Preventative Pet Care in Madison, Maine
Protecting your pet from preventable diseases starts with proactive care. At Madison Animal Hospital, we offer tailored parasite protection and pet microchipping to help your pet live a safer, healthier life year-round.
Year-Round Protection Starts Here
Preventative care is a critical part of responsible pet ownership. Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and intestinal parasites aren’t just a nuisance—they can pose serious health risks to your pet and even to your family. The good news? With the right prevention plan, these threats can be safely and effectively managed.
At Madison Animal Hospital, we help pet owners in Madison, Skowhegan, Anson, and nearby communities choose the best parasite prevention products based on each pet’s age, lifestyle, and environment. We also offer microchipping as a permanent form of identification to help lost pets find their way back home.
For information on core and lifestyle-based vaccines, please visit our Vaccinations page.
Microchipping for Pets
Losing a pet is one of the most stressful experiences a pet owner can face—and sadly, only a small percentage of lost pets ever make it back home. Microchipping greatly increases those odds. While collars and tags can fall off or get damaged, a microchip is a permanent form of identification that lasts a lifetime.
At Madison Animal Hospital, we strongly encourage microchipping for all pets, even those who live strictly indoors. Accidents can happen at any moment—a door left ajar, a loud noise, or a broken screen—and even the most cautious pet can slip away.
Microchipping is a quick, affordable procedure that’s relatively painless and can be done during any routine appointment. The chip itself is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted just beneath the skin. Once implanted, shelters and veterinary clinics can scan the chip to retrieve your contact information, helping reunite you with your pet as quickly as possible.
It’s important to keep your contact details up to date with the microchip registry. A chip is only useful if someone can reach you when your pet is found. Our team is happy to guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have.
Heartworm Prevention
Heartworm is a serious, potentially fatal disease that’s transmitted by mosquitoes. It takes just one bite to infect a pet, and because symptoms don’t usually appear until the disease has progressed, heartworm can be difficult to detect and treat.
While there is a treatment for dogs, it’s expensive and very hard on the body. For cats, there is currently no approved treatment at all. That’s why we emphasize prevention. We recommend year-round heartworm prevention for all dogs and at-risk cats. If your pet hasn’t been on preventive medication previously, they’ll need a simple blood test before getting started.
Our veterinarians can help you choose the right monthly preventive to suit your pet’s needs and your budget.
Intestinal Parasite Screening
Internal parasites like roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms are more common than many pet owners realize, especially in puppies and kittens. These parasites can cause weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and more. Some can even be transmitted to humans.
Routine fecal testing allows us to identify and treat these parasites before they become a bigger issue. Your veterinarian may recommend periodic screenings depending on your pet’s age and exposure risk.
Flea & Tick Prevention
Fleas and ticks aren’t just seasonal pests—they can cause various health issues, including dermatitis, anemia, Lyme disease, tapeworms, and other tick-borne illnesses. Once these parasites make their way into your home, they’re notoriously difficult to eliminate.
Prevention is always easier (and more affordable) than treatment. That’s why we offer a variety of flea and tick preventives to protect your pet year-round. Itching and scratching may be the most obvious signs of fleas, but you can also check for “flea dirt” (tiny black specks) in your pet’s fur. Ticks prefer to attach near the ears, neck, paws, and between the toes.
We’ll work with you to find the most effective option for your pet and household—whether that’s a chewable tablet, topical solution, or combination approach.
Proactive Protection, Peace of Mind
Your pet’s health and safety are our top priorities. From parasite prevention to permanent identification, Madison Animal Hospital is here to help you take simple, effective steps that can make a big difference in your pet’s well-being.