Flea & Deworming

Type of Parasites

Fleas can get on a pet while outdoors to be carried inside - causing a pet to be very uncomfortable. Fleas in your house can be expensive to get out (and can start biting humans!).  Worse, fleas can transmit diseases that are costly to treat.  Some pets can have a “flea allergy” when just a single bite from one flea can set off crazy itching and or inflammatory response.

Intestinal worms (in G.I tract) are especially common in younger pets (kittens and puppies) but pets at any age may be exposed.  Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss (with excessive hunger or later low appetite). Common intestinal worms include round worms, hookworms, tapeworms, and giardia.  Commercial dewormers often treat round and hook but will not address all possible worms (e.g., giardia).  Some worms can be transmitted to humans. Pets with intestinal worms may not have visible worms in stool or vomit (they are microscopic), unless severe infestations. 

Heartworms (HW) do not exist in the intestinal tract so are not treated by “dewormers” – instead they live in and ingest heart muscle.  Symptoms of infections may begin with coughing or difficulty breathing.  This parasite, transmitted by a type of mosquito, is very common in southern states (e.g., GA, TX, NC, SC).  HW can be prevented and is fatal if not treated.  

Prevention 

Safe and effective prevention products can be incredibly beneficial to avoid these problems. 

Note that some low-cost flea prevention off-the-shelf products including shampoos in the U.S at can be ineffective or even dangerous chemicals to use on your pet.  Our volunteers recommend NOT using Hartz or Adams flea prevent products on your pets.

We suggest considering product recommendations by your vet, or reaching out to harfordhounds@gmail.com for more specific suggestions for your unique pet and environmental situation.

In all cases, know that you can save $$ (even with a shipping fee) by purchasing parasite prevention products (often the same kinds recommended by local vets)  from Pet Megastore of Australia https://www.pets-megastore.com.au/ 

Pet Megastore has many common veterinary recommended brands of legitimate quality effective products– no prescriptions are needed, but they can take 2-6 weeks for delivery.  

Additional notes about parasite prevention products:

Warning for pets with neurological condition/seizures. All prevention products contain chemicals that always carry some risk if used improperly or on animals with underlying health conditions – such as seizure disorders. If you pet has health condition discuss flea/tick/HW prevention options with your vet

Dosing and Dog vs Cat. An overdose or giving a cat and dog product can cause life-threatening problems. Many products are specific to either cat or dog and most are dosed based on the weight of your pet – please be careful and read product instructions.  

Give just what you need.  It is critical to ensure the product you select is appropriate for your pet. Products contain different chemical and chemical mixtures and do not all do the same thing – for instance a product may prevent fleas and ear mites but not ticks, or prevent adult fleas and ticks but not eggs.  Several “all in one” treatments may be very convenient – but may be more chemicals than your pet needs (e.g., a small mostly or all indoor pet). Consider only treating what you need to treat for – you can always switch to a more ‘multi-treatment’ if you decide you need it.

Frequency. Most products are to be given @monthly (4-6 weeks), either as chewables or drops for skin on back of shoulders, but some chewables are said to be good for 12-16 weeks (@3 + month).  Note that while products that last longer (e.g., 3+ months) and the more types of parasite prevention it covers may be more convenient for owners to give, such products may have stronger doses or chemicals than your pet needs.  Consider what your pet really needs when choosing a product.