Keeping Your Cat Safe from Fleas & Ticks
As the weather warms, our pets are at greater risk of being exposed to fleas and ticks. Both outdoor and indoor cats risk contracting fleas and ticks, which can have severe health complications. The vet at The Cat Practice in Oak Park and Berwyn, IL, provides cat flea and tick prevention, ensuring your cat stays happy and healthy.
Feline Fleas and Ticks
Feline fleas and ticks can cause complications for your feline friend and are the most common external parasites in pets. Symptoms of fleas include excessive scratching and hair loss, which can cause additional health complications, such as anemia and internal parasites.
Ticks feed on your cat's blood and transmit diseases through their bite. Commonly active in late spring and summer, ticks attach themselves to outdoor cats when walking through tall brush or grass. Ticks can also transfer from outdoor pets to indoor cats. Common issues include blood loss, anemia, skin irritation, infection, Lyme disease, or Cytauxzoonosis.
Feline Preventative Medicine
Preventing cat fleas is the best way to treat an infestation that can affect your cat's health. Standard feline flea prevention options may include topical or oral medications, shampoos, sprays, or powders. Other treatments may include lawn treatments and reducing the number of fleas in the yard where your cat (or other pets) play.
Preventing feline ticks involves keeping your pet indoors and maintaining your lawn. Keeping your grass short, removing all weeds, and keeping rodents away by keeping garbage covered can help reduce the risk of cat ticks. The same feline prevention medicine for feline fleas also helps keep cat ticks away.
Schedule an Appointment with Our Veterinarian
If there is a risk that your cat may become exposed to fleas or ticks, now is the time to take preventive actions. See our veterinarian for guidance and treatment if you suspect your pet has already contracted fleas and ticks. Our vet at The Cat Practice in Oak Park and Berwyn, IL, provides veterinary care for all animals, including feline flea and tick prevention. Call us today at (708) 383-5997 to schedule an appointment with one of our veterinarians.