Cat and Dog Parasite Medication Mystery Solved!

With all the parasite preventives available both over the counter and through your veterinarian, it’s nearly impossible to pick the right one!  Here is a chart of tthe most common parasite preventives that are sold through veterinarians.  They have the best research behind them and the best customer service if your pet has a reaction!  (Some are available over the counter, too, but your vet probably offers a waaay better $deal through their own office!)

First, Decide what parasites you want to protect against.  For our desert pets, we recommend Heartworm protection for every dog (it’s not common, but it’s here and it’s a devastating disease that is expensive and dangerous to treat– just avoid it!).  If your pet frequents public dog parks or other group dog environments, protect against the intestinal parasites: RW, HKW.  If your pet hunts mammals in the desert or has fleas, pick a TW and FLEA preventive.  If you have seen fleas or ticks, pick a preventive for those.  If you have mosquitoes around your house, travel to places where there are mosquitoes, protecting your pet against these annoying pests also provides one more layer of protection against heartworm disease!

Then, pick your preferred method of administration, if there are choices!

Request the medication from your veterinarian!

HW = HeartWorm, RW= RoundWorm, HKW= HookWorm, TW= TapeWorm, FLEA, TICK, EAR M= Ear Mites, MOSQ= Mosquitoes

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