Hello from Deer Park Veterinary Hospital, where the well-being, health, and comfort of your pet are our top priorities. In today's discussion, we turn our focus to a crucial aspect of pet care – flea and tick prevention. You might wonder if this topic is relevant at this time of the year. The answer is a resounding yes, and in fact, it's a subject that deserves attention throughout the entire year!
Here In Cincinnati
In Cincinnati, recent years have blessed us with unusually mild winters. While this may be enjoyable for us humans, it creates an ideal environment for fleas and ticks to thrive. These parasites need prolonged cold periods to either die off or enter dormancy. A study conducted by Wright State University a few years ago revealed a surprising fact: ticks were found alive and active under six inches of snow during winter.
Given their resilience, we strongly advocate for year-round flea and tick prevention. The primary purpose of prevention is to shield your pet from various diseases transmitted by these pesky external parasites. Fleas are notorious not just for causing skin irritation and allergies but also for carrying diseases that can affect your pet’s red blood cells. Ticks, which come in several varieties, are carriers of different illnesses, such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, all of which can have a detrimental impact on your pet’s health.
So Many Options
The market offers a variety of products for flea and tick prevention. However, over time, we have observed a noticeable decline in the effectiveness of many over-the-counter options. As a result, our advice is prescription products, which continue to demonstrate superior efficacy.
Here's a rundown of our top recommendations:
Available in hospital:
- Bravecto– this product is available in either an oral chew or a topical solution for cats or dogs. Both work to prevent fleas and ticks for 3 months. This needs to be paired with a separate heartworm preventative in dogs.
- Simparica Trio– this product is available in a monthly oral chew for dogs only. Trio also contains a heartworm preventative so with this product you only give one chew to prevent all three.
- Revolution Plus– this is a topical solution applied monthly on cats. It also has the added benefit of preventing heartworms in cats.
We Are In This Together
We offer these recommended preventatives and more through our convenient online pharmacy. Should you prefer this route, our team is ready and eager to assist you with your order.
For any inquiries or guidance regarding year-round flea and tick prevention, please don't hesitate to reach out to our staff. We are all committed to helping you find the best way to protect your beloved furry friends from these external parasites and the health risks they pose. Your pet's well-being is our priority, and we're here to support you every step of the way.