Flea prevention low-down

Not all flea preventatives are created equal.  There are quite a few flea prevention products that we see on the shelves of pet stores and advertised through on-line pharmacies.  Some cost more than others and some require a veterinary prescription.  In my opinion, the primary and important difference in flea prevention is in “speed of kill” – allow me to explain what that means.  The various topical flea preventatives that are commercially available all have different time frames in which they are anticipated to kill the fleas that jump on the treated pet.  This is important because when we take into account the flea’s life cycle, we can understand that we want to kill that flea before it has the chance to lay eggs that will further contaminate the environment.  A topical flea preventative that kills the flea faster will act as a treatment for fleas (the flea is dead) as well as a preventative for fleas (the fleas are not laying eggs that will contaminate the home/yard and serve as a source for further infestation).  This combination of action gives us the best possible prevention and treatment for fleas. 

There are some other variations between the products.  Safety for children is an important one – in almost all cases it is important that the product not come into contact with humans.  Some are labeled as more harmful than others, so each situation must be taken into account.  My recommendation has always been to apply the topical flea product at night right before the family goes to sleep.  This way, no one will be petting the pet immediately after application and by morning, it will be fully soaked into their skin.  Tick protection is another way in which the commercial products differ.  I recommend tick protection in the topical flea preventative for dogs, not cats.  This is designed to kill ticks that jump on your dog, hopefully before they are able to transmit disease.  Ticks carry many diseases, the most commonly known is Lyme Disease.  If the tick dies quickly, it is unable to transmit this disease to the dog through the bite.  Finally, water resistance varies from product to product.  In most of the veterinary –recommended products, water resistance is an added feature.  Once allowed to dry, the product is resistant to washing off for dogs that swim or are bathed frequently.  

Please check the various products and their claims before deciding that price is your only concern.  I have seen many dogs with live fleas that were recently treated with an inexpensive over-the-counter product that their owner bought in the grocery store.  These products will appear to be no different than their more expensive counterparts, but they are!

Finally, please remember to use the product exactly as it is labeled and on the proper pet.  Dog flea products on cats can be toxic, as can cat flea product on rabbits.  

Dr. Amy Hellard
West Chester Veterinary Care (WCVC)
www.westchesterveterinarycare.com

Winterize your outdoor cat!

I have been thinking recently of things that often get missed.  This discussion on feline preventative medicine is long overdue.  I mentioned to a group recently that they should not forget to "winterize" their outdoor cats and they got a chuckle out of that.  Let me explain what I meant.  I am talking to two different types of people - they are cat owners and cat caretakers.  There are many people who care for outdoor cats who are reluctant to take that final step and admit they are the primary caretaker for the cat.  There are plenty of neighborhood cats that fit this picture - they are outdoors all year round and several people share the responsibility of feeding them.  However, there is usually one person to whom that responsibility primarily falls and this is the person that is actually the owner of the cat, whether they would like to admit it, or not.  So face it, you own a cat.  Now read on to see how to better care for that cat.  I know you care - you keep feeding it!  

Cats that are outdoors for ANY length of time during the day should be protected against all they face while they are outside.  First there are parasites.  External parasites include fleas, lice, and mites.  Internal parasites include roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, heartworms, and coccidia.  Next there are viruses such as Panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, leukemia, FIV, and rabies.  Finally there are opportunistic bacteria that can attack the skin, respiratory tract, digestive tract, wounds, etc.  It only took four lines of text, but that is a lot of stuff these cats are faced with.  Keep in mind that indoor cats have susceptibility to a lot of these things as well.  Add to this the fact that outdoor cats have to avoid cars, keep warm, deal with fighting, watch out for predators, and still get their daily meals, find a spot to rest, and monitor their territory.  There is a lot to keep them busy.

Winterize your cat: be sure to deworm, get vaccinations updated, and test for FeLV (leukemia), FIV, and heartworm disease.  Put prevention on your cat to keep them safe from fleas.  I like Revolution and Profender, but there are other products that you can use.  If you use Revolution and Profender, you can protect against heartworms, fleas, hookworms, roundworms, and ear mites.  You can kill existing roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms.  These products cover a lot of ground!  See you vet to discuss the situation with the cat for the upcoming months.  Remember that fleas are at their worst RIGHT NOW and fleas transmit tapeworms.  Get your cat tested for the common transmissible viruses and update vaccinations regularly.  These cats are in need of your support - provide more than just kibble for them to eat - keep them safe from all they face on a daily basis.  Thank you for caring!

Dr. Amy Hellard
West Chester Veterinary Care (WCVC)
www.westchesterveterinarycare.com