Many deaf dogs have sensitive skin, especially those with little to no skin pigmentation.For these dogs, parasites, chemicals such as shampoos, perfumes or parasiticides, and even too much sun can often cause serious damage.. How do you provide year-round parasite protection if your deaf dog has sensitive skin? A monthly chewable may be the answer your deaf dog needs!
Now that spring has sprung, Edison, Foster and I have been spending a big chunk of every weekend outside exploring the new, emerging Miami.
We’ve been checking out new parks that have popped up and hunting down amazing street art on the outskirts of Wynwood, the Design District and neighboring pockets of Miami currently in the throes of gentrification. As the sun begins to set on the day, we cool ourselves down at outside cafes; Edison and Foster lapping up cool bowls of ice water and I, sipping iced coffee by the gallon. As they lay at my feet, I catalog the photos on our ever-growing Instagram feed of deaf dog urban adventures.
My deaf dogs and I are not unique in our desire to get outside and breath in the rebirth and renewal that defines springtime. Pet parents everywhere are lacing up their shoes, leashing up their dogs and getting outside. Hikes. Picnics. Road trips. The beach. The destination is irrelevant; it’s all about the journey and spending meaningful time with our dogs.
This is also the time of year that most pet parents head to the vet, throw a few bucks down for a heartworm test, pick up some flea, tick and heartworm prevention and check that box off until next year. If warm weather is here for only half the year, our dogs only need parasite protection some of the time, right
Nope. Not even close. But I get it.
I understand the mistaken view that mosquitos, fleas and intestinal parasites are only warm weather predators. Yes, I know better now, but for the first thirtysome years of my life, I lived in the snowy northeast and midwest. During that time, I too thought that my dogs only needed parasite protection during the spring and summer.
Then I moved to Miami, where we have two seasons: warm or warmer, wet or wetter. Then I went to school and became a veterinary technician. Yes, I now know better, but many pet parents don’t have all the facts and are unintentionally placing their dogs at risk for serious diseases with real medical consequences. Not because they don’t care, because they don’t know better.
Before you head out on a deaf dog adventure of your own, get to know these facts about preventing parasite infections!
This post is sponsored by Virbac® Sentinel® Spectrum® and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help create awareness about protection against common parasites found in dogs but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. More information about Sentinel Spectrum. Virbac is not responsible for the content of this article.
The Facts About Mosquitoes & Heartworm Disease:
No matter where you live, whether it is a near-tropical climate such as Miami or in snowy northern Michigan, all dogs are at risk of developing heartworm disease all year round. The annual heartworm test you’re springing for every Spring is a good first step, but you need to follow that up with safe, effective heartworm prevention every single month.
The medication in heartworm prevention targets the early stages of developing heartworms for the first three to four months after being infected by a mosquito. After that, there is a window of time where no drug can do anything until the heartworms become an adult, approximately six months after being bitten by a mosquito.
The best way to protect your dog against heartworm disease is to give a tasty chewable preventative, like Sentinel Spectrum, every single month because it’s effective against infections that occurred in the month prior to taking the medicine.
The Truth about Fleas and Cold Weather:
Even if you live in a colder climate, fleas can survive the winter as adults on dogs, cats or wild mammals outside- and these adults that you see jumping and crawling on your deaf dog represent only 5% of the flea population! The other 95% are ones you can’t see- eggs, larvae and pupae- and they are able to survive in your home for up to one year before finding a host, i.e., your dog.
Year-round flea protection is critical to help prevent a flea infestation. Sentinel Spectrum controls fleas infestations by disrupting the reproductive cycle and preventing immature fleas and eggs from ever developing into adults.
One More Truth about Fleas:
Did you know that fleas transmit tapeworms?
When your dog is chewing and biting fleas, he is likely to swallow a few. Adult fleas frequently carry tapeworm larvae and, when your dog swallows that flea, the tapeworm larvae settle and develop in your dog’s digestive tract. Though there are other ways to acquire tapeworms, ingesting an adult flea is one of the most common ways a dog is infected.
Tapeworms are an intestinal parasite that, when eliminated during defecation, resemble pieces of moving rice and are usually seen crawling around your dog’s stool. Though tapeworms are hard to miss, they aren’t hard to prevent or treat. Sentinel Spectrum is the only 6-in1 parasite preventative product that helps prevent tapeworm infection by controlling the source- fleas- but also treats an existing tapeworm infection.
What About Other Intestinal Parasites?
Tapeworms are not the only intestinal parasite that can affect your dog. Roundworms, hookworms and whipworms are very common intestinal parasites that pose health risks to your dog- and potentially even you! Yes, pet parents can contract hookworms and roundworms from their infected dog.
Why a Chewable Might Be Better For Your Deaf Dog?
Many deaf dogs, especially those with little to no skin pigmentation, have very sensitive skin. For these dogs, a topical parasiticide applied to their skin can cause serious irritation, discomfort or pain. A monthly chewable works from the inside out, preventing parasite infections without risking injury to your deaf dog’s skin! Ask your vet if Sentinel® Spectrum® if right for your deaf dog.
With Spring upon us and the dog days of summer peering around the corner, pet parents should take advantage of the weather and get outside with their dog. Walk a trail. Swim the ocean. Comb city block after block for gorgeous street art glistening in the afternoon sun.
Bring plenty of water for you and your pups, look both ways before crossing streets and share some photos of your adventures with Edson & Co on Instagram, but before you head out, make sure you protect your beloved deaf dog from six different parasites by talking to your veterinarian about Sentinel Spectrum.
How much do you know about parasite risk and protection? Take this quick quiz and find out if
your deaf dog is as protected as you think! I’ll be sharing the results in a cool infographic next month.
Score a $25.00 rebate on your purchase of Sentinel® Spectrum®!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Virbac® Sentinel® Spectrum®. The opinions and text are all mine.
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