Posts tagged "fleas"

Advantix is a parasiticide that kills fleas and repels other parasites on household dogs. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke to Dr. Stephen L. Lemarie, a specialist with Southeast Veterinary Specialists in Metairie, La., to get some insights about the drug. You should always consult your veterinarian before giving medicine or supplements to your pet.

What is Advantix for dogs?
Advantix is a monthly, topical canine treatment that can be used to kill fleas and repel parasites on dogs.

Tapeworms, a parasite is a common affliction for household dogs. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke to Dr. Jon M. Fletcher, Internal Medicine Department with Southeast Veterinary Specialists in Metairie, La., to get some insights about the condition.

Can tapeworms be potentially deadly?
The most common tapeworms in dogs, Dipylidium caninum and Taenia pisiformis, are not commonly associated with clinically significant disease and rarely [cause death]. In fact, in most cases the intestinal adult worms do no apparent harm to the host. Tapeworm infestation is common is certain groups of animals.

Imidacloprid is a veterinary drug used to kill fleas in household pets. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke with Dr. Butch Schroyer, Owner/Operator of the Animal Care Clinic in Lexington, Ky., to get some insights about the drug. You should always consult your veterinarian before giving medicine or supplements to your pet.

What is imidacloprid?
Imidacloprid is a topical insecticide, or parasiticide. Most people know it by the brand name, Advantage.

Fleas are a common affliction for household pets. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke to Dr. Sandra Merchant, Professor of Dermatology at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge, La., to get some insights about this condition.

What are the signs that my pet has fleas?
A few fleas may go unnoticed. Using a flea comb can help to check if there are any fleas on the pet. If there are more than a few fleas on the pet, you may notice flea feces (which look like specks of dirt, but are comma shaped) when inspected closely. If these specks get wet, they will dissolve and color the water red. If the pet is allergic to fleas, only a few feeding fleas will cause an itchy reaction.
In dogs, the reaction is usually itching, biting and chewing over the tail-head region and in the groin area. Cats can have the same pattern of itching, but they can also have a total body itch problem or a problem that causes small scabs on the skin under the hair coat. It is difficult to find fleas -- especially on a flea-allergic pet -- because they chew, bite or scratch the fleas off of their skin.

Promeris is a veterinary treatment used to control fleas in household pets. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke to Dr. Russell Welfare, veterinarian and owner of the North Powers Animal Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo., to get some insights about the drug. You should always consult your veterinarian before giving medicine or supplements to your pet.

What is Promeris?
Promeris is a relatively new flea control product that has two primary ingredients: Metaflumizone and Amitraz. Metaflumizone affects the nervous system of fleas and Amitraz affects the nervous system of ticks. It is important to note that Promeris for cats doesn't contain Amitraz and will not be effective against ticks.

Advantage Flea Control is a veterinary drug used to prevent and control fleas for household pets. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke to Dr. Russell Welfare, veterinarian and owner of the North Powers Animal Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo., to get some insights about the drug. You should always consult your veterinarian before giving medicine or supplements to your pet.

As spring arrives, balmy weather and blooming nature will lure pets and their owners into the great outdoors. But the season also brings unwanted guests: fleas, ticks and other pests.

While there are differing points of view on the best and safest choices for protecting your pets, if you want to go the all-natural route, there are many options to consider. To welcome in the warmer months, our friends at Zootoo rounded up some of their favorite all-natural flea and tick products to help your pets stay pest free all season.

A potent spray with a mild, pleasing scent, the Herbal Protection Spray from Dr. Harvey's helps prevent pests from making a home in your dog's fur, bedding or apparel. The mild formula features an all-natural ingredient list that includes neem and citronella oils -- common components of nonchemical flea and tick products -- as well as witch hazel and cedarwood oil, both natural astringents.


Featuring a sporty design and a comfortable fit, the Natural Fly Repellant Dog Collar from Fly Free Zone is a powerful, convenient weapon in the war against fleas and ticks -- as well as flies and mosquitoes. The collar's primary component is citronella, which seems to work as effectively in dog collars as it does in outdoor candles. And our tester dog showed no signs of discomfort from the collar's adjustable, sturdy construction.

As of September 2010, Carbaryl, a toxin currently being used in flea collars will be discontinued, reports the Portland Pet Health Examiner. Carbaryl, also known by its trade name, Sevin, "is a broad-spectrum insecticide used on lawns and gardens and agriculture crops that include apples, pecans, grapes, alfalfa, oranges, and corn."

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an international nonprofit environmental organization, considers carbaryl "highly toxic", and has pushed the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to get Wellmark International to discontinue using carbaryl in its pet flea collars, reports the Portland Pet Health Examiner.

While that may seem like good news, the NRDC published a startling and groundbreaking report in April 2009 that two pesticides -- tetrachlorvinphos and propoxur -- are still being used in flea collars, posing a significant danger to children, adults and animals. "High levels of pesticide residue can remain on a dog's or cat's fur for weeks after a flea collar is put on an animal," the NRDC report states. "Some residue levels are so high that they pose a risk of cancer and damage to the neurological system of children up to 1,000 times higher than the EPA's acceptable levels."

And that's not all. "Children are particularly at risk from these pesticides because their neurological and metabolic systems are still developing," the report further states. "They are also more likely than adults to put their hands in their mouths after petting an animal, and so are more likely to ingest the hazardous residues."

The NRDC is urging the EPA to ban the use of tetrachlorvinphos and propoxur in pet products. In the meanwhile, the organization suggests more natural methods of flea control, such as bathing your pet, combing its fur to find fleas, regular vaccuming and keeping grass and shrubbery clipped. The NRDC also recommends the use of pet products with Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) found in sprays, spot applications, collars and pills. For more information, visit www.greenpaws.org.

This spring, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it was taking a hard look at pesticide products for controlling fleas and ticks in dogs and cats. EPA spokesman Dale Kemery told Paw Nation that the products have come under scrutiny due to a sharp increase in reports of negative reactions to the drugs. Reports of such problems jumped from about 29,000 in 2007 to about 44,000 in 2008, according to EPA data. Those reactions ranged from mild skin irritation to more serious incidents, including seizures and even death.

Spot-on flea and tick treatments are liquid pesticides typically applied to the skin between the animal's shoulder blades or along the back. Some of those products, like Advantage, are sold only through licensed vets. Others, like Frontline and Hartz, are available in retail stores. But don't let that difference fool you. Spot-ons from vets and from pet shops can contain the same chemicals, and they're subject to exactly the same regulations by the EPA. "EPA is looking at all the spot-on products, regardless of formulation, regardless of manufacturer," said Kemery.

Spokespersons for both Bayer Animal Health (which makes Advantage and Advantix products) and Hartz said they haven't seen a rise in adverse effects from their products. They and other manufacturers of spot-on products are working closely with the EPA to get to the bottom of the story, Bob Walker, spokesman for Bayer Animal Health, told us.

The news of the EPA analysis has left many pet owners feeling confused and frightened. But is the problem as scary as it sounds? Steven Hansen, senior vice president of the Animal Health Services at the ASPCA, told us he's skeptical that adverse reactions to spot-on products have increased so dramatically. He points out that the spike in reported problems came just after the widely publicized pet-food recall of 2007. "The pet-food recall raised awareness for reporting issues with animals to a level we haven't ever been anywhere near," he said. "I really wonder if there's not just a much greater awareness and a greater reporting."

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With winters becoming more mild, pest populations are increasing, turning into a major nuisance, to say the least. New Scientist reports that, "the European dog tick is transmitting a malaria-like disease, canine babesiosis, into countries where it was once rare including Belgium, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, lxodes ticks are living at greater densities across Europe, increasing their risk of passing tick-borne encephalitis to horses and dogs."

Heartworm, cat flea typhus, and canine leishmaniasis are of concern as well, and not just in Europe. Tick, flea, and mosquito numbers are ballooning everywhere.

What can you do to protect your pets and yourself?

• Check yourself and your furry friend for ticks anytime you're out in tick prone areas.
• Use flea killing meds such as Advantage or Revolution to keep biters at bay.
• Keep your pup up-to-date on heartworm meds.

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According to a new (scary) report from the Environmental Protection Agency, topical and on-spot flea and tick medications injured 44,000 pets last year.

The study looked at EPA-registered pet products, commonly found at drug stores or on supermarket shelves in 2008. Sprays, collars, and shampoos – anything topical or on-spot to treat ticks and fleas - were included.

Most of the potential incident reports involved spot-on treatments, like the ones sold in tubes or vials and used on a specific part of your pet's body. Reactions included rashes, seizures, and, in some cases, death.

To play it safe, you may want to skip the grocery aisle for your flea and tick products. "Stick with a product you're getting from a veterinarian," advises Dr. Matthew Cooper. Side effects caused by over-the-counter medications don't come as a surprise to veterinarians, who often urge pet owners to stick with doctor-recommended products.

To see if you've been using one of the EPA-products in question, look at the EPA Registration Number on the label and check its web site. The seven products, which pet owners can identify using the label, accounted for about 80 percent of the incidents, the agency said.

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