Pesky Pests: Part 3 of 3 – The Irritating

Home / Healthy pet tips in Toronto / Pesky Pests: Part 3 of 3 – The Irritating

So far we have told you about Fleas and Ticks, but what about mosquitoes and Heartworm? Mosquitoes are pests, whether you have 2 legs or 4. Of special concern is the fact that they carry what are called microfilaria (baby heartworms). While being carried by the mosquito, they will mature into larvae (which is the infective stage). When your pet is bitten the larvae land on the surface of the skin and then will enter through the bite wound. It will take 6 months for these larvae to mature into adult heartworms within the heart chambers. Depending on how many heartworm are present, they can cause serious heart disease.

Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes, so you might be asking yourself if you can use mosquito repellant on your pet, and the answer is yes. However you must be sure that the repellant you choose contains absolutely NO Deet. Natrapel Lemon Eucalyptus is one product we have tried ourselves, which we have found effective and readily available in most stores (Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart). Be sure to use caution when applying to your pet’s face. We recommend spraying into your hand first and then rubbing onto your pet, being sure to avoid their eyes, nose and mouth.
If you are wondering how it is that Heartworms can infect your pet and potentially be fatal when they start out within a mosquito, then you will want to watch the brief video about Heartworms.

You will often hear us talk about “prevention” when it comes to parasites, and with heartworm this is especially important. If your pet were to become infected with Heartworm, it is very important that treatment of them be very specific. If you were to give your pet an over the counter heartworm preventative without running a screening test first, you could very easily be making an extremely large mistake. If you give your pet these medications while they have active heartworms, the parasite will die and cause an adverse reaction that can be life threatening.

So now you might be asking yourself, how can I best protect my pet from these pests? Our recommendation is Revolution. We stand behind this product not only because the manufacturer offers a satisfaction guarantee, but they also hold claim to the fact that Revolution not only kills fleas and stops their eggs from hatching, but prevents Heartworm, kills ticks, treats ear mites, will protect against roundworms and hookworms in cats, won’t be washed of from swimming or bathing and there is a very low risk to your pet should they accidentally ingest a small amount. No other product out there can make these same claims.

Now is the time of year to start Revolution, if your pet hasn’t been in yet for a heartworm screening test, give us a call and we can get your pet started on the path to a parasite free summer.
Protecting both them and your family

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Ticks, Fleas, and Mosquitos | East Toronto Vet Clinic