You can learn more about Lyme Disease and the ticks that carry this illness by visiting www.lymeprevention.com. To learn more about this topic and other topics, visit our Pet Health Library at www.gardneranimalcarecenter.com.
Archive for the ‘Fleas and Ticks’ Category
Fleas Really Get Under Our Skin!!
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
Every year pet owners suffer the same frustrations. Warmer weather means more parasites, especially fleas! And, despite good, veterinary approved products, some pets are still subjected to these nasty bugs! What can we do to stop the infestation?
Fleas are truly a pet owner’s curse and worst nightmare. Designed to survive and efficient at reproducing, these blood-sucking pests can quickly overrun house and home! In addition to causing misery for our pets, fleas have the potential to carry serious, even deadly diseases. In order to defeat this enemy, we need to understand their life cycle and dispel persistent myths that lead to ineffective control.
For every adult flea seen on a dog or cat, there are about 95 other fleas in various life stages (eggs, larvae and pupae) around the pet’s environment. The failure to address the juvenile life stages is a primary reason why owners never seem to win any battles against fleas. People also misunderstand how adult fleas interact with pets.
Once an adult flea finds your pet, there is very little short of death that will remove that flea from your dog or cat. People want to believe that fleas jump from pet to pet, like it is often depicted in cartoons. The fact is once a flea starts taking a blood meal from an animal, the flea will die within two hours if removed from the pet. Pets acquire fleas by picking them up from the environment, not from playing with their canine and feline friends.
Controlling Ticks
Tuesday, June 16th, 2009
To most pet owners, the return of spring is a joyous occasion. The opportunity to spend quality time with your pet outdoors can be an exhilarating experience. Just be sure to watch out for some sneaky critters waiting to feast on your pet’s blood!
Everyone is well aware of the irritation that fleas can cause our pets, as well as pesky mosquitoes spreading heartworm disease. But another problem parasite that shows up in the spring and stays until about October is the tick – and they can cause serious problems, some of them deadly.
There are over 850 known species of ticks in the world and these relatives of spiders can be found as parasites on mammals, birds, and even reptiles. Here in the United States, dog and cat owners have less than a dozen species to deal with, but all of these ticks can harbor a variety of serious diseases, such as Erhlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, tularemia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Lyme Disease.
Ordinary Bugs Causing Extraordinary Disease!
Sunday, May 17th, 2009
Last week, the EPA announced its investigation into the over the counter flea and tick products. The announcement has led to owners everywhere calling their veterinarians with questions. We are happy to answer these questions for you. The concerns raised are important, but as you will see, it is still important to use flea and tick products under the supervision of your veterinarian. It doesn’t matter if the bug has six legs or eight. Pet owners despise both fleas and ticks and the annual nuisance they cause. You aren’t aware of it, but relieving pets of these pesky parasites might also prevent some nasty diseases.
Does the mere sight of a tick make you queasy? Do fleas on your pets cause an edgy, “itchy” feeling? Fortunately, working with veterinarians, you can ease your pets’ discomfort and provide a sense of relief. What’s even better? Each dead flea or tick is one less potential vector for some pretty serious diseases.
Boston’s Channel 5 News Story about Fleas and Ticks
Monday, May 11th, 2009
Last night, Team 5 Investigates did a story about adverse reactions to over the counter (OTC) flea and tick “spot-on” treatments. We hear this scenario all the time in practice. An owner walks into a pet store or other merchandise store looking for a product to help protect their pets from fleas and ticks. The concerned pet owner picks a product off the shelf claiming to help. Unfortunately, there is not an expert there to discuss the active ingredients in the product, the correct directions for use, or the potential side effects. The product is applied to the pet and then a reaction occurs. Thankfully, in the news story, the owner’s pet is doing well. However, there is a lesson to be learned from this story and the story released by the EPA last week.
EPA Warns Pet Owners About Flea and Tick Products
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Pet owners in Gardner and the surrounding communities are thinking about fleas and ticks. In our on-going war against parasites, “spot-on” medications have vanquished billions of blood thirsty fleas. But, along the way thousands of pets have suffered significant, even deadly, adverse reactions. Is this an acceptable trade-off and risk? Should we take these kinds of chances with our pets health?
For more than a decade, pet owners have relied on flea and tick products that claim safe and effective solutions to a persistent problem. Historically, pesticides to control fleas and ticks were harsh and seemingly caused as many problems to the pets as they did to the parasites. With the advent of new topical or “spot-on” products, pet owners breathed a sigh of relief.
But now the EPA has raised a red flag and is warning pet owners about the serious adverse effects seen with the use of these products. Citing a “sharp spike” in reported incidents, the EPA has increased scrutiny and may consider restricting their use.