Fleas are an annoying parasite that are seen year round, but more often in spring and summer. The larvae and eggs can survive up to a year in the environment and only the adult flea actually lives on your pet. To control the flea population you should also decontaminate the pet’s environment. Vacuum and clean carpets regularly and wash bedding in hot water. Flea shampoos and collars are not effective on their own as the environment can stay infected for up to a year. The fleas may not live on the pet but will still feed on them. This can result in an allergic reaction to the flea saliva. This can cause a condition known as Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD). Treatment of FAD is recommended to be done under the care of a vet as it can be quite complicated.

Symptoms of flea infestation includes: Biting, scratching, hair loss and you may also notice the fleas on your pet. You can also check your pet for flea dirt by placing a moist cotton ball on the fur of the rump. If it shows black specks and a reddish area, your pet most probably has fleas.

Ensure that flea treatments meant for dogs are not applied to cats as some brands can be lethal if applied to cats instead of dogs. Use a cat safe brand for cats. Speak to your vet about the best flea control for your pet.

There are various types of ticks that can infest a pet. One of the ticks that is of most concern is the Ixodes Holocyclus or Parasite Tick. This tick can cause paralysis and death after only 2 to 4 days of attaching to a pet. This tick is seen more along the coastal eastern seaboard of Australia but can attach to animals that visit these areas during the warm months. They can also be carried on plants, towels or other items when you or a neighbour return from a trip to these regions.

Remove any ticks you find on your pet by grasping it as close to the skin as possible. Do not kill it first as it may inject toxins into your pet as it dies. If you are not confident in removing the tick, you can bring it in to the vet to have it removed. Monitor your pet for 24 hours after tick removal. If there are any signs of weakness, vomiting, breathing difficulty, staggering or an altered bark, treat this as an emergency and get your pet to the vet as soon as possible. Do not offer water or food as the pet may accidently inhale these.

Tick paralysis is treated by removing all the ticks on the pet (this may involve shaving the pet or using medication to kill them). An antiserum is administered to counteract the toxins. Supportive care is given while the pet recovers. This can prove very costly. Tick prevention would be far more economical.

While tick prevention is helpful, it is not 100% effective. Your pet should still be checked for ticks for at least 7 days after you or your neighbours have returned from a potentially infested area. Hot spots include the face, under the collar, between the toes, in the ears, under the lips and around the chest area.

Dirofilaria immitis is better known as a heartworm. This worm is spread by mosquitoes. Your pet does not even have to come into contact with an infected animal to pick up the parasite. This worm has a complicated lifecycle. The immature form circulates inside the bloodstream of infected pets. Mosquitoes absorb the worms when they feed on the animal’s blood. The parasite becomes a larva inside the mosquito. When the mosquito bites another pet, they can pass the larva to the animal. The worms develop inside the dog or cat and can cause a blockage. The heart and associated blood vessels can then thicken which can lead to heart failure. There may be no obvious signs when the pet is first infected. Later symptoms include coughing and lethargy and apathy. A heartworm infection can lead to heart failure and death in infected pets.

Heartworm is preventable and using a prophylactic medication such as chews, spot treatment or tablets can help prevent this potentially lethal parasite. There are also annual injections that are available for heartworm prevention. If you have not kept up to date with heartworm prevention, you should request a heartworm test before starting prevention. Follow this up with a further test 6 months later.

Worming should be started when puppies and kittens are small as these infant pets as very susceptible and have a greater risk to their health from the worms. The worms can range from tiny to large (up to 18cm) and have detrimental effects on your pets and can even prove fatal if left untreated. Animals such as horses, rabbits, dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and fish can all be infected with worms. Humans can also contract intestinal worms.

The most common intestinal worms found in Australian animals include: Roundworm, tapeworm, whipworm and hookworm. Worms can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and even low red blood cell counts (anaemia). Extended worm infestations cause animals to lose weight and results in poor overall condition. If they are not treated, worms can cause fatalities especially in vulnerable pets.

The lifecycles of the different worms can be complicated. They can exist is a variety of forms outside of the host animal as well. Treatment and prevention needs to take their lifecycle in to account. Worms that have a partial lifecycle inside fleas require that your pet uses a flea preventative to break the cycle. Make sure that your pets are wormed regularly to prevent and control the incidence of worms. Speak to your vet about the best medications for your pet. These can include pastes, spot treatments and tablets. Pets can easily be re-infected in an environment that is contaminated. Where possible worm all your pets at the same time and ensure control measures are in place to break the cycle. This will also help prevent your family being infected by worms.

Preventing re-infestation may require you to clean up the environment and remove pet faeces as soon as possible. Keep the pet’s environment clean. Prevent children from playing in soil that may be contaminated. Ensure hands are washed regularly, especially after playing with pets or in the dirt. If you are out in public such as a park, make sure you clean up after your pet.