Dear Readers: Last week we discussed the first part of our eight-week health plan for pets. It began with a complete physical examination and necessary laboratory tests to determine the state of your pet’s health. In Step 2 of the plan, we address the importance of preventing and treating parasites.

Parasites, both internal (worms and coccidian) and external (ear mites, fleas and ticks) are causes of disease in pets. Internal parasites are usually more of a problem in puppies, kittens and older pets adopted from the pound or strays taken in. External parasites can affect pets of any age, although ear mites are more of a puppy and kitten problem. Early diagnosis and prevention are important.

Most worms and coccidian take nutrients from the pet, causing vomiting or diarrhea and failure to gain weight. Hookworms deserve a special mention, as they suck blood from the pet and cause anemia that can be fatal in small pets. Heartworms infect both dogs and cats; prevention is essential. Ear mites cause intense itching and secondary ear infections. Fleas carry tapeworms and plague, and ticks carry a number of diseases; both parasites can also cause severe blood loss.

Most of these problems, particularly internal parasites, can be easily prevented through the use of conventional medications. While there are some natural alternatives, a few are actually more toxic than the conventional medication and should only be used under veterinary supervision. There is one exception: Preventing external parasites should rely on natural remedies when possible, as they have wider safety margins than do conventional drugs. I see a number of pets taking monthly flea preventive medication. However, many of these pets have minimal or no chance of ever seeing a flea most of the year. For these pets, I see no reason to use the chemical preventives.

As with every aspect of our health plan, we try to go natural first and only use chemicals when there is a real reason to do so.