With spring here in full swing, our fur babies will more than likely be spending more time outside. We’ll all be welcoming the warmer weather and enjoy spending the extra time in the sun with our fur kids but with that, we need to keep in mind how we can keep our pets healthy and free of any pests that may make themselves present with all the new adventuring.

If we specifically look at parasites, it’s common for your dog or cat to pick them up at some point in their life.

Parasites can affect your pet in various ways, from just a simple skin irritation to causing more serious conditions if left untreated. It’s also important to note that some parasites can even infect and transmit diseases to humans, which is why we’ve put together a list of the most common parasites to be aware of and how to treat them.

Intestinal Worms

Four of the most common intestinal worms include roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms. These intestinal worms can cause a broad range of symptoms, including weight loss, dull coat, lethargy and cough. Even worse, some of these worms can affect people, too. Pets can get worms if they ingest eggs or larvae – for example, if your dog sniffs, digs or plays with a toy in contaminated dirt or grass. Hookworms in the soil can also infect your dog by burrowing into your dog’s skin, typically through the paws or belly.

Mange:

These are infections of the skin due to different types of parasitic mites, which can cause itchiness and hair loss for your fur kid. There are different types to be aware of:

Sarcops (mange)

The mange parasite (Sarcoptes scabiei) lives on the skin of the dog, This parasite can be transmitted from dog to dog and can pass from dogs to humans, although it doesn’t thrive on non-canine hosts.

A diagnosis of mange can be made by a vet with the help of a skin scrape and microscopic examination. In the past, pets needed weekly injections and dips to treat mange, but nowadays one Bravecto tablet can assist with treating the problem (always check in with your local vet first). It is also important to treat the environment and bedding of the animal. Dogs get mange by getting in contact with other dogs suffering from mange, or even just the environment of a dog suffering from mange.

Demodex

The demodex parasite (Demodex canis) lives in the hair follicle of the dog (and cannot be transmitted to humans). Any dog can get demodex, but it is usually your puppies (less than 1 year of age) or older dogs of which the immune system is compromised. They are passed to pups from their mothers in the first few days after birth, but it is not contagious to humans. The mites take up residence deep in hair follicles and stay there, causing no trouble. A normal immune system keeps their numbers in check. But in a dog with a weakened immune system, they can grow out of control.It seems like some breeds are more resistant to the parasite than others. Puppies usually get the parasite from the bitch, even though the bitch is not showing any clinical symptoms. The parasite causes hair loss, but not primarily itchiness (as in the case of mange). The hair loss usually starts on the face (although the whole body might be affected) and it is often said that it looks like the dog “is wearing glasses”, because the hair around the eyes are often the first to fall out. The diagnosis and treatment of demodex are similar to that of mange.

If you think your fur kid could be suffering from any of the above, it’s always important to consult your local vet first. We’ve put together a list of the common products used to treat some of the above issues.

Here are some of the products you can use:

Milbemax Dog Chewable Deworming Tablet

Nexgard Spectra Chewable Tablet

Bravecto