Warmer weather brings longer walks, svelte waists, and of course ITCHING!!
Fleas: Cats and dogs can be allergic to flea saliva and develop an intense allergic reaction to flea bites called flea allergy dermatitis. This type of reaction can cause a great deal of discomfort for your pet and they will often need other medications in addition to starting preventative flea control. Fleas can carry tapeworm larvae. When your pet grooms, they may ingest the occasional flea and thereby become infected with tapeworms. Tapeworms are easily treated but have been known to lead to weight loss in some animals. Severe cases of flea infestations can potentially cause a form of anemia too, this is a serious but treatable condition if caught early.
Ticks: Ticks can also be a serious and not too uncommon problem in Western Washington.
There are several tick species that we tend to see in this area, a few of them are:
We have treated a few tick borne disease cases here at Evergreen Animal Hospital.
Warning Signs: Does your pet have a flea or tick problem?
Did you know?
Product Recommendations:
There are numerous flea and tick products available, here are our recommendations of what we believe is best suited for our patients and our regional environment.
Frontline TriTak - A once a month broad spectrum topical insecticide that is absorbed through the hair follicles by the sebaceous glands. It kills adult fleas as well as the eggs and larval stages. It is also affective against the three ticks that we see in Western Washington as well as chewing lice. Frontline TriTak is safe to use on dogs and cats 12 weeks and older.
The following products are available by prescription only:
Revolution for Cats - A once a month topical flea and internal parasite preventative. It can also be used to treat sarcoptic mange, ear mites, certain intestinal parasites, and has some efficacy towards the American Dog tick. Safe for cats & kittens 6 weeks and older.
NexGard for Dogs Only - A once month beef flavored chew given monthly to kill adult fleas before they lay eggs and kills ticks, too. All in a delicious, soft chew that dogs love. Safe for dogs & puppies over 8 weeks of age.
Trifexis for Dogs Only - A once a month flavored chewable tablet that protects your dog from five parasites: fleas, heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. Safe for dogs and puppies 8 weeks and older.
Evergreen Animal Hospital
6225 Wollochet Dr. NW
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
Phone: (253) 851-9195 Email: [email protected]
Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm