Keeping Your Pets Safe Is A Year-Round Battle
As the warm days of summer fade into cool fall weather, veterinarian Dr. Caroline Stark says it is important to continue treating your pets for fleas, ticks, and other parasites that are thriving during milder winters.
“The frustrating part is we aren’t getting rid of them anymore,” said Dr Stark. “Maintaining preventative treatments on all pets in the household is the only way to be sure.”
Ticks are most active in fall and spring – but they have adapted to milder winters and hotter summers and are thriving. Tick bites can cause skin irritation and infection. Some species of tick can also transmit Lyme disease. Fleas also carry diseases, and their bites can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions in pets and humans. Mosquito bites can lead to heartworms in dogs and cats. One unseasonably warm day, mosquitoes can become active again and infect your pet.
Mice and other small critters are also trying to get into warm homes when the temperature drops, and they can bring fleas and ticks inside with them and re-expose your untreated pets.
Dr. Stark always recommends some kind of year-round protection for every pet in the household. One infected animal can spread parasites to others. “There is no treatment for heartworm in cats, which is fatal, so prevention is key,” she says. “If your pet has been off heartworm meds for a while it should be tested and then on a yearly basis.”
There are various types of preventative measures, including collars, topical, and pet specific oral medications. Unfortunately, the treatment options can be expensive, as manufacturer’s prices have gone up 30 – 50%. There are treatment products at various price points, and she recommends talking with your veterinarian about treatment options. Dr. Stark suggests buying the preventative treatments in bundles and looking for rebates to save money but recommends buying only from reputable sources. She cautions that medications listed for sale on Facebook or social media could be counterfeits and harmful to your pets.
“It is very unfortunate that the cost of wellness care for animals has skyrocketed recently. That is something that you should definitely consider before adding a pet to your family.”
Dr. Caroline Stark, DVM is a Staff Veterinarian at VCA Holly Farms in Toledo, Ohio. She specializes in preventive medicine and soft tissue surgery.
