Vet Blog
07/11/09
 Do you know of any oral treatments that will cover fleas, heartworm, and ticks? I would really like to get away from the topical application, but we also live in an area with a heavy dear population, so I feel like tick protection is important.
Thank you,
Mandi
Lago Vista, TX
Sadly, I am not aware of any oral medications that effectively prevent ticks in dogs.
Sentinel is a medicine that prevents heartworm, certain intestinal worms, and breeding flea infestations in dogs and cats. It does not kill individual fleas, and it does not prevent ticks.
Comfortis is a new monthly oral flea preventative for dogs only. It does not offer protection against heartworm or ticks. Capstar is a daily (or every other day) oral flea preventative for dogs and cats. It also does not protect against ticks or heartworm.
If you want truly effective tick prevention, at this time you’ll be stuck using a topical treatment such as Frontline Plus, Vectra 3D, or K9 Advantix. Homeopathic oral tick preventatives are not effective in my experience.
One note: you mention that you are worried about ticks because of deer in your area. I presume that means you’re worried about Lyme disease, which is spread by deer ticks. Note that deer populations do not harbor Lyme disease, and the number of deer in your area won’t necessarily correlate with the prevalence of Lyme disease. The reservoir for Lyme disease is a type of wild mouse.
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06/14/09
My dog has heartworm. Her old vet recommended HeartGuard but for only six months. We used it but she still got heartworm. Now she has to be caged for a very long time.
I believe she is getting very depressed because of the changes in her life. I brush her as always, but can’t let her run or chase balls, as she is used to. Her new vet also put her on a diet to lose about 7 lbs. A time of stress like she is going through now is never a good time to lose weight, I believe, so she can lose those pounds after she gets through the heartworm treatment. At least that is what I think.
I am deeply concerned about the depression I see though. What can I do? Is there some kind of med I can give her to get her through all this? Or something I can do to make her feel better?
Why do vets never concern themselves with the mental problems that can accompany physical ones? Surely how a dog feels must play a part in getting well just as it does in humans. Could you please suggest something I can do?
Thanks.
Vi, loving mom of Zoey, age three.
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
In humans is well documented that physical health and mental health are closely connected. Depressed people are more likely to suffer from a host of illnesses. Illness often makes people depressed. And sick people who have strong social networks or family support get well faster.
Pets, incidentally, provide companionship and support that have been shown by numerous studies to benefit human health, prevent illness, and help sick people grow healthy.
Clinical depression has not yet been defined in dogs. And I am not aware of evidence-based studies that show happiness and mental health therapies are beneficial for dogs with heartworm.
But, as much as I support the concept of evidence-based medicine, I’m going to break away from it on this one. I think it’s clear that happy pets will heal faster than depressed ones.
Along those lines, I encourage families to visit pets that are hospitalized for treatment when I’m working. Being among loved ones motivates individuals to get well.
In Zoey’s case, I do not recommend antidepressants. Instead, focus on developing new, fun routines that won’t interfere with Zoey’s recovery from heartworm. She can’t play ball, but she can still snuggle, sit on the sofa with you while you watch TV, and sit at your feet while you read a book. You can keep her on a leash in the house if necessary. You can hold her on your lap if she’s small enough.
Be creative. One client of mine purchased a child’s bicycle trailer for her dog when canine arthritis made walks in the park impossible. The dog was thrilled to ride along as her owner pedaled her through Golden Gate Park. Just because your dog can’t exercise doesn’t mean she can’t get out and enjoy fresh air and sunshine.
I agree that weight loss needn’t be a priority at this time. However, remember that decreased activity can lead to weight gain. Excess weight stresses the heart. At the very least, try to make sure that Zoey doesn’t gain weight.
As for six month heartworm prevention . . . it is not recommended by the experts. The American Heartworm Society and Companion Animal Parasite Council recommend continuous heartworm prophylaxis in all dogs and cats. So do I.
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03/21/09
 Heartworm disease is potentially fatal and completely preventable. The disease is caused by a blood parasite that is spread by mosquitoes. It affects both cats and dogs, although dogs generally are at greater risk. Heartworm disease can lead to heart failure and a plethora of other problems.
DVM Newsmagazine recently reported on a new heartworm incidence study released by the American Heartworm Society. The study was not rigorously scientific, but it does provide evidence that heartworm incidence is increasing in certain areas. The notable areas in the US include the gulf coast, east coast, and northern California.
The triennial survey was distributed to more than 40,000 veterinarians last fall. Ultimately, veterinary practices from some 2,200 counties were represented . . . [a]ccording to the most recent results, the number of positive cases rose per clinic in 31 states. The reasons likely are multifactorial, including increased heartworm testing, increased client base per clinic or even climate trends.
Actual incidence of heartworm may be increasing. It’s also possible that veterinarians are detecting more cases due to increased testing. Either way, Dr. Sheldon B. Rubin, president of the American Heartworm Society, feels that heartworm disease is inexcusable.
“There is no reason a dog should have heartworm disease today. If we can get more animals on prevention, we will get the numbers of heartworm-infected animals down. It is a serious problem.”
Monthly heartworm preventatives are readily available. They have excellent safety profiles. Many of them have the added benefit of eliminating intestinal worms that may be contagious to human beings. My pal Buster gets his on the first of each month.
I recommend that you talk to your vet about protecting your pet from heartworm.
Photo: Indy contracted heartworm before he was adopted.
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01/14/09
 Idexx laboratories is a major veterinary diagnostic corporation with veterinary-specific laboratories located in North America, Europe, and Asia. The company is an innovator in veterinary diagnostics. And, I am happy to see that Idexx has signed on to the current initiative to boost the quality of health care delivered to cats.
As I have mentioned in at least one previous post, feline health care generally receives short shrift relative to the care that canine companions receive. Vets, industries linked to veterinary medicine and cat lovers are working to change the situation and give cats their due.
As part of its work to promote feline health, Idexx has launched a new website. The site, www.kittytest.com, displays the number of cats infected with FIV, FeLV and feline heartworm in each county in the USA as reported to the laboratory.
It’s a very interesting site. I recommend that you check it out.
Photo: Red, of Texas, has been diagnosed with FIV.
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12/11/08
 When people think of heartworm disease they generally picture dogs as the victims of infestation. However, heartworms, which live in the heart and are spread by mosquitoes, also can infest cats.
Cats with heartworm infestations may show symptoms of heart failure including coughing, inability to exercise, shortness of breath and sudden death. They may vomit chronically. Heartworm disease is fatal in a stunning proportion of cases.
Historically, treatment options for feline heartworm patients have been extremely limited. Cats generally do not tolerate the drugs that are used to treat canine heartworm patients. Veterinarians generally find it impossible to offer any real help to feline heartworm victims.
However, a paper in the November 1, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) discussed a technique that successfully treated two heartworm-infested cats in Texas.
The authors of the paper passed a special type of catheter into the heart through the jugular vein. They used the catheter to snare and remove worms from the heart. Both cats’ symptoms resolved within four weeks.
Sadly, this is not a treatment that will be available at your local vet any time soon. This sort of procedure requires specialists with very sophisticated equipment and skilled intensive care nursing. But I am very happy to know that a viable treatment option for feline heartworm patients may finally be out there.
The study cited in this post is Small, et al J Am Vet Med Assoc 2008;233: 1441-1445.
Click here for photo credit.
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10/11/08
 Veterinary medicine is a constantly evolving profession. A good vet must be willing to adapt the way he or she practices as new discoveries change the field.
Heartworms are blood parasites of dogs and cats. They are spread by mosquitoes, and they can cause heart failure. Veterinary parasitologists, who are the experts on the subject of heartworms, have been sounding alarm bells about the worms for several years. They worry that heartworm disease is a growing threat to pets. And some experts believe that many vets are not treating young animals with heartworm preventatives appropriately.
Most vets recommend starting heartworm preventatives at four to six months of age. But an online discussion forum that occurred through the Veterinary Information Network (VIN) on October 5 challenged this mantra.
Dr. Tom Nelson, moderator of the forum, pointed out that two months of age (or perhaps earlier) is a more appropriate time to begin heartworm prevention. His argument was based on features of the heartworm life cycle and the means by which preventatives protect pets.
I won’t bore you with all of the details. But I am going to change my recommendations for heartworm prevention in young animals.
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10/08/08
 How do I know if my dog has parasites?
I have a five-year-old Jack
Russell. My dog goes to the vet twice a year and
has blood work done before I put her on
Revolution. Can the blood tests detect
parasites?
Jan
Whitby, Canada
Three classes of parasites are common in dogs and cats. Each class causes unique symptoms.
Skin parasites such as fleas and mites are very common. In some instances, fleas or flea feces may be present on infested pets. In many other cases the parasites are not detectable with the naked eye but may cause hair loss, scabs or red skin. Skin tests are used to detect skin parasites.
Blood parasites such as heartworm are common in many parts of the world. Blood parasites may cause heart problems, anemia, and immune system disorders. Blood tests are required to check for blood parasites.
Intestinal parasites comprise the third class of animal parasites. Intestinal worms and microscopic parasites such as Giardia and coccidia fall into this class. Intestinal parasites may cause diarrhea or vomiting, but many infested pets show no symptoms whatsoever. Microscopic evaluation of the stool is required to check for intestinal parasites.
No test for parasites is 100% accurate. Therefore, if you want to keep your pet free of parasites your best bet is to use a broad spectrum anti-parasite agent on a regular basis. Revolution is one such agent. If your dog receives Revolution each month, it is unlikely that she is infested with parasites. Advantage Multi is another effective broad spectrum anti-parasite agent. Interceptor and Heartgard Plus also prevent most parasite infestations when combined with a flea preventative such as Advantage, Frontline, Comfortis or Vectra 3D.
Some animal parasites can spread to people. Intestinal roundworms are the most dangerous. Broad spectrum anti-parasite medicines do not only help to keep your pet healthy. They also help protect the people in the house.
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09/26/08
Hi –
I am fostering a dog while a family relocates. I
just found out that their dog is not on heartworm
medication but mine are. What risk, if any, are
my dogs at from the unprotected dog?
Cindy
Michigan
None whatsoever.
 Heartworms are blood parasites that are spread by mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito bites a cat or dog, microscopic larvae are injected into the bloodstream. Over several months, the larvae mature into worms that live in the heart and the arteries leading out of the heart.
Cats and dogs suffering from heartworm infestation may show symptoms of heart failure such as coughing, shortness of breath and decreased exercise tolerance. Vomiting is a common symptom in cats.
Fortunately, heartworms cannot spread directly from one pet to another. A mosquito must be involved in the process. What’s more, heartworm larvae must develop in the mosquito for 12 – 19 days before they can infest another pet. Therefore, even if a mosquito bites the foster dog and then bites one of your dogs, your dogs won’t be at increased risk.
Finally, you state that your dogs are on a heartworm preventative. If you use a high-quality preventative as directed, it should afford excellent protection against the parasite regardless of other circumstances. In other words, you don’t need to worry.
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Do you know of any oral treatments that will cover fleas, heartworm, and ticks? I would really like to get away from the topical application, but we also live in an area with a heavy dear population, so I feel like tick protection is important.
You have questions. 