Fleas and Ticks: Preventing Disease in You Pets

We all love the Arizona weather (most of the year), but now that we have hit the monsoon season, there are other residents who love living here too; fleas and ticks.  None of us like to find these tiny little tagalongs on our beloved pets and you can bet that they enjoy it even less!  Not only do the parasites cause direct irritation and intense itching, they can cause a whole host of diseases.

Ticks are known carriers of Ehrlichia, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Lyme Disease, among other nasty diseases.  Fleas can carry tapeworms and many bacterial diseases like the Plague.  Yes, we still have plague in the mountains of Arizona and one to two people per year are infected.  They can also cause a severe allergic reaction from their bite.  Not only are pets at risk for these diseases, but humans can also contract many diseases transmitted by these pests.  There are many different species of fleas and ticks and not all species carry the same diseases but any of these parasites can be a concern.  Much more so if you travel with your pet.

How do we prevent these disgusting pests from infecting our pets and ourselves?  Short of finding a large hamster-ball for your dog to live in, which could be pretty entertaining in and of itself, our best defense is to use a preventative.  However, if you have ever been to the pet store you can quickly become overwhelmed by the many different products that are available.  Which one do you pick?  Which are safest for my pet?  Which dog products can be toxic for any cats in the house?  There are just so many questions!

Unfortunately, many of the over-the-counter preventatives have the potential to cause a lot of side effects in our pets and others are just not that effective in prevention of fleas and ticks.  At Kaibab Animal Hospital, we have looked at all these medications and have weighed the risks and benefits of their use in your loved family member.  All of this research and careful consideration has led us to recommend Bravecto as a flea and tick preventative.  Bravecto is a pork-flavored, chewable medication which ensures that it won’t be washed off of the skin.  One dose also protects against fleas and ticks for a whole 12 weeks!  That makes dosing so much easier than before.

Make sure to schedule an appointment to talk to us about Bravecto and how it can help prevent some of these nasty diseases and help keep your pet safe and healthy.