Preventive Care for Pet Wellness Month

What can you do right now for National Pet Wellness Month? You can keep your furry friends safe from one of their most common enemies — parasites. Here is some advice for warning signs and treatments of heartworms, fleas, and ticks.

Fleas and ticks: Fleas tend to cozy up in the warm indoors during the winter, so watch out in the months ahead. Ticks tend to enjoy the great outdoors and are prolific at spreading such diseases as Lyme and Ehrlichiosis.

Warning Signs

• Itching
• Rashes
• Hair loss
• Restlessness
• Lethargy

Flea and Tick Prevention

• Year round
• Injectable, oral, topical options
• The safest, highest-quality medication is available at your veterinarian’s office, not over the counter.
• If you find a tick, contact your vet for proper care and removal.
• Tick preventives also prevent fleas.

Red Flags for Heartworms: Transmitted by mosquitoes during warmer months, this parasitic condition can be fatal to cats and dogs, causing heart failure if untreated.

• A constant dry cough
• Lethargy
• Weight loss
• Swollen belly
• Difficulty breathing

Heartworm Prevention

• Injectable, chewable, or topical options
• Use by veterinary prescription only — beware of online options.
• If a pet owner stops preventive treatment and then starts it back up once their pet has contracted heartworms, this could take a deadly physical toll on their furry friend.
• It’s important to test after the pet is off the preventive medication as well as year-round to ensure the animal does not have heartworm disease.

To schedule a wellness exam for your pet this month, please call us at 317-516-5921. And keep in mind that our Pet Prime Membership plans provide preventive care for parasites at an affordable cost.