It is essential to routinely use proven, preventative treatments against common parasites throughout your pet's life; this impacts the long-term health of your pet and your family. Prevention is more cost effective than cure.
To determine the level of parasite treatment your pet needs, we work with you to carry out a risk assessment based on your pet’s lifestyle and behaviour.
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Flea Treatments
Fleas and Ticks are parasites that live in the environment and attach themselves to your pet; they drink their blood and use it to fuel themselves. Fleas and ticks can cause your pet discomfort, and in some cases, cats and dogs are allergic to fleas and can have a severe skin reaction.
It is important to ensure that infestations do not get hold of your pet and fleas and ticks can trasnmit dieseases and other parasites. Fleas will not attach thenaselves to people but they do bite; ticks are able to attach themselves to humans, transmitting disease such as Lyme disease.
At Boundary Vets, we can offer the best advice on preventative treatment for fleas and ticks; we have a wide range of products available on prescription for your pet, preventing the spread of disease and parasites. These include spot-on, tablets and collars for your pet.
The majority of flea treatments are monthly applications throughout your pet's life. With prevention better than cure, we recommend you start treatment before your pet has a flea burden. If you think your pet has fleas, we can aldvise on treating your home due to eggs living in carpets, cracks infloorboards and furtiniture. We can offer the provision of houehold spray and flea treatment for your pet.
If you think your pet has a tick then we can provide you with tick removers and tick treatment, however, if you’re concerned, then we are more than happy to remove the ticks for you in one of our nurse consultations.
Treating your pet with our vet recommended treatment plan will effectively kill fleas and disrupt their life cycle.
Sign up to our Pet Health for Life plan today and start saving on your pet’s preventative healthcare, including flea and worm treatment.
Worms
Worms are tiny parasites that live in your pet’s body, often picked up in the environment by ingestion.
Parasites are sometimes overlooked when your pet displays symptoms of diarrhoea, bloating, cramping and other digestive symptom to more severe symtoms including excessive bleeding. Lungworm is transmitted by slugs and snails and can also be found in snail slime trails, which can cause coughing and bleeding problems. Some of these parasites can also be transmitted via other parasites; for example, fleas transmit tapeworm. There are many different types of worms to be aware of, including tapeworm, roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, heartworm and lungworm.
We believe prevention is better than cure, and that’s why we recommend regular worming treatment for your cats and dogs.
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Worm treatment for dogs
For dogs, we recommend using a monthly tablet that treats all the above worms, fleas, ticks and mange mites. The only one it doesn’t cover is tapeworm; using an additional six-monthly tapeworm tablet is adequate for most dogs. Learn more about worming your dog here.
Worm treatment for cats
For cats, we recommend a monthly spot-on treatment that covers all the above worms (apart from tapeworms), fleas, ticks and mange mites. As with dogs, a separate tapeworm will be required. If your cat hunts, they will also need tapeworm every three months. Learn more about worming your cat here.
Please be aware that many products available elsewhere other than sold at Boundary Vets may be ineffective at treating all the species of worms and fleas your pet could get. There are many ranges of worming treatments available including tablets, liquids, granules and spot-ons.
Protecting Your Pet From Ticks
Ticks are a common parasite that can affect pets, and at Boundary Vets, we urge pet owners to be aware of the risks associated with tick bites and to take steps to prevent them.
Ticks can transmit diseases to pets, including Lyme disease. These diseases can cause serious health problems for pets, and in some cases, can even be fatal. Therefore, it is important to take preventative measures to protect your pets from tick bites.
Here are some tips for tick prevention in pets:
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Use a tick preventative treatment: There are many different tick preventative products available, including spot-on treatments, collars, and oral medications. These treatments are highly effective as preventative measures, working to kill ticks before they have chance to bite.
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Check your pet for ticks regularly: After spending time outside, be sure to thoroughly check your pet for ticks. Ticks can attach anywhere on the body, but are most commonly found around the head, ears, neck, and feet. If you find a tick, use tweezers to carefully remove it, making sure to get the entire tick and avoiding crushing it.
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Keep your garden tidy: Ticks thrive in tall grass and other vegetation, so keeping your garden well-maintained and mowed. This can help to reduce the tick population.
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Avoid walking in wooded or brushy areas: These are high-risk areas for ticks; avoiding them can help reduce the risk of tick bites.
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Talk to your vet: Your vet can provide guidance on tick preventative products and offer recommendations based on your pet's individual needs.
By following these tips and taking preventative measures, you can help protect your pets from the risks associated with tick bites. If you have any concerns or questions about tick prevention for your pet, be sure to call Boundary Vets today.
Parasite Control: Hazards in our local community
Fleas, worms and other parasites can be caught at parks local to Boundary Veterinary Practice.
Parks are a breeding ground for parasites, especially in the warmer months from April to October. As a pet owner, you do not want to deprive your beloved pet of the chance to make friends, and you certainly do not want to limit the opportunity to be outside. But, if it seems like all the other pets are itching, scratching and playing with slugs and other parasite carriers, what is a pet owner to do?
Save money on flea and worm treatment today!
To spread the cost of routine worming and flea treatment for your pet, Boundary Vets offer the Pet for Life Health plan, which includes parasite control for your pet.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What happens to my pet if they don't have flea and worm treatment?
When it comes to worm treatment, there may be severe consequences if ignored. Depending on the type of worm your pet can experience irritation such as intestinal blockages, obstruction of blood flow in the heart, artery inflammation, anaemia, and even death if left untreated.
Can you get combined flea and worm treatment for pets?
There are combined flea and worm treatments you can get for your pets, also known as an all-in-one flea and wormer. However, it's always best to consult your veterinary practice as these treatments don't cover some types of worms. Your pet may also have complications that combined treatments don't cover.
How often does my pet need flea and worm treatment?
Once every month, you should treat your pet for fleas, and every two to three months, or even more frequently, for worms. Depending on your pet's lifestyle, talk to your vet about the best course of action.
How long should I wait between worming and flea treatments?
Many people wonder if they can treat their cats for fleas and worms at the same time or how long they should leave between treatments. Depending on the two treatments being administered you may need to wait either 48 hours or two weeks between treatments. Please ask your vet when picking up your flea and worm treatment how to apply the two treatments most effectively and safely.
Do indoor cats need flea and worm treatment?
Every cat, even indoor cats, need regular flea and worm preventative treatments. It is a common misconception that an exclusively indoor cat does not need these treatments – this is not true at all. Fleas commonly travel on clothes and bags and so may be brought into the house at any time. A cat could even pick up fleas during a trip to a vet, especially where other pets may not have been treated.
Does my rabbit need flea and worm treatment?
You must consistently employ effective, preventative medicines against the most prevalent parasites throughout the lifespan of your rabbit to ensure their wellbeing and long-term health, as well as that of your family and Rabbits. Keep in mind that prevention is much simpler and less expensive than treatment. Rabbits also suffer from several other parasites and conditions, such as Mites, Flystrike, and E. cuniculi.
