Halloween isn’t the only time for creepy crawlies. As the weather gets warmer and you spend more time outside, your pets are more likely to be exposed to sometimes-serious infections and parasites. Each year, many pets are diagnosed with diseases carried by insects and parasites. Cost of treatment can be expensive and some diseases can lead to serious illness. Just as bad, many of these diseases can be transmitted to people the very same way our pets get them.

Pet Health Network and DogsandTicks.com are looking out for your whole family with tips for parasite and disease prevention, ways you can test your preventive-health prowess, questions to ask your veterinarian about preventive-health screenings and prevalence maps of some of the most-common pet-health infections. Check out these quick parasite prevention tips from the Companion Animal Parasite Council and Dr. Ruth MacPete, then learn more about parasites A-Z below:

• Deworm your pets according to your veterinarian’s recommendations
• Keep your pets on monthly year-round parasite preventatives
• Take your pet to the veterinarian annually for routine parasite screenings
• Wash your hands after any exposure to soil, sandboxes, and raw meat
• Don’t let children eat dirt or food that has fallen to the ground
• Pick-up after your pet and keep your yard free of feces
• Cover sandboxes and play areas