Heartworm and Flea Prevention

First and foremost The Pet Doctor and its staff wish you a Happy New Year! With the new year comes the start of new life long habits. The habits we’re speaking of are starting and staying on monthly flea and heartworm preventatives for your dogs and cats.

Flea Preventative:

Flea prevention comes in many forms varying from Collars such as the Bayer Seresto collar, a topical product such as K9 Advantix, or an edible product such as Nexgard. These products have one basic function, the prevention of a flea infestation on your pet and within your home. One needs to decide which product is best for you. If you know it’s easier to “Pill” your pet then get an edible treat like Nexgard or Bravecto. Date your calendars, set a reminder on your phone, just do whatever it takes to remember to give your medication on time each month (three months in bravecto’s case).

If you fight a monthly battle with your pet to swallow a pill or treat then a topical product may be your best bet. Products like Advantix or Frontline Gold can be applied to the skin after you part the pet’s fur on the back of the neck. This product is then circulated around the pets body by their own natural oils moving across the skin.

Another type of flea prevention is using the collar called the Serestro collar. They work to prevent fleas and ticks for eight months. Just remember the collar needs to be changed, it’s not a permanent form of control even though you don’t have to think about it for long.

 

Heartworm Preventative:

Heartworm preventative is used to help prevent the infection of Heartworms and intestinal parasites such as Roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. As we all know heartworms if left untreated is a painful, fatal fate to leave your pet with that can be easily prevented with a monthly dosage of medication. There are various forms of prevention as with flea prevention such as the edible treat Heartgard, The topical products such as Revolution and Advantage multi which include flea prevention, or the injectable 6 month preventative known as ProHeart.

There are a plethora of edible treats/pills to give your pet for heartworm prevention. Some solely for the prevention of heartworm and intestinal parasites such as Heartgard. Others prevent Heartworms and fleas such as Trifexis.

Topical products like Advantage multi and revolution can be applied to the skin for the prevention of heartworms, fleas, and intestinal parasites. The ProHeart injection works to prevent heartworms from the outside via an injection that occurs every 6 months. As with all products SET A REMINDER, NOTHING WORKS IF THE DOSING IS MISSED. Prevention of heartworms is many times cheaper than the treatment of heartworms.

Start the New Year off right and start the habit of prevention of Heartworms and fleas and ticks.

Happy New Year!!!!!