Protecting your pet against parasites is not just about comfort and avoiding itching. It is an essential public health measure. Many parasites that affect our dogs and cats can pass serious diseases to the animal but also to humans (zoonoses). A rigorous prevention routine is therefore a must.
External parasites: fleas and ticks
Fleas are active all year round, even in winter thanks to central heating in our homes. A single flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. The main risk is FAD (flea allergy dermatitis), which causes severe skin lesions, but fleas also transmit tapeworm.
Ticks, for their part, carry dangerous diseases: babesiosis (piroplasmosis) (destruction of red blood cells), Lyme disease (joint pain and nerve problems) and ehrlichiosis. A tick should be removed within 24 hours with a dedicated tick hook to limit the risk of bacterial transmission.
Internal parasites: intestinal worms
There are two main types of worms that colonise our pets' digestive system:
- Roundworms (ascarids): common in puppies and kittens, they look like spaghetti. They can migrate through the body and cause respiratory or digestive problems.
- Tapeworms: transmitted by swallowing fleas or small prey (mice). Segments look like grains of rice around the anus.
The danger to humans is real, especially for children who play on the ground or in gardens. Accidentally swallowing eggs can cause larva migrans affecting the eyes or the liver.
Setting up an effective prevention schedule
The golden rule is regularity. Here are the standard veterinary recommendations:
- Flea and tick treatment: applied monthly (spot-ons) or every 3 months (tablets / some collars) ALL year round.
- Dewormer: monthly until 6 months of age for young animals, then 2 to 4 times a year for an adult depending on lifestyle (flat vs countryside).
- Treating the environment: 95% of fleas live in the environment (beds, floors, rugs). In case of infestation, the whole house must be treated.
Never forget with Son Espace Santé
Parasite treatments are the ones most often forgotten. The app solves this problem for good:
- Automatic reminders: enter the date of the last spot-on and the app alerts you 3 days before the next one is due.
- Medicine cabinet inventory: note how much product you have left so you are never caught short on a Sunday.
- Multi-pet tracking: easily manage staggered dates if you have several pets with different needs.
- Tick removal help: access illustrated advice sheets on the safe way to remove a tick without leaving the head behind.
Rigorous prevention is the best investment in your pet's health and your household's safety. Don't let parasites spoil the bond you share!
