Protecting Your Dog and Your Family from Fleas, Ticks, Heartworms, and Intestinal Parasites
As loving dog owners, we provide our companions with everything they need to live a happy life: good food, a safe home, exercise, and affection. An equally important, though less visible, part of that care is protecting them from the wide range of parasites that can threaten their health. Fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal worms are more than just a nuisance; they are a year-round threat in our Southern California climate.
At San Marcos Veterinary Clinic, we believe that the only effective parasite control strategy is a proactive and consistent one. A simple, monthly preventive is one of the most important investments you can make in your dog’s health, shielding them from discomfort and a host of serious diseases.
Understanding the Need for Dog Parasite: External Threats
These pests live on the outside of your dog’s body and can cause a multitude of problems.
- Fleas: A flea problem can escalate quickly from a few bugs to a major household infestation. For your dog, this can lead to miserable itching, and for those with a flea allergy, a single bite can cause a severe skin reaction (Flea Allergy Dermatitis). Fleas are also the primary transmitter of tapeworms.
- Ticks: These parasites latch on to feed on blood and are infamous for transmitting dangerous diseases like Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis. These illnesses can cause everything from fever and joint pain to serious blood disorders.
Internal Threats of Dog Parasites
These parasites live inside your dog’s body, often causing damage long before any outward signs are visible.
- Heartworms: Transmitted by a single bite from an infected mosquito, heartworms live and grow in the heart and lungs, causing severe and permanent damage. The treatment to kill them is long, difficult, and expensive. Heartworm disease is a devastating but completely preventable condition.
- Intestinal Worms: Parasites like roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms live in the digestive tract, stealing vital nutrients from your dog. They can cause diarrhea, weight loss, and anemia, and are especially dangerous for young puppies.
Our Dog Parasite Control Products
The best news is that protecting your dog is easier and safer than ever. We will work with you to choose the best monthly product for your dog’s lifestyle. Our veterinarian-approved recommendations include:
- Quattro®: A convenient, all-in-one chewable tablet for dogs that protects against fleas, ticks, heartworm, and common intestinal worms (hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms).
- Credelio®: A tasty chewable tablet for dogs that provides powerful flea and tick control.
- Revolution®: A trusted topical “spot-on” treatment for dogs that protects against fleas and heartworm.
Why Every Dog Needs Year-Round Protection
Many pet owners wonder if parasite protection is necessary all year long. In our mild climate, the answer is always yes.
- No “Off-Season”: Our climate allows fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes to remain active 365 days a year.
- Indoor Pests: Fleas are perfectly happy to live and reproduce inside your home at any time of year.
- Hidden Dangers: Ticks can be brought into your yard by wildlife. All it takes is one infected mosquito bite to transmit heartworm disease.
- Protecting Your Family: Some intestinal parasites, like roundworms, can be transmitted to people, making your dog’s prevention plan an important part of your entire family’s health.
Your Guide to Dog Parasite Control: Common Questions
A comprehensive defense plan is your dog’s best friend. Here are our answers to some common questions about parasite control:
Why does my dog need an annual heartworm test if they’re on prevention all year?
This is a recommendation from the American Heartworm Society and a crucial safety check. No preventive is 100% effective, and a late or missed dose could leave your dog vulnerable. The annual test confirms that the preventive is working correctly.
What is the difference between a product from your clinic and one from a big-box store?
The prescription products we carry have been rigorously tested for both safety and efficacy and are often more effective than many over-the-counter alternatives. Additionally, the manufacturers of these products provide guarantees that are only valid when the product is purchased through a licensed veterinarian.
I found a tick on my dog. Does that mean their preventive isn’t working?
Not necessarily. Most modern preventives work by killing the tick after it has bitten the dog, but before it has had enough time to transmit disease. It is still important to remove any tick you find as soon as possible.
My dog’s fecal test was negative. Do I still need to give them a dewormer?
A negative fecal test is great news, but it only tells us that no eggs were being shed at that exact moment. This is why we recommend a monthly broad-spectrum preventive that continuously protects against common intestinal worms.
Is it possible to “over-medicate” my dog with these preventives?
When used as directed and prescribed by a veterinarian, these monthly preventives have an excellent safety profile. The health risks associated with the diseases they prevent are far greater than the minimal risk associated with the medications themselves.
Can my dog get fleas even if they don’t interact with other dogs?
Yes. Fleas can be brought into your yard by wildlife or can hitch a ride into your home on your own shoes or clothing. A dog does not need direct contact with another animal to pick up fleas from a contaminated environment.
A simple monthly preventive is a small, easy step that provides powerful protection for your dog and peace of mind for you.
