Summer is here, and for many, that means trips to the pool, cookouts at the park, and outdoor adventures with your pet. Unfortunately, fleas and ticks may also be lurking in these places. Preventative veterinary services and medication will keep your cat or dog from attracting these pests. If you’re on the fence about applying tick and flea products on your animal, here’s a guide to some of the issues you will prevent by doing so.

5 Benefits of Flea & Tick Prevention

1. Keep Your Pet Comfortable

Fleas and ticks can cause discomfort and irritation, especially if your pet is allergic to the parasite’s saliva. Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the most common skin condition veterinarians treat. If your pet has ticks or fleas, they might scratch, chew, and lick the affected area. This can lead to scabs and hair loss. To ensure they don’t hurt themselves trying to remove these parasites, use medication.

2. Prevent Disease

Infected fleas and ticks often transmit dangerous or deadly diseases to dogs, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Cats infected by fleas may contract the cat-scratch disease, which can affect their internal organs. These conditions can be spread to other animals and even people. 

3. Avoid Internal Parasites

A flea infestation might also introduce internal parasites like tapeworms to your animal. This is because pets tend to bite at the affected site, sometimes swallowing fleas that contain larvae. Inside their stomach, the parasite will mature and release eggs, which can cause weight loss and infection. 

4. Save Money on Veterinary Treatment

Between skin conditions, disease, and other issues related to these bugs, eliminating fleas and nursing your pet back to health could be a long and costly process. Using parasite control year-round is an effective way to stop flea and tick infections. This means that, in the long run, you’ll save money on treatments.

5. Keep Your Home Flea-Free

When fleas choose your pet as a host, your home is also at risk. Fleas can jump from their fur into carpeting and bedding. Even when you successfully remove them from your pet with veterinary medicine, they’ll still be present in your home. Ridding a household of fleas requires months of costly treatment with commercial sprays.

Keep your pet parasite-free this summer with preventative tick and flea medicine from Cedarknoll Animal Hospital. Based in Montgomery, NY, this veterinary clinic offers pet care in a warm, comfortable environment. Their team provides an extensive list of services designed to keep your furry friend healthy. Find out more about how they can help online or call (845) 361-5404 to schedule an appointment.