Carver Street Animal Hospital

2703 Carver St

Durham, NC 27705 US

919-477-7319

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Services
    • Meet Our Team
      • Meet Our Wonderful Doctors
      • Meet Our Fabulous Staff
  • Client Info Center
    • Resources
    • Online Forms
    • What to Expect
    • Payment Options
  • Tributes
    • Client Volunteers
    • Pet Memorials
    • Petsimonials
  • Updates
  • Helpful Tips
  • Trusted Links
  • Cat Tips
  • New Puppy Tips
  • Pet Trainer
  • Clinic Hours
    • After Hours Emergency Care
  • Contact Us
  • Veterinary Topics
    • Pet Health
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Digestive and Oral Health
      • Diseases and Viruses
      • Pests and Parasites
      • Orthopedics
    • Today's Veterinarian
    • Choosing Your Pet
      • Finding Your Pet
      • Cats
      • Dogs
      • Exotics
        • Amphibians
        • Birds
        • Reptiles
          • Lizards
          • Turtles
      • Small Mammals
        • Ferrets
        • Rabbits
        • Domesticated Animals
          • Prairie Dogs
        • Pocket Pets
          • Chinchillas
          • Guinea Pigs
          • Hamsters
          • Hedgehogs
          • Rats
      • Livestock
        • Cows
        • Donkeys, Horses & Mules
        • Goats
        • Pigs
        • Poultry
        • Sheep
    • Living With Your Pet
      • Bringing Your Pet Home
      • Children and Pets
      • Providing Care
      • Travel
      • Saying Goodbye
    • Newsletter Library
      • Tips for Pet Owners
      • Seasonal Topics
      • Nutrition & Food
      • Recognizing Illness
      • Visiting the Vet
      • Equine
      • Cats
      • Keeping Pets Healthy
      • Fleas & Parasites
      • Pet Dangers
      • Behavior & Training
      • Newsletter Archive
        • Fun with Pets
        • Unbelievable Pets
    • Video Newsroom
      • Health Topics
      • Technology and Science
      • Other Interests
    • Client Survey
    • Pets4Kids
  • Make an appointment
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • Fleas & Parasites >
  • Creepy, Crawly Critters

Creepy, Crawly Critters

  • Created in Newsletter Library, Fleas & Parasites

There are many parasites we need be concerned about that can affect our pets. Ticks are one of the most common and frightful. Most people shudder just at the thought of a tick, let alone finding one on their pet or in their house. Unfortunately, the people who study these things tell us we should expect a large increase in the numbers of ticks. Global warming and milder winters may be contributing to the surge of ticks, even to areas they may not have populated before.

Ticks are found worldwide, but tend to be found more in areas with warm, humid climates. They are parasites that attach to mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles and amphibians, and suck blood from their host.

There are four stages in the tick life cycle; each tick requires three hosts and takes at least one year to complete the cycle. Each female tick can lay up to 3,000 eggs in the environment. Egg hatches and forms a larva which is very small, the size of a head of a pin, and it attaches usually to a small mammal or bird. Once it is done feeding, it detaches, and molts in the environment to the next stage, the nymph. The nymph then finds another, usually larger host to attach to and suck blood. Once it is done, it detaches, and matures into the adult tick. Adult ticks then need to find a suitable host. They climb to the top of long grass, bushes, or other plants, and wait for a dog, cat, deer, cow, or any other animal to brush up against it. Once on its host, it again bites the skin and feeds by drinking blood.

There are many different species of ticks, but most, if not all, can carry diseases they can give to their host. Common tick borne diseases are Lyme disease, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasmosis, tularemia, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. All of these diseases can affect dogs, and many can occur in cats, people, and other species. The eggs can be infected inside the female tick, so even the tiny larval tick can be infectious.

There are some things you can do to try to prevent ticks in your house and yard. If you live in a more rural area, guinea fowl are great tick exterminators. Just two birds can clear two acres in one year. You can reduce the tick habitat by removing the leaf litter and clearing tall grass and brush. Discourage any wildlife from entering your yard with fences. If you live near woods, create a three foot wide barrier at the edge of your lawn with wood chips or gravel; ticks can't crawl across this. You should check your pets daily and remove any ticks you find.

We have three chemicals that we use on pets that will kill ticks, but only one can be used on cats. Fipronil, found in Frontline, can be used on dogs and cats. Permethrin has been used on dogs, but is very toxic to cats, you need to read labels and if it says "for dogs only", do not apply it to a cat as it will likely be lethal. Amitraz will also kill ticks. It is available for dogs only, in the form of a collar called Preventic. This is very effective but you must make sure the dog can't eat the collar. A new product by Merial called Certifect is a combination of fipronil and a low dose of amitraz. This is for dogs only, is applied topically once monthly, and is very effective.

You should talk to your veterinarian about the tick diseases in your area. There is a test kit your veterinarian can use in the clinic that will test for Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichia at the same time your dog gets its annual heartworm test. Your veterinarian can also discuss any treatments or preventatives from which your pet may benefit.

  • Pet Health
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Digestive and Oral Health
    • Diseases and Viruses
    • Pests and Parasites
    • Orthopedics
  • Today's Veterinarian
  • Choosing Your Pet
    • Finding Your Pet
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Exotics
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Reptiles
        • Lizards
        • Turtles
    • Small Mammals
      • Ferrets
      • Rabbits
      • Domesticated Animals
        • Prairie Dogs
      • Pocket Pets
        • Chinchillas
        • Guinea Pigs
        • Hamsters
        • Hedgehogs
        • Rats
    • Livestock
      • Cows
      • Donkeys, Horses & Mules
      • Goats
      • Pigs
      • Poultry
      • Sheep
  • Living With Your Pet
    • Bringing Your Pet Home
    • Children and Pets
    • Providing Care
    • Travel
    • Saying Goodbye
  • Newsletter Library
    • Tips for Pet Owners
    • Seasonal Topics
    • Nutrition & Food
    • Recognizing Illness
    • Visiting the Vet
    • Equine
    • Cats
    • Keeping Pets Healthy
    • Fleas & Parasites
    • Pet Dangers
    • Behavior & Training
    • Newsletter Archive
      • Fun with Pets
      • Unbelievable Pets
  • Video Newsroom
    • Health Topics
    • Technology and Science
    • Other Interests
  • Client Survey
  • Pets4Kids

Contact Us

We look forward to hearing from you

Featured Links

Click to find out more

  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
    Learn More
  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.
    View Forms
  • Online Pharmacy

     Please visit our online pharmacy for all your needs.

    Shop Now

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Saturday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "Wow! Thanks to all the staff at Anderson Vet Clinic. I feel like you all truly love what you do! My kitty, Lola and I always have such a pleasant experience when we come in. Fortunately, it’s usually just for a check-up, but I would not leave Lola in anyone else’s hands but yours. Thank you for your caring commitment!"
    Maya Smith / Los Angeles, CA
  • "I have benefited tremendously from the care my pet received from Dr. Anderson."
    John Doe / San Diego, CA
  • "Fabio wasn’t eating the food I was giving him and I didn’t feel he was getting the nutrition he needed. Thanks to Dr. Anderson, he evaluated Fabio and his current diet to make some recommendations and now Fabio has gone from barely eating to finishing his meals and he looks healthier than ever. You clearly are an expert in your field...thanks so much!"
    Tara Brown / Kansas City, MO

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

    Signs on Heatstroke: Keep Your Pets Safe This Summer

    Do you know how to protect your pet from heatstroke? ...

    Read More

    Why Heartworm Protection Is Necessary for All Pets

    Is your pet protected against heartworm? ...

    Read More

    Cat-Safe House Plants

    Not sure which house plants are safe for your cat? Take a look at our list. ...

    Read More

    Feline Skin Allergy Symptoms and Care

    Has scratching become your cat's favorite activity? A skin allergy may be to blame. ...

    Read More

    The Next Step

    The grieving process includes accepting the reality of your loss, accepting that the loss and accompanying feelings are painful, and adjusting to your new life that no longer includes your pet. How do I tell my family? Family members usually are already aware of a pet's problems. However, you should ...

    Read More

    Online Games & Quizzes

    In this version of badminton, your tail is the racquet. Make the dolphin do flips and tricks. Play Zipper's Kennel Chaos game! Can you help get water in Zipper's dish? Use your frog tongue to catch delicious bugs. Create your very own prize-winning pooch! Speed down the ice while ...

    Read More

    Battling Canine Cancer

    Every day, Cindy Fleischner lines up her crew of cuddly canines for breakfast. As the four other dogs eat, Cindy pulls Katy, her 12 year old Shepherd mix aside for a peanut butter treat. Katy is battling lymphoma and this treat hides her daily dose of chemotherapy drugs. Katy is not alone in this war. ...

    Read More

    Gastroenteritis in Pets

    Lengthy bouts of vomiting and diarrhea can be a sign that your pet has gastroenteritis, a common condition that occurs when the lining of the stomach and intestines becomes irritated. Since frequent diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration, a visit to the veterinarian is a good idea if you notice ...

    Read More

    What You Need to Know About Antibiotics

    Using antibiotics incorrectly may harm, rather than help, your pet. ...

    Read More

    Training Tips for Your Pets

    Has training your pet been a frustrating experience? These training tips may help. ...

    Read More
No form settings found. Please configure it.

Connect With Us

  • Copyright © 2022 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Site Map