It's that time of year again. Yes, the season we've been looking forward to for the past few months is finally here-SPRING! However, along with the warmer weather, blooming flowers and sunshine come some unpleasant pests. Among these is the pesky mosquito, which among other things, transmits the deadly canine parasite heartworm. This blood-borne parasite causes heart and liver failure, and causes disease in hundreds of dogs in Southern Ontario every year. Another parasite we will soon see is the tick, which transmits a number of diseases including Lyme disease. Also, fleas will soon be here as well. And intestinal parasites are a risk all year. Lot’s of nasty pests!

Well, the good news is that excellent parasite preventatives are available to prevent heartworm disease, fleas, ticks and intestinal parasites. Most of them prevent fleas as well. They are given as a monthly tablet [SENTINEL], or applied topically (to the skin) once per month [REVOLUTION, ADVANTAGE MULTI]. All are very safe and effective. Ask our doctors which preventative would be best for your pet.

Also, your pet should have a parasite blood screen each year to see if they have been exposed to the most important parasites from mosquitoes and ticks.

Each year all dogs, and some cats should have a parasite blood screen. The parasite blood screen checks for 4 significant diseases: heartworm, Lyme, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. It is important that this blood test be performed to ensure your pet is not already infected by these parasites. If they are, they can be treated as soon as possible, before permanent serious health problems arise. A simple blood test that requires only a few drops of blood can be done while you wait, with results available in just 8 minutes. If the test is negative for all 4 parasites, your pet can safely be started on one of the monthly preventatives.

Testing can be done any time of the year, but should definitely be done before starting any parasite preventatives. Many pet owners choose to have the test done while their pet is in for the annual health exam and vaccines.

The normal fee for this 4-way test is $41.50. However, if your pet has Wellness Testing done at the same time, the fee for the Parasite Blood Screen is only $19.00! Ask us for more details about the benefits of Wellness Testing for your pet.

Call us at 896-0532 to book your dog's heartworm test soon. View our Appointment Hours.

There are 2 options here. The first, and best, is year-round prevention. This is the current recommendation from CPAC [the Companion Animal Parasite Counsel], and what the doctors at Kingsdale Animal Hospital recommend - to administer parasite preventatives year round, all 12 months of the year. This is the best protection for your pets, and your family, as many of these parasites are zoonotic [i.e. can be transmitted to people]. In this case, your pet should start on a monthly preventative as soon as possible if they are not already on one.

Option 2 is to have your pet on a preventative during the months with the greatest risk of being exposed to these parasites. In Ontario, this is from May to November. Keep in mind that we do see fleas year round, and that intestinal worms can be picked up all year as well. Transmission of heartworm is from June to November, and ticks are seen mainly in the spring [May-June] and fall [Sept-Oct].

Ask our doctors or staff about the benefits of year-round prevention, and how to receive 2 months of SENTINEL free each year.

Call us at 519-896-0532 to book your pet’s Parasite Blood Screen test soon. View our Appointment Hours.