Psstt… Don’t Forget Your Pet’s Monthly Preventative!
Heartworm disease is prevalent in Minnesota. Since it is transmitted by mosquitoes, even the dog that ‘never leaves the house’ is susceptible. We have treated eight cases of heartworm disease in unprotected pets at St Francis over the past 12 months — this is a significant increase from past years.
Adult heartworms live in the heart and pulmonary vessels. The offspring, or microfilariae, enter the bloodstream, where they are then ingested by a mosquito. The immature heartworm develops into the infective stage (L3) within the mosquito, where it can then enter the new host when the mosquito takes another meal. Once the immature heartworm is introduced into its new host, it migrates to the heart and finishes its development. This entire process takes 5-6 months.
Treatment of heartworm disease consists of administering an arsenic compound called melarsomine in a series of three injections. Treatment is expensive, and serious side effects and complications can occur. It is much better to prevent heartworm disease than to treat it post-infection.
Heartgard Plus and Tri-Heart Plus are safe and effective heartworm preventatives when used properly. The active ingredients are ivermectin and pyrantel. Please make sure you remember to give your dog his or her monthly heartworm preventative. For cats, we recommend Revolution (selamectin) topically once monthly for heartworm prevention. All of these preventatives also protect your pet against the most common intestinal parasites (roundworms and hookworms).
We recommend Nexgard or Frontline Gold for protection against fleas and ticks in your dog. Nexgard contains afoxolaner and is a chewable tablet. Frontline Gold is a topical product that contains fipronil, (S)-methoprene, and pyriproxyfen.
Why do we care about tick control? We have several species of ticks in Minnesota, and even those small dogs in the city are susceptible to ticks if their yard has any brush or tall grass. The ticks carry Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, all very serious diseases. Because of our abnormal weather patterns this year, we started seeing ticks as early as February and have continued to find large numbers of ticks on unprotected pets well into this summer. Please remember to give your pet his or her monthly flea and tick preventative.
If you have any questions about protecting your pet, please contact us at (651) 645-2808 or group@stfrancisabh.com.
We encourage you to take advantage of the Buy 12 Heartgard and 12 Nexgard or 12 Frontline Gold and receive a $50 rebate promotion!
Roseville Rose Parade: Rosefest 2017
- Please join us in celebrating Rosefest 2017 by attending the Rosefest Rose Parade starting at 6:15 pm on Monday, June 26th. St. Francis Animal Hospital is currently #32 on the list of parade participants.
- We’ll be handing out dog treats, information about our practice, and coupons to use at St. Francis Animal Hospital. Please give a shout out and wave to us as we pass by!
- We will be closing at 4:30 pm to attend the parade. We are very sorry for any inconvenience. For more information about the parade, please visit the parade website by clicking here. We look forward to seeing you there!
Cause for Paws
- Cause for Paws is a small, all-volunteer Minnesota nonprofit 501 (c) (3) group founded in 1998. Their main focus is on finding loving, permanent homes for stray and abandoned cats and kittens. We have provided care to the cats at Cause for Paws since 1999.
- This group is funded entirely by donations. Please consider donating dry or canned cat food or cat toys. Monetary donations or gift cards to Petco or Petsmart are also always appreciated.
- If you are interested in meeting some of the cats or are searching for your next feline family member, please visit Cause for Paws at their next adoption day. It will be held on Saturday, July 8th, at the Petco in Highland from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m
News Briefs
- CongratulationsCongratulations to Audrey Ruddy (University of Illinois), Ellyn Harris (Ross Veterinary School), and Hannah Hodnefield (Iowa State University) for their acceptance into veterinary school for the upcoming academic year. They will be amazing veterinarians!
- 25th Anniversary
Mark your calendars for our 25th Anniversary Open House on Sunday, September 10th from 1-4 pm. Continue to check out our Facebook page on the 25th of each month for exciting giveaways! We love celebrating this milestone with you! - Happy Anniversary
Graduation from veterinary school is a great accomplishment, and this month, we celebrate two important anniversaries commemorating that day: Patricia Novak, DVM: 20 years (U of M 1997); and Jennifer Blair, DVM, CVA, CVFT: 15 years (U of M 2002).
Image credit: Andreja Donko | Shutterstock