Why It's A Good Idea To Take A Cat With Fleas To The Vet

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Sometimes, cats get fleas. This is a common issue and one that countless cat owners have dealt with over the years. In most cases, you can treat your cat for fleas, the fleas will go away, and life will go on as usual. If you can afford to do so, however, it is not a bad idea to take your cat to the vet when you discover they have fleas. A vet can go above and beyond to ensure your cat is as safe and healthy as possible, considering the circumstances. Here are some of the ways they can do that.

Administering Immediate-Action Flea Treatments

There are over-the-counter flea treatments that you can buy at a pet store and use on your cat. They work, but they can take some time to work since they may only kill adult fleas. Vets have access to stronger, prescription-only flea meds. Once they verify that your cat does not have any underlying conditions that make them a poor candidate for these flea meds, they can administer them. Your cat will get prompt relief, and they won't keep itching as new fleas hatch.

Checking the Skin for Secondary Infections

When cats become infested with fleas, they begin to itch and scratch their skin. If they break the skin, they can introduce bacteria, which can lead to an infection. Such infections are easier to treat when diagnosed early. If you take your cat to the vet after discovering that they have fleas, then the vet can check for skin infections. If they do discover skin infections, they can provide topical or oral antibiotics to clear the issue up ASAP.

Treating for Tapeworms

As strange as it may sound, fleas and tapeworms in cats often go hand-in-hand. Fleas can carry tapeworm eggs on their bodies. If a cat ingests a tapeworm egg, it can hatch, eventually developing into an adult tapeworm that will live in the cat's intestines. Cats ingest fleas regularly during grooming. So, if you take your flea-infested cat to the vet, they will typically administer a deworming medication to kill any tapeworms or tapeworm eggs. Tapeworms can cause cats to lose weight and experience abdominal discomfort, so they are important to treat early on.

If your cat has fleas, treating them with an OTC (over-the-counter) product is adequate care. However, if you can manage to do so, taking them to the vet for more in-depth treatments is even better.

Contact a local veterinarian to learn more.

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29 September 2022

Talking About Pet Vaccinations

Hello, my name is Marissa. Welcome to my site about veterinarians. I decided to buy myself a puppy for the holidays. I searched my community for a breeder and picked up my puppy right away. Unfortunately, within a day, I noticed my puppy was not feeling well. The poor animal picked up a virus on the way home due to the lack of proper vaccinations. The vet was able to save my puppy and give her all the correct vaccinations. I will use this site to explore viruses and other conditions that vets prevent through precisely timed vaccination schedules. Thanks.