News
It's Tick Season
Are your pets protected?
As summer begins, we are greeted by one of our least favorite parasites: the tick.
Of the 13 species found in Ohio, the American dog tick is the most prevelant. Other common species include the groundhog tick and brown dog tick.
These tiny arachnids are both a pest and a health hazard. They feed on the blood of animals, usually mammals. While the bit itself is irriating, more concerning is the bacterium and viruses found in their saliva. Ticks carry a number of diseases that can be harmful to pets and people including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Ticks are found in tall grasses, wooded areas and meadows, and are particulary abundant near water. In the spring, as the temperature gets warmer, they come out of their dormant winter state and begin to look for a meal. After feeding, an adult female tick will lay thousands of eggs!
This has been a particularly wet Spring season and, since there are more open sources of water, there are likely to be more ticks.
Here at Mason Animal Hospital, we offer a few different choices for preventing these nasty critters from making a meal of your pet.
Vectra 3-D is a topical treatment that is applied to the skin for dogs and puppies. It kills and repels several external parasites including ticks, fleas, lice, mosquitos, and biting flies. This product must be applied once a month to keep your pet safe.
If you prefer an oral flea prevention such as Trifexis, we now offer the Preventic Collar. While flea collars are not particularly effective, this collar does a great job of killing and preventing ticks on your pet. Preventic works for 90 days when used as directed.
For our feline patients, we offer Frontline Plus. This monthly topical treatment kills both ticks and fleas.
Give us a call if your pet needs protection at (513) 398 3070.
