Spring has sprung!
We all want to wish you a Happy March! With the warmer weather, we officially mark the beginning of flea and tick season. Fleas and ticks are external parasites that affect dogs, cats and humans too. The harmful effects of fleas and ticks can include more than just itchiness and discomfort. In fact, both fleas and ticks can carry serious diseases that are dangerous to both owner and pet. Thankfully, today there are a variety of products available through veterinarians that can help ensure protection from these pesky parasites.
Fleas
In addition to itchiness, or pruritus, fleas can cause numerous health problems in our pets. Fleas are small, brown, wingless insects that bite the skin and feed on blood. Because they feed on blood, flea infestations can lead to anemia. When a flea bites a pet, it injects small amounts of saliva into the skin that works to prevent blood clotting and allows it to better siphon blood. Some pets are allergic to the flea saliva, which can cause severe skin reactions, known as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) or flea bite hypersensitivity. Fleas can also carry tapeworm larvae, which a pet can ingest and become infected with tapeworms and then pass through its feces (often looks like “pieces of rice”). Plus, fleas can carry the organism Bartonella henselae , one of the causes of “cat-scratch disease (CSD)” in humans.
Ticks
Ticks are another blood-sucking parasite of the arachnid family related to mites and spiders. Ticks are most commonly found on the ears or in between the toes, but they can be found anywhere on the body. Ticks can be harmful in small or large numbers, as they can transmit serious diseases to both animals and humans. Tick-borne diseases include: Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Lyme disease. Erhlichia can cause anemia, low platelet counts, bleeding, fever, lethargy, neurologic disease and multiple leg arthritis. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can cause fever, neurologic disease, breathing difficulty, bleeding disorders and anemia. Lyme disease, caused by the organism Borrelia burgdorferi , is transmitted by the deer tick and can cause multiple leg arthritis, weight loss, lack of appetite, lethargy and fever. Ticks can also cause localized inflammatory lesions of the skin, and occasionally, a syndrome called tick-bite paralysis: weakness or paralysis associated with a toxin the tick secretes as it feeds.
Signs of Infestation
Often times pet owners will find fleas or ticks on their pets; however, some pets with flea allergy dermatitis/flea bite hypersensitivity may just be itchy, but no fleas are visible. Finding an adult flea is just the “tip of the iceberg” as the flea has other life-cycle stages that are more numerous and often times too small to see easily. Fleas lay eggs that fall off the pet into the surrounding environment. These eggs hatch into larval-stage fleas then form a pupa before maturing into an adult flea. Other signs of flea infestation are finding pepper-like debris (flea feces) in the pet’s fur, pruritus (itching/scratching/over-grooming), and irritated skin. Flea infestations can lead to secondary skin infections as well. Another indicator of a flea or tick problem is if pet owners find a tick or small bites on themselves.
Flea and Tick Preventives
Fortunately, there are a variety of flea and tick preventives available through your veterinarian. These products are safe and effective, and come in either topical or oral formulations. It is crucial that products designed for dogs should never be used for cats and vice-versa. The use of over-the-counter products is not recommended as they can have harsher ingredients and harmful side effects, especially if used incorrectly. Harmful side effects can include: allergic reactions, muscle tremors, seizures, and in severe cases, death for a pet. We have a variety of products here at Hope Animal Medical Center that can help you and your pet. We recommend using flea/tick control products once monthly year-round as insects are a year-round problem here in the south. Below is a brief explanation of the different products available.
FOR DOGS:
Capstar = Nitenpyram, oral flea control, kills fleas quickly,lasts 1 day only
Comfortis = Spinosad, oral flea control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Advantage = Imidacloprid, topical flea control, lasts 1 month
K9Advantix = Imidacloprid/Permethrin, topical flea/tick control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Frontline = Fipronil/S-Methoprene, topical flea/tick control, lasts 1 month
Preventic Collar = Amitraz, tick collar, lasts 3 months (DOGSONLY)
Trifexis = Spinosad/Milbemycin Oxime, oral flea control plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Sentinel = Lufenuron/Milbemycin Oxime, oral flea sterilizer plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Revolution = Selamectin, topical flea/tick control plus heartworm prevention, lasts 1 month
FOR CATS:
Capstar = Nitenpyram, oral flea control, kills fleas quickly,lasts 1 day only
Advantage = Imidacloprid, topical flea control, lasts 1 month
Advantage Multi = Imidacloprid/Moxidectin, topical flea control plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, and ear mite treatment/prevention, lasts 1 month
Frontline = Fipronil, topical flea/tick control, lasts 1 month
Revolution = Selamectin, topical flea control plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, and earmite treatment/prevention, lasts 1 month.
Please call for more information or visit our clinic’s website at www.HopeAMC.com.
We all want to wish you a Happy March! With the warmer weather, we officially mark the beginning of flea and tick season. Fleas and ticks are external parasites that affect dogs, cats and humans too. The harmful effects of fleas and ticks can include more than just itchiness and discomfort. In fact, both fleas and ticks can carry serious diseases that are dangerous to both owner and pet. Thankfully, today there are a variety of products available through veterinarians that can help ensure protection from these pesky parasites.
Fleas
In addition to itchiness, or pruritus, fleas can cause numerous health problems in our pets. Fleas are small, brown, wingless insects that bite the skin and feed on blood. Because they feed on blood, flea infestations can lead to anemia. When a flea bites a pet, it injects small amounts of saliva into the skin that works to prevent blood clotting and allows it to better siphon blood. Some pets are allergic to the flea saliva, which can cause severe skin reactions, known as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) or flea bite hypersensitivity. Fleas can also carry tapeworm larvae, which a pet can ingest and become infected with tapeworms and then pass through its feces (often looks like “pieces of rice”). Plus, fleas can carry the organism Bartonella henselae , one of the causes of “cat-scratch disease (CSD)” in humans.
Ticks
Ticks are another blood-sucking parasite of the arachnid family related to mites and spiders. Ticks are most commonly found on the ears or in between the toes, but they can be found anywhere on the body. Ticks can be harmful in small or large numbers, as they can transmit serious diseases to both animals and humans. Tick-borne diseases include: Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Lyme disease. Erhlichia can cause anemia, low platelet counts, bleeding, fever, lethargy, neurologic disease and multiple leg arthritis. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can cause fever, neurologic disease, breathing difficulty, bleeding disorders and anemia. Lyme disease, caused by the organism Borrelia burgdorferi , is transmitted by the deer tick and can cause multiple leg arthritis, weight loss, lack of appetite, lethargy and fever. Ticks can also cause localized inflammatory lesions of the skin, and occasionally, a syndrome called tick-bite paralysis: weakness or paralysis associated with a toxin the tick secretes as it feeds.
Signs of Infestation
Often times pet owners will find fleas or ticks on their pets; however, some pets with flea allergy dermatitis/flea bite hypersensitivity may just be itchy, but no fleas are visible. Finding an adult flea is just the “tip of the iceberg” as the flea has other life-cycle stages that are more numerous and often times too small to see easily. Fleas lay eggs that fall off the pet into the surrounding environment. These eggs hatch into larval-stage fleas then form a pupa before maturing into an adult flea. Other signs of flea infestation are finding pepper-like debris (flea feces) in the pet’s fur, pruritus (itching/scratching/over-grooming), and irritated skin. Flea infestations can lead to secondary skin infections as well. Another indicator of a flea or tick problem is if pet owners find a tick or small bites on themselves.
Flea and Tick Preventives
Fortunately, there are a variety of flea and tick preventives available through your veterinarian. These products are safe and effective, and come in either topical or oral formulations. It is crucial that products designed for dogs should never be used for cats and vice-versa. The use of over-the-counter products is not recommended as they can have harsher ingredients and harmful side effects, especially if used incorrectly. Harmful side effects can include: allergic reactions, muscle tremors, seizures, and in severe cases, death for a pet. We have a variety of products here at Hope Animal Medical Center that can help you and your pet. We recommend using flea/tick control products once monthly year-round as insects are a year-round problem here in the south. Below is a brief explanation of the different products available.
FOR DOGS:
Capstar = Nitenpyram, oral flea control, kills fleas quickly,lasts 1 day only
Comfortis = Spinosad, oral flea control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Advantage = Imidacloprid, topical flea control, lasts 1 month
K9Advantix = Imidacloprid/Permethrin, topical flea/tick control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Frontline = Fipronil/S-Methoprene, topical flea/tick control, lasts 1 month
Preventic Collar = Amitraz, tick collar, lasts 3 months (DOGSONLY)
Trifexis = Spinosad/Milbemycin Oxime, oral flea control plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Sentinel = Lufenuron/Milbemycin Oxime, oral flea sterilizer plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, lasts 1 month (DOGS ONLY)
Revolution = Selamectin, topical flea/tick control plus heartworm prevention, lasts 1 month
FOR CATS:
Capstar = Nitenpyram, oral flea control, kills fleas quickly,lasts 1 day only
Advantage = Imidacloprid, topical flea control, lasts 1 month
Advantage Multi = Imidacloprid/Moxidectin, topical flea control plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, and ear mite treatment/prevention, lasts 1 month
Frontline = Fipronil, topical flea/tick control, lasts 1 month
Revolution = Selamectin, topical flea control plus heartworm prevention, intestinal parasite control, and earmite treatment/prevention, lasts 1 month.
Please call for more information or visit our clinic’s website at www.HopeAMC.com.
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