Critter Care offers Flea & Tick prevention. The flea and/or tick does not have to bite animal to die. Reduces biting within 5 minutes of application. Repels fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, mites (except mange mites), biting and sand flies, and lice.
Flea Information:
- Can lay eggs 6 hours after biting
- Can jump up to 13"
- Can transmit flea bite dermatitis, tapeworm disease, anemia, bartonella, bubonic plague
Tick Information:
- Not normally born with disease. They feed on wild animals and pick up disease.
- Can lay up to 3,000 eggs at a time.
- Before laying eggs, a female tick consumes 600 times her body weight in blood.
Heartworm Information:
- Heartworm disease is blood borne disease spread by mosquitos
- Heartworms live in the major blood vessels of an animal
- They take up to 7 months to mature and can live up to 5 years inside an animal
- An Animal must have at least 5 mature female heartworms for a heartworm test to detect them. Thus making year testing a necessity.
Heartworm Disease Clinical Signs:
- soft dry cough
- shortness of breath
- weakness
- nervousness
- listlessness & loss of stamina
- weight loss & poor condition
- anemia
Heartworm Disease Diagnosis:
- Blood Test for Adult Heartworms: only female heartworms will give off the antigen to be detected
- Blood Test under a Microscope
- Blood Chemistry: test liver and kidney function
- Radiographs: Show swelling of large artery and hearts
- Electrocardiogram (ECG): detect abnormal heart rhythms
- Echocardiography: Ultrasonic view of heart
Heartworm Treatment:
- Successful 95% of the time
- Includes a series of shots
- Animal must be kept quiet and have limited exercise for 4 weeks
- Start on heartworm prevention after treatment is finished
Heartworm Prevention:
- Annual Blood Screening
- Heartworm Prevention Program