Pet Health Is A Factor In Your Family’s Health

For many parents, a puppy can be a great addition to a family. Puppies often present an opportunity for children to learn how to show love and respect and to take responsibility for another "family member."

Part of taking responsibility for a pet means maintaining its health. Take your newly adopted puppy to the veterinarian immediately. The veterinarian will check the dog’s health status and recommend when he should be vaccinated and wormed.

Your puppy—and other family members—will also need protection from internal parasites. One of the easiest, most effective ways to protect your pet is to use a monthly oral parasite preventive available through veterinary clinics. But it must be used consistently.

Year-round treatment with a broad-spectrum parasite product is key. That’s because a significant portion of the U.S. experiences parasite prevalence all year.

For instance, the presence of mosquitoes and their ability to transmit heartworm is unpredictable. Pets can also be exposed to and become infected with roundworms, hookworms and whipworms throughout the year. Owners may not notice outwardly visible infections in adult dogs, leading to environmental contamination.

Experts such as the Companion Animal Parasite Council (www.petsandparasites.org) say using an internal parasite preventive is especially important in households with infants and small children. The risk of parasitic infection in pets and parasite transmission to people increases in the absence of year-round internal parasite prevention.


Dogs must be tested for heartworm prior to use. In a small percentage of treated dogs, digestive, neurological and skin side effects may occur. In a 90 day safety study, the combination of SENTINEL Flavor Tabs and CAPSTAR (nitenpyram) Tablets was well tolerated.