Summertime fun usually means a lot of wildlife in our backyards. Deer, squirrels, rabbits, and birds are very common in this area, but bears and coyotes have been seen in NEOhio yards too! While it’s cute when our pets play with wild animals, we want to make sure that pets are protected against any diseases or other dangers that their wildlife friends may present. Check out these 4 things you can do to help protect your pet from falling ill due to wildlife friends.
1) Vaccinations
- Dogs should be vaccinated with a DHLPP vaccine. This vaccine protects against Distemper, Hepatitis (Adenovirus), Leptospirosis, Panleukemia, and Parvo. These diseases are highly contagious and can be carried by wildlife. Be sure that the vaccine given by your veterinarian includes all 5 letters to represent each disease. We also recommend vaccinating for Bordetella (Kennel Cough) and tick-transmitted Lyme disease.
- Cats should receive the FVRCP vaccine, which stands for Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia. There is also a vaccine for Feline Leukemia, which is contagious as well.
- Both cats and dogs should be vaccinated for Rabies. Not only is it a major human health concern, but is required by law.
2) Flea & Tick Prevention:
- There is a wide selection of flea prevention products available for dogs. While many pet-store brands fail to get the job done, Vectra 3D is an over-the-counter product that protects against fleas and ticks in dogs. (Note that Vectra 3D is not for cats and is toxic to cats.)
- Cats also have an over-the-counter product available called Vectra that kills and prevents fleas.
3) Heartworm/Intestinal Parasite Prevention:
- Heartworm is a deadly disease transmitted by mosquitos and you may not see the symptoms until it is too late. Dogs can take Interceptor as a chewable tablet to prevent both heartworm and intestinal parasites (like roundworms). Interceptor can be taken in combination with Vectra 3D. Heartworm in dogs can be treated, but is very expensive and can still be fatal.
- Combination flea, heartworm, and intestinal parasite prevention products like Trifexis and Advantage Multi can be used rather than using two medication, but note that these products do not prevent ticks.
- Cats do not have any treatments available for heartworm, so prevention is key. Revolution is a combination flea, heartworm, and intestinal parasite prevention product for cats. It even treats ear mites in our feline friends!
4) Microchips:
- In the off chance that your pet runs off with their new wild friend (or just gets away from you while chasing down a squirrel), a microchip gives pets their best chance of returning home.
5) Bringing Food Inside:
- To avoid attracting animals like raccoons and bears, be sure to bring any food (human or animal) inside when not attended to, especially at night.
6) Don’t Leave Pets Outside Unattended:
- Not only is this dangerous due to the recent heatwave, but small pets may be picked up by coyotes or hawks, while larger pets may get in fights with other animals while trying to protect the house.
7) Don’t Use Retractable or Long Leashes:
- Retractable leashes do not give you proper control over your animal and can allow your animal to walk several feet away from you. If your animal is far away and bolts, gets tangled, or attacked by another animal, you do not have any control in stepping in to help.
- While long traditional leashes provide more control than retractable ones, there is no need for your pet to be walking 10 or 20 feet away from you and it can put them in harm’s way.
Here at Emerald Animal Hospital, we readily carry all of these products and vaccines listed. If you have any further questions or would like to set up your pet’s appointment, give us a call at 216-749-7161. We’ll assess your pet’s individual health and lifestyle to provide the best treatment or prevention plan possible and are happy to handle any concerns you may have.