Spring is the Time to Renew Your Pet's Medications

The term “spring cleaning” can be applied to not only your home, but many other aspects in life such as your pets. Spring is a time where everything unthaws, the weather starts warming up, and unwanted pests can start calling your pet’s coat home. We will discuss keeping your pet up-to-date on their medications throughout the entire year, however there are some specific pet medications that we strongly recommend when the weather gets warm.

Fleas and ticks can be not only a major annoyance to your pet, but consequently a severe nuisance to your home! Without the proper care, fleas can infest a household and leave small but painful bites. In Missouri, flea and tick season kicks off in March and runs throughout December. If you are traveling or outside of Missouri, be sure to keep updated on the flea-and-tick season map that the American Kennel Club has provided.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/whats-your-states-flea-and-tick-season/

The two main options we look at primarily for flea and tick medicine are Bravecto Chews and NexGard Chewables . The comparison on these two pet medications is fairly close. Bravecto costs a bit less (per month), compared to Nexgard. Bravecto is a bigger cost up front (because it covers 3 months) but less than Nexgard when broken down per month.

Here is a comparison between the two flea and tick medicines:

Bravecto Chews

• Kills Fleas
• Kills Ticks
• Repels Fleas & Ticks
• Kills newly emerging fleas before they can lay eggs
• Safe for use in breeding, pregnant dogs and lactating dogs
• Starts to kill fleas within 2 hours
• Active ingredient: Fluralaner
• One chew every 12 weeks

NexGard Chewables

• Kills Fleas
• Kills Ticks
• Repels Fleas & Ticks
• Kills fleas before they can lay eggs
• Kills 100% of fleas within 24 hours
• Active ingredient: Afoxolaner
• One chew per month

By consulting with your local veterinarian at least once a year, you will know exactly what pet medications your dog or cat needs and what the proper dosage is. An annual checkup can also uncover any potential illnesses or conditions with your pet’s health. With flea and tick medication, as well as all pet medication, we highly recommend consulting with the professionals on this one.

Pet medication manufacturers make it convenient for pet owners by putting weight and dosage requirements right on the box. If you are unsure of your pet’s weight, your local veterinarian would be happy to provide that information for you. This way you ensure without a doubt that you are giving the proper dosage to your extended family member.

Heartworms are spaghetti-like worms that infest the heart of your beloved pet and cause some dangerous health issues that can be prevented. By getting your pet pre-tested and then choosing a reputable heartworm medication, your pet is sure to be safe from this known pet health risk.

Testing your pet for heartworms should be done at least once annually, even if they are on a year-round heartworm prevention medicine. If your pet experiences symptoms including: mild persistent cough, unwillingness to exercise, fatigue after a small amount of activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss, heartworm pre-testing may need to be done by your local veterinarian. Your dog may already have heartworms, in that case giving heartworm medicine could potentially just kill the current parasites and cause a blockage in your pet’s heart. This is an area where you should definitely consult with your local veterinarian.

Something to remember also is the year-round protection your pet has and how their monthly dosage affects the process. Heartworm medications are extremely effective however if you are late on a monthly dosage, or your pet throws up/spits up their heartworm medicine that could throw the cycle off and leave your pet unprotected.

Heartgard+ works extremely well by effectively preventing heartworms from inhabiting your pet’s internal organs. The “+” helps protect against intestinal parasites year-round in addition to heartworms. Heartgard+ is much more effective than the regular Heartgard pet medication.

Interceptor+ is a great pet medication that also acts as a parasite preventative workhorse for your pet by eliminating up to 5 different types of worms including heartworm, hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and tapeworms. You get the most bang for your buck and extra protection for your pet, what’s not to love?

Heartworm treatment and prevention all year-round is recommended to keeping your pet as healthy as possible. By marking a set date on the calendar or coordinating with your vet’s office, it makes remembering whether your pet has had their heartworm check up or not much easier.

As with many things in life, getting in a routine with your pet’s medication and checkups is one of the best ways to ensure they are covered on all ends and kept as healthy as possible. Spring is a great time to get up-to-date on your pet’s medications, however being proactive throughout the entire year can lead to a long and joyful life for your beloved pet.

If you are looking for an expert veterinarian in Lee's Summit, MO, call Chipman Road Animal Clinic 816-524-1886