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Great Pet Health – Parasites & Simple Prevention

ticks fleas parasites

How do I know if my pet has parasites?
The most common tick species can be seen or felt through the fur, especially once they have swollen after feeding on the animal.
However, at some stages of their life cycle they can be as small as a pinhead. When the infestation is massive ticks form clusters in certain areas of the body, this type of infestation can have serious consequences for the health of the parasitized animal and it is necessary to consult a veterinarian promptly.

Pet Health Check

Frequent or continuous scratching is often a symptom of flea dermatitis. Adult fleas can be observed with the naked eye on the animal, but at other stages of their life cycle (eggs, larvae and pupae) they can be difficult to see. Even adult fleas are tiny and may not be easily observed if you are not in the presence of a massive infestation, it is often easier to identify black dots in the fur and on the skin of the animal, this is the digested blood that the fleas excrete after meals.

To check for fleas on your pet, run a comb against its back, then shake the comb over a damp piece of white paper towel. If you notice dark spots that stain the paper red, it is very likely that your pet has fleas.

What are parasites?

A parasite is an organism that lives at the expense of another organism – the host.

In general, parasites share the following features:

  • Parasites are usually smaller than their host.
  • Parasites use both invertebrate and vertebrate hosts.
  • Adult parasites may live on the host (e.g. lice), in the host (e.g. tapeworms) or feed on a host occasionally (e.g. mosquitoes).
  • Parasites generally do not kill the host but may harm the host indirectly by spreading pathogens. This may affect the host’s behaviour, metabolism or its reproductive activity.
  • Many parasites have hooks, claws or suckers to attach to their host.
  • Generally parasites have either a sucker (e.g. leeches) or piercing and sucking type mouthparts (e.g. fleas) for feeding.
  • Both adults and young can be parasitic. In some cases the young are parasites but the adult is not.

Learn more about what are parasites – Includes types of parasites, worm parasites, parasites protozoa etc. (new window) – Also see: CDC (Parasites)

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