Avoiding the worst, doing the best for your pet with parasite control and testing
Preventive care takes center stage at Bloomfield Animal Hospital in Lakewood, California. Parasite testing and control play an important role in any and all patients’ wellness and care plans. Our providers’ and visiting specialists’ expertise combines with on-site diagnostics and advanced therapies to protect against life-changing (and life-threatening) parasitic illnesses. “Creepy-crawlies” are more than a nuisance; they can permanently damage dogs’ and cats’ vital organs. You avoid the worst and do the best for your pet by partnering with our skilled team.
What parasites most commonly affect pets?
We try to always be one step ahead of internal and external parasites. Those “invaders” that enter your pet’s body and may damage internal organs include tapeworm, roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, and heartworm. While not worms, microscopic parasites like Giardia and coccidia can also harm your pet’s health. Common external parasites outside your pet’s body include mites, fleas, and ticks.
How can internal parasites hurt my pet?
- Tapeworm – Long, thin, and flat (like tape!), these worms enter your pet when they consume infected lice or fleas. Once in your pet’s digestive tract, they feast on vital nutrients necessary for fuel.
- Roundworm – Infections may arise when your pet consumes contaminated stool. Like tapeworms, roundworms deplete pet owners of essential nutrients and interfere with proper digestion.
- Hookworm – These worms penetrate your pet’s skin and mouth. Without treatment, hookworms can cause potentially deadly blood loss by sucking blood from the infected pet’s intestinal lining.
- Whipworms – Aptly named, these whip-shaped worms may infect your pet via other animals’ waste. Here, too, severe anemia, anorexia, and loose stools are a very real concern.
- Heartworms – When mosquitoes bite infected dogs or cats, they pick up baby heartworms and then pass these notorious parasites to other dogs and cats in the same manner. After these worms have matured, they establish a “home” inside your dog or cat. They can live inside our pets for years, causing serious damage to the heart, lungs, and other organs.
- Coccidia – Pets with suppressed immune systems are most susceptible to coccidia infections. These organisms cause intestinal damage and can pass easily among animals via contact with contaminated soils and fur.
- Giardia – This parasite, too, interferes with your pet’s ability to properly absorb nutrients in food. Severe diarrhea and the easy spread of Giardia means it is a real threat that demands proper protection. It should be noted that the strains responsible for Giardia in humans are not the same, so it typically doesn’t affect people.
And how do external parasites affect my pet?
Fleas, ticks, mites, and other external parasites are responsible for quality-of-life-diminishing skin conditions. Likewise, they can spread severe disease to other pets and humans. Complications include:
- Serious inflammation
- Secondary infections (caused by intense scratching)
- Lyme disease
- Blood vessel damage
- Anemia/blood loss
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (which, despite its name, has been reported in the Golden State and is largely transmitted by the brown dog tick).
How do you treat these infections?
Parasitic infections are preventable. We prioritize preventive products, prompt testing, and early action (control and management). Bloomfield Animal Hospital starts by establishing healthy habits. Without recommended vaccines appropriate for your pet’s species, age, health status, lifestyle, and risks, no wellness plan would be complete. Regular deworming, heartworm preventives (and testing), and other products and services are fundamental to the parasite control/management process.
An array of advanced diagnostic tools supports effective treatment. An accurate diagnosis is typically made by testing your pet’s stool, though we may perform blood testing. As necessary, pets with existing symptoms are stabilized before treatment commences. Therapies vary based on the nature of the infection. Our treatments are safe, carry minimal risk of side effects, work fast, and prevent infectious disease from spreading throughout our community.
Create or get back into a healthy routine today. Call (562) 383-7788 to schedule your pet’s wellness visit in Lakewood, CA.
