Fur Life Vet clinics have joined with NexGard to bring you a deal too good to miss!*
So what’s the big deal?
We all know that pets can be bugged by 5 key nasties, if you’re not sure check out our previous post here. And we bring you some additional info right here in this post.
Fur Life Vet & NexGard Spring Deal
Drop into any one of our Fur Life Vet clinics* to protect your pet and pick up your bonus pack for free!
Best Mates Members don’t forget you get 15% OFF parasite control products including NexGard!
NexGard the monthly chew that protects your dogo against fleas, ticks and mites.
Rapidly kills fleas- Treats and controls ticks
- Treats and controls mange and mites
- Prevents flea tapeworm
- Tasty monthly chew
- Protection from 8 weeks of age and 2kg body weight
NexGard Spectra the monthly chew that protects your dogo against fleas, ticks, mites, heartworm and intestinal worms.
- Rapidly kills fleas
- Treats and controls ticks
- Treats and controls mange and mites
- Prevents heartworm disease
- Controls roundworm, hookworm and whipworm
- Tasty monthly chew
- Protection from 8 weeks of age and 2kg body weight
*Offer not valid at Fur Life Vet Epsom or Golden Square
Fleas
One flea can lay up to 50 Eggs per day.
While you might not be surprised to find fleas on your dog, you may be surprised to learn that adult fleas (the ones you see) make up only about 5% of the total population.
The remaining 95% (eggs, larvae and pupae) are found in carpets and bedding – in fact anywhere in your house! Each female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day so it doesn’t take long for an infestation to take hold.
NexGard® and NexGard SPECTRA® kill adult fleas fast, before they can start to lay eggs, helping protect your dog and its environment.
Ticks
Australia is home to a number of tick species that can infest dogs.
Paralysis Tick. (The killer tick)
They are found along the east coast. A single paralysis tick can kill a dog if left untreated.
They are most common in spring and summer but can be found throughout the year, so any dog that lives in, or visits a paralysis tick area, should always be protected.
Brown Dog Tick
Brown dog ticks are found across Australia. Heavy infestation can cause skin irritation and anaemia.
Bush Tick
The Bush tick is a pretty tiny tick but prevalent across Australia and can cause skin irritation with a heavy infestation.
Mites
Mite infestation can cause severe skin or ear irritation and impact your dog’s quality of life. Some mites can also be transmitted from dogs to humans, causing a disease known as scabies.
Although mites are very small (generally requiring a microscope to be seen), they can be a big problem for your dog, so prevention is key to keeping your dog healthy and happy.
Ear mites live in the ear canal and surrounding skin. Signs of infestation typically include skin irritation, scratching around the ears, head and neck, head shaking, the presence of an ear discharge that is dark and waxy (resembling coffee grounds) and an unpleasant odour from the ears.
Ear mites in dogs are highly contagious and can be easily transmitted to other dogs through social interactions, such as sleeping or playing together.
Heartworm
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease seen in all mainland states of Australia.
Adult worms live within the heart and large blood vessels where they can grow to more than 30 cm in length.
Heartworm larvae, more commonly called microfilariae, can also be found circulating in an infected dog’s blood.
How is heartworm in dogs spread?
Heartworms are transmitted from one dog to another by mosquitoes, which pick up the tiny microfilariae when they bite an infected dog.
The microfilariae develop in the mosquito and are transmitted when the infected mosquito bites another dog.
The heartworm larvae then migrate through the dog’s tissues and circulatory system, eventually reaching the heart and lungs where they grow into adult heartworms.
Why is heartworm disease dangerous?
Heartworm may cause no clinical signs in the early stages of infestation, as the worms grow and mature, they can interfere with normal circulation of blood.
This can result in signs of heart failure, and in some cases may lead to sudden death.
Treating heartworm infestations is difficult and can cause complications, so prevention is definitely much better than cure.
Worms
Intestinal worms are spread via dog faeces, so can be picked up anywhere from the backyard to the dog park. In very young dogs, or if present in high numbers, intestinal worms can cause gastrointestinal disease, malnutrition and anaemia. Some worms may also infest humans.
Roundworms, hookworms and whip worms are the most common worms affecting Australian dogs.
Signs your dogo might have worms!
You can see them!
Worms or worm segments or their eggs are visible in your dog’s faeces. However, not all worms are visible to the naked eye, so just because you don’t see worms, it doesn’t mean they are not there.
Scooting
Your dog is scratching or rubbing its bottom on the ground (scooting) or against furniture: Worms can cause irritation around the dog’s bottom, and the resulting itchiness can make your dog want to scratch the itch. Scooting behaviour can also be a sign of other problems, such as impacted anal sacs, so check with your Fur Life Vet.
What’s that in my dogo’s vomit?
Occasionally dogs with a large number of worms may have worms present in their vomit.
What a pot belly!
A bloated stomach is another common sign of worms and is often seen in puppies who acquire worms from their mother in the womb or via milk or form the environment.
Losing weight?
Changes in appetite, constant hunger or weight loss. Intestinal worms compete with your dog for nutrients so your dog may have a change in appetite or losing weight. If you notice any of these signs you should speak with your veterinarian.
* Offer not valid at Fur Life Vet Epsom or Golden Square.