Flea and Parasite Control

Fleas are NOT the only parasite problem of pets. At Parklands we are focused on complete parasite  prevention in both your pets and spread to humans! There are many common parasites which infect both the skin surface (fleas, ticks , mange, earmites etc) as well as internally (roundworms, tapeworm, lungworm etc). We have several products available from spot-on to oral tablets but it is very important to understand what products you are applying, what parasites they are targeting, how long they work for and what combinations of products to use to ensure complete parasite control.

Fleas 

One of the most common parasites caught by pets is fleas, with every cat and dog suffering from them at some stage in their lifetime.

Fleas are the cause of Flea Allergic Dermatitis in pets, and in severe cases, fleas can cause anaemia.

What can fleas do to my pet?

• Flea bites cause discomfort and irritation.
• Many pets become sensitised to flea bites which leads to intense itchiness, and severe self-inflicted trauma flea allergy.
• Fleas are responsible for transmitting tapeworms to our pets.

Fleas breed throughout the year in centrally heated homes. It is therefore important to treat all cats, dogs and rabbits within a household and to maintain a flea control programme throughout the year.

How can I control the flea problem?

• Please consult us – we have found that many non-prescription preparations simply do not work well enough to achieve effective flea control.
• It is practically impossible to prevent your pet coming into contact with fleas so regular treatments are necessary to control the problem and prevent a build-up within the home.
• An effective flea control programme may involve the use of a combination of products. These attack both the adult flea stage on your pets AND the immature stages within the home.

Ticks:

Ticks are small blood-sucking arthropods (related to spiders, mites and scorpions). Most people have seen a tick on their pet but not considered their importance in disease transmission.

Ticks are generally found in grassland, scrub and shrubs and their lifestyle is temperature dependent, therefore although they can be found year round in the UK, their numbers increase between March and November.

Ticks have special mouthparts that pierce the skin, lock on to the tissues and feed on blood. This produces an ideal environment to transmit microorganisms.

Lyme disease is the most important disease in the UK that is transmitted to humans by ticks. Other diseases include Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis but are not usually found in the UK and more of a concern for travelling pets. Animals travelling under PETS (pet passport scheme) must be treated before returning to the UK.

Treatment & Prevention

Specific products are available for the control of fleas but most people find that spot-on type preparations are most convenient. Don’t forget to treat all the animals in the household including house rabbits.

Some of these tick products are formulated for dogs only and are toxic to cats and must be used with care. Please ask at the surgery for more advice on treatment and prevention of fleas, ticks and other parasites to suit the needs of you and your pets.