices that will protect your loved ones.

Roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms are intestinal parasites found in both dogs and cats.  A nationwide study revealed that more than 1 out of 3 untreated dogs were infected by at least one of these intestinal parasites.  While pets infected with intestinal parasites may exhibit vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, malnutrition, blood loss, and even death, many infected pets show no clinical signs of illness, yet can be shedding up to 200,000 parasite eggs in the feces every day!

Heartworms live in the heart and lungs of infected dogs and cats and are transmitted by mosquitoes.  Clinical signs of heartworm disease may include coughing, lethargy, and difficulty breathing, while some animals show no clinical signs at all.  Left untreated, heartworm disease may be fatal to your pet.

External parasites such as fleas and ticks can cause disease in both pets and people as well.  Recent changes in weather patterns have led to a high prevalence of these parasites in Minnesota.  Ticks carry the organisms that lead to serious diseases such as Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, while flea bites can lead to diseases such as Babesia and Hemobartonella.  Protection against these external parasites is essential for your pet’s long term health.

In addition to the health issues for your pet, parasites can pose a risk to humans, especially children and immunocompromised individuals.  Roundworms, hookworms, and some tapeworms are considered zoonotic.  Zoonotic infections are infections in people caused by parasites normally seen in animals.  Transmission can occur through accidental ingestion of parasite eggs or by penetration of the skin by parasitic hookworm larvae.  Tick bites can cause serious diseases in people in addition to pets.  Protecting your pet from these parasites will keep your family protected too.

Protecting Your Pets and Your Family

• Puppies and kittens should be dewormed at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age.  At 8 weeks of age, puppies should begin receiving monthly Heartgard Plus and kittens should receive monthly Revolution.

• While experts agree that heartworm transmission in Minnesota is not year round, intestinal parasite transmission can be.  Pets should receive year round preventative – Heartgard Plus for dogs and Revolution for cats.  Individual recommendations should be tailored to your pet.

• All dogs and puppies should be on monthly Frontline Plus or Certifect to control flea and tick infestations.  Monthly Revolution will protect your cats and kittens from fleas.

• Since some tapeworms and fleas share a life cycle, dogs and cats diagnosed with fleas should also be dewormed with praziquantel.  Any pets that hunt rodents or rabbits should be on monthly praziquantel to protect against tapeworm infections.

• A fecal examination should be performed at least 1-2 times per year.

• Dogs should have a heartworm test annually.

In addition to these recommendations, follow these important steps to reduce the risk of infection in humans:

• Remove pet feces from the yard or litter box daily.  Wash hands carefully after handling feces or cat litter.

• Do not allow children to go barefoot or sit in playgrounds or beaches where they are exposed to pet feces.

• Children’s sandboxes should be covered when not in use.

• Control intermediate hosts such as fleas, rodents, and rabbits.  Keep raccoons out of your yard.

—

It’s spring and time to think about parasite prevention for your pets.  We will continue to offer our Parasites and Your Pet promotion to make this easy and affordable for you!  In addition, we make a conscious effort to keep our prices competitive with online pharmacies and warehouses so you can provide your pet with reputable products at an affordable price.

Dogs: Purchase 12 Heartgard Plus, a heartworm test, and a fecal test and receive 10% off plus a $12 mail-in rebate.  In addition, purchase 6 Frontline Plus and receive 2 free!  We are also offering Certifect for Dogs this year for those dogs that have heavy tick exposure.

Cats: Purchase 6 Revolution and receive 2 doses free.  For year round control, purchase 12 Revolution for the price of 9 and receive 20% off a fecal examination!

Please contact us if you have additional questions or concerns about prevention of parasites in your pet.