🐾 Parasites & Your Pets: What You Need to Know
Parasites aren't just annoying — they can cause serious illness or even death in pets. Some can even spread to humans! 😱 Let’s explore the most common parasites found in cats and dogs on Guam, and how you can protect your furry family members.
🛡️ Flea & Tick Prevention
Check out what we have available for flea and tick preventions:
Worms
Worms are sneaky internal parasites that can live inside your pet without any obvious signs! Some even pose a risk to humans — especially kids. Here’s a quick guide:
- Heartworms: Spread by mosquitoes. Live in heart/lungs. Not contagious to humans.
- Roundworms & Hookworms: Found in intestines. Can infect humans through contaminated soil or feces.
- Whipworms: Spread through soil/feces. Eggs survive in the environment for years.
- Tapeworms: Spread via fleas or rodents. Not dangerous to humans in Guam.
Fleas
Fleas are tiny, but they cause big problems!
- Bite pets and humans, causing serious itching.
- Can trigger flea allergy dermatitis in some pets.
- Severe infestations can lead to anemia in small animals.
- Vets look for fleas, flea dirt (black specs), and signs of itching.
Ticks
Ticks bite and feed on blood. In Guam, the most common tick is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which primarily affects dogs but can occasionally bite humans.
Ticks in Guam can carry diseases in dogs, including:
- Ehrlichia canis
- Anaplasma spp.
- Babesia canis vogeli
- Hepatozoon canis
Ticks usually attach for 2–3 days before spreading disease. Other tick species on Guam, like Haemaphysalis and Amblyomma breviscutatum, can also carry pathogens affecting pets.
Tip: Regular tick prevention and checking your pets after outdoor activity helps keep them healthy and safe.
💡 What You Can Do
Guam is a paradise — for parasites. 🌴🐾 That’s why year-round protection is a must!
- Mosquitoes spread heartworm disease.
- Soil is contaminated with hookworms, roundworms, whipworms.
- Fleas and ticks thrive in warm, humid areas like leaves, soil, and debris.
- Only 5% of parasites live on pets — 95% live in the environment!
- Indoor pets are not safe from parasites. Prevention is still essential.
Ask your vet about the best parasite prevention plan for your pet. Let’s keep them happy, healthy, and itch-free! 🐶🐱💚