Here Come the Pet Parasites!

Summer is coming and this means summer parasites will be on the prowl. Alicia Pacific Veterinary Center wants to remind all the residents of Laguna Niguel, and surrounding cities, to prepare your pets for the summer months. This entails stocking up on flea, tick, and heartworm control.

Fleas are a common parasite we are all used to combating with sprays, topical products, shampoos, and powders, but at Alicia Pacific Veterinary Center we can help you prevent fleas on your pets, and in your house with a simple single- step product. We offer Vectra, and Revolution as our topical flea control products. For those families that have small children and are concerned about them coming in contact with the topical parasite preventatives, we also have an oral product called Trifexis. 

Vectra is not only a flea preventative, but it also has properties to prevent ticks, sand flies, biting flies and mosquitoes. This product comes in a six month supply and is easy to obtain-no appointment with the doctor is needed.

Revolution and Trifexis are parasite prevention products that work in a different manner. They do not have any tick prevention, but they are able to prevent fleas, heartworms and intestinal parasites. These two products do require a doctor's visit, and a heartworm test before administration, but they are fabulous at protecting your pets against the most dangerous parasites-heartworms.

Heartworms are transmitted my mosquitoes. The coyote population that runs rampant in Laguna are infected with heartworm disease, and although we do not have a lot of mosquitoes, we do have some, and if one mosquito bites a coyote that is infected with heartworm disease, then bites your dog, or cat, your pet is going to be infected with the heartworm disease. This disease can be fatal if not treated. We do have the ability to treat this disease, and Dr. Haney has done so several times during her years in practice, but the treatment can also be fatal. We, at Alicia Pacific Veterinary Center, prefer to prevent this type of parasite rather than treat it, that is why we offer Revolution and Trifexis as our products of choice for flea, heartworm, and intestinal parasite prevention. Since these products do have tick prevention, and we know ticks can be a problem in this area, we offer free tick collars for your pets when you purchase a box of Trifexis or Revolution.

Please keep your pets healthy and happy this summer season by providing them the best in parasite prevention. Feel free to contact Alicia Pacific Veterinary Center at (949) 388-8499, with questions, or make an appointment to discuss your pet's parasite prevention plan.