Fleas and Giardia and Leptospirosis, Oh My!
Tips for Helping Your Pet This Spring
Birds are chirping, bees are buzzing, and flowers are in bloom. It can mean only one thing—spring has sprung! And with this beautiful time of year comes a few pests, which lead to problems for our pets. But with simple tests and vaccinations, we can easily treat or even prevent most of the issues.
Frustrating Fleas!
Although it doesn’t get cold enough in Seattle for fleas to completely die off, the populations are alive and flourishing with the warmer weather. Even indoor pets need flea treatments, because us humans can carry fleas in on our clothing and pass them along to our pets. Plus, outdoor animals in the neighborhood are big sources of fleas, including that stray cat that you feed on the porch.
The most common signs of fleas are itching and chewing around the rear-end area, but some dogs and cats can develop severe allergies and secondary infections. If this happens to your pet, schedule an appointment so that we can help your pooch or kitty get relief.
Also, it’s important to treat all of the pets around the home—don’t forget about the pet bunny.
Take note that ingestion of fleas can lead to tapeworms. If you see worms about the size of rice grains in your pet’s stool, please see us for an appropriate de-wormer.
Ghastly Giardia!
An intestinal parasite, giardia causes loose stool in pets and sometimes even abdominal pain and vomiting. It is shed in the stools of infected animals. And with all of the winter rain in Seattle, it’s no surprise that we see quite a few giardia cases.
Giardia is a zoonotic disease, which means it is shared between people and animals. Cleaning up pet feces as well as practicing good handwashing and hygiene is important to prevent infection.
In addition, giardia can’t be seen with the naked eye; we find it with fecal testing. Have your pet’s stool checked at least once a year.
Loathsome Leptospirosis!
A spirochete bacteria, leptospirosis is shed primarily in the urine of infected animals and can live in standing water. It can cause severe infections primarily of the kidneys and liver. Like giardia, leptospirosis is also a zoonotic disease (shared between humans and animals).
A series of vaccinations is the best protection we have for leptospirosis. As we start to get out and about in the nice weather, it’s important to make sure are pets are protected—especially dogs who love to play in puddles and other water pools.
Here’s to Terrific Travel!
Spring is also a great time for road trips, and traveling with pets is fun for us and them. However, certain parts of the state and country have higher prevalence ticks and heartworm disease. Before you take off, bring your dog or cat in for an appointment so that we can ensure they will be protected.
In addition, some pets get carsick or overly anxious in the car. Great news: We have medicines that can help! If this is your cat or dog, come see us so that we can make the trip more fun for you … and your pet.
