Unseen Enemies: Parasites That Threaten Your Pet’s Health
You see a change in your pet: a little less energy, maybe some itching, or a cough that just won’t go away. You check their food, their water, their favorite bed, but sometimes the cause is invisible- and potentially serious. Have you ever worried about those tiny invaders that can affect your pet without you even knowing? Fleas, ticks, heartworm, and internal parasites can silently cause real damage, but getting ahead of them is the best way to keep your pet happy and healthy. Regular checks and consistent protection are simple steps that offer huge peace of mind against these common dangers.
At Oliver Animal Hospital, we believe prevention is the foundation of lasting health. During wellness visits, our veterinarians take time to evaluate your pet’s parasite risks based on their lifestyle, environment, and season. With in-house testing, expert guidance, and year-round protection plans, we help ensure your pet stays parasite-free and thriving. If you notice changes in energy, appetite, or skin condition, don’t wait- schedule an appointment today for peace of mind.
Why Parasite Prevention Matters Year-Round
Parasites don’t take holidays. In mild Texas winters, many remain active both indoors and outdoors. Flea eggs can hatch in warm homes, and mosquitoes that transmit heartworm thrive in our climate nearly year-round. That’s why year-round parasite prevention isn’t just a suggestion- it’s a necessity.
Consistent prevention eliminates gaps that parasites exploit, reducing the chance of infestation and disease. Our team can tailor a prevention plan based on your pet’s age, health, and routine activities, using safe, veterinarian-approved products that protect against multiple threats at once. To keep your pet protected every month, book a wellness appointment and review your prevention options with our team.
Fleas: Tiny Parasites, Big Problems
Fleas are more than an itchy nuisance- they’re powerful survivors capable of infesting an entire home. A single flea can lay hundreds of eggs, which hide in carpet fibers and pet bedding before hatching weeks later. Without consistent prevention, infestations can cycle endlessly.
Many pet owners assume indoor cats don’t need flea prevention, but fleas don’t respect boundaries. A single flea can jump onto your dog during a walk, hitch a ride into your home, and quickly find your indoor cat- who becomes an easy, unprotected target. Because fleas reproduce so rapidly, a minor issue quickly turns into a full-blown household infestation within weeks. Protecting all pets in your household- regardless of whether they go outside- prevents infestations before they start and keeps everyone comfortable and healthy.
Beyond the irritation, fleas cause real health problems. Many pets develop flea allergy dermatitis, leading to intense itching, hair loss, and skin infections. They can also transmit tapeworms and cause anemia in kittens or small dogs. Cats with fleas can pass on a disease called Bartonella, also known as “Cat Scratch Fever”, if they scratch or bite a human.
At Oliver Animal Hospital, we offer thorough skin evaluations and diagnostic testing to identify allergic reactions and secondary infections. If fleas are found, we’ll build a treatment plan that includes effective prevention, environmental cleaning, and follow-up checks to ensure the infestation is gone for good.
Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases
Ticks are another threat that often goes unnoticed until symptoms appear. These parasites attach quickly and can transmit dangerous illnesses such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever within hours. In Texas, tick exposure happens year-round, especially in wooded, grassy, or suburban areas.
Comprehensive tick prevention includes routine checks after walks, keeping lawns trimmed, and using trusted preventive medications. Regular testing ensures early detection of tick-borne diseases. Our veterinarians can recommend effective products and dosing schedules for your pet’s specific needs.
Protecting pets also protects families. Practicing tick monitoring habits- like checking your pet’s ears, between toes, and under collars- helps stop ticks before they bite or removes them before disease can be transmitted. If you are finding ticks on your pet, you should be checking for ticks on yourself, too. Visit us for wellness care and expert tick control recommendations based on Austin’s local risks.
Intestinal Worms
Intestinal parasites can silently steal nutrients and harm your pet’s digestive health. Common intestinal parasites include roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms, each capable of causing diarrhea, weight loss, bloating, and anemia. Puppies and kittens are especially vulnerable, as some worms can pass from mothers to offspring. Because most parasite treatments kill adult worms but not always eggs or larvae, we need to deworm several times to be sure we’re killing all parasites as they progress through their life stages. All puppies and kittens should go through a series of multiple deworming and fecal tests to be sure we’re ridding them of parasites at every stage of the life cycle.
Our diagnostic team performs routine fecal exams to detect these parasites early. We provide effective deworming protocols, guidance on safe sanitation practices, and follow-up care to prevent reinfection. Schedule your pet’s wellness exam to ensure parasite control stays on track through every stage of life.
Heartworm: A Hidden and Deadly Threat
Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes and can lead to severe, often irreversible damage to the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Understanding heartworm basics is critical- because by the time symptoms like coughing or fatigue appear, significant harm has already occurred.
The heartworm prevalence map shows widespread risk across Texas. Monthly prevention is much safer and less costly than treatment, which can be risky and stressful for pets.
Treatment for heartworm-positive dogs involves a multi-stage protocol using injectable medications to kill adult worms, along with strict exercise restriction for several months to prevent life-threatening complications as the worms die and break apart in the bloodstream. The process can be physically demanding and requires careful monitoring. In cats, heartworm disease is even more challenging- there is no approved treatment to kill adult heartworms in feline patients, so management focuses on supportive care and controlling symptoms while the cat’s immune system attempts to clear the infection naturally. This makes prevention absolutely essential for both species.
At Oliver Animal Hospital, annual heartworm testing and continuous prevention are standard parts of wellness care. Our team can help you choose the best preventive for your pet and set up reminders to ensure year-round coverage.
Mites and Skin Health
Mites are microscopic parasites that can cause significant discomfort and secondary infections, also known as mange. Mites in dogs such as Demodex can lead to patchy hair loss, while Sarcoptes (scabies) causes intense itching and can spread to people. Demodectic mange is more common in young large breed puppies like Pitbulls or Labradors, while sarcoptic mange occurs more in immunocomprised pets. Contrary to popular belief, ear mites aren’t all that common in dogs- if you notice dark discharge and head shaking in your dog, it’s more likely to be an ear infection.
Cats may suffer from mites that cause itchy and infected ears, dark discharge, and head shaking. They are more common in cats that come from outdoor populations or crowded shelters, as they are highly contagious. Never use over the counter ear mite treatments in dogs and especially cats- you can cause irreversible damage if they have secondary bacterial and yeast infections or ruptured ear drums. Always seek veterinary diagnosis and treatments.
These infestations often require prescription treatments, as over-the-counter remedies may not fully eradicate mites or their eggs. Modern flea and tick preventatives can kill mites before they’ve caused problems for your pet. Our veterinarians perform skin scrapings, ear cytology, and follow-up exams to ensure complete resolution. If your pet has persistent itching or hair loss, schedule a diagnostic evaluation today to stop the discomfort at its source.
Parasites That Can Affect People
Many parasites, including roundworms, hookworms, sarcoptic mites, and giardia, are zoonotic parasites– meaning they can spread from pets to humans. These parasites can cause skin rashes, organ damage, or gastrointestinal upset in people, especially children or immunocompromised family members.
Simple preventive steps- year-round preventive medications, washing hands after pet contact, disposing of feces promptly, and keeping litter boxes clean- go a long way toward keeping everyone safe. Clean feces up out of yards promptly, and avoid walking around barefoot in areas that pets have defecated as parasite eggs can live in the dirt even when feces are no longer present. While it’s fun to let new puppies crawl all over you and give you kisses, they can transmit parasites if they’ve licked their rear end or eaten feces and then lick you. Regular veterinary visits help ensure both your pet and your household remain parasite-free. Our wellness care plans are designed with your family’s safety in mind.
How Veterinarians Diagnose Parasites
Parasite detection isn’t always obvious, which is why routine screenings are so important. Our veterinarians use multiple diagnostic tools, including fecal testing for intestinal worms, bloodwork for heartworm, and cytology for skin mites or infections. Imaging like X-rays and ultrasound can reveal deeper infestations affecting organs or tissue.
With an in-house laboratory and expert care team, we provide rapid results and personalized treatment plans. If your pet has diarrhea, coughing, or skin irritation, our diagnostic services can pinpoint the cause and get your pet back to health quickly.
Keeping Pets Safe with Proactive Care
Parasites may be small, but their impact can be immense- causing discomfort, spreading disease, and even threatening lives. The good news is that most infestations are preventable with consistent protection and veterinary guidance.
At Oliver Animal Hospital, we make prevention simple and effective through individualized care, easy access to medication, and a compassionate team ready to support you every step of the way. To protect your pet from these unseen enemies, contact us or schedule a wellness appointment today. Together, we can ensure your pet enjoys a lifetime of comfort, health, and vitality.
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