Services
Parasite Prevention
There are a lot of parasites out there that pets can catch, and some of them are preventable. Fleas and ticks are two serious parasites that can greatly harm the health of your pets.
If you are looking for a veterinarian in Omaha, come visit us. We are in the Quarters just a few blocks from the Old Market and Blackstone. Dr. Emily at Lone Tree Animal Care Center will be happy to schedule an exam to discuss parasite prevention strategies including medications. Your pet’s health may depend on it.
Flea and Tick Bites
Both fleas and ticks love to infest cats and dogs as well as humans. They are more than just pests, however. These parasites have bites that can cause a lot of damage to you and your pet. You can get them from your pet and have your health put at risk as well. The bites of fleas often cause serious allergic reactions. Fleas bite often and multiply very quickly. Your pet can get anemia from these bites. Tick bites can also be itchy and cause rashes and infections. Pets can also get “tick toxicity” from having multiple ticks biting them at the same time.
The Spread of Disease
In addition to the discomfort of flea and tick bites, these bites can also spread serious diseases. Ticks are known carriers of Lyme disease. This disease can cause symptoms in pets and even paralysis. Ticks also spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other diseases. Fleas can transmit cat scratch disease, murine typhus, and even tapeworms. When a dog or cat swallows a flea, the larval tapeworm can develop into an adult tapeworm. Parasite prevention medication can keep your pet free from both fleas and ticks and the diseases they bring. These preventative measures come in several different forms. We would be happy to recommend some products that will keep your pet safe from these pests.
Mosquito Bites
Mosquitos can carry heartworm larvae. Heartworms are a parasite that grows from a small larva into a worm that lives in your dog’s heart. The dog’s heart can become so congested with heartworms that the heart can no longer pump blood. Before administering heartworm preventatives pets must be tested for existing heartworm infestation. If they already are infected, they could die and be passed by the bloodstream into internal organs such as the brain causing considerable damage. If an infestation is found, the dog must be treated according to veterinary protocols. Treating heartworm is an expensive process and requires that the dog be kept quiet, silent, and alone for several months while appropriate parasiticides are administered.
Lone Tree Animal Care Center provides heartworm testing and heartworm prevention medications to protect your pets from these parasites. We now offer a product called Proheart; if your dog meets the age requirements they can be inoculated against a heartworm infestation for a full year!
Contact Lone Tree Animal Care Center in Omaha, NE
If your pet is not on any parasite-prevention medication, contact our veterinary care office if you live in Omaha or Council Bluffs to schedule a health exam. Your pet will be examined and put on a type of parasite prevention medicine that is recommended by our veterinarian based on your pet’s breed, age, and health. Some of these medications work so well they continue working for months at a time or even longer. Call our team at Lone Tree Animal Care Center today at (402) 389-3356 to schedule an appointment.