Parasite Prevention

 For Clive, West Des Moines, Urbandale, and Windsor Heights Pets

Parasites are bad news for pets. Unwanted internal and external predators can affect your animal's health and comfort in a number of ways, from skin reactions to life-threatening digestive system damage. Even if your pet is perfectly healthy right now, a parasitic infestation could be lurking just around the corner. Instead of waiting until you have a serious situation that requires major treatment, ask Ashworth Road Animal Hospital to provide preventative care for your Clive, West Des Moines, Urbandale, or Windsor Heights pet.

Parasite Prevention

How Parasites Affect Pet Health

Parasites may attack your pet from the outside or from the inside. Common external parasites include pests such as fleas, ticks, and mites. These tiny creatures can cause allergic reactions and skin lesions, which may then become infected, through their bites. Even worse, they can transfer dangerous diseases. Fleas can even transfer internal parasites into your pet's body in the form of immature tapeworms, which then grow to full size and cause serious malnutrition by stealing your pet's available nutrients. Mites can cause skin problems such as mange as well as severe ear infections that can damage hearing if left untreated.

Tapeworms are just one of the many internal parasites you must protect your pet against. Hookworms, pinworms, and whipworms are other known troublemakers which inhabit the intestines, often causing acute illness and doing major intestinal damage. Heartworms, which are introduced to a pet's body through mosquito bites, live in the heart and lungs. These devastating parasites can cause a long, unhappy decline into cardiopulmonary failure, and in cats, they can even cause sudden death by triggering dangerous inflammatory reactions.

Preventative Care from Your Trusted Veterinarian

Treatment for parasite-related diseases can be a difficult process, especially in the case of heartworm, which has no safe treatment protocol for cats and involves lengthy treatment procedures for dogs. Fortunately, your trusted veterinarian at Ashworth Road Animal Hospital can provide effective long-term preventative care in the form of medications that keep parasites from growing to maturity in or on your pet. Flea and tick preventatives typically take the form of monthly topical applications or oral products, although flea and tick collars are other options for pets who can tolerate them well. Heartworm drugs are administered every month. Many of these drugs also ward off other internal parasites, providing comprehensive protection.

Call Our West Des Moines Veterinary Center Today

Ashworth Road Animal hospital can recommend the right combination of parasite prevention strategies to keep your pet parasite-free. Call our West Des Moines veterinary center at (515) 225-1807 for a consultation

Our Location

HOURS OF OPERATION

West Des Moines Office

Monday

8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Tuesday

8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Wednesday

8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Thursday

8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Friday

8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Saturday

8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Sunday

Closed

West Des Moines Office

Monday
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tuesday
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wednesday
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thursday
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Sunday
Closed