FLEA, TICK AND WORM PREVENTION
FLEAS & TICKS
Flea control is very important for small puppies and kittens. A large flea burden can cause anaemia, intense itching and secondary skin infections. We recommend all pets are on year-round flea control. In Brisbane’s warm humid climate it can be very difficult to eradicate a flea burden in your house and yard – it is much better to keep them away in the first place. All animals in the household must be treated for control to be effective (ALL dogs and cats).
Ticks can be a life-threatening problem all year round but particularly in the warmer months and especially after rain. If you are in a known paralysis tick area or your dog is likely to come into contact with ticks (check with the clinic) use a suitable prevention program. Note that no product is guaranteed 100% effective. Nothing beats checking your dog over by hand each day – remove any ticks straight away and monitor your dog closely for signs of tick poisoning. Signs of tick paralysis include wobbly back legs, change in voice, retching or vomiting. Seek veterinary attention immediately if your dog is showing any of these signs. The earlier we catch the problem, the better chance we have of saving your pet.
We recommend Bravecto or Nexgard Spectra, which provide prevention against
both ticks and fleas in one easy, chewable tablet. Tick and flea products
available at our clinic include:
Nexgard Spectra - safe from 8 weeks of age, for fleas, ticks, heartworm
& intestinal worms, given monthly
Bravecto Chew - safe from 8 weeks, for fleas & ticks, given quarterly
Bravecto Spot On - safe from 8 weeks, for fleas & ticks, given every 6 months
Advantage Spot On - safe for any age, for fleas, given monthly
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SIGNS of tick paralysis include wobbly back legs, change in voice, coughing, vomiting, laboured breathing, depression and disinterest or total collapse. Seek veterinary attention immediately!
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HEARTWORM PREVENTION
Heartworm is a parasite that is transmitted as larvae in blood to dogs by mosquitoes and then moves to the chambers of the dog’s heart, growing to adult worms and eventually causing death by heart failure. It is a common parasite in Brisbane and all pups should start prevention at 6-12 weeks of age with consistent prevention for life.
Various products are available including annual injections or monthly tablets. We recommend PROHEART injections for the prevention of heartworm disease. Puppies should have their first injection at 12 weeks of age followed by a booster at 6 months (often at the time of desexing) and then annually with vaccination for life. With the injection you can rest assured that your pet has the very best cover possible. This can be combined with their annual vaccination booster.
Monthly tablets available that prevent heartworm include Heartgard, Milbemax, Nexgard Spectra, Interceptor, Sentinel and Comfortis Plus.
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INTESTINAL WORMING
Intestinal worms can cause serious problems, and puppies are especially at risk. When worm burdens become high we can see diarrhoea, vomiting, pot-belly, weight loss, anaemia, scooting, severe intestinal complications and even death.
What should your puppy be wormed against?
Roundworm, Hookworm, Tapeworm and Whipworm.
Worms can kill puppies, and some are transmissible to humans, especially children so it is very important to prevent infestation.
When?
We recommend worming every 2 weeks up to 12 weeks of age, then monthly until 6 months of age, then every 3 months for the rest of your dog’s life. It is important to dose your puppy according to their weight and we recommend to use an allwormer such as Drontal or Milbemax to kill all intestinal worms including tapeworm, roundworm, whipworm, and hookworm.
If your puppy is on Comfortis Plus or Nexgard Spectra it only needs a tapewormer tablet as these heartworm and flea drugs also treat the other intestinal worms