Essential Information About Parasite Prevention from Your Doha Vet
Parasites generally fall into two categories: internal and external. Dogs and cats are vulnerable to parasites from the day they’re born, and in some cases, pets may be born with roundworms if their mother happens to be infected. There are a variety of parasites that can infect our pets, and while many can be treated easily, others can cause harmful diseases. As your pet’s veterinarian in Doha, we highly recommend complete, year-round parasite protection to keep them in the best health.
Heartworm Disease
One of the most dangerous parasite-transmitted diseases is heartworm, which is spread by mosquitoes. Heartworm disease is characterized by roundworms propagating and growing inside the heart and lungs, blocking major arteries and potentially causing life-threatening damage to the animal infected. Preventing this condition altogether is essential to helping your pet avoid the stresses of heartworm treatment and the possibility of lasting heart and lung damage.
Telltale signs of heartworm disease include:
- Chronic coughing
- Labored breathing
- Weakness
- Exercise intolerance
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Sleeping more often
Diseases Spread by Parasites
The most common parasitic diseases that affect pets include:
- Heartworm disease
- Lyme disease
- Ehrlichiosis
- Flea allergy dermatitis
- Tapeworm (caused by ingesting a flea carrying tapeworm larvae)
- Roundworm
- Hookworm
- Whipworm
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease mainly affects dogs, and it can also be life-threatening if it isn’t treated in time. This condition is spread by certain species of tick that carry bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria is what causes Lyme disease in dogs and people. Symptoms of Lyme disease include:
- Fever
- Lameness
- Lethargy
- Swollen joints
- Loss of appetite
Protect Your Pet for Life
Just one missed dose of parasite preventative can leave your pet vulnerable to infection. The Veterinary Surgery offers a variety of veterinarian-guaranteed flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives, both topical (for the skin) and oral (for consumption) that also help to protect against other parasites, like roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms.
Your pet will enjoy optimal health if they continuously receive their doses of medication, which kill any existing parasites in their system before they can mature and cause health problems.
For more information about protecting your pet, you can call our hospital at (974) 4436 7187.
