Rainbow City Pet Clinic veterinarians are the best reference, with expert knowledge of the parasites your pet and family can be exposed to in our region. Providing continuous protection against harmful parasites is not only essential for protecting the overall health of your dogs and cats but also for humans, especially kids.
Now that dogs and cats are treated like family members, we share our home with them. Therefore, it is even more significant to keep your fur family members on monthly parasite prevention to reduce the risks associated with the transmission of parasitic diseases from pets to people.
Rainbow City Pet Clinic recommends and offers several brands of year-round parasite prevention to protect your fur and human family members. We have our opinions of the BEST products for your pet, so let us help you with a recommendation!
Mites: The mites we commonly deal with in pets are ear mites, demodicosis (Red Mange), and scabies. Mites are far more common in cats than dogs, and praise the Lord, they do not affect people! An infestation produces a drier, brownish ear wax that looks much like coffee grounds. Ear mites are severely contagious with close contact, like pets sleeping in the same area. Ear mites cause SEVERE itching, and patients are usually scratching at their ears and shaking their heads persistently. Cats often scratch until they create scabs and hair loss on the head and around the ears.
Demodex Mites:
Demodex mites live in the hair follicles and oil glands of your pet’s skin or the skin surface. Many animals have this mite with no symptoms, as their immune systems suppress the population of this pesky creature. Usually, animals show signs of this parasite early in life, called red mange. It is sometimes seen in adult animals, but it will mean that the patient has something else compromising the immune system.
These mites create hair loss and itching patches that start on the muzzle and head and move toward the rear. Sometimes, it is limited to small, patchy areas of hair loss. Demodex mites DO NOT affect people. EARLY TREATMENT prevents secondary bacterial infections and hair loss over the entire body in dogs.
Scabies Mites:
Scabies mites are contagious to people in close contact with their pets harboring this mite! This mite burrows into the skin and causes severe itching, which can cause scabs and hair loss.
Symptoms in dogs target the ear flaps, elbows, ankles, abdomen, and chest. Scabies can be passed from animals to humans through close contact with their dogs. You may develop an itchy rash that usually disappears once your dog has received treatment.
For more information on parasites, visit https://www.petsandparasites.org/
