Parasites including fleas, ticks, mites, and worms can cause a range of health issues for our dogs, from mild irritation through to debilitating conditions and in extreme cases, serious life-threatening conditions.
It’s essential that you implement and maintain a rigorous parasite prevention regime for your English Toy Terrier on an ongoing basis. You should also check for parasites as part of your dog’s regular health check and inspect their coats and skin regularly.
On this page we will cover prevention treatments for:
Key to ensuring that you have the right parasite prevention plan for your English Toy Terrier is to consult your vet as there can be variations in the prevalence of parasites across different geographic locations.
1. Fleas, Ticks & Mites
Fleas
Fleas are small, blood-sucking insects that cause itching, skin infections, and allergies. They can also transmit tapeworms if ingested. Once a flea infestation takes hold (fleas establish a colony and breed rapidly with eggs, larvae and adult fleas needing to be tackled separately), it can be extremely difficult to get rid of fleas from your home. The PDSA has an excellent and comprehensive overview about fleas.
Ticks
Ticks are larger parasites that attach to a dog’s skin and feed on the dog’s blood. Ticks can transmit serious, life-threatening diseases such as Lyme disease, and anaplasmosis (read more about tick-borne diseases in the UK). Ticks are commonly picked up by a dog as they move through long grass, and are more prevalent in areas with livestock, deer, badgers, and foxes. If your find a Tick on your dog, it must be removed. Don’t be tempted to pull it off as the head will separate from the body, leaving the head attached to the skin. Removal requires the use of a Tick Removal Tool as shown in the video below.
Mites
Mites are usually invisible to the human eye and yet we come into contact with many types of mites every day. Most do not cause a problem for our dogs in “normal” exposure. However, English Toy Terriers are susceptible to the Demodex Mite which can cause Demodectic Mange (Demodicosis).
Preventative treatments for fleas, ticks and mites include:
- Monthly or quarterly “spot-on” treatments that are applied topically, usually in between their shoulder blades. Examples include Advocate, Frontline and Advantage. Please note, not all these treatments are effective against the same parasites.
- Monthly or quarterly tablets oral prescription medications that kill fleas and ticks for a month or more. Examples include Credelio (Lotilaner) and Bravecto.
- Repellent Collars – always ask your vet for a recommendation as some are more effective than others.
Mentioned above, Credelio (a tablet given monthly) and Advocate (a monthly spot on treatment) are “single dose” treatments that prevent fleas, ticks and mites (including the Demodex Mite) as well as worms.
Discuss the suitability of the different options for your dog with your vet to make sure you have everything covered.
2. Worms
There are a large number of worms that can affect our dogs, some of which can have serious consequences for their human families too, so it’s important to make sure that your dog is de-wormed regularly. The prevalence of different types of worms can vary across geographic locations and it’s best to consult your vet about which worm types are most common in the area where you live with your dog. Watch the video below for an overview of common worms that affect dogs in the UK.
Prevention Treatments for worms include:
- De-worming tablets – usually given monthly or quarterly to kill and prevent worms.
- Spot-on treatments – some spot-on treatments such as Advocate are approved as de-worming treatments.
- A routine faecal examination – inspect your dog’s poop monthly for signs of parasites.
Always speak to your vet about the most appropriate parasite prevention treatment for your dog in their specific circumstances.
3. General Tips for Parasite Prevention
- Maintain good hygiene – wash your dog’s bedding and living areas regularly.
- Watch out for signs of infestation – symptoms such as scratching, licking, vomiting, diarrhoea, and lethargy can indicate a parasite problem.
- Keep your dog’s immune system strong – a well-balanced diet and regular exercise help keep dogs healthy and resilient.