Buggy season

[Charliere]

Hi everyone! Buggy season is upon us, and I know a lot of you either live with pets or have pets of your own. I just wanted to give everyone some general information regarding some little pests that can affect you and your pets. I'm in no way qualified to give medical advise, but I can give some general information and some methods for prevention.

 

One of the most fatal diseases for pets is called heartworm disease. Heartworm is disease that's transmitted through a mosquito bite after it has taken blood meal and the baby worms from an infected animal. Once inside a new host, it can take approximately 6 months for the heartworm to mature into adults and show up in an animal's system. Once their mature, the heartworms can live in dogs for up to 7 years and up to 3 years in cats. They mainly live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels and can cause lung disease, heart failure, and affect several other organs. Symptoms are vomiting, decreased activity and appetite, and weight loss. Normally the heartworm can be detected through a heartworm tested that should routinely be done every 6-12 months. Depending on how early the heartworm is detective and how severe the disease is, treatment can cost from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Unfortunately, heartworm disease is prevalent in all 50 states, and mosquitoes are quite the little buggers and are ever changing and adapting to new environment. Heartworm treatment The good news is the heartworm disease is preventable! If your pet is up to date on its heartworm test. your regular veterinarian should be able to prescribe heartgard or other heartworm prevention. It's recommended that your pet be on heartworm prevention year round. Mosquitoes can still come inside your home, even during the colder months. Most heartworm prevention also protects against some other pesky buggers that are prevalent this time of year: intestinal parasites.

 

Some of these intestinal parasites are transmittable to humans. These include ringworms, hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. These live in the digestive system of its host. Diarrhea and weightloss are common symptoms if your pet has an intestinal parasite. Pets get most of these parasites from their mother, by ingesting the parasite, or from the fecal matters of other animals infected by said parasite. Tapeworms are transmitted by the pet ingesting a flea, which carries the tapeworm eggs. Sometimes you will be able to tell in your pet's stool if it has parasites. If you're concerned, I would drop off a fecal sample at your regular vet's office. It's recommended to have your pet on monthly flea/tick prevention year round as well.

You likely will not contract an intestinal parasite unless you're around the fecal matter of an infected animal. As long as you're practicing good hygiene, i.e regular handwashing, you should be fine. Should you happen to contract an intestinal parasite, you may experience vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, weight loss, and stomach upset. I would contact your regular doctor, who perform a fecal test, a blood test or an endoscopy if you think that you have an internal parasite. @All Ts

 

TLDR; Bugs suck, please keep your pets on regular heartworm/flea & tick prevention and practice good hygiene

If you have any questions or would like additional information, the American Heartworm Society has some good resources: Here

[All Ts]

As long as you're practicing good hygiene, i.e regular handwashing, you should be fine. Should you happen to contract an intestinal parasite, you may experience vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, weight loss, and stomach upset. I would contact your regular doctor, who perform a fecal test, a blood test or an endoscopy if you think that you have an internal parasite. @All Ts

 

Something something I eat shit I'm fucked, thank you Charlie you're a real life saver.