Flea and Tick Season
Well, it is again the time of year that we in the veterinary field start seeing fleas and ticks on our patients. Most pet owners will stop their flea and tick prevention during the winter months. Our pets can still be exposed to these nasty parasites even in the winter, but they especially appear in the spring and summer. Ticks carry all sorts of diseases. The most common of these is Lyme disease. We see a ton of Lyme positive pets in our practice. Lyme positive pets do not usually show symptoms of the disease and the most common way for us to know if a pet is Lyme positive is through routine yearly blood work.
Fleas are another issue that we will start seeing in a few weeks. Fleas can become a problem when your pet becomes infested by them. Some people actually have to have an exterminator come into their home to help take care of the problem. This is why preventatives are so important. Some pets are allergic to flea bites. One flea bite, and they will start to lose their hair, become incessantly itchy, and because of the scratching they usually cause a secondary skin infection. Fleas have also been known to bite people. So BEFORE you see any fleas or ticks on your pet please remember to start them on their preventatives. In the long run, you will be saving yourself time and money.
There is a variety of flea and tick products available to protect your pets. Call us at 856-875-1323 to purchase your pet’s protection!
by Desiree, CVT
