Flea and Tick Prevention
Even with the thaw of spring beginning it is hard to imagine summer's uninvited house guests invading our homes once again! However, what you may not have realized is that insects, such as fleas, are not always killed off with cold weather.
Fleas live on a host, often dogs and cats, stray animals or wild rabbits and can survive on these hosts year round. These hosts then drop flea eggs wherever they go like a little walking salt shaker! Your pet travels through these areas making them the unsuspecting target for fleas. We recommend using flea prevention for a large portion of the year. Frontline Plus is our preferred product for flea & tick treatment and prevention. This topical product is applied between the shoulder blades, and works through the oil glands to fight against multiple life stages of the flea.
Merial, the manufacturer of Frontline, has also recognized the demand for an oral medication and have created a new chewable product called NexGard. NexGard is a tasty beef flavored treat that is designed to kill BOTH fleas and four types of ticks. It kills fleas before they can lay eggs, thus preventing infestations. Both of these products fight fleas and ticks for 30 days after they are administered.
Along with fleas, mosquitoes are another danger to our pets this time of year. Mosquitoes transmit heartworm disease by injecting microscopic worms into the body which mature between the right side of the heart and the lungs. Over time, the heartworm causes heart disease and failure. To read more about heartworm disease and the associated risks, please visit http://www.heartwormsociety.org
Before starting any heartworm prevention, a simple blood test is required to be certain that the dog is not heartworm positive. Administering heartworm prevention when your dog has heartworms can cause life threatening side effects. Once we confirm this negative diagnosis, we start a once monthly heartworm preventative called Heartgard Plus. Not only does Heartgard Plus prevent heartworm disease, but it is also an intestinal parasite dewormer as well.
To view specials on all three of the above listed products, visit our website at www.pipevet.com.
As always, if you have questions please feel free to call the clinic at 319.332.0260.
Even with the thaw of spring beginning it is hard to imagine summer's uninvited house guests invading our homes once again! However, what you may not have realized is that insects, such as fleas, are not always killed off with cold weather.
Fleas live on a host, often dogs and cats, stray animals or wild rabbits and can survive on these hosts year round. These hosts then drop flea eggs wherever they go like a little walking salt shaker! Your pet travels through these areas making them the unsuspecting target for fleas. We recommend using flea prevention for a large portion of the year. Frontline Plus is our preferred product for flea & tick treatment and prevention. This topical product is applied between the shoulder blades, and works through the oil glands to fight against multiple life stages of the flea.
Merial, the manufacturer of Frontline, has also recognized the demand for an oral medication and have created a new chewable product called NexGard. NexGard is a tasty beef flavored treat that is designed to kill BOTH fleas and four types of ticks. It kills fleas before they can lay eggs, thus preventing infestations. Both of these products fight fleas and ticks for 30 days after they are administered.
Along with fleas, mosquitoes are another danger to our pets this time of year. Mosquitoes transmit heartworm disease by injecting microscopic worms into the body which mature between the right side of the heart and the lungs. Over time, the heartworm causes heart disease and failure. To read more about heartworm disease and the associated risks, please visit http://www.heartwormsociety.org
Before starting any heartworm prevention, a simple blood test is required to be certain that the dog is not heartworm positive. Administering heartworm prevention when your dog has heartworms can cause life threatening side effects. Once we confirm this negative diagnosis, we start a once monthly heartworm preventative called Heartgard Plus. Not only does Heartgard Plus prevent heartworm disease, but it is also an intestinal parasite dewormer as well.
To view specials on all three of the above listed products, visit our website at www.pipevet.com.
As always, if you have questions please feel free to call the clinic at 319.332.0260.
