The start of a new year is a natural time to reset routines, especially the ones that protect your pet’s health behind the scenes. Parasite prevention doesn’t always feel urgent when your dog or cat looks and acts normal, but in Katy, Texas, heartworms, fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites can be a year-round concern. That means the best “New Year’s resolution” for many pets is simple: stay consistent with prevention and keep your testing up to date.
At Circle B Veterinary Hospital, we love helping families create prevention plans that actually fit real life, your schedule, your pet’s habits, and the places you go together. With the right strategy, parasite prevention becomes easy, predictable, and far less stressful than dealing with an infestation or preventable illness later.
In many parts of the country, parasite prevention is treated as seasonal, something you start in spring and stop in fall. But Texas doesn’t always follow that script. Mild winters, warm spells, and changing weather patterns can allow mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks to stay active longer than people expect. Even when it feels chilly outside, parasites can still find opportunities to bite, feed, and spread disease.
Another factor is how pets live. Dogs still go outside daily, and many families travel between neighborhoods, parks, and trails throughout the year. Cats may be indoor-only, but fleas can hitchhike in on other pets, clothing, or visitors. The bottom line is that “we don’t see bugs right now” doesn’t always mean the risk is gone.
Year-round prevention helps keep protection steady, so you’re not trying to catch up after a missed month or responding to a surprise outbreak. Consistency is what turns parasite prevention into a true safety net.
Heartworm disease is serious, and it starts with a single mosquito bite. When a mosquito carrying heartworm larvae bites a dog (and less commonly, a cat), those larvae can mature into worms that live in the heart and lungs. Over time, heartworm disease can cause coughing, fatigue, weight loss, exercise intolerance, and significant damage to the cardiovascular system.
Prevention is much easier than treatment, which is why monthly heartworm prevention is so important. But even with consistent prevention, testing still matters. Dogs should be tested regularly because no preventive product is 100% foolproof; missed doses, vomiting after a dose, incorrect dosing for weight, or timing issues can all play a role. Testing helps catch an infection early, when the plan for care is clearer, and outcomes are better.
Cats aren’t “immune” to heartworms, either. While cats typically have fewer worms than dogs, heartworm infection in cats can still cause severe respiratory signs and can be difficult to diagnose. If you’re unsure whether your cat needs prevention, your veterinarian can help you weigh risk factors and choose the safest approach.
Fleas aren’t just an annoyance; they can cause intense itching, skin infections, and allergy flare-ups. Some pets are especially sensitive to flea saliva, meaning even a single bite can trigger days of scratching and inflammation. Fleas also reproduce quickly, and once they establish themselves in the home, they can be frustrating to eliminate.
Ticks are a different kind of concern. They bite quietly, can be easy to miss under fur, and may transmit diseases depending on the species and region. Even if your pet mostly stays in the backyard or on neighborhood sidewalks, ticks can still show up, especially in areas with tall grass, brush, or wildlife activity. Preventing tick attachment is far easier than trying to detect every tick in time.
Because flea and tick risks vary by pet and by household, the “best” product isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your veterinarian can recommend options based on safety, your pet’s age and weight, and how much exposure they have to parasite-prone environments.
Heartworm, fleas, and ticks tend to get the most attention, but intestinal parasites are more common than many pet owners realize. Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and other parasites can affect dogs and cats, and some can be contagious to other pets (and, in certain cases, to people). Pets can pick up parasites from soil, shared outdoor spaces, wildlife, contaminated water, or even grooming after stepping in something outdoors.
That’s why routine fecal exams are an important part of prevention. A fecal test can detect parasite eggs or signs of infection even when your pet isn’t showing obvious symptoms. Some pets with intestinal parasites have diarrhea or weight loss, but others appear completely normal, meaning the only way to know is to test.
Regular fecal testing helps protect your pet’s digestive health and supports a cleaner, safer environment for your household and community. It also allows your veterinarian to recommend the right deworming or treatment only when needed.
The best prevention plan is the one you can stick with, and the one that matches what your pet actually does day to day. At Circle B Veterinary Hospital, we often start by looking at a few simple lifestyle details, such as:
From there, your veterinarian can recommend the right products, dosing schedule, and testing frequency. They can also help you set reminders and coordinate refills so you don’t accidentally miss a month, because prevention works best when it’s consistent.
Parasite prevention is one of the kindest, most practical things you can do for your pet, because it prevents discomfort, avoids serious disease, and reduces the need for stressful treatments later. In Katy, Texas, a year-round approach to heartworm, flea, and tick prevention, paired with routine heartworm testing and fecal exams, helps keep your pet protected through every season.If you’d like help choosing the right preventives or getting your pet’s testing up to date, Circle B Veterinary Hospital is here for you. Call today to schedule a wellness visit, heartworm test, or fecal exam, and let’s start the year with a simple plan that keeps your pet safe, comfortable, and thriving.