Summertime is great for hiking and camping with your dog. But it’s also great for picking up unwanted hitchhikers. Chiggers, fleas, flies, mosquitoes, and ticks abound in wilderness areas, parks, and even roadside rest stops — ready to make both you and your dog miserable. 

Bugs are more than just pests; they can pass on deadly diseases to your dog. 

• Fleas carry diseases such as bubonic plague and parasites such as tapeworm. 
• Mosquitoes can carry heartworm and West Nile virus. 
• Ticks can carry diseases such as Lyme disease, canine ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Your veterinarian can recommend several excellent spot-on topical preparations that will kill and repel fleas and ticks. Some topicals will also repel chiggers, mosquitoes, and flies. The Preventic collar will kill ticks. Ensure the collar or topical you plan to use is appropriate for your dog’s age, and ask if it will react with your dog’s medications or any flea sprays or powders. If you’re camping in areas where Lyme disease is a problem, ask if a Lyme disease vaccination might be appropriate. Be sure your dog is up-to-date on his heartworm medication, too. 

How Do I Keep Bugs From Biting My Dog?

Follow these handy tips for hiking and camping bug-free:  

• Trim the hair on your dog’s legs and underbelly to keep him from picking up stray critters. Keep him out of the scrub, and don’t let him run loose.  
• Use a topical product such as K9 Advantix, Advantage, Frontline Plus, or Biospot on your dog. Check with your veterinarian to ensure they do not react to other medications or flea and tick preparations.  
• Use a Preventic collar in heavily tick-infested areas. Check your dog frequently for ticks when you’re hiking, and remove them promptly.  
• Use a flea comb on your dog every day to remove any extra pests.
  
• Use a tarp for ground cover to keep pests off you and your dog. Fly strips (sticky strips that attract flies) are a non-poisonous way to combat flies and other flying insects at camp. OFF makes a mosquito lantern that will help keep your area mosquito-free while camping.  
  
• Don’t use DEET products directly on dogs because they can ingest the poison while grooming. (It’s OK to use them for your bug spray.)

Are Tick and Flea Control Products Safe?

Dr. Katy Nelson, a Virginia-based emergency veterinarian, has rarely seen flea and tick repellents’ adverse reactions in her career. “Maybe I’ve seen three or four dogs have reactions — allergic, itchy, or swollen faces. You give medication or a bath, and they’re fine,” she says.

Nevertheless, the Environmental Protection Agency has recently become more concerned about anti-flea and tick chemicals’ harmful effects. After an increase in reports of incidents associated with these medications in 2008, the EPA has made product-labeling rules more stringent and has also increased safety review standards. Below, Nelson weighs in on the pros and cons of using chemicals — and more natural alternatives — to keep your dog flea-free.

Safety Standards For Flea and Tick Control Products

Flea and tick products contain small amounts of chemicals. The companies that produce the products have tested them in much higher doses than are prescribed and recommended. When used correctly, flea and tick repellents for pets are overwhelmingly safe.

“Research has shown us that these products are extremely safe for animals and the people who come into contact with them,” says Nelson. “I’d rather my clients risk a little chemical exposure than have a dog who goes into kidney failure because of Lyme disease.”

The Risks of Traditional Flea and Tick Products

The EPA’s new rules reflect the fact that incorrect usage has caused the bulk of the problems. Most such products now require more explicit labeling and detailed instructions. If you’re not sure about the instructions, make a quick call to your veterinarian.

Side effects in dogs have included skin irritation, vomiting and diarrhea, and in rare cases, seizures. It is unclear, however, whether the pet owners who reported these problems used the products correctly. It is always a good idea to monitor your dog’s reaction to flea and tick products, especially the first time you use them.

The Benefits of Traditional Flea and Tick Products

Flea and tick products keep fleas and ticks at bay, protecting your dog not only from disease-carrying bites but also from ingesting fleas — often carriers of tapeworms. Dogs are good groomers. If a flea is biting them, they’re likely to eat it long before you see it.

Ticks transmit disease by drinking the blood of an infected animal, harboring the infective organisms, then feeding on their next victim. The risk of tick-borne illness is even greater than that from fleas, if only because ticks carry more deadly diseases, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Many traditional repellents also contain protection against flies and mosquitoes. “A dog who spends the day outside is likely to be bitten by mosquitoes 500 times,” says Nelson. Mosquitoes transmit heartworm larvae, so keeping your dog from being bitten is also crucial to heart health.

Natural Tick and Flea Prevention for Dogs

Natural flea and tick repellents abound. Some are ingestible, containing ingredients like garlic, while others are “spot-on” and contain active ingredients like peppermint and cinnamon oils.

“Natural products can potentially help some. But they don’t have the guarantees and the backing of veterinarians and the pharmaceutical companies, who will pay in full for disease treatment if your dog gets, say, heartworm while using their products,” says Nelson.

Even with their stepped-up standards, the EPA continues to recommend the use of products containing chemical pesticides. “Most people use the products with no harm to their pets,” the EPA has noted. “They can be appropriate treatments for protecting public health — both animals and humans.”

“Since the preventatives have been available, the incidence of heartworm, intestinal parasites, and tick-borne diseases has reduced dramatically. The risk of these diseases is much worse than the risk of using a preventative that contains chemicals,” says Nelson.

Article written by Author: Darcy Lockman and Margaret Bonham

A few years ago, the Millbrook Hunt Club in upstate New York realized that many of its Foxhounds were becoming seriously ill. The dogs, known for their athletic prowess and seemingly limitless energy, appeared to be wasting away. Extensive testing revealed that a rare parasite, leishmaniasis, was to blame. Public health officials now believe this particular parasite is under control, but other potentially deadly parasites pose continued health threats to both you and your dog. Internal parasites are of particular concern since they’re often not detectable by owners.

The danger lies in the fact that internal parasites live off their host, which means that they can suck up blood, nutrients, water, and other essentials from you or your dog.

If enough parasites are present, which is likely since a single female roundworm can produce up to 100,000 eggs a day, the host can weaken and even die if left untreated.

Your veterinarian can determine whether your dog has a parasite through fecal screening or a blood test. Here is a parasite primer to guide you through basic identification and prevention measures for common parasites for added good measure.

Tapeworms in Dogs

Tapeworms are one of the most common parasites in dogs. They are transmitted by fleas and break off into 1/4-inch sections that can be seen around a dog’s hindquarters or in its poop. Tapeworms live in a dog’s digestive system and usually do not cause any significant health problems.

Symptoms: Sometimes, an infected dog will scoot his butt along the floor in an attempt to relieve the irritation.

Prevention: Keeping fleas under control will keep tapeworms from infecting your dog.

The potential impact on humans: Tapeworms in undercooked pork and beef are among the most common culprits for the infestation in humans, so dog tapeworms pose little risk.

Roundworms in Dogs

This prevalent worm looks like curled spaghetti strands in your dog’s stool (yes, you should inspect it occasionally). Roundworms absorb nutrients in a dog’s intestines, interfering with digestion. Dogs can get roundworms from eating an infected rodent or through contact with contaminated feces. Puppies can get roundworms in utero or while nursing.

Symptoms: Puppies with roundworms may have diarrhea and distended bellies, but sometimes no visual signs are apparent.

Prevention: Keep your dog away from the feces of other animals. Yearly deworming should take care of roundworms.

The potential impact on humans: Poor sanitation can lead to Roundworms spreading – with deadly results if roundworms migrate to major organs.

Giardia in Dogs

These are protozoan parasites that can be ingested through contaminated water, soil, and feces. It can cause digestive disorders in dogs. These may lead to either acute or intermittent diarrhea, sometimes resulting in weight loss.

Symptoms: A dog may have no symptoms or have diarrhea and gas.

Prevention: Promptly clean up feces and prevent your dog from drinking stream or pond water.

The potential impact on humans: People can suffer from giardia, too, with problems similar to those of affected dogs.

Heartworms in Dogs

Heartworm larvae can live in mosquitoes, so when a mosquito carrying these larvae bites a dog, larvae can enter the canine’s blood and develop into parasitic heartworms. These worms then migrate to the heart and lungs, and nearby blood vessels. In severe cases, it can lead to congestive heart failure in dogs. Heartworm infection is detected through a blood sample.

Symptoms: Dogs with heartworms can have no symptoms, but may also have a cough, decreased appetite, difficulty breathing, and avoid exertion.

Prevention: Talk to your veterinarian about having your dog tested for heartworms with a follow-up on preventive medication, if necessary.

The potential impact on humans: Is minimal since it is rare for people to become infected with heartworms.

Hookworms in Dogs

These reside in the small intestine of dogs and feed on the animal’s blood. If left untreated, hookworms can cause canine death. A dog contracts hookworms by ingesting larvae through contaminated water or soil or eating another infected animal. Larvae can also penetrate the skin. Puppies may be born with hookworm infection.

Symptoms: An infected dog may be weak, anemic, and have diarrhea and vomiting.

Prevention: Vigilant cleanups and annual deworming usually give hookworms the hook.

The potential impact on humans: Hookworms can infect humans through the skin, causing itchy lesions and even lung disease.

Coccidia in Dogs

Coccidia is a protozoan parasite that dogs can pick up by eating infected rodents or other infested critters. Coccidia can live and multiply in a dog’s intestines. Dehydration and other problems related to coccidia can lead to death in severe cases.

Symptoms: A dog may experience mild to severe diarrhea, a painful abdomen, and vomiting.

Prevention: Cleaning up immediately after your dog can prevent the spread of contamination.

The potential impact on humans: Zero, because the coccidia species found in dogs and cats do not infect humans.

Preventing Parasites in Dogs

As indicated, both you and your dog could be targeted by one or more parasites in your lifetimes. But fear not. A one-two-three punch could knock this dog and human health problem out cold.

1. Keeping It Clean 

Staying clean is the first line of attack for preventing most internal parasite infestations. Be sure to clean up after your dog as soon as you can. Then, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after such cleanups to prevent parasite spreads to other dogs, animals, and humans. Children are at particular risk since they tend to not be as vigilant with the washing (little fingers tend to wind up in little mouths). As a result, keep kids away from any pets that may be infected. Teach them the link between illness and hand-dirtiness. Maybe remind them of their last tummy ache, pointing out that something similar could happen if they don’t wash up.

2. Pay Attention to Number Two 

Step two might be easy to remember because it’s also “number two.” According to Dr. Lisa Hsuan, DVM, at the Animal Health Care Centre in Los Angeles, California, diarrhea provides a critical clue. “This is the first sign of an internal parasite,” she says. Diarrhea, of course, has many causes, but internal parasites are one of them. If your dog has this problem, talk over the possibilities with your veterinarian.

3. Deworm Your Dog Regularly 

Over-the-counter dog wormers are available, but your best bet is to consult with your veterinarian. That’s because each country and region has its unique parasite concerns due to weather patterns, local species, environmental considerations, and other factors. Your dog’s doctor should know what is right for your pet. Additionally, all dewormers contain potentially harmful chemicals, so they should be used with care. Less toxic preparations are now available, such as Prazi, which treats parasites in humans and pets.

Parasite Protection for Dogs

These parasites may be intense, but the treatment to get them out of your dog’s body — and your own — is more robust. Give your dog the best chance for a long and healthy life by taking him to your veterinarian regularly to be checked for both internal and external parasites.

If you and your pet frequent dog parks, deworming should perhaps be higher on your “to-do” list. “Dog parks are a breeding ground for parasites,” says Dr. Hsuan. “This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your dog to dog parks, but that you should be aware of parasites and get your dog checked for them more frequently.”

Article written by Author: Elizabeth Parker

Here we explore the most common diseases that will plague your dog this spring and summer: Heartworm, Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, Parvovirus, Fleas, and Ticks.

Dr. Sheldon Rubin delivered sobering news to a Schnauzer owner during a recent visit to his Chicago practice. The dog tested positive for heartworm and faced a long, expensive treatment involving painful shots, says Dr. Rubin, DVM, president of the American Heartworm Society.

In this case, the heartworm parasite was most likely an unwelcome souvenir from last summer, believes Dr. Rubin, who is also a spokesperson for the American Veterinary Medical Association.

A year ago, the affected dog’s owner had decided preventive medicine wasn’t necessary for a city dog, but he learned the hard way that dogs are at risk no matter where they live.

In this case, heartworm is just one dog disease spread by vectors like mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. Vectors spread parasites and organisms by biting an infected animal then transporting the disease when they bite healthy animals. Although your dog can contract a vector-borne illness year-round, summer is a prime time for these diseases.

Summer Trouble for Your Dog

It makes sense that the risk expands exponentially in the summer. Time spent outside frolicking with your pal, whether in the backyard, at the beach, or camping, means more potential exposure to diseases such as heartworm and Lyme disease. The same warm summer temperatures that lure us outdoors are the same ones that jump-start mosquito, flea, and tick populations. “It only takes one mosquito bite,” Dr. Rubin says of mosquitoes carrying the heartworm parasite. “It’s not like it takes a bunch of mosquito bites to infect your animal.”

Dr. Stephen Steep believes another factor plays a role in spreading vector-borne diseases among dogs during the summer. We hit the road more at this time, and many of us bring our dogs along for the ride, says Dr. Steep, DVM, an Oxford, Mich., veterinarian and past president of the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association. Unfortunately, bug pests can hitch a ride during such trips. “We’ve dramatically increased our exposure,” he says. “If you go to a dog park, a dog there might have visited another part of the country and brought back a parasite.”

He and other veterinarians suggest that all dog owners, whether or not they are planning a summer trip, should educate themselves about these vector-borne diseases. 

Heartworm Disease in Dogs

Heartworm Vector: 

Mosquito. Heartworm is now present in all 50 states, says Dr. Rubin.

Heartworm Symptoms:

Look for loss of breath, lack of stamina, or coughing in your dog. By the time your pal shows symptoms, however, the disease is usually advanced. Heartworms infest the chamber of the right side of the heart and the arteries in the lungs. Chances are you’ve seen graphic depictions of the disease at your veterinarian’s office.

Heartworm Prevention:

Heartworm is easily prevented through topical medication or a monthly pill, says Dr. Rubin. While some pet owners dispense the medication just during the height of mosquito season, Dr. Rubin recommends a year-round program. You’ll see a bonus, he says. “Almost all of the heartworm medications prevent intestinal parasites.”

Can Heartworm in Dogs be Cured?

Heartworm is easier to prevent than to treat, but the good news is that dogs can be cured of the disease in most cases. The key to treatment is the stabilization of your dog and then kill all adult and immature worms.

What are the First Signs of Heartworms in Dogs?

In the early stages, many dogs show very mild or no symptoms at all. Once they appear, symptoms can include a decreased appetite, weight loss, a mild persistent cough, a reluctance to exercise, and fatigue after exercise.

How Long Will a Dog Live With Heartworms?

Heartworm larvae take about six months to mature into adult worms. The adult worms can then live between 5 – 7 years inside your dog. Each summer, when mosquitoes are active, it can lead to more larvae entering your dog. This then increases the number of heartworms living inside your pet.

Heartworms can cause severe damage to your dog’s organs and blood vessels. A dog may live for months or even years with untreated heartworms.

Can Dogs Live With Heartworms?

If left untreated, few dogs survive living with severe heartworm disease.

Lyme Disease in Dogs

Lyme Disease Vector: 

Deer tick. Even if you’re a conscientious dog owner who conducts tick checks on your dog, it’s not enough, says Dr. Steep. Deer ticks, the size of poppy seeds, are difficult to detect.

Lyme Disease Symptoms: 

Lyme disease is also difficult to recognize, and its symptoms resemble other diseases, says Dr. Steep. Look for muscle weakness, joint pain, and limping in one front leg. Your dog will likely run a temperature. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics.

Lyme Disease Prevention: 

A vaccine is available to protect against Lyme disease. Consider asking about it during your dog’s next visit to the veterinarian since some dogs are at greater risk than others because of lifestyle or geographic location.

What are the Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs?

Lyme disease symptoms include loss of appetite, swollen and painful joints, fever, lameness, and lethargy.

Can Lyme Disease in Dogs be Cured?

Most dogs make a full recovery post-treatment with antibiotics.

How Long Does Lyme Disease Last in Dogs?

Treatment for Lyme disease usually lasts for around one month. Symptoms should ease relatively quickly once treatment begins; however, extended treatment may be required in some cases.

What Happens if Lyme Disease goes Untreated in Dogs?

If left untreated, Lyme disease may cause life-threatening kidney inflammation and dysfunction in your dog.

Ehrlichia in Dogs

Ehrlichia Vector: 

Tick. The tick carries an organism that can infect the white blood cells of your dog.

Ehrlichia Symptoms:

Ehrlichia, as for other parasitic ailments, can resemble different diseases. Look for spots of bleeding on your dog’s gums, lethargy, or a loss of appetite. Ehrlichia develops in stages. The prognosis is good if the disease is diagnosed before the chronic stage. Because it is hard to recognize in its earliest phases, veterinarians will sometimes treat Ehrlichia with antibiotics before making a firm diagnosis.

Ehrlichia Prevention: 

Tick control is the key. Don’t settle for a flea and tick collar, advises Dr. Steep. Collars often provide protection, but only for the region near your dog’s neck. Use prevention such as Frontline, Advantage, or Revolution, which work systemically and provide whole-body protection.

Can Ehrlichiosis in Dogs be Cured?

Ehrlichiosis, if caught early, can be cured. Treatment needs to last for several weeks, even though improvements can usually be seen after a few days.

What are the Symptoms of Ehrlichia in Dogs?

Symptoms of Ehrlichia can include poor appetite, fever, lethargy, lameness, and abnormal bruising and bleeding. Symptoms usually last for 2 – 4 weeks before abating. Most dogs eventually enter the chronic stage of the disease after some months or even years after onset. Treatment is challenging in the chronic phase and needs to be sought early for your dog’s best prognosis.

Prevention is Better Than the Cure for Your Dog

Fortunately, West Nile virus and encephalitis, two other troubling vector-borne diseases, do not often affect dogs, says Dr. Rubin. For those diseases that do pose summertime threats, just a little work on your part can help prevent the debilitating and sometimes life-threatening health problems that could impact your tail-thumping pal. Your efforts carry an even greater reward since many of these ailments, such as Lyme disease, can affect humans as well.

Think prevention, says Dr. Steep. Talk to your veterinarian, and educate yourself about which diseases are prevalent in your part of your country.  Your veterinarian is also likely to know which medicines and products will work best in your area. Year-round prevention efforts are advised, says Dr. Rubin.

“Don’t put this off. Know that the potential exists,” says Dr. Steep. “Ask your veterinarian. It’s on our radar, and we’re thinking about it all the time.”

Parvovirus in Dogs 

When seven dogs in the same county die of the same thing within two and a half weeks, people tend to take notice. That’s what happened recently in Lancaster County, Pa., as multiple cases of canine parvovirus proved lethal. According to Dr. Katy Nelson, an emergency veterinarian in Alexandria, Va., parvovirus can pop up in bunches, especially in summer.

Why is Parvovirus More Common in Summer?

“Our pets become more active in the summer, and parvoviruscan live longer in a warmer environment,” says Nelson. “I’ve seen multiple animals at a time present similar signs. For example, multiple puppies of the same litter, multiple unvaccinated dogs from the same environment, or multiple unvaccinated dogs exposed to an infectious source.”

How Does a Dog Get Parvovirus?

Parvovirus transmits from dog to dog mainly through direct or indirect contact with the feces of an affected canine, which is why being outdoors often can raise your pet’s chances of getting it. But according to Dr. Patricia Joyce, an emergency clinician at BluePearl Pet Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, it’s not just an “outdoor disease” since dogs can track it inside and leave microscopic yet live traces of it all over the floor. “If one dog is affected in a household or kennel where there are several other dogs, it would be easy to spread,” says Nelson.

What are the Symptoms of Parvovirus?

Like other viruses, parvovirus has mutated over the years since it first appeared in the 1970s. And although the strains can vary from year to year, they’re fairly indistinguishable when it comes to testing and symptoms. The most common symptoms of the virus show up in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as severe vomiting and diarrhea, as well as a sudden loss of appetite. Left untreated, it can progress to bloody diarrhea, overall weakness, fever, pale mucous membranes, coma, and eventually death. Puppies are particularly vulnerable.

“This virus not only affects the GI tract, as most people know, but it also affects all rapidly dividing cells within the body – the bone marrow, the GI lining, the myocardial tissues, and the lymph tissues,” says Nelson. “Severe disease can develop rapidly, and may or may not be reversible with appropriate therapy.”

Prevention of Canine Parvovirus

Prevention is simple and relatively inexpensive. “Only unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated dogs are at risk,” says Joyce. “It’s part of the standard vaccine protocol given as three shots to puppies, and as an annual or every two- to three-year booster to adults.” If your dog is up to date on its DAPP vaccine (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, parainfluenza), he or she is safe. According to Nelson, the vaccine’s cost may be about $30, with variations depending on which part of the country you live in.

Aside from vaccination, Joyce points out a few other control measures:

• Clean contaminated areas with a household bleach solution.
• Regularly disinfect food bowls, water bowls, toys, and bedding.
• Disinfect clothing and shoes.
• Immediately clean up and dispose of waste outdoors.
• Prevent your dog from having contact with other dogs’ feces outdoors (no sniffing).

Treatment of Canine Parvovirus

The cost to treat an affected dog, however, can be significant. Nelson says she has seen it run into the $7,000 to $8,000 range. And it’s not the kind of illness where you can wait and consider your options. “When these dogs hit the doors of your hospital, everything must shift into overdrive. A diagnosis needs to be made quickly and efficiently, the severity of the disease needs to be assessed immediately, and treatment needs to be initiated as soon as possible,” she says. “Delaying therapy is in general considered hastening death.”

Nelson says most veterinarians advise not getting a new puppy for six months for those who do lose a dog to parvovirus. By then, it’s assumed the virus will be cleared from the environment if proper cleaning and disinfecting procedures have been employed. 

The most important message that both she and Joyce stress is that this is an easily preventable illness. Vaccination protocols have been extremely successful in controlling the spread of parvovirus. If your dog is not up to date on the vaccine, you should aim to correct that immediately.

Can a Dog Survive from Parvovirus?

Your dog has a good chance of surviving parvo providing treatment by your veterinarian is sought early.

Is Parvovirus Contagious to Humans?

There are many forms of parvovirus. Generally, canine parvo is limited to canines, and human parvo is limited to humans. So although humans do not develop canine parvo, they play a significant role in its transmission by handling infected dogs and objects before touching unaffected dogs.

How Do You Treat a Dog with Parvovirus?

Dogs are administered intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Plasma transfusions may be required if the case is severe. 

Fleas and Ticks in Dogs

Chances are your dog has had fleas and ticks, which have been bothering animals, including humans, since time immemorial. This spring, they are out in force, which exterminator Alan Pendarvis of Texas credits to weather changes that are speeding up the parasites’ life cycles.

However, your dog doesn’t have to suffer this spring and summer. New products and a better understanding of how to combat flea and tick infestations can help your dog to steer clear of them.

Why Fleas and Ticks Are Bad News for Dogs

Aside from the yuck factor, fleas and ticks can spread diseases from dog to dog and from dogs to humans. Nancy Hinkle, a University of Georgia entomologist, notes that fleas can transmit tapeworms. “An infected flea can pass on tapeworm if a dog happens to swallow a flea while using its teeth to scratch, but the tapeworm is not transmitted if the flea only bites the dog,” says Hinkle. “Some animals are also susceptible to flea saliva, which can lead to secondary infections and dermatitis from incessant itching.”

Ticks are equally awful, burying their heads into the skin of your dog and then sucking blood for survival. Ticks, too, can spread infectious diseases.

Plan of Action: Flea and Tick Avoidance and Removal

New pest control products abound this spring, with many major manufacturers introducing new and improved versions of their already popular lines. Thanks to a smart plastic gizmo, topical liquids for some lines are easier to apply, helping to keep owners’ hands away from the skin-penetrating product.

Several natural and/or organic alternatives are also on the market now. In addition to shampoos, you can find electric flea traps that attract fleas with heat and light and then zap them. Food-grade diatomaceous earth, a chalk-like powder that clings to insects’ bodies, works by cutting into their waxy coating and then gradually desiccating them. A drawback is that it can be a bit dusty and messy to use.

Buying Over-The-Counter Medications Doesn’t Mean You Should Forget Your Veterinarian

With so many products on the market, why did a recent pet health survey conducted by Banfield Pet Hospital find that flea infestation is one of the top 10 reasons owners bring their dogs to the vet? “I think this might result partly from pet owners buying preventive medications at retail outlets and not talking with their veterinarian about which product is best for their pet, how to apply it, and how to avoid environmental contamination from fleas and flea eggs,” says Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, veterinarian, senior vice president, and chief medical officer for Banfield.

He and other veterinarians can provide fast-acting medications that may provide quick relief. Nitenpyram, usually administered in pill form, starts working in 30 minutes and can eliminate fleas within three to four hours. Spinosad, a chewable tablet, works in about the same amount of time and prevents infestation for a whole month. These are just a few of the possible remedies.

No product is free from potential side effects, however, so follow user guidelines carefully. Kimberly Chambers of VetDepot offers this additional advice:

• Consult your veterinarian first. Even if you plan to purchase an over-the-counter remedy, talk to your veterinarian beforehand.
• Pay attention to age and weight guidelines. Failing to allow for these “could result in a dangerous overdose.”

• Do not use a cat product on your dog, and vice versa.
• Avoid getting topical flea-control products in your dog’s eyes and mouth.

“Flea protection is an important part of pet ownership,” says Chambers. “It not only saves pets from suffering from an itchy and uncomfortable infestation but also protects pets from the dangers associated with fleas, including anemia.”

Finally, keep your home clean. Be sure to wash your pet’s bedding regularly and vacuum affected areas, including curtains, furniture, and mattresses.

Article written by Authors: Kim Boatman, Jennifer Viegas, Elijah Merrill, and The Dog Daily Expert