Worms, Fleas and other parasites really enjoy living in Chilliwack just like we do. The reasons are the same as ours – Chilliwack has a very long growing season – one of the longest in Canada. So all these parasites grow and thrive very well in our sunny part of this country. People are amazingly unaware of how COMMON these parasites are in the Chilliwack environment. In a simple test done by Little Mountain Veterinary Clinic and another clinic in Chilliwack we found that there were worms in 50% of the fecal samples taken from the parks and public areas in Chilliwack and Sardis. Dr Banyard was very surprised as she was expecting 2%. 50% is very high. The best places where fecal samples were found were in the bushes as pets like to do their business in private. It may surprise you that dogs love to eat poop. Also dogs and cats walk everywhere and if there are worm eggs on the ground these end up on the paws of the pet. When the pet licks the paws these worm eggs are swallowed – and that is what the worm needs in order to reproduce itself.
Misconception #1 ‘I don’t see worms in my dog or cat’s poop’
Dr Banyard says: You will only see adult worms when your pet has a very heavy infestation. Usually you do not see them. The eggs are microscopic and not visible to the naked eye – that’s why we need to look for them under the microscope. We need a stool sample. Call the receptionist att04-792-2844 for instructions for the best sample.
Misconception #2 ‘ I don’t see fleas on my pet’
Dr Banyard says: Fleas are so common in Chilliwack pets that go outside have a very high likelihood of being infested. It does not take many fleas to make a pet miserable if they are allergic to fleas. You often do not see fleas because they run away from the site you are looked for them and are covered by fur so you will miss them. They inject their saliva into the blood stream which goes everywhere and that is how they cause the problems for your pet. Products carried by your veterinarian are the most effective ones to use to treat for fleas and to prevent them. You need to use Revolution ad Advantage once every 28 days year round. If you use them less you will slowly get a build up of fleas in the environment and your efforts will be wasted.