1. 17% of children in a Halifax study were seropositive for toxacara canis (roundworm).
2. Roundworm and whipworm eggs have been shown to overwinter at much lower temperatures than were originally thought possible, creating a persistent environmental hazard in your yard and potential for parasite infection in you and your pet.
3. 2 fleas, 2 days, 200 eggs, 2 months, 2000 fleas.
4. There are approximately 300 cases of heartworm disease diagnosed in Ontario every year. Heartworm is fatal to dogs and is 100% preventable.
5. Treating dogs that are positive for heartworm requires consecutive injections with an arsenic agent that has a low margin of safety.
6. A dog infected with intestinal roundworms will often defecate more than 20,000 eggs/day, and although we work to clean up our yards, eggs remain behind.
7. Raccoon roundworms can be easily transmitted to dogs and can be extremely dangerous to people as the larvae of these worms tend to travel to the central nervous system and cause blindness, severe brain damage, and in some cases, death.
8. Fleas are a nuisance parasite that can infest your home. Eggs, larvae and pupae live in the environment and bury themselves into dark quiet spaces including the base of your carpet, tile cracks and crevices, baseboard edges and places where your pet lies (including furniture).
9. Flea eggs and larvae are microscopic, and appear only as “salt and pepper grains” to the naked eye… so you may not see them until they are really a problem.
10. Mosquitos that go dormant in the winter months carrying heartworm, wake up in warmer, more humid conditions carrying heartworm and creating an uninterrupted lifecycle.
11. The Companion Animal Parasite Council and the American Heartworm Society advocate for year round parasite prevention. These expert groups advise that 12 months of prevention has been proven to best protect your pets and your family from the risk of the most common parasites.
12. Twelve months of broad spectrum parasite prevention is a key component of a lifelong wellness approach to veterinary care, just as important as annual exams and appropriate
(Article provided by Novartis Animal Health)