

Neglecting To Treat For Parasites Could Risk Your Family's Health
Fleas and worms are the two most common parasites that affect household animals. They cause serious problems for your pet and equally important, can cause serious disease in humans as well.
Facts About Fleas:
- Fleas survive in warm environments such as your pet’s fur, your household furniture and grass in the warmer months
- Fleas can have up to 50 offspring per day which makes them harder to treat the longer they are left
- Fleas survive on warm blood which is why they bite humans and animals. However, their saliva is an allergen which means should you or your pet get bitten it will result in a small red, itchy bump on the skin
Signs Your Pet Could Have Fleas:
- Excessive scratching
- Small red lumps on your pet’s skin (or on you and your family)
- Subdued behaviour
- As well as seeing live fleas in your pet’s coat, one of the first signs of fleas are small black specks which are flea droppings, which if placed on wet tissue paper leave a red/brown smear
Facts About Worms:
- Pets get infected with worms by ingesting eggs in the environment; in some cases they swallow fleas who carry some types of eggs
- Worm eggs hatch in an animal’s intestines and survive there by eating the food in your pet’s stomach
- In some cases, worms can migrate to other areas of the body, including vital organs
Signs Your Pet Could Have Worms
- Increased appetite
- Weight loss
- Sickness and diarrhoea
- Poor condition
- What looks like grains of rice in your pet’s vomit, faeces and around their bottom
Luckily, both fleas and worms can be prevented. However, not all treatments are suitable for all animals. For that reason, you are strongly recommended to come to the surgery regularly to discuss the best parasite control for your pet.
At Elm House Veterinary Practice our nurses have a wealth of experience when it comes to diagnosing and treating parasitic problems. If you ever have any questions regarding your pet’s wellbeing, or are concerned your companion may have parasites, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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Contact our friendly team by phone or email!
- 01245 352525
- info@elmhousevets.co.uk