Parasite Control

Parasites, such as worms, fleas, and ticks, can cause a a great deal of harm and discomfort to your pet. Regular checkups and medications are essential to ensure that your pet is comfortably parasite-free. Have a chat to our team for advice about parasite control for your pets.

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 or drops on the neck. Contact us to find out what products are the best for your pet.

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 – treating and curing heartworm can be difficult, expensive and can be unsuccessful.

Note that intestinal “all wormer” tablets do NOT protect against heartworm. We recommend an annual injection for your dog to protect against heartworm, but other products available include oral medication and a topical spot product.

Paralysis Ticks

The dreaded paralysis tick is thankfully not found commonly in inner Melbourne, however, it is VERY common all along the east coast of Australia. 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 the muscles that help your pet breathe become paralysed.

There are topical treatments available to protect your pet from ticks. If you are travelling with your pet outside of Melbourne call our friendly vet staff today to ensure your pet is protected against parasites – we can recommend the best products.

Fleas

Fleas are the MOST COMMON external parasite we find on dogs and cats from our local suburbs 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 a monthly spot on treatment or a monthly or 3 monthly oral tablet – call us to make sure you use the right product.

BEWARE as pyrethrin-based flea treatments are toxic to cats.

If you have any questions or need some advice about parasite control for your pet, please get in touch with the Epsom Road Vet team today!