Parasite Prevention

At Aureate we place all our dogs on medication to protect against Heartworm and require our puppy homes to do the same. The point of this post is not educate you on the various medications available to you, but as a reminder that the disease is endemic in Ontario. It is entirely preventable with appropriate coverage. Heartworm medication must be prescribed by your vet. Typically bloodwork can be done every other year if your dog has been covered during the at risk months. Our vet prescribes prophylaxis from June 1st - November. Not only is heartworm completely preventable with proper medication, the treatment should your dog acquire the disease is prolonged, expensive and complicated. So why wouldn't you do your best to protect them beforehand!

In terms of other parasitic protection we require at Aureate, we de-worm all our puppies throughout their first few weeks of life. We continue to offer anti-helmintic medication throughout adulthood for our dogs in house. We require our puppy families to provide their dogs with either the vaccination against Lyme disease or provide oral medication against the bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi carried by deer ticks responsible for the disease.

Lyme disease not only is a risk for your dog, but also you should the tick be transmitted to you via your dog. If your dog is on prophylactic medication, the tick will die once it bites your dog as will the bacteria it transmits Borrelia burgdorferi and it will pose no further risk to you or your dog.