{"id":475,"date":"2021-05-20T22:26:01","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T21:26:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/?p=475"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:21:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:21:12","slug":"importanceofparasiteprevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/importanceofparasiteprevention\/","title":{"rendered":"Importance of Parasite Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Parasite prevention is an i<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ntegral<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0part of taking good care of your cat or dog.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Parasites also pose a threat to human health. Some pet parasites cause zoonotic infections, which means they can be transferred from pets to people.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Where and when can my pet get infected by parasites?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dogs and cats can get parasites in a variety of places \u2014 whether they go outside or not. Other animals can bring parasites into your home. And anytime your pet is out, they are at risk. Fleas and ticks can live outside\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">year-round,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0but the worst months are spring and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">autumn<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Once fleas get in the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">house,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0they are a year<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">&#8211;<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">round problem.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How can I protect my pet from parasites?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Because parasites can be found all year long,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">your pet must always be<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0protected. We offer a series of popular prescription products that are easy to use and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">will help\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">to protect your pet.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You can receive\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">year-round<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0parasite protect<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ion<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> through our Pet Care Plan<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Our Pet Care Plan<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0spreads your regular pet care costs with a fixed monthly fee which guarantees an annual saving on your preventative veterinary treatments.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dangers of parasites<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The harm from parasites to a pet&#8217;s health can range from minor irritation to severe conditions that can be fatal. Here are some common parasites in the United Kingdom:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ticks &#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Tick bites can cause allergic reactions or infections at the site of the bite. The major risk is that they\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">can<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0transmit infectious diseases such as Lyme Disease, Babesia &amp; Ehrlichiosis.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Worms \u2013 Worms come in a wide variety such as tapeworm, roundworm, heartworm, whipworm\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0hookworm. These are common parasites in the UK and can affect our pet<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2019s<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0health and carry a human health risk, especially for children.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lungworms \u2013 Lungworms are potentially deadly parasites that foxes, slugs\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">snails carry. It is the first fatal parasite to be endemic in the UK.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fleas \u2013 Fleas\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ffect dogs and cats and can be seen all year round. Signs that your pet may be suffering from fleas include itching, scratching, and licking. You may also see &#8216;flea dirt&#8217; \u2013\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">tiny<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0dark specks that look a little like grains of soil and go red when wet. Fleas can be seen by the naked eye! Fleas can also pass on tapeworms.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With advances in veterinary medicine, most parasitic infections can be prevented with routine preventative care.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Alongside preventative treatments, it is also important to practice good personal hygiene, including washing hands after handling pets and before eating food. Grooming animals regularly helps to reduce the risk of coat contamination. When going on walks, cleaning up pet faeces is vital because most intestinal worms are transmitted by worm eggs or larvae in faeces.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It is also crucial that parasite treatments are only given to the pet they have been prescribed for, as certain products can be fatal to other species. If you are unsure which parasite control products are the best for your pet, speak to one of our team\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">members\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">for advice.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parasite prevention is an integral\u00a0part of taking good care of your cat or dog.\u00a0Parasites also pose a threat to human&hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/importanceofparasiteprevention\/\" class=\"cta\">Read more&hellip;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":476,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=475"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1247,"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475\/revisions\/1247"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gowervets.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}