| Some of the more common recent questions I’ve received in the clinic regarding f and its use for flea and tick prevention in pets. A big concern I often receive is the quality of Frontline Plus being carried by online pharmacies like 1800petmeds and whether it is the same as those used and sold by veterinary offices. The truth of the matter is that Frontline Plus is a prepackaged product by Merial, and is the exact same one carried by 1-800-PetMeds as your local veterinarian. |
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Another common question is, “Why does my pet still have fleas after applying Frontline?” (after a few consecutive months. The most common reasons for flea treatments failing is typically because of improper application, or more commonly failure to treat the environment of the pet, including the home and yard; where 80% of the flea life cycle occurs. Along the same line, some products, however will work better on some pets than others. So, if there are still fleas even after properly treating the home and using Frontline Plus for several months, I would suggest having your house professionally treated by an exterminator and/or change to a different product such as Advantage.
If a pet still has fleas, many veterinarians will use the product more frequently than once monthly, sometimes as often as once every 2-3 weeks. However, this process is often considered to be “off label use,” and I would not use the product this way unless first speaking with your pet’s veterinarian. If a client is currently using a different topical such as Revolution or Advantage, it is safe to change to Frontline Plus after 3-4 weeks from the date of last application of the other product. While Frontline Plus is labeled as waterproof, I usually advise clients to wait at least 24 to 48 hours before bathing their pet. Side effects to Frontline Plus are rare but may include hair loss/skin irritation at site of application, (rarely) digestive upset, (and even rarer) immunological reactions of the blood or neurological reactions like seizures. Again, these are very rare, as most pets tolerate this product quite well.
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One of the most economic and useful supplements I’ve found in canine veterinary practice is the addition of the Be Well supplement (available for dogs and cats). While many have heard me discuss in other blog posts, the deficiencies in processed commercial pet foods, as well as even those who attempt to prepare home made diets, by incorporating the Be Well supplement, animal guardians are going a long way in helping provide their dogs with what is missing in most dog foods. |
Rich in Omega 3 fatty acids from flax seed, fiber, as well as antioxidants from green tea, a sprinkle of this supplement replaces nutrients often lost in the processing of most commercial pet foods. Some of the wonderful potential benefits I’ve seen with continued use include less intense skin allergies and shedding, along with a healthy coat. As we are just learning the tremendous benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids in many chronic diseases, Be Well’s wonderful spectrum of nutrients is also helpful in maintaining a healthy heart, brain, and kidneys.
| The most common question I receive is whether a pet should receive year round heartworm prevention. And while in many areas of the country, the actual risk of contracting heartworms is higher in the spring and summer months, because of recent global warming, and the fact that many pets travel back and forth across different areas of the country, the American Heartworm Society does recommend year round use of heartworm preventatives like Interceptor. |
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Another common question I often get is, “Can I break a heartworm preventative pill to save money on the quantity of pills?” Because the medicine is not equally distributed in the chewable pill, it is not recommended that heartworm preventative medicines be broken this way, and animal guardians should always follow manufacturer package recommendations regarding dosing. For those few dogs who do not like the chewable formulation of Interceptor, it is okay to pill the dog directly down the throat or mixed with something the dog will eat.
Many people will often buy one year supply of this preventative which is fine, as the expiration date is usually 18 months. It is indeed safe to give interceptor to nursing mothers, as long as the puppies are above 2.2 pounds. Side effects of Interceptor are rare and if they do occur, they typically occur within a few days, and may involve digestive, dermatologic or neurologic reactions. As with other popular heartworm preventatives, Interceptor is available only by prescription.
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Many animal guardians often become frustrated with their canine companions who dig deep holes in their yards. While this can be simply a playful or nervous habit of many dogs, digging behavior is normal in wild carnivores, because they often bury their prey in order to protect it from predators, and so they can return later and eat it when others are not around. |
Many companion animal dogs will also bury bones given to them in the backyard for likely similar reasons. The simplest solution I have found to this problem in my experience is purchasing a small sand pit or child’s play area full of dirt or sand, which a dog will often move towards in digging, rather than digging holes in the garden or grass. By providing such an area, animal guardians will often protect their yards from unwanted damage and holes.
| A question often asked by clients who own diabetic pets is, “Is it ok to give a diabetic pet glucosamine joint supplements?” In my experience and opinion, I have not found the small amounts of glucose (sugar) in glucosamine joint supplements harmful to diabetic pets, and in most of my cases I’ve not seen a problem with diabetic regulation. However, every pet is a unique individual, and if a veterinarian is having trouble regulating a diabetic animal and that pet is on glucosamine, sometimes I will have the client stop the glucosamine and/or try another joint supplement such as Proanthozone, Omega 3 fatty acids, and related products until I have the pet better regulated. |
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I’ve also found with the higher grade joint supplement products, such as Glyco-Flex or Super Joint Enhancer, diabetic regulation is not affected with less flavor enhancers or additives. However, with the cheaper over the counter versions, it is often the extra additives that in fact add sugar to the products and can sometimes affect diabetic regulation.
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One of the most frustrating problems for animal guardians is when their veterinarians prescribe an oral antibiotic or oral medication that is difficult for them to administer to their pets. Whether it be that a pet is very stubborn about pilling or can eat around medication hidden in food, this has long been one of the most frustrating problems encountered by both veterinarian and animal guardian. Over the years newer medications one-a-day prescription pet medications has made this issue easier, however, this problem still remains an obstacle for many animal guardians. A few years ago, an injectable antibiotic came out by Pfizer called Convenia, where a single injection of this cephalosporin-based antibiotic lasted for up to two weeks.
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This versatile antibiotic, which has a broad use of activity in small animal practice from skin infections to other soft tissue or respiratory infections, it has been a godsend for many guardians; especially when dealing with an outdoor cat who is hard to catch and/or a dog who is difficult to restrain or medicate.
So, if your pet has been diagnosed with an infection, and it is difficult for you to properly medicate or pill your pet, you may want to ask your vet about prescription Convenia, now available from most veterinarians by prescription injection from their office. At the same time, I will often prescribe immune boosters as well, including Vetri-DMG liquid, Vitamin C, Super VitaChews and other nutritional supplements to help improve immune function and shorten the duration of the infection.
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One of the most common questions asked in the clinic is why a spayed or neutered pet still sometimes appears to have sexual desire. This can often appear as mounting of people’s legs, other animals, furniture, or sometimes fluffy toys. And while sex hormones clearly play a role in sexual desire, there are many other factors in surgically sterilized pets that can lead to such behaviors. |
There are adrenal and other glandular sources of sex hormones in the body, which can play a role in such behaviors. Also, mounting can often indicate a dominance gesture in dog society, with the mounting dog expressing a dominance behavior by sexually mounting. Finally, I have seen some pets that have had chronic reactions to rabies vaccinations and become more sexually aroused. In fact, in the veterinary texts, one of the symptoms of rabies is actually increased sexual desire. And while pets that start excessively mounting in the months following a rabies vaccination are not actually rabid, they are expressing symptoms of what is actually seen in the natural disease.
The best solution to this common and frustrating behavior is to simply interrupt the behavior with a noxious stimulus such as shaking a coffee can full of coins or spraying the pet with a water pistol during the unwanted behavior, so that the pet couples this stimulus with the behavior and thus learns not to mount inappropriately.
| Environmental allergens (such as ragweed, pollens, grasses, trees, molds, etc) have long been suspected as being a major factor in flare-ups of canine seasonal allergic dermatitis (known as atopy). Multiple routes of exposure include ingestion and inhalation but most recently contact and skin exposure has been considered a major role in intensity of allergic symptoms. |
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This highlights the important need for frequent application of topical therapy to remove the allergens and decrease penetration of the skin and subsequent itching and inflammation from these allergens. Therefore, I recommend frequent bathing with low allergy products on a routine basis to help relieve clinical symptoms and also help cut down on drug doses needed to control allergies.
In some affected patients bathing up to 2-3 times weekly is often quite helpful. Some of my favorite shampoos for this include 1-800-PetMeds Oatmeal and Aloe Vera Shampoo and Conditioner or Epi Soothe Shampoo and Epi Soothe Oatmeal Cream Rinse to name a few.
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As in growing children, growing puppies can sometimes develop mild self-limiting conditions that will resolve on their own or with minimal medical treatment. One of the more common skin conditions seen often during times when puppies are being vaccinated is the appearance of a rash most commonly on the abdomen known as Puppy Pyoderma. The rash which is often characterized by the appearance of white heads (known as pustules) and red blemishes may be due to hormonal factors or a mild reaction to puppyhood distemper vaccination. |
In most cases no antibiotics are needed, and this problem is usually more of a concern and bother to an over worried animal guardian than to the dog. Another common condition which can be seen is the appearance of a greenish to yellowish mucoid discharge from the vagina or penis of a growing puppy. In a male dog, this mucous buildup is known as smegma and most commonly does not need to be treated. And in the female puppy, puppy vaginitis is again a hormonal condition of young growing female puppies which is also self-limiting. Another big question we are often asked in the clinics is why a client’s puppy scratches so much. And while certainly excessive/intense scratching and secondary sores can have many causes from mange mites to allergies, many puppies simply itch more with no ill effect for no reason, which they often outgrow, or perhaps again due to hormonal changes.
| As with people, pets can sometimes become constipated for various reasons. These can range from inadequate fiber in the diet, metabolic diseases of the liver or kidney, electrolyte imbalances, dietary indiscretion/foreign body ingestion, lower spinal cord disease, anal sac disease, compressive masses, ingestion of too much hair. In cats, constipation can be caused by a problem known as megacolon, where the muscle of the walls of the colon in essence stops working. |
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While most pets have usually one to three bowel movements a day, some pets may only have bowel movements every two to three days. As long as there are no signs of abdominal discomfort, ineffectual urging for stools , and appetite/energy remain normal, then I wouldn’t worry about pets going a few days without a bowel movement. For those pets that are straining or having trouble passing bowel movements, there are some home remedies that animal guardians can try at home first, as long as signs are not that intense.
Adding some extra fiber to the meals, whether in form of Metamucil as a source of soluble fiber, or bran as a source of insoluble fiber, may help some pets. There is a wonderful commercial pet product called Vetasyl which is often used. Even a teaspoon or two of canned pumpkin added to meals can help some dogs or cats. Adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil to the diet can also help in some cases. However, if symptoms persist or intensify, a full veterinary workup, including blood work and X-rays should be done to rule out underlying causes of chronic constipation.
