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Parasite Prevention

Protect your pet from fleas, ticks, heartworms, and more with year-round parasite prevention plans.

Parasite Prevention: Protecting Your Pet Inside and Out
Parasites may be small, but the problems they cause can be serious. Fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites not only make your pet uncomfortable, but they can also lead to major health issues if left untreated. That’s why parasite prevention is a cornerstone of responsible pet care.

At our clinic, we take a proactive approach to help keep your pet safe, healthy, and itch-free year-round.

Why Parasite Prevention Matters

Parasites are more than a nuisance. Some carry diseases that affect your pet’s organs, immune system, and even your family. Others, like intestinal worms, may go unnoticed until your pet shows signs of illness.

Preventive care helps avoid:

  • Itchy, irritated skin

  • Allergic reactions (especially to flea bites)

  • Transmission of Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and other tick-borne illnesses

  • Intestinal upset, weight loss, or anemia from worms

  • Potentially fatal heartworm disease

  • Risk of zoonotic transmission (parasites that spread to humans)

With the right plan in place, most of these issues are entirely preventable.

Common Parasites We Guard Against

External Parasites

  • Fleas – cause skin issues and may lead to flea allergy dermatitis

  • Ticks – can transmit serious diseases with just one bite

  • Mites – microscopic pests that lead to ear infections and mange

Internal Parasites

  • Roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms – live in the intestines and can cause digestive problems, especially in puppies and kittens

  • Heartworms – transmitted by mosquitoes, heartworms grow inside the heart and lungs and can be life-threatening if untreated

Prevention Options We Offer

We tailor parasite prevention based on your pet’s lifestyle, age, and regional risks. Options include:

  • Monthly chewable or topical preventives

  • Routine deworming (especially for puppies, kittens, or outdoor pets)

  • Annual fecal exams and heartworm testing

Many of today’s preventatives offer broad-spectrum protection—one dose can cover multiple parasites.

What to Watch For

  • Scratching or biting at the skin

  • Scooting or licking around the rear

  • Visible worms in stool or vomit

  • Lethargy, coughing, or changes in appetite (potential signs of heartworm)

If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s best to schedule an exam right away.

Parasite prevention is simple, affordable, and highly effective. Staying consistent with your pet’s prevention plan protects not only their health—but also your household.

💙 Whether it’s a checkup, questions, or care needs, visit us—we’re here to be your partner in your pet’s health.

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Stone House Animal Hospital FAQs

There is no question too big or too small for our veterinary team.

Yes. Dog fight wounds can look minor, but the damage is often hidden. Imagine your shirt is your dog's skin. Pinch a small section of your shirt and pull it away from you. If this was your dog's skin, the entire area of your shirt that lifted away from you is the tissue that actually pulled loose under the skin. Damage like this may not heal on its own. There may be only a small mark (like where your fingers were), but the damage can be quite extensive underneath. Finding this before further problems occur is best for your pet and less expensive for you! You can contact Stone House Animal Hospital for such concerns.

There are several indicators of pain: hiding, not playing like usual, crying, biting, sad look in their eyes, doesn't want to get up. It is in a pet's nature to hide its pain, so by the time you start seeing any of these indicators, they really don't feel well and need to see a veterinarian. You can call Stone House Animal Hospital if you have such concerns.

No. These medications are not safe for pets. If you feel your pet would benefit from pain relief, please come see Stone House Animal Hospital. There are a lot of pain medications for our doctors to choose from so that your pet can feel better quickly- without the negative side effects of human pain relievers.

Females are spayed, and males are neutered. Both surgeries are done to keep pets from having babies. This not only helps to limit pet overpopulation but there are significant health advantages as well as potential behavioral advantages to both. You can contact Stone House Animal Hospital if you would like to know more.

Often this is an indication that their anal glands need to be expressed. Anal glands can become infected, impacted, and in some cases, can rupture. Some dogs need to have this procedure done frequently. Others don't. You can contact Stone House Animal Hospital if you have such concerns.

As a general rule from Stone House Animal Hospital, anything rich or fatty can cause trouble, so it's best to just feed pet food. Be sure to stay away from grapes, raisins, onions, chocolate, sugar-free gum, and anything with caffeine. These can be toxic.