Happy New Year! Today is the perfect time to reflect on personal goals. It’s also a great time to vow to make sure your pets don’t fall victim to creepy crawlies like fleas, ticks, and parasitic worms. Parasites can sideline your pet’s health in no time at all. And while this resolution may not be as fun as vowing to play with Fido every day or get Fluffy more catnip, it is important! A local vet offers some tips on parasite control below. 

Use Preventative Medications

A year-round heartworm preventative and a flea-and-tick preventative should protect your animal companion from all of the common pests that are waiting outdoors. This includes, fleas, ticks, and heartworms, which are carried by mosquitos. If your pet isn’t already set up with these preventatives, contact your vet right away.

Groom Your Pet Regularly

Taking the time to brush your pet on a regular basis is very important. Fido may not love baths, but they do help! Plus, this is a great way for you to check your furry pal’s coat and skin for fleas and ticks. Even if your pet has a short coat of fur and doesn’t require much grooming, you can run a flea comb through the coat to check for tiny brown or black specks. (That would be flea feces.) If you find anything, call your vet’s office to find out how to proceed.

Seal the Gaps

Use a sealant foam to block off any small holes or cracks in your home’s siding or foundation. Unwanted guests can easily slip in through these openings and latch on to unsuspecting pets–or even people–inside.

Tend to the Landscaping

Pests are often attracted to dense brush and tall, unkempt grasses because these areas give them places to lurk. Go around your house and trim back thick shrubbery and lengthy grass so you don’t inadvertently give pests a home. This is going to be especially important if this vegetation is touching your home itself. You might be giving outdoor pests an open invitation into your living room!

Keep Things Clean

Another thing that will help? Just keeping things clean, both indoors and outside. Vacuum and disinfect inside your home regularly, and toss your pet’s bedding in the washing machine every now and then. Outdoors, get rid of any garbage or leftover food that could attract pests. Remove any sources of standing water—birdfeeders, empty flower pots, old tires—that mosquitoes could use to breed.

Does your pet need pest-control medications? Want to learn more about keeping your four-legged friend safe and sound? Call your local vet’s office to speak with the professionals.