Parasite Prevention and Treatment
Parasites, such as fleas and ticks, can compromise your pet’s health and comfort. Antiparasitic treatments are used to prevent unwanted visits from these pesky guests.
Which parasites are more likely to affect my pet?
The two most common parasites in Québec are fleas and ticks.
What is the difference between fleas and ticks?
Fleas are tiny parasites that reproduce very rapidly. They feed on the blood of dogs and cats by biting them, often many times a day. They can spread from one animal to another. Fleas must be eliminated quickly, otherwise they can cause infestations.
Ticks are solitary parasites. They mainly live outdoors in bushes, wooded areas and brushes. As with fleas, ticks feed on the blood of animals, but unlike fleas, they bite the host only once and stay attached until they are removed.
How do fleas and ticks affect pets?
Fleas and ticks can spread diseases. For instance, fleas can spread flatworms and ticks carry Lyme disease.
Fleas can also trigger allergic reactions causing itching. They can even cause anemia if not treated early.
How do you treat fleas and ticks?
Fleas and ticks can be prevented with antiparasitic products. These come in many different forms. The veterinary team can advise you on which product to give your pet.
Fleas can also be treated with a prescription antiparasitic product, which is available at our store.
Ticks need to be removed manually. When removing a tick, you will need to be careful since the risk of Lyme disease increases with improper removal (for example, if you crush it or if the head stays attached). There are special tweezers designed for tick removal.
