Spring-Summer 2014 Alert
Leading experts are now predicting the continued nationwide spread of Lyme, Anaplasmosis, and Heartworm disease in our pets in 2014.1 What pet parents may not know is how easily these diseases are spread through common bug bites! Now a new survey shows by a nearly 9-1 margin, dog owners overwhelmingly prefer topical medications squeezed from a tube and placed on the back of their dog to help reduce the chances of their pet being fed on by these dangerous fleas, ticks and mosquitoes.2
“Why Wait for the Bite?” is a straightforward 4-step program brought to you by Ceva Animal Health to open up the conversation about bug bites, what is really going on, and how to best protect our pets.
- Understand the Danger. Every pet parent needs to know that just one bite from a tick, flea, or mosquito isn’t just a nuisance. It may pose a serious, sometimes fatal health, threat to us and our pets.
- Understand How Preventatives Work. Many parasiticide preventatives on the market, including those marketed as a “tasty treat,” require a bug to bite the pet each time in order to work. According to leading experts, when a flea, tick, or mosquito “bites,” that parasite is actually “feeding” or “taking a blood meal” out of the host (your pet) so she can lay eggs. If the parasite is infected with a disease while she’s taking that blood meal, she’s giving your pet the disease.That’s a lot of bites out of our pets and countless possible exposure to diseases that could be avoided.
- Prevent the Bite. There are several methods pet parents can use to keep exposure to parasites low. This includes reducing exposure in and around the home and using a topical product applied to the pet’s skin where the parasite bites that prevents bug biting as much as possible.
- See Your Veterinarian – Ask the Right Questions. The veterinarian is the best source of information about what parasites are most prevalent in a pet’s geographic area, and the best products to use on an individual pet. Being an informed pet parent will ensure your pet gets the best medicine and best protection possible.
For content and/or to schedule interviews with experts on this topic, please contact Lea-Ann Germinder at Lgerminder@germinder.com or 917-334-8682 or Tim Sitek at tim.sitek@germinder.com or 636-225-5997.
1Companion Animal Parasite Council Incidence Maps, American Heartworm Society
2April 2014Survey of Newsletter Subscribers to DogChannel.com
The Why Wait for the Bite campaign content is sponsored by Ceva Animal Health, makers of Vectra 3D®.