Parasite Prevention

The Pacific Northwest is home to the following parasites commonly found in our environment:

• Fleas
• Ticks
• Heartworm
• Intestinal Parasites

We recommend all pets that have access to outdoors or share a home with a pet that goes outdoors, be on a year-round monthly preventative.

Fleas: Please note that even indoor only cats may get fleas through screens, from pets that go outside, and by humans carrying them in on clothing. If your pet has fleas, we recommend treating the house with an indoor area treatment spray (such as Vet-Kem Premise Spray), washing bedding in hot water, and treating all pets in the household with a vet recommended flea treatment for at least three months consistently to kill all flea life stages in the home.

Ticks & Heartworms: Ticks and heartworm-carrying mosquitos are becoming increasingly common in Seattle and outlying areas. Ticks may carry several diseases that can also infect humans (add hyperlink to: https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/420566-TicksandTickDiseases-Poster-English.pdf). We recommend yearly heartworm and tick disease testing for all dogs and year-round preventatives. (Surprising fact: the most common ticks in our area are around all year but actually most active between Nov-May!)

Intestinal Parasites: The PNW is also home to many intestinal parasites, some of which can infect humans; especially children, elderly, and immune compromised individuals. We recommend yearly preventatives and annual intestinal parasite testing by bringing in a teaspoon-sized fresh stool sample.

What Products Should I Use?: There are many safe and effective products on the market for cat and dog parasite prevention. We recommend using only veterinary approved products such as the items listed below which have rigorous safety testing, proven effectiveness, and manufacturer guarantees.