Sun, Sand, and … Summer Parasite Prevention in Dogs
Summer is the perfect time to plan picnics with your furry friends. Whether you are excited to plan beach getaways, mountain retreats, or long evening walks with your dog, there’s one thing you should always keep in mind: the prevention of summer pet parasites.
Summer Parasite Prevention for Dogs
Dogs require special care and attention during spring and summer because this is the time when summer parasites are most prevalent. And going out with your lovely pets means knocking on the doors of pesky pests.
But this doesn’t mean you have to miss out on endless summer fun by staying indoors. Being aware of these dog parasites and taking active steps to prevent them can help you enjoy the season fun with your best buddy.
Say YES to Summer Fun & NO to these Summer Parasites:
Fleas
Undoubtedly the most notorious of all summer parasites, fleas are a headache for pets and pet parents year-round. The warm weather is the perfect time for the flea population to explode because the flea life cycle speeds up during this time. Fleas are very difficult to get rid of, and therefore, now is the time to plan against these nasty parasites.
Symptoms
- Excessive itching
- Redness
- Flea allergy dermatitis
- Hair loss
- Hot spots
Treatment & Prevention
There are various flea prevention treatments for the treatment and prevention of fleas. Such flea treatments for dogs are available in the form of spot-on products, chewables, shampoos, and sprays. The best way to prevent fleas is to keep your dog active on flea prevention treatments round-the-year.
Ticks
Technically, tick season never ends, but their population spikes during the warmer months. Ticks can cause painful tick bites while feeding on your dog’s blood, and they carry various life-threatening diseases. Many tick species are prevalent during summer and they cause diseases like Lyme disease, Bartonellosis, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and more.
Symptoms
- Excessive scratching
- Fever
- Skin lesions
- Poor appetite
- Tick paralysis
Treatment & Prevention
Once-monthly topical treatments, sprays and powders, shampoos, collars, and other tick products are highly effective in the treatment and prevention of ticks. It is always recommended to check your dog for ticks after an outdoor visit and to remove them as soon as you spot any with the help of tweezers or a tick remover tool.
[Also Read] Top 10 Ways to Prevent Fleas & Ticks on Dogs
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are worth worrying about in the summers, as they can cause adverse effects on your pooch’s health. Mosquito bites are often painful and leave red, raised bumps on your pet’s skin. These little insects also carry various bacteria, viruses, and other parasites and can infect your dog.
Mosquitoes not only irritate pets but also transmit dangerous diseases such as:
- Heartworm Disease
- West Nile Virus
- Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis Virus
- Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus
Treatment & Prevention
Since there are no treatments available currently for most of the above-mentioned diseases, the best way to keep your dog safe is to prevent mosquitoes in the first place. You can consider using mosquito-repellant products or flea and tick treatments that cover mosquitoes. Most importantly, always keep your dog active on a suitable heartworm prevention treatment.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are flat, segmented, long worms that dwell in the intestines of pets. They attach to your pet’s stomach with their hook-like mouthparts and feed on your pet’s blood, deteriorating their health. Fleas may also transmit tapeworms when a dog inadvertently ingests the tapeworm-infected flea.
Symptoms
- Weight loss
- Tiredness
- Diarrhea
- Anemia
- Intestinal blockage
Treatment & Prevention
Tapeworm treatment and prevention is pretty simple with the dog dewormers available in the market these days. Dewormers that are available in the form of syrups and tablets break down the worms and cause them to be digested in the intestines. These digested worms are eliminated in the stool.
Bottom Line
Summer is the time to make cherishable memories with your four-legged friends. Don’t let the creepy summer pests ruin the sunny days for you and your pet. Keep your pets safe with a suitable all-in-one parasite prevention treatment suggested by your veterinarian.
David joined CanadaVetCare in 2013 as a product analyst and veterinary assistant. Being a passionate pet lover and keen animal health researcher, David had always found ways and solutions to help pet parents to improve their pets’ health. He is always happy to answer pet health-related queries and recommending pet parents for the right pet product for their furry companions.