Arm up against parasites!

Arm up against parasites! Photo: Shutterstock.com It seems as though a parasite endemic is upon us. Higher-than-average caseloads of both Lyme disease and heartworm infections were predicted this year, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council and the American Heartworm Society's 2016 heartworm incidence survey only backs up this claim, saying that heartworm incidence claims have risen.

Similarly, instances of tick-transmitted diseases such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis are expected to rise as well. (Want to read more on this year's parasite forecast map predictions? You can here.)

Don't worry-instead, arm yourself with knowledge and tools to help combat this uptick in parasite prevalence. We've scoured our website to bring you the best and latest on parasite prevention, from handouts to hand noncompliant clients to toolkits for you and your veterinary team members to utilize. Let's get started.

Know your enemy

You shouldn't head into battle without knowing what you're getting into. Sure, you know parasites like the back of your hand, but it never hurts to brush up on the lesser-known facts. To start, you as a veterinary professional need to dispel the myths that even you might still believe. Here are the top three myths that veterinarians still believe about parasites. After you've confirmed what you may have already known about myth, you should read up on the facts. Here are five strange facts about parasites. You can find even more strange facts here.

Prepare your clients

You've been preparing to parry with parasites since veterinary school. You know you're a warrior to contend with: You've got skills, knowledge and experience on your side. But do your veterinary clients? Most likely, the answer is no. From learning the life cycles, to identifying different types, to parasite prevention and removal, we've got tons of client-facing handouts dealing with parasites. You can find them here. 

Arm yourselves

You and your veterinary team members know how crucial it is for pet owners to curb parasites year-round, and hopefully they do as well. But you know you should take it to the next level, just in case. Enter parasite prevention toolkits. Providing data, explanations and tools to help along the way, these toolkits are surely a force to be reckoned with. (For the flea toolkit click here, for the tick toolkit click here, for the heartworm toolkit click here.)

Want even more? Enter the Veterinary Essentials. From updates to client education to arming your team, these parasite essentials are sure to have everything you need to help you battle the impending threat of parasites. (For the flea essential click here, for the tick essential click here, for the heartworm essential click here.)

Editors' note: Have something to offer that we don't? Don't hold back! You can email us at vm@ubm.com with ideas, stories or suggestions.