Animals: protect your animals against 5 parasites

UPDATE DAY

That’s it! The good weather is pointing its nose. Even my cat, this big homebody, decided to put his muzzle outside. It’s the renewal of life and, as a bonus, the parasites resurface too.

In April, in Quebec, it’s time to consult your family veterinarian to renew safe pest protection for your pets. It is a must, for their health, but also for yours and that of your families. Here are five parasites against which Minou and Pitou should be protected.

1) Roundworms or roundworms

They are cylindrical intestinal worms with tapering ends. Roundworms are most common in cats and dogs, especially those under 6 months old. Cats and dogs can catch roundworms in several ways and easily pass them on to others. Some heavily parasitized animals can have serious health problems and sometimes even die. Infection in humans is possible and undesirable, a major reason for routine deworming of animals under 6 months and adults at risk at regular intervals.

2) Flatworms

They are flattened and segmented intestinal worms. To be infected, our animals must have fleas or hunt and eat prey or raw meat. Infection can be avoided by giving preventive treatment against fleas and by preventing the animal from hunting and eating raw meat. Otherwise, deworm accordingly.

3) Heartworms

They are carried by mosquitoes and transmitted to dogs and cats when they are bitten. Heartworms migrate to blood vessels in the lungs and heart where they reside for years to reproduce, hence the possible cardiovascular problems. A monthly preventive treatment is necessary throughout the period when the mosquitoes are active, to prevent the worms transmitted to our animals from reaching the heart and becoming adults.

4 ) Bullets

They are small brownish insects that feed on the blood of cats and dogs by biting them. Their bites cause severe itching and sometimes even allergic reactions. In addition, fleas can transmit tapeworms as well as another parasite that attacks red blood cells in cats. Veterinarians therefore recommend preventively treating pets against fleas with safe products throughout the summer season.

5) Ticks

< p>There are several kinds of ticks, often carriers of diseases that they transmit to animals or humans. The best known is the blacklegged tick, capable of transmitting Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. Ticks are active outside as soon as it is over 4°C. They can be found in several places in Quebec. With global warming, it is increasingly recommended to treat against ticks all year round rather than just during the summer months, making pest control bellingham crucial for safeguarding against these disease-carrying pests.