Below are the most common parasites of cats and dogs. Scroll down to see preventatives and what they cover!
Fleas
Fleas are small insects that suck blood and leave "flea dirt" or little black specks in your pets fur. Most, if not all, store-bought flea preventatives no longer work to protect your pet, leaving prescription options as the best way to safeguard your home.
Fleas can transmit tapeworms as well as cause anemia, allergic skin reactions, itching, hair loss, and lethargy.
Ticks
There are many different species of ticks, but all suck blood. There are several diseases transmitted by ticks including Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis which can cause life long and or life threatening medical issues. Ticks are most prevalent in tall grasses and wooded areas.
Roundworms
Puppies and kittens can be born with roundworms. They look like long "moving spaghetti noodles" and cause a bloated belly many confuse for a "puppy belly."
This is a common parasite that may cause weight loss, a distended abdomen, and can appear in the stool and vomit.
Heartworms
Heartworms develop in the circulatory system and live as adults in the heart. You will never see these worms in your pets stool! A quick yearly blood test checks for these parasites, transmitted by mosquitos that have fed on an infected dog. Preventatives must be given monthly.
This disease is fatal if untreated.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are also a very common parasite and are spotted in the stool or around your pet's anus. Your pet may scoot or chew at their tail base if they have these worms. They look like "moving grains of rice," which are segments of a longer worm. Each segment contains thousands of eggs.
Tapeworms are transmitted by segment ingestion and flea ingestion. They cause a rough hair coat and weight loss.
Giardia
No! A goose is not the parasite! However, if your dog is fond of eating goose droppings, they may be susceptible to ingesting a single-celled parasite (not visible to the eye) called Giardia. This tiny parasite causes watery diarrhea that can be brown or green. This infection is very difficult to get rid of and takes multiple rounds of treatment.
Hookworms
Hookworms are another common parasite, though you will not see them in your pet's feces. They suck blood from the intestines and cause pets to become anemic and lose weight. Most oral flea preventatives treat for this worm.
Coccidia
Coccidia, like giardia, is a single-celled parasite only visible under a microscope. It causes diarrhea and weight loss and can take multiple rounds of medication to treat.
