Parasite Prevention and Treatment
In Arlington, like every other city in America, parasites can be an uncomfortable and sometimes deadly condition that pets face year-round. At Animal Clinic of Arlington, one of the goals of our veterinarian is to provide consistent preventative care options and treatments to ensure your pet remains parasite-free.
Types of Parasites
When you bring your pet into our clinic, our vet will do a thorough head-to-tail assessment to determine its overall health, including signs of parasites. These may be internal or external.
Preventative Care
At our pet clinic, our veterinarian will discuss with you the types of parasites that may be affecting your pet, whether it is a flea infestation, ticks, tapeworms, or heartworms, for example. A program designed to remove the parasites and provide prevention to keep them from returning will be put into place.
Fleas
No matter how careful you may be, a flea or tick can invade your pet's environment, leading to itchy bites. While a flea bite may not seem dangerous, it can lead to several problems. Your pet may bite and scratch at the irritated spot, causing fur loss and damage to its skin. Flea bites can also cause an allergic reaction in some pets.
If your pet has a flea infestation, the continued biting by fleas can lead to anemia. Last but not least, when pets swallow fleas, it can result in the internal problem of tapeworms, which will need to be eliminated.
Ticks
Like fleas, ticks are problematic and a source of concern for your pet's health. Ticks are bacteria carriers, which can lead to diseases in dogs, such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Canine Anaplasmosis, Bartonellosis, Lyme disease, and more.
For felines, ticks also transmit bacteria-laden diseases, such as tularemia, cytauxzoonosis, anaplasmosis, and Lyme disease. Cats may also be affected by a condition known as tick paralysis, which is life-threatening.
Heartworms
Heartworm parasites affect dogs and cats. The parasitic worm is transmitted by infected mosquitoes that have bitten an already infected dog or cat, then carry it on to the next animal. When it bites, it transmits the worm into the animal's bloodstream. A pet infected with heartworm is in danger, as the disease results in organ damage, lung disease, and heart failure, putting a pet in a life-threatening situation that may result in death.
For pets not on heartworm preventative medication, schedule a visit to our clinic and have your pet tested. If the test is negative, our veterinarian will recommend ongoing heartworm medication. If the test is positive for heartworms, a plan for treatment will be discussed with you.
Contact Our Pet Clinic in Arlington, TX
Our vet and staff at Animal Clinic of Arlington are focused on supporting and maintaining your pet's health. Call us at (817) 460-6622 to schedule an appointment for the peace of mind we provide through our many services.
