External parasites live on the skin and in the ears of your pets.  They cause irritation to the skin which can often lead to more advanced skin problems such as infections, hair loss, itchiness, increased thickness and pigmentation.  Many external parasites are communicable from pet to pet and from pets to people.  

The most common external parasites that we see affecting dogs and cats in our area are:

                     
Fleas                 Ear Mites              Mange Mites             Ticks                 

Fleas and ticks suck blood from our pets  and cause anemia. They may also transmit diseases such as Lyme's Disease (Borrelliosis) and Plague.   Mange mites and ear mites are very itchy and will cause the pets great distress if left untreated. 

We rely on visual inspection and microscopic examination of skin scrapings to diagnose these infestations.  Once we make the diagnosis, then therapy can be started with a variety of drugs. 

To prevent Flea infestations we can use either a topical drug such as Frontline plus, or an internal drug such as Program. 

Frontline Plus is administered on the neck of the pet once a month. This remarkable drug continues to kill both fleas and ticks for 4 weeks or more. It will not wash off during bathing or if the pet swims or gets wet in the rain.  It is safe in pets as young as 9 weeks of age.  

Program is a drug that comes in pill format for dogs and injectable for cats.  It is given once a month and acts to sterilize the fleas so that their eggs cannot hatch and cause a buildup of fleas in the environment.  While this drug does not kill the fleas, it will control them very well in an environment that is not already overridden with fleas.