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Banfield’s research team found that fleas are one of the most common external parasites affecting dogs and cats. This is nothing to overlook—especially because fleas can lead to other, serious medical problems, such as flea bite allergies, skin and systemic infections and even anemia. Furthermore, the thought of fleas (or any external parasite) on my dog or house is not a pleasant one.
I use FirstShield™ Trio, a monthly flea and tick control product on my 3-year-old Lhasa Apso, Emerson. My Banfield veterinarian recommended it as the safest way to keep him protected. I have to remind myself to apply it to Emerson monthly, but it’s worth the extra step. I remember the one (and only) time he got fleas. It was right after I adopted him. I’ll admit—at first, I had a lot to learn about owning a dog. In fact, there was a time when I completely underestimated the importance of preventing Emerson against fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. He wrestled with other dogs, we went to dog parks, we took long walks through woodsy areas—all the while, Emerson was entirely unprotected. Lying on the couch with him one evening in the midst of all this, I saw the unthinkable: a black, pepper-sized bug that jumped three feet off his belly and onto the floor. The late-night process of ridding both Emerson and my house of the fleas included an 11:30 p.m. trip to get flea shampoo. Two years later, I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was a fiasco I do not want to repeat.
I now take his monthly topical treatment very seriously. Emerson now is protected against fleas, ticks—which can carry Lyme disease—and mosquitoes. Because just one mosquito bite can lead to heartworm disease, I am especially reassured that his preventive includes a mosquito repellant. I am committed to making sure that Emerson is flea-, tick- and parasite-free throughout his life.