Thick With Ticks

picture taken from Wisconsin Department of Health Services

We have been awarded with a mild winter and an amazing start to spring.  With this, we will also have to pay the price with a buggier spring and summer.  I know that the kids and I have already gotten our first mosquito bites!  Important for our pets, and especially in our area of the country is going to be an active and dense tick season.

Below are some interesting facts from a recent article in Veterinary Practice News Magazine, April, 2012.

"An unseasonably warm U.S. winter not only has meant non-stop tick-sightings, it could mean a boom in the parasite population this spring-- or sooner, parasitologists say.  This correlates with a higher prevalence of tick-borne diseases in dogs and humans."

"Ticks are expanding their domains, possibly by hitching rides on migrating animals or animals in wildlife relocation programs.  These factors coupled with people moving outward into tick-endemic areas, have resulted in higher risk of tick-borne disease transfer to animals and humans."

"Currently the only tick borne disease that can be prevented is Lyme disease."

There are a number of good flea/tick products on on the veterinary market.  A few have as high as 96% effectiveness even on day 30.  "No product is 100% effective, but regular use greatly decreases the number of parasites that can live on the pet, this, in turn, decreases the chances that the pet owner may be bitten."

So, bottom line, prevention is key.  Through both Lyme vaccine and flea/tick protections, you can protect not only your pet, but also the people in your household.  Ask us about the best product's for your pet's lifestyle.

The Great Orange Hunter

My first cat was a beautiful big orange tabby named Gideon.  He was a very talkative cat, and he would greet me each evening with the full mewing story of his day.  (I still miss that.)  One night, I was awakened by this strange ululating cry.  I shot out of bed and found Gideon crouched excitedly in the middle of the living room with his paws hiding something.  When I finally coaxed him into reluctantly moving his paws, something tiny and grey shot across the living room and into the bathroom.  Realizing it was a mouse, I grabbed a plastic bowl and lid to try to catch it.  After a session of squeaking and jumping back (the mouse was twitchy, too), I finally caught it and took it down the three flights of stairs from my apartment to release it outside.  Then, a very disappointed Gideon and I went back to bed.

At the time, this simply made me look at my sweet boy a little differently now that I saw him as the great orange hunter.  Now that I’m a veterinary technician, this episode always reminds me of the reasons we recommend year-round parasite prevention for all our patients, even indoor-only cats like Gideon.  Apparently, outdoor critters can even get into third-floor apartments.  What Gideon saw as a fabulous toy looks to me like a vector (carrier agent) for fleas, tapeworms, and intestinal parasites.  Now that the weather is getting colder, our basements are looking more inviting to all of nature’s tiny furry inhabitants.  I love to see them outside, but I’m going to make sure I protect my furry family members from anything they might be bringing into my home.

Kelley Wagner, C.V.T.

Look What's New!

We have just received a great new combination preventative called Trifexis! 

It prevents heartworm disease,

treats and controls adult hookworms, roundworms and whipworms, 

kills fleas (within 30 minutes) and prevents infestations.

All in a tasty, so my dogs tell me, beef flavored tablet.

Best of all, no topical insecticides to mess with !

Ask us about how your pets can benefit from Trifexis today!

H.A.R.D

Hard to diagnose; Hard to treat; Hard to breathe; Hard on your cat.  H.A.R.D. (Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease) is the name of the syndrome caused by Dirofilaria Immitus (Heartworms) in cats.  Recent studies have proven that many cats with reactive airway disease (asthma) and other types of lung disease have heartworm infections.

The most worrisome aspect of this condition is that cats are affected by immature stages of worms that cannot be detected on available test.  Current heartworm tests are for adult female worms, so if a cat has only a a few male worms or the lung disease is from immature worms, the disease is hard to diagnose.  Compounding the concern, we can only treat the symptoms.  Unlike dogs, it is considered too risky to treat the adult worms in cats.

You may ask yourself what can be done.  Here is the good news about a hard situation:  Prevention Is Easy!  It's the only practical and effective approach.  Also, seriously, why do cats not deserve the same level of parasite protection as that given to dogs?  No, their indoor lifestyle does not reduce their risk to anything close to an acceptable level.

Just as in dogs, there are a variety of monthly preventative products that are very safe and very effective.  These products can also prevent flea, mite, lice, and intestinal parasite infestations.  Remember, if your pets are free from parasites, you and your family will be too!

Brian C. Ray, DVM

How To Be An Informed Owner

Zoonosis (zo-o-no-sis).  Not a very pretty word, now is it?  Wait 'til you know what it means!!  The World Health Organization definition is: "Those diseases or infections which are naturally transmitted between vertebrate mammals and man."  For our purposes, dogs and cats to humans, and specifically for this article, problems associated with parasites.  As veterinarians, we take an oath not only to maintain the health of animals, but through our activities to also ensure that interactions between pets and people is not a public health concern.  But we need your help.  In the following lines, we will discuss these concerns and how to avoid becoming a victim of zoonosis.

Most of the parasites we are familiar with are those living in our pets' intestines.  Roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, giardia and coccideosis are all potential human pathogens.  The diseases are past in a fecal oral route.  I don't mean a poop sandwich, but minute particles of feces on our pets, in their mouths (have you seen the places your pet can reach?), in the soil, standing water, our floors, carpets, upholstery, bed linens, etc. etc. etc.  Multiply this by the many thousands of eggs shed daily by parasites and their ability to survive years in the environment under the harshest of circumstances.  It paints a daunting picture.  So what can we do?  Number one; stop the shedding of eggs into the environment.  Have your puppy or kitten dewormed, have adult pets' stool tested regularly (every 6 months), and use monthly products to prevent infestation.  (Heartworm preventatives are very effective.)  Pick up feces in the yard and litter box daily.  Wash hands and fruits and veggies.  Don't go barefoot, and do not drink water not known to be for human consumption.

The other important groups of parasites are those that live on the outside of the pet, specifically fleas and ticks.  Pets and people get tapeworms from ingesting fleas.  We are all aware of the threat of Lyme disease from ticks which can also spread related diseases of Ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.  If our pets are free of external parasites, then we reduce our own exposure.  Avoidance is simple due to the monthly flea and tick products currently available.  These products should be applied as early in the pet's life as the label allows and then used monthly forever!

Also, remember that our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc. are most at risk and, as with so many other things in life, they depend on us to protect them.  Please help us help you keep the relationship between you and your pet a healthy one.  Bring us gifts of poop whenever you come to see us, and take parasite control seriously for the well being of both the pet and the human members of your family.

Brian C. Ray, DVM