Spring is Officially Here – And so are the Fleas!

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We are all enjoying the longer days and the warmer spring weather.. However, in addition to the welcome showers, spring also brings some unwelcome guests that should be of concern to pet caregivers. As outside temperatures and humidity rise, the onslaught of mosquitoes, fleas and ticks begin. It is important to be conscientious about flea and tick prevention because these pests are more than itchy annoyances to your dog. Both fleas and ticks can transmit other parasites and diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and flea allergy dermatitis.

The best way to deal with fleas to prevent them! According to Dr. Michael Dryden, a leading expert on fleas, preventing flea infestation is one of the most important things pet caregivers can do for their pet. “For some reason,” asserts Dr. Dryden, “most people tend to react to fleas AFTER the fact. They seem to treat pets when they see fleas, then stop once the problem seems to be resolved.” Not a good idea. That philosophy only results in a frustrating ongoing cycle of re-infestation. We encourage responsible pet caregivers to use preventative treatment all year round! An even more serious parasite than fleas and ticks is heartworm which can seriously damage your dog’s heart. Spread by the bite of a mosquito, adult heartworms settle inside the heart and lungs, and slowly strangle these organs until they cease to function properly.

Many over-the-counter flea, tick and mosquito control products can be purchased at pet stores and on the internet. However, all products are NOT equal. If they are misused, they can sicken or even kill your pet. We urge you to talk with your veterinarian about the best preventative treatment for your four-legged companion. Parasites are a medical problem and it is wiser to spend a little time, energy and money preventing a medical problem rather than playing catch up to cure an existing one!

With the continual pet food recalls, more pet caregivers are making homemade food for their furbabies. The TLC has a Canine Recipe Book and a favorite recipe is Poultry Loaf. Served on top of their dry food, dogs snarf it down with intense concentration. For those of you who don’t have the TLC Canine Cookbook, here’s the recipe for Poultry Loaf (and if you would like a copy the cook book, just contact us):

  • 1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3 Tablespoons wheat germ
  • ½ cup chopped carrots.

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Put into a lightly greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for an hour( or until done) Crumble into pieces and serve over dry dog food. Freeze in small portions for later use.

Was there ever a dog that praised his fleas?

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Fleas and ticks sadly are a part of life for most dogs during warm weather months. Fleas are tiny wingless insects with an extremely hard outer shell that makes them difficult to kill, and, being exceptionally prolific, they can multiply to thousands in a short time. The tireless flea can jump 10,000 times without stopping; its flat body allows it to move easily through fur, and its powerful legs come with “rakes”, which help it hang on to the hair of its host. During the winter months, fleas are usually dormant, residing in well-protected hideaways that resist cold weather, but once things start looking sunnier, they emerge from their resting places, eagerly looking for any warm-blooded creature that happens by. Once fleas finds a tasty dog, they have a two-part mission—to suck blood and lay eggs. The dog enables them to survive and reproduce.

Mark Twain is credited with saying that “it’s a good thing for a dog to have a flea or two—it keeps his mind off being a dog.” The fact is that If you find a flea( or two) on your dog, you can be sure that there are many more, and fleas make any dog’s life miserable and can quickly cause a long lasting infestation in your home, creating a nightmare for both two legs and four legs.

What purpose do they have? You can’t swat them like a fly; you can’t squish them like a cockroach…they just bite and jump away, so why do they exist? What purpose do they have? As Sarah Kane asks, “Was there ever a dog that praised his fleas?” Obviously the answer is NO, and there has never been a human who praised fleas either. VCA Animal Hospital estimates that a dog with 25 fleas gets bitten 600 times a day, causing major discomfort, but fleas also cause skin allergies and anemia and potentially transmit tapeworms.

The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that flea-related diseases account for more than a third of the total cases they treat in small companion animals, and urge responsible caregivers to use flea (and tick) preventatives BEFORE they have a problem. For some reason, many caregivers seem to react to fleas AFTER the fact. They tend to treat pets when they see fleas, and then stop if they no longer see fleas, which results in a frustrating ongoing cycle of re-infestation. Flea larvae burrow into cool, dark places like carpeting and crevices along walls where they feed on adult flea feces and other organic debris, and since flea pupa can remain dormant for more than a year, prevention is definitely better than cure.

An array of commercial products is available to rid your dog of fleas, or prevent them from taking up residence in the first place, but consult your vet about easy-to- use preventative treatments and remedies. Millions of people purchase over-the-counter products believing they couldn’t be sold unless they were proven to be safe. Not so: they are often in-effective, and sometimes toxic. Talk to your veterinarian about a safe, effective plan of attack, and once the choice is made, be consistent in its application. If you forget a scheduled treatment, your dog is at risk. Keep a reminder system on your refrigerator. Or phone. Implementation of some relatively easy strategies can protect everyone in your household, both human and animal, from these nasty parasites.

“The flea, though he may kill none, he does all the harm he can.” John Donne

It’s Time to Get Serious

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I recently reminded caregivers that pet parasites are alive and well…. Now it is time to get serious… REALLY serious. Often the small things in life create the biggest problems, and parasites may be small, but they can cause big problems for your dog. Humans have death and taxes…most dogs are afflicted with parasites at some point in their lives. Almost all puppies are born with roundworm infection, and roundworm is the most common internal parasite in any age dog simply because it is spread from the mother, or can be picked up in contaminated soil. Sometimes roundworms can be spotted in a dog’s stools, looking like wiggling pieces of spaghetti, but who looks at a dog’s bathroom deposits?

Yuk! Checking your dog’s feces is certainly not glamorous, but you can get valuable information about his health from the color, odor, consistency, contents, and amount of his poop. Usually a healthy poop is well-formed, firm but not hard, moist, and doesn’t fall apart when picked up. Various medical conditions can affect the stool, so if your dog’s poop strays from the norm for a day or two, it may not be serious, and even mucus or blood doesn’t mean that your dog is dying, but it definitely warrants a visit to the vet, and whether or not you see worms doesn’t mean that parasites are not infecting your dogs:

  • Hookworms can cause significant illness as they have sharp teeth that tear into the lining of the intestine, and they actually feed on the animal’s blood, which can cause anemia.
  • Whipworms are tough to diagnose because even a fecal exam may miss them since they do not come out in every stool, but intermittently.
  • Tapeworms can sometimes be seen by checking your pet’s bottom. Look for rice-shaped tapeworm segments squirming on the hair near the dog’s anus. Most pets that have tapeworms got them originally from infected fleas.
  • Heartworm is one of the most damaging of all parasites and heartworm larvae enters an animal through a mosquito bite, and the mosquitoes are already numerous, meaning that it’s likely to be a huge parasite infection this year!
  • Other parasites that are sometimes found in a fecal exam are protozoan parasites, coccidia, and giardia, a very insidious parasite that is found mostly in stagnant water, but it can pop up in lakes and ponds.

It’s time to get serious. Do not wait until you see a flea or find a tick. And yes, the ticks are already active! We removed ticks from a new rescue dog just this last week, and even if you see no evidence of worm infestation, regular fecal samples should be checked regularly to determine what, if any, parasite is present. Protecting your pet from internal parasites is a vital part of responsible pet care because, although they may be puny, they can wreak havoc on your dog’s health. We do not recommend buying over- the- counter wormers or flea and tick preventatives because many of the generic products are either too harsh or may be ineffective, and some are downright dangerous! Trust your vet to help you choose the products that will be most effective in eliminating any problems. Fleas, ticks and worms can all be defeated with preparation, vigilance, and treatment but you must be serious, really serious!

It’s Spring Fever for Internal Parasites

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Mark Twain said, “It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want—oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” The rising temperatures, sunshine, and warm breezes make us all feel good —we truly do have spring fever. However, the warm weather brings more than just flowers. It signals the beginning of parasite season for our pets, and these parasites can rob your pets of needed nutrition and cause serious organ disease. Biting insects become more active, and they do know what they want…warm bodies, so it is important to take precautions to prevent and treat and protect your pets from parasites.

Heartworm disease is a life-threatening disease that is spread by mosquito bites, and spring brings a resurgence of these disease carrying insects. Mosquito bites cause more than itchy bumps; they can actually threaten your pet’s life by transmitting a very serious infectious illness caused by parasites named Dirofilaria immitis, which, in their immature stage, are carried by mosquitoes. They are injected into your pet while the mosquito is feeding, and these immature worms migrate through the body, eventually reaching the heart and lungs, where, in about six months, can grow as long as a foot in length. Every time your pet is bitten by a mosquito, there is the possibility that the animal is exposed to heartworms.

Dogs with heartworm disease may cough, lose weight, be weak, have trouble breathing, collapse and die. A simple blood test can identify heartworm disease, and treatment is expensive and potentially risky, so It is much easier and safer to keep your pets on effective preventatives that are available from your veterinarian. Do not use over-the-counter products, as some are not safe.

At the same time as your dog is tested for heartworm, he should also be screened for intestinal parasites including tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms, and protozoan parasites such as giardia. These parasites rob your dog of nutrition and can cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal bleeding. Testing is simple and cheap…just take a fecal sample in to be checked. A little prevention will go a long way to keeping your pets healthy and happy.

Fleas and ticks can be present year-round, but their populations tend to increase drastically in the spring time, and carry various diseases including Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Fleas can also transmit diseases such as tapeworms, and by the time you see one flea, you can be sure that you are faced with an invasion!. Again prevention is better than cure!

Now back to spring fever, and, as Twain said, maybe you don’t quite know what you do want, but you can be sure your dog knows what she wants… your love, and maybe a homemade treat. Your dog’s “heart will ache” for these Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits:

  • 2 cups flour, preferably whole wheat, but white is okay
  • 1 cup oatmeal
  • 1 ¼ cups peanut butter
  • ¾ cup water (may need a little more)
  • 3 Tablespoons honey
  1. Mix all ingredients together until they form a ball… using your hands is messy, but is the easiest method. If dough is too crumbly, add a bit more water.
  2. Break off small hunks and place on lightly greased baking sheet.
  3. Flatten with a fork (or your thumb) and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.
  4. It may take a few minutes longer, but watch that bottoms do not burn.

Prevent Those Tiny Critters from Causing Harm

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Sixteenth century poet John Donne once said, “The flea, though he may kill none, he does all the harm he can.” Parasites are definitely unwelcome guests at any time of year, whether they are microscopic bacteria or blood-engorged ticks the size of a pea, and these pests are more than nuisances…many carry diseases that can impair or even threaten your dog’s life. It is estimated that Americans spend more than a billion dollars a year in an attempt to get rid of parasites from their pets and homes, and when these jumping, biting pests appear in the spring, most pet caregivers rush out to buy preventative treatment in an effort to curb “the harm they can do.” However, as temperatures drop, many seem to feel that they can stop worrying about flea and tick infestations. The truth is that fleas can be more prevalent in October and November than at any other time of year. Throughout the summer, flea populations have increased and are peaking in the fall, and as the weather cools down, the pesky critters instinctively seek out warm bodies and other warm places to feed and exist and lay eggs. Fleas can lay dormant for long periods in the larva and pupa stages until environmental conditions rouse them, and unless flea preventatives are used well into the winter. Problems such as flea bite dermatitis and possibly tapeworms may develop.

Ticks have also been abundant all summer, and they are still alive and well, even though cooler weather has arrived. Ticks are tough, and can hibernate and survive very cold weather, and although they probably won’t invade your home like fleas do, they can bring diseases into the house by clinging to your clothing or your pets. Ticks have become synonymous with Lyme disease, but most ticks do not carry this disease, and even if they are infected, they only begin transmitting disease if they are allowed to remain attached and feed for sustained periods of time, so it is important to examine your dog every day to locate and immediately remove any ticks. Work through his coat with a fine-toothed comb, and use your hands to feel all over for any suspicious bumps and creepy crawlers. When ticks are engorged with blood, they are visibly swollen and purplish, but unfed ticks will resemble tiny brown scabs, and are easy to miss. There are effective products to deal with both ticks and fleas, but DO NOT buy over-the-counter products which may be toxic to your pet. Always check with your veterinarian before using any parasite prevention product! Other parasites that drain a dog’s vitality can be quickly identified by a fecal sample. Fecal samples should be taken in to your vet regularly, so if a bug is found, it can be treated and eliminated. It is easier to expend a little extra time, energy, and money to prevent parasites from causing major harm.

Mosquitoes have been terrorizing both humans and canines this fall, and mosquitoes are the culprits in transmitting potentially lethal heartworm. Unlike fleas and ticks that live on your dog, mosquitoes just drop by for a quick meal, and then are gone, but they have the potential to transmit life-threatening diseases such as heartworm which can be fatal to an animal. We encourage responsible pet caregivers to be diligent in the consistent use of VET APPROVED flea, tick and heartworm prevention products.

Everyone is afflicted by “the fleas” of life”—you know, colds, bills, broken bones, and little nuisances of one sort or another. Let’s strive to eliminate all the fleas—from our dogs, and from our lives.

—William Styron

 

In the good old summertime

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Summer is a time for both you and your dog to enjoy the sunshine and outdoors, but along with the fun, there are some dangers for your animal. To keep your companion animals safe this summer:

  • NEVER leave him in a parked car. The temperature in a car can reach 120 degrees in just minutes even on a moderately warm day. If you see an animal in a parked car, alert the management of the store, and if the owner does not respond promptly, call the police. Take a look at this public awareness video by Dr. Ernie Ward: http://youtu.be/JbOcCQ-y3OY.
  • Summer is often when people fertilize their lawns and work in their gardens. Plant food, fertilizer, and insecticides can be fatal if your dog ingests them. In addition, more than 700 plants can cause harmful effects in animals…complete lists of toxic plants can be found at www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plant-list-dogs.
  • Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes which are abundant this year, so be sure that your dog is taking heartworm prevention medication prescribed by your veterinarian.
  • Dogs can’t perspire and can only dispel heat by panting and through the pads of their feet, so it is important to provide plenty of water and shade while they’re enjoying the great outdoors so that they can stay cool.
  • Dogs need exercise even when it is hot, but extra care needs to be taken to limit exercise to early morning or evening hours. Keep in mind that cement and asphalt get very hot and can burn your pet’s paws.
  • Fleas and ticks are another summertime threat! Use only flea and tick treatments recommended by your veterinarian. Some over-the-counter products can be toxic, even when used according to instructions.
  • Pets can get sunburned too, and your dog may require sunscreen on her nose and ear tips. Those with light-colored noses or light-colored fur on their ears are particularly vulnerable to sunburn (and skin cancer). Don’t shave the coat of a long-haired dog too closely for his “summer coat.” Hair helps insulate and control body temperature, and exposed skin is more susceptible to sunburn.
  • Avoid taking your dog to crowded summer events such as rock concerts or fairs. The loud noises and crowds, combined with the heat, can be stressful and dangerous for pets. For their well-being, leave them home!

Charles Newing remembers the good old summer time with nostalgia, recalling a time when he and his big old dog just sat on the front porch, enjoying each other’s company:

Are rocking chairs in this country, I’m asking myself, being rocked on summer evenings as much as they once were? Or do they stand abandoned and motionless on deserted porches across the land? Do humans still find a place under the shade trees to take naps with their beloved four-legged companions, now that the air conditioned homes offer relief from the pesky flies and blistering heat? How often do they engage in a game of fetch- the- stick, or bring- me –the- ball now that they have their laptops and i-pods and cell phones?

Emily Dickinson, in a letter from 1856, noticed the awesomeness of summer, writing, “If God had been here this summer, and had seen the things that I have seen—I guess that He would think His Paradise superfluous.” I can’t brag in this same fashion about our summer this year, because of all the rain, (and the humungous size of the mosquitoes) but we have been so busy that we haven’t really taken time to enjoy much of anything.

I seldom take time to walk around the block with my dog, much less rock on the front porch….and now that I think about it, I don’t have a front porch any more.  But even without a front porch, (and no rocking chair), the world won’t stop spinning if I ignore all my “to-do” lists and obligations (and turn off my cell phone) for a little while. The good old summer time will be gone too quickly, so come on, fella, let’s go out under the shady elm tree and take a good long nap…then maybe we can have a game of fetch.

Spring 2014

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The calendar officially proclaims that IT’S SPRING, and hopefully the long, bitter weather is behind us.  Spring is a great time of the year, and both humans and canines are ready to feel the warm sunshine, with grass on the ground instead of ice and snow. However, spring brings hazards for our companion animals, who are restless from being cooped up, and are eager to shake off the blahs of winter.

  • There are new smells and new places to explore which means that normally well-behaved dogs will suddenly become escape artists and dig or climb their way out of their safe yards to find themselves lost with no clue about returning home. Please be sure that you have up-to-date identification on your dog. We also recommend micro-chipping your animal.
  • In spring, depending on your dog’s breed, you can expect more shedding as the coat changes. Consistent daily brushing is necessary, and remember, in a pet lover’s home, a few dog hairs can be classified as condiments! (I doubt anyone ever died from a dog hair in his soup!)
  • If you have an intact pet, he will really become restless. The alarming statistics of unwanted offspring and animal overpopulation should convince you to spay or neuter, and it is also important to do it for the health and safety of your pet.
  • Spring is a good time to schedule a wellness check. Hopefully the vet will give her a clean bill of health, but if something suspicious is found, perhaps it can be treated in the early stages. Most dogs have teeth problems by the time they are three years old, and since tooth and gum disease can lead to more serious problems, be sure to include a dental checkup for your canine.
  • We used to believe that heartworm was a problem only in the Southern states. Not true. This mosquito-borne parasite is a definite threat to your animals, and while it is true that heartworm can be treated if caught early enough, the treatment is harsh and is also expensive. Get your dog tested for heartworm and on a preventative provided by your veterinarian.
  • Don’t wait until you see a flea to begin treatment…fleas are more than a nuisance, and bother your dog with more than allergies and itchy skin, and by the time you see one, you have an invasion of these nasty little creatures.  If a flea swallowed by your dog contains tapeworm larvae, the dog may get tapeworms, and other diseases may also be transmitted by the fleas.  Once your dog is infested, the problem extends to the home and yard, and is more difficult to treat. The smart thing to do is to treat your animals BEFORE fleas are present. There are many safe products that will eliminate flea problems. DO NOT use over-the-counter products…many are toxic. Discuss your options with your veterinarian.
  • It is equally important to protect your dog (and you) from ticks, which can carry and transmit several diseases including Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Fever. Again prevention is much easier than treatment. Some products are effective against both fleas and ticks. Again talk to your vet about preventative measures, and how, by consistent implementation of relatively easy strategies, you can protect both humans and canines in your household from these unwelcome parasites.  Controlling and eliminating fleas, ticks, and parasites require energy, time, and money. The best control is always prevention.
  • If you use herbicides or pesticides on your lawn, be sure to restrict your pets from the treated areas for at least 24 hours, preferably longer. These chemicals are toxic to your pet.

By taking just a few precautions, spring will be a fabulous time for both you and your dog!