: Parasites

Fighting fleas
Scratching is a normal behaviour for dogs but if you think your dog is scratching too much, it may have fleas.

Unfortunately fleas are a fact of life for many animals and are one of the major causes of skin disease in Australian pets and, if left untreated, can cause blood loss, skin irritations and can even transmit other parasites such as tapeworms.

Luckily keeping your puppy flea free is easy.

Like most health issues, the best form of protection is prevention. By using a long-term flea prevention product you can help to keep your puppy flea free for up to three months depending on the type of product used.

If your puppy is already infested with fleas you should treat them with a fast-acting flea treatment product to kill any of the existing fleas before using the long-term flea control product. Some supermarkets stock environmental sprays that you can use to treat your pup's bed, kennel or any of the areas that they frequent.

While there are many flea treatment and prevention products available from your local supermarket PEDIGREE PUPPY recommends the EXELPET® range.

Wiping out worms
It's often a topic we would prefer to avoid, but intestinal worms are a reality for most pets with the majority of pets becoming infected at some stage during their life.

The most common types of worms (Roundworm, Hookworm) are often transmitted by the mother during pregnancy or following birth. Others become infected by ingestion, skin penetration or contact with other infected animals.

Tell-tale signs include:

• A dry scruffy coat with split ends
• Weight loss and an increase in appetite
• Persistently rub and lick

The good news is that treating and preventing intestinal worms is as easy as using one of the many all wormer products available from your local supermarket.

PEDIGREE PUPPY recommends the EXELPET® range.

Heartworm
Heartworm is a potentially fatal parasite that is transmitted when mosquitoes suck up the larvae in the blood of an infected dog and then feed on a new dog.

These larvae live in the blood of their new host and eventually migrate into the right ventricle of the heart where they can grow up to 30cm in length and begin affecting the performance of this vital organ.

A dog suffering from heartworm disease may show some or all of the following symptoms:

• A soft cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• General listlessness
• Weight loss
• Fainting after exercise.

Some dogs do not appear to have symptoms in the early stages while others do. Signs may not be evident for several months or years. However, if it is not detected and controlled with proper treatment, the advanced symptoms of heartworm can lead to congestive heart failure and death.

Prevention While this painful condition is extremely difficult to treat, it is very easy to prevent by using one of the many heartworm prevention products available from your local supermarket or vet clinic.

Although it depends on the type of medication you provide, most puppies can be started on a preventive program at six weeks of age, which is then continued throughout life, often at one month intervals, once again depending on the medication used.