We all have that one part of our job that we just do not like. I am no exception to that fact. There is definitely a part of being a veterinarian that I could do without and it is probably not what you think. It is not the gross surgeries or the vomiting and diarrhea; it is not even the sad goodbyes.

Nope, for me it is parasites, external parasites to be more exact. I know it might sound silly but creepy crawly things on your pets skin really freaks me out. Fleas, ticks and a wretched little thing called a cuterebra.

The cuterebra is a larval stage of a type of fly, this fly will lay eggs on an animal then the larva burrows inside the skin and makes itself at home until it’s big enough to fall on the ground and complete its lifecycle. The good news is that we rarely see these on a healthy animal; the bad news is that they exist at all.

We have all seen fleas, crawling on a dog or cat, weaving in and out of their fur and leaving their poop and little white eggs all over the place. I get chills just thinking about it and I can’t imagine how that must feel on the pet’s skin.

Finally ticks with their creepy little legs, waving them around looking for next meal. These guys spread disease and they are sneaky about it too. Some of the diseases they carry may not show up for years in your pet. They are like little freeloading vampires, catching a ride and meal on your pet before they go on to their next victim.

So please, keep your pets on preventative medications so that I can enjoy my job.