Parasite Control

Intestinal Worms In Cats & Dogs

Regular worming is an essential part of good pet ownership. Intestinal worms live in the gastrointestinal system of cats and dogs and include hookworm, roundworm, whipworm and tapeworm. They can cause severe diarrhoea and disease, especially in puppies and kittens.

Usually worming is done with a simple tablet. Call Oxenford Vet Surgery to find out what products we recommend.

Heartworm Prevention in Dogs

Heartworm is the disease that nightmares are made of! Spread by mosquitoes, the worms can grow up to 30cm long and become lodged in your dog’s heart, eventually causing heart failure and death.

Prevention of heartworm is one of the most important things you must do for your dog – curing heartworm is costly and time consuming – and not always successful. Please note that intestinal “all wormer” tablets do NOT protect against heartworm.

At Oxenford Vet Surgery we recommend an annual injection for your dog to protect against heartworm, but other products available include monthly oral chews – these often also protect against intestinal worms, fleas and ticks.

Fleas

Fleas are the MOST COMMON external parasite we find on dogs and cats from Pacific Pines and surrounds. They cause intense itching and hair loss, and may also trigger skin allergies or transmit other parasites to your dog.

Flea prevention involves an oral medication that may be monthly or three monthly; there are also “spot on” topical products available which are often easier to give to cats – call us to make sure you use the right product. BEWARE as pyrethrin-based flea treatments are toxic to cats.

Paralysis Ticks

The dreaded paralysis tick is unfortunately common throughout the Gold Coast Hinterland and all along the east coast of Australia. It is most commonly seen in the spring and summer months. Once a tick attaches to your pet’s skin it becomes engorged with blood and injects a potent toxin that causes muscle paralysis – this can cause death if not treated promptly with an anti-toxin by paralying the muscles that help your pet breathe.

There are topical and oral treatments available to protect your pet from ticks – again, these are often “all rounders” that cover a range of different parasites.

Call our friendly vet staff today to ensure your pet is protected against parasites – we can recommend the best products.