Annual heartworm testing for dogs can help catch infections early and ensure safe and effective treatment. But what’s involved in a dog heartworm test and why is testing so important? Let’s dive in.   

What is a Dog Heartworm Test?

A dog heartworm test is an antigen test that requires collecting a small blood sample. Heartworm tests in dogs detect proteins that are unique to adult female heartworms. 

Heartworm tests for dogs are performed on small blood samples. If your dog is also having other blood tests performed, then your veterinarian will only collect one blood sample so your dog doesn’t have to have more than one needle stick. 

Does My Dog Need a Heartworm Test?

Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and is becoming very common in the United States. Adult heartworms live in a dog’s lungs where they cause damage to the lungs and the heart. Heartworm disease can be fatal, but typically dogs don’t show any symptoms in the early stages of the disease. 

Every dog in the United States should be tested for heartworm disease once a year and should be placed on heartworm prevention. Heartworm prevention should not be started (or re-started) without first confirming a dog’s heartworm status by testing for these deadly worms. The only exception is puppies less than 7 months of age—they can be started on heartworm prevention without a test. 

Dogs who have not been on heartworm prevention or who’s prevention has lapsed should be tested six months after re-starting heartworm prevention and again at one year. This includes dogs with unknown histories, such as those adopted through shelters and rescues.

Not that long ago, dogs in some parts of the United States were considered very low risk for contracting heartworms, and so veterinarians only recommended testing every two years. However, heartworm disease has been spreading rapidly across the United States, and so the recommendations have changed to annual testing and year-round prevention. 

A heartworm infection caught early, before there are any symptoms, is much easier to treat and your dog won’t be left with long-term consequences, such as damage to the heart and lungs. 

Types of Dog Heartworm Tests

There are several types of tests for heartworms in dogs that your veterinarian can perform. The most common test performed in a veterinary office is called a SNAP test. These are similar to an at-home COVID test. A SNAP heartworm test catches about 85 percent of mild cases of heartworm disease and is more accurate in dogs with more severe disease [1]. 

Testing for heartworms in dogs can also be performed at off-site laboratories. These tests are considered even more accurate than SNAP tests. Sometimes if your dog shows no symptoms of heartworm disease but tests positive on a SNAP test, the test will be confirmed at one of these types of laboratories. This is because the treatment for heartworms is expensive and has potential side effects, and therefore should not be administered unless necessary. 

Other types of dog heartworm tests include the filter method and a Modified Knott’s test. These tests detect microfilaria, or larval heartworms, that circulate in the blood. These are only present if adult heartworms in your dog have been there long enough to mate and produce offspring. These larval heartworms can be seen under a microscope as tiny wriggling worms just a few red blood cells in size. However, many dogs can be positive for heartworms without having microfilaria, so this is not considered a sensitive test and is not relied upon to determine whether a dog has heartworms. 

If a dog is found to be heartworm positive on a SNAP test, then your veterinarian may check for microfilaria to determine the stage of disease and select the best, most effective treatment plan. 

There are no accurate at-home heartworm tests for dogs. One of the main reasons is that accurate testing requires a blood sample, and that is not something most pet parents can or should collect at home. 

Dog Heartworm Testing Benefits

Heartworm tests for dogs are both inexpensive and highly accurate. These tests can either detect infection early before there is any disease, or show a negative result so that it’s safe to get your dog on proper heartworm prevention. 

Early heartworm detection means a better prognosis for your dog. This means your dog won’t suffer from shortness of breath, lethargy, weight loss, or any of the other signs of severe heartworm disease, such as cough and sudden collapse. And, if your dog is heartworm positive, then early treatment is safer, more effective, and can prevent the damage adult heartworms create in the lungs and heart.

Dog Heartworm Test Cost

Heartworm tests for the presence of adult heartworms cost between $10 and $100, depending on the type of test and whether it is added on to other tests already being performed or is being run as a stand-alone test. 

Heartworm tests added onto blood work that you are already purchasing is likely at the low end of this range. Testing done as an emergency due to symptoms consistent with heartworm disease are more expensive, especially if performed at an emergency clinic. 

Testing for microfilaria is in the range of $10-$50, because there are no special chemicals or special equipment required. You are paying for the knowledge of an experienced veterinary technician and their time at the microscope. 

The cost of annual testing, done every year for a dog’s 10-15+ year lifespan, is significantly less than the cost of heartworm treatment.

What if My Dog Tests Positive for Heartworm?

If your dog tests positive for heartworms, your veterinarian will discuss a plan. The first step is confirmation by a follow-up test. This might include a microfilaria test or a confirmatory lab test.  

Once your dog’s heartworm infection is confirmed, then your veterinarian will recommend a work-up to make sure they are healthy enough for treatment. This typically consists of blood work, including testing for anemia as well as assessing kidney and liver values. X-rays (radiographs) of your dog’s heart and lungs (thorax) are next. If your dog already has evidence of severe changes due to heartworm disease, then your veterinarian may recommend an alternative treatment or management plan.

Heartworm Treatment for Dogs

If you are lucky enough to have caught your dog’s heartworm infection early, then your veterinarian will follow the treatment plan recommended by the American Heartworm Society. 

This involves starting a medication called doxycycline that weakens the heartworms to make them easier to kill. Your vet may also prescribe oral steroids to minimize the reaction of your dog’s immune system to the dying and dead worms.

Heartworm treatment itself involves the injection of a very strong medication into muscle. This medication contains arsenic and must be handled carefully and injected only into the big muscles that run along your dog’s spine. 

You must limit your dog’s activity during treatment and for at least one month after. 

During treatment, your dog will be started (or re-started) on heartworm prevention to reduce the risk of new infections. Most types of heartworm prevention are safe to give to heartworm-positive dogs. However, you shouldn’t start or re-start heartworm prevention unless your veterinarian instructs you to do so. 

Nine months after the heartworm treatment, your vet will likely test for heartworms again to confirm that the treatment was successful.

References

1. Atkins CE. Comparison of results of three commercial heartworm antigen test kits in dogs with low heartworm burdens. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2003 May 1;222(9):1221-3. doi: 10.2460/javma.2003.222.1221. PMID: 12725308. 

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The good news is that there are plenty of flea and tick control products for dogs out there to combat these parasites and even prevent infestations. That being said, it’s not uncommon for dog parents to express concerns about the types of chemicals used in these products and potential side effects they may cause.

This has led some pet parents to search for natural flea and tick prevention for dogs. The question is, do natural remedies work when it comes to external parasites? Well, let’s take a look.

Flea and Tick Prevention for Dogs: Why It’s Important

Before we get into natural flea and tick treatment for dogs, let’s take a brief look at where dogs pick up these parasites and why it’s so vital to keep fleas and ticks at bay.

Fleas and ticks like to hang out in shady, moist areas, such as tall grass, shrubs, weeds, and wood and leaf piles. Inside the home, fleas can lurk in carpet, furniture, and cracks and crevices. Dogs can pick up fleas and ticks simply by getting close to these parasites, whether in the house, in the yard, at the park, or from other animals who already have them.

Once these parasites find a host, they feed on the animal’s blood. In doing so, they can transmit dangerous diseases. Ticks can carry Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and dogs can get tapeworms from ingesting an infected flea.

If not properly addressed, fleas on dogs can jump onto other family pets and even people, putting them at risk for illness too. 

Are Conventional Flea and Tick Products Safe?

Keeping dogs away from grassy and wooded areas where fleas and ticks live is one way to avoid interacting with these parasites. There are also natural ways to discourage fleas and ticks from finding your yard or home habitable (more on this to come). But dogs are gonna dog—sniff around, dig stuff up, play in the weeds, meet other animals—so this plan isn’t foolproof.

A more practical way to protect your pet is to use products that kill or repel fleas and ticks. The American Animal Hospital Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association recommend year-round prevention. Flea and tick control products for dogs come in a variety of forms, including oral medications, topicals, collars, and shampoos. Some require a prescription, while others are available over the counter. 

• Oral products, like the prescription-only chewable Bravecto, enter a dog’s bloodstream and are rapidly distributed to tissue fluids under the skin. When a parasite tries to take a blood meal, they take in Bravecto’s active ingredient, fluralaner, and die rapidly. 
• Topical solutions work in two main ways: 1) They get absorbed into the bloodstream and redistributed to the tissue fluids under the skin, or 2) They spread via the body’s natural oils. 
• Flea and tick collars for dogs, such as Seresto, slowly distribute active ingredients (like imidacloprid and flumethrin) across the pet’s body.

While these products may effectively kill or repel fleas and ticks, some dog parents worry about whether the chemicals they contain are harmful to their dog, other household pets, or children. 

According to the FDA, there have been a limited number of reports of flea and tick products in the isoxazoline class of parasiticides being associated with neurological side effects, such as muscle tremors and seizures, in dogs and cats (1). Overall, the FDA still considers these products to be safe for use in most dogs.

Seresto collars made news in 2021 after the federal government examined reports from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding potential adverse reactions to the collars. Veterinary experts mostly agree that the collars are safe when used appropriately. Similarly, while some dog parents might blanch at giving their pups a chewable containing an insecticide like fluralaner, the general consensus among veterinarians is that these chewables can be safely used in most pets. 

Dr. M. Blake Murray, assistant professor in primary care at the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine and chief of staff at Banfield Pet Hospital in North Oklahoma City, says he is “very comfortable with the safety of our currently available prescription medications,” especially given the consequences of the diseases that flea and tick control products aim to curb. 

That doesn’t mean there is zero risk—it means the benefits outweigh the potential risks. “It would be irresponsible to say that every prescription medication will be 100 percent risk-free for use in every patient,” Dr. Murray says. “Often in medicine we are making recommendations based on management of risks.”

Dr. Clay Bernard, a holistic vet in Austin, Texas, says he isn’t against using conventional flea and tick products, he just prefers not to use them regularly. “I’d rather use these medications if needed and only a month at a time, since some pet guardians ultimately do a great job with environmental management and diligently keeping fleas off their pet,” Dr. Bernard says.

Does Natural Flea and Tick Prevention for Dogs Exist?

With prevention being the best medicine, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of DIY recipes and products for pets on the market that claim to naturally combat fleas and ticks. You’ll find collars, sprays, wipes, and shampoos that tout natural ingredients like essential oils, neem oil, vinegar, and citrus. However, while essential oils and neem oil may help, they can’t solve flea and tick problems. In other words, they help repel pests, not kill them.

Veterinarians mostly advise against using natural flea and tick repellents made from essential oils or neem as the only means of protection for pets. The effectiveness of these products has not been established, Dr. Murray adds.

“There certainly are lots of natural flea and tick repellents on the market,” he says. “I make recommendations for my patients based on peer reviewed studies that evaluate the safety and efficacy of products. Currently, I am unable to find any such studies that support the efficacy of natural flea/tick repellents. As such, I cannot make a recommendation for a natural repellent and trust that it will work.”

Before you decide to purchase a natural flea and tick collar or whip up a natural flea and tick spray for dogs, it’s best to talk to your vet first. With all that in mind, here is a closer look at some commonly used natural remedies for fleas and ticks on dogs. 

Essential Oils

Essential oils, like citronella and peppermint, are a mainstay of natural dog flea and tick collars and natural flea and tick sprays for dogs. These types of oils may act as repellants by blocking odors that attract insects like fleas and ticks, making it harder for them to find their host (2).

There is some science to back up the idea that essential oils can work as flea and tick repellents. A 2017 study comparing the effectiveness of certain essential oils to that of DEET and permethrin found that “all oils were found to be more repellent than DEET and permethrin,” with thyme and myrtle oils being the most effective (3). However, it’s important to point out that this study was performed on humans, not dogs. It is also important to note that while thyme is safe for dogs, myrtle is not. 

A number of essential oils like tea tree oil can be toxic to dogs and/or cats when inhaled or ingested, especially if they are not diluted properly. “There are studies that demonstrate adverse reactions to pets exposed to essential oils,” Dr. Murray says. He points to one study in particular that found that “dogs and cats can experience significant adverse effects when exposed to plant-derived flea preventatives.” (4)

If you’re considering purchasing a flea and tick product with essential oils, make sure the company is reputable. Pet parents should not apply essential oils to their pet unless they are working in partnership with a veterinarian. 

Neem Oil 

Perhaps the most talked-about natural pest repellent for dogs is neem oil, also known as Margosa oil. It is a vegetable oil, not an essential oil. Neem oil is prized for its pest-repelling qualities in agriculture. People use it as a skin lotion, and natural-minded pet parents have turned to neem oil to help keep fleas and mosquitoes away. 

Aside from repelling fleas, neem can affect the feeding behavior of fleas and disrupt their growth and development (5). 

As with essential oils, neem oil must be diluted before application, so consult with your veterinarian first. When used properly, neem oil can be helpful as a natural alternative to conventional products, but it is best when used alongside products that treat the environment (more on this next). 

Cedarwood and Diatomaceous Earth

To help keep fleas and ticks at bay, it’s important to treat your pet and their indoor and outdoor environment. Natural pest control products for the yard and home include cedarwood and diatomaceous earth.

According to the USDA, cedarwood can be as effective as DEET in repelling fleas and ticks, without being derived from petroleum (6). Fleas and ticks dislike the smell of cedarwood, and it’s non-toxic to dogs and cats. This makes cedarwood chips around the yard especially attractive as a repellent.

Food-grade diatomaceous earth is another popular option for dog parents seeking natural pest control methods for their homes and yards. It is essentially the powdered remains of fossilized, single-cell algae. It’s a common all-natural repellent that most insects—especially fleas and roaches—prefer to stay clear of. It works by caking onto the bodies of insects and essentially suffocating them. 

Dr. Bernard says diatomaceous earth and beneficial nematodes are good natural preventatives that are especially troublesome for fleas in their development phase. “Since managing the egg and larval stages in the environment is 95 percent of any flea control regimen in high-burden areas of the country, diatomaceous earth and beneficial nematodes are key,” he says. “Diatomaceous earth can be likened to shards of glass that lyse (break down) the eggs and larva as they hatch. Nematodes [used as pest control] are microscopic organisms that live naturally in the soil and feed on the larval and nymph stages of fleas.”

However, there is no reliable data showing diatomaceous earth is useful for flea control inside the home. And when applied outdoors, diatomaceous earth (remember, it’s a powder) can easily be blown or washed away. There’s also the potential for respiratory trouble in pets.

“Diatomaceous earth itself is not apparently toxic to dogs when ingested,” Dr. Murray says. “However, it has the potential to cause ocular or respiratory irritation if applied directly to a pet. If you are going to use it, I would recommend reserving the use of diatomaceous earth to the environment when pets aren’t present.”

Safety and Things to Consider

While there is a bevy of natural alternatives to traditional flea and tick control products for dogs, the effectiveness of these products is questionable and, if misused, these products can be harmful to your dog. Essential oils can irritate your dog’s skin and some oils can be toxic if ingested when your dog is grooming themselves.

Veterinarians generally recommend that natural flea and tick alternatives for dogs be used in conjunction with conventional methods of parasite control. Always talk to your veterinarian before applying anything new to your dog’s skin or fur. 

One safe and effective method to check for fleas and ticks is a flea comb. Flea combs will catch on ticks and scoop up flea eggs in your dog’s fur. Dr. Bernard recommends using a flea comb two or three times a week.

If you find fleas, flea dirt, or flea eggs on your dog, your vet will advise on next steps. And if you find a tick on your dog, learn how to safely remove it or let your vet do it. 

As with anything related to your dog’s health, talking to a vet first is always good practice before you decide on a course of action.

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Locating dog flea bites (and the actual fleas themselves) isn’t always straightforward, which is why we asked veterinarians to help. We’ve also provided tips on treating flea bites and preventing infestations, so your pup doesn’t have to suffer needlessly. If you suspect your dog has fleas or exhibits any unusual symptoms, contact your veterinarian.

What Do Flea Bites Look Like on Dogs?

Flea bites on dogs generally look like miniature raised red dots. They’re sometimes mistaken for bed bug bites and mosquito bites, though flea bites are usually a bit smaller. An allergic reaction – marked by excessive scratching and chewing – can cause the bite to become inflamed.

Even if you know what dog flea bites look like, they’re not always the easiest thing to locate, especially on pups with denser fur. “Often flea bites go unnoticed on the skin unless a severe infestation is present,” says Dr. Audrey Weaver, a partner doctor who works at Heart + Paw in their Glen Mills, Pennsylvania location.

It’s usually easier to detect the presence of flea dirt, dark brown particles (made of flea feces) that resemble coffee grounds, adds Dr. Jerry Klein, chief veterinary officer for the American Kennel Club, based in New York City. Flea dirt is “seen when the hair of an infected animal is parted, often near the base of the tail, near the skull, or on the groin or inside the hind limbs.”

Types of Fleas on Dogs

Of the estimated 2,500 species of fleas worldwide, only a few impact North American dogs. Veterinarians say that most dog flea bites, regardless of the species, look similar. 

The following types of fleas are some to watch for in the United States, with the cat flea being the most common and widespread by far.

Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides felis)

If your veterinarian diagnoses your dog with flea bites, it likely originated from the cat flea, the most prevalent flea species in the United States. The cat flea is a host for diseases that can also be transmitted to humans. These include Rickettsia typhi, the bacteria that causes typhus, and the Bartonella henselae bacteria, which is responsible for spreading the bartonella infection.

Dog Flea (Ctenocephalides canis) 

The dog flea looks a lot like the cat flea, except that it’s not as widespread. This doesn’t mean it can’t cause harm, though, as the dog flea serves as a host to parasitic tapeworms.

Poultry Sticktight Flea (Echidnophaga gallinacea) 

The poultry sticktight flea is primarily a risk for dogs who’ve had contact with infested backyard poultry. While this species doesn’t transmit disease, infestation can lead to a secondary infection.

Oriental Rat Flea (Xenopsylla cheopis)

Though the Oriental rat flea may make its living by feasting on rodents, it’ll attach itself to dogs if needed. This type of flea carries Yersinia pestis, the bacteria responsible for the plague.

Symptoms of Flea Bites on Dogs

Fleas bites on dogs can cause a number of agonizing symptoms like itchiness, redness, and scratching, not to mention infections and medical issues. Because some of these issues can be serious, it’s important to contact your veterinarian right away if your dog is displaying any unusual symptoms.

Itchiness and Scratching

“Some pets may have a flea allergy, which means that when the flea bites the pet, the saliva of the flea triggers an allergic reaction in the pet’s body,” says Dr. Weaver. One of the effects of this, she says, is itchiness, which veterinarians refer to as pruritus. A flea bite allergy is, in fact, the leading cause of itchiness and scratching in dogs.

Hives, Wounds, and Hair Loss

When your pup is allergic, flea bites can also result in symptoms like hives, swelling, severe redness, and significant hair loss, says Dr. Weaver. Excessive scratching, licking, and chewing can exacerbate this.

Red Bumps

Flea bites on a dog appear as tiny, raised red spots. They can become inflamed from excessive scratching and chewing. 

Flea Dirt

Where there’s fleas and dog flea bites, there’s bound to be flea dirt, which is the combination of flea fecal matter and the host’s blood. In fact, it’s actually easier to locate flea dirt than actual flea bites.

Flea-Borne Infection

Flea bites rarely result in lasting harm, says Dr. Klein. “However, flea bites can be dangerous because they may spread diseases that can be serious and, in some cases, even fatal.”

One of these diseases is the bartonella infection, which can cause fever, nosebleeds, and heart problems in dogs. Pups who ingest infected fleas risk acquiring tapeworms, with symptoms that include vomiting and diarrhea.

Anemia

Fleas are voracious parasites, so an infestation can cause the type of blood loss that leads to anemia, which Dr. Klein says is “extremely dangerous in very small or young puppies.” Symptoms of anemia include pale gums, increased fatigue, and appetite loss.

How to Treat Flea Bites on Dogs

If you suspect your dog has fleas, start by contacting your veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment. The actual flea bites on dogs rarely require treatment, says Dr. Klein, “unless they become infected or if the animal is experiencing an allergic reaction called flea bite dermatitis.”  

Veterinarians will typically start by treating the flea outbreak itself, crafting a plan that incorporates killing adult fleas on the dog, ridding the home environment of fleas, and preventing future infestations.

They will generally prescribe medication in the form of prescription veterinary insecticides, most of which offer both prevention and treatment benefits. These medications are available in a variety of formulations, including:

• Fluralaner (found in Bravecto products)
• Fipronil (Frontline)
• Afoxolaner (Nexgard)
• Lotilaner (Credelio)
• Sarolaner (Simparica)
• Imidacloprid (Advantage)
• Sarolaner (Simparico) 

Prescription flea products should work quickly and effectively. “Most prescription flea products will begin killing fleas in one to four hours,” explains Dr. Weaver. “The itching and redness typically begins resolving as the flea burden reduces. For pets that have wounds caused by the pet biting/chewing at the skin, healing time varies for each pet but can range from 5 to 21 days, sometimes longer depending on severity.” 

If your pet is experiencing any symptoms and conditions associated with flea bites, like anemia or flea allergy dermatitis, your veterinarian will also address them in the process. For example, flea allergy dermatitis is typically treated with antihistamines and antibiotics, according to Dr. Klein.

The home must also be treated and cleaned, says Dr. Weaver. “This includes bedding, carpet or rugs, and mattress if the pet sleeps in the bed with the pet parent.”

Home Remedies for Flea Bites on Dogs

There really aren’t any reliable home remedies for flea bites on dogs, veterinarians say. “All medical treatment for parasitic conditions to an animal should be determined by a veterinarian,” recommends Dr. Klein. 

Some OTC treatments can actually be hazardous to your dog as well. With topical ointments, for example, “the pet may lick the area and ingest the ointment which has the potential of being toxic,” Dr. Klein adds.

Bathing your dog dog with a soothing, medicated shampoo, however, is one way to provide temporary relief from fleas, says Dr. Weaver. It’s important to choose a shampoo specifically formulated for dogs and be aware that some can interfere with topical tick and flea medicines. 

How to Prevent Flea Bites on Dogs

Flea and flea bite prevention are important to the health of all dogs, regardless of geographic location. Though fleas are more prevalent in warm and humid regions like the Southeast and Southern Plains, they can be found anywhere in the United States, even in cooler temperatures.

It’s much easier to prevent flea bites and infestations than it is to have to treat your dog and fumigate an entire home. Fortunately, managing fleas is straightforward. Veterinarians are always available to guide you in choosing the best flea prevention and treatment measures for your dog, and they agree that the easiest and most effective way to avoid flea infestations is with year-round flea medicine.

There are numerous flea preventive formulations available that accommodate busy lifestyles. These include topicals, chews (given every one to three months), and collars. Many of these also offer protection against ticks, roundworms, hookworms, or other pests. 

Other Practices to Help Prevent Flea Bites on Dogs

Check your dog for fleas. Regularly sift through your dog’s fur with a flea comb to search for fleas, flea dirt, or flea eggs. Another option is to hire a professional pet groomer to do it.

Practice good housekeeping. Vacuum rugs and carpets at least every other day. And since flea eggs are adept at hiding in cracks and nooks, make it a habit to mop and sweep the floors. It’s also essential to clean bedding (both yours and your dog’s) with soap and water to help control flea infestations.

Don’t forget about the backyard. If your outside area attracts wild animals, consider adding fencing or placing netting on plants as a deterrence. 

Bathe your dog. Veterinarians say giving your dog regular baths can help. An added benefit is that you get to spend quality bonding time with your pup.

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What Does a Tick Bite Look Like on a Dog?

A tick bite on a dog may appear as a small red bump on your dog’s skin. If your dog was exposed to Lyme disease, the bite may have a round and bull’s-eye type appearance as well. Tick bites are not full of fluid much like general insect bites.

These bites may go unnoticed if you do not check your dog routinely and remove ticks promptly. Begin by checking high-risk areas on your dog, including around and under the collar, the ears, eyelids, armpits, groin, and in between the toe pads. Ticks do not limit themselves to these areas, so be sure to thoroughly scan the remainder of your pet after checking these higher risk sections. 

Run your hands along the base of the dog’s coat of fur, feeling for any bumps or abnormalities. You may feel a scab where a tick may have previously been or may find the tick itself. Ticks can be various shades of gray, brown, and black. They may or may not be engorged (fed), and this causes their size to vary. 

If you do find a tick on your dog, it’s important to remove the tick as quickly as possible. 

How to Treat a Tick Bite on a Dog

Tick bites typically don’t require a lot of treatment, but it is important to clean the bite and monitor it for signs of disease or infection. Here are the steps for treating a tick bite on a dog.

Step 1: The first part in treating your dog’s tick bite is removal of the tick. It must be removed in its entirety to avoid secondary infections or discomfort to the pet. Removing the tick can be done with either tweezers or a tick-removal tool. Place ticks in alcohol after removal and save them for potential future identification by your veterinarian.

Step 2: After the tick has been removed, or if you notice a new tick bite on your dog, clean the area well with a skin antiseptic made for dogs. 

Step 3: Be sure to clean all instruments involved in the removal process with rubbing alcohol. Wash hands after removal and cleansing of the tick bite area. 

Step 4: Monitor the tick bite. Pay attention to the site of the tick bite for several days following removal and cleaning of the area. Most tick bites should heal once treated over the course of 2 to 5 days, but if the area is persistently red, spreading, or beginning to irritate your pet, consult with your veterinarian. Ticks can carry many unwanted illnesses such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and more, but your dog may not present with symptoms for weeks to months depending on the disease process. That’s why monitoring the bite area and your dog following a tick bit is so important.

Signs of an Infected Tick Bite on a Dog

Some indications that your dog’s tick bite may be infected include increased swelling at the site, pain, and draining of infection through milky (purulent) discharge. 

If you suspect your dog’s tick bite is infected, it is best to contact your veterinary team to determine if a visit is needed or if at-home care with antiseptics and antibiotic ointment may suffice depending on the severity of the infection. 

The way your veterinary team may treat the infected tick bite includes clipping the fur and cleaning the area thoroughly, as well as keeping the pet from traumatizing the area. Oral antibiotics may be sent home if the abscess is advanced enough, but if it is a very small area of local infection, then they may prescribe a higher strength topical treatment. 

Your veterinarian may also discuss screening your dog’s blood for exposure to tick-borne illnesses if they become symptomatic at a later date.

Preventing Ticks on Dogs

Keeping your canine companion on year-round flea and tick preventative medication can greatly reduce the risks for both acute and chronic complications. 

Additional ways that you can help limit your dog’s potential for having ticks include examining them routinely after outdoor activities and limiting time in areas where ticks may be more prevalent, such as in the brush and near trees and tall grasses. 

You may also consider treating your yard or environment with an appropriate pesticide that is safe for dogs to minimize their risk of exposure to ticks. 

With diligent preventive care and observation, you can make tick prevention an easy routine for you and your dog.

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Ticks are typically found in wooded areas, hiding in brush and tall grasses. They wait for a host to pass by, and when an opportunity presents itself, they will make a human or animal body their new home. Eventually, they attach themselves to a host’s skin and bury their heads under it in search of what’s called a “blood meal” (which is exactly what it sounds like). 

In the process of feasting, ticks with pathogens in their saliva can transmit them to their host. A tick needs to be attached for about 24 hours for a pathogen to transmit to a cat, says Dr. Diane Delmain, an associate professor at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. 

In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about ticks on cats, including how to remove and prevent ticks, lessening the chance of disease transmission.

Can Cats Get Ticks?

Yes, cats can definitely get ticks. Research published in 2016 suggested that nearly 19 percent of free-roaming cats in the central U.S. that were examined had ticks, and the cats with tick infestations had an average of nearly three ticks each on their bodies. 

Of course, indoor-only cats will have a lower rate of incidence, but they’re not immune from ticks. Most commonly, a human or indoor-outdoor animal, like a dog, brings the tick in on their body, and the tick decides that the resident feline is a more desirable host.

Dr. Delmain says cats are also less likely than dogs to be affected by ticks because they are fastidious groomers. “Many cats will groom ticks off, but some can be hard to find or reach, like those in their armpits or thighs,” she says. “While we don’t know of any cats who are genetically predisposed to tick attraction or attachment, those who have a harder time grooming than others because of age or weight may have a harder time removing them.”

Dr. Bruce Kornreich, the director of the Cornell Feline Health Center at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, adds that for similar reasons, long-haired cats may have a more difficult time removing ticks via grooming than their short-haired counterparts.

“We want all cat owners to be diligent, but it’s reasonable to recommend that people with cats with long hair should pay extra special attention and feel through all that fur and all the way down to the skin when checking for ticks,” he says.

Dangers of Ticks for Cats

A primary concern about ticks affecting cats is the increasing prevalence of these pests, due in large part to the effects of climate change. “Ticks are spreading across the country and are more prevalent in places that didn’t used to have them,” Dr. Delmain says. Tick season is also starting earlier and lasting longer, according to Dr. Kornreich.

But perhaps the most familiar tick-related danger – Lyme disease – is not something that impacts cats the way it does humans and dogs. “Cats seem to be pretty resistant to Lyme disease for reasons we don’t completely understand,” Dr. Kornreich says. “Generally speaking, they’re not nearly as susceptible as dogs and people.”

Instead, a disease called cytauxzoonosis (aka bobcat fever) is “the big, bad one” that most concerns veterinarians, according to Dr. Delmain. “Ten years ago, I would have said that all cats who get it die,” she notes. “Now, it’s closer to 60 percent, but it’s a lot of work to save the other 40 percent.”

Cytauxzoonosis affects the red and white blood cells. Cats with it can get really anemic, Dr. Delmain says, but early signs of bobcat fever are often really non-specific. “It’s more the things you see with a lot of other diseases, tick-borne or otherwise, including lethargy and not eating,” she says. The disease often progresses rapidly. Cytauxzoonosis can cause high fever, jaundice, labored breathing, shock, coma, and death.

What Does a Tick Look Like on a Cat?

Different species of ticks have a few unique physical characteristics, but they all tend to follow the same general pattern of flat, round body with six to eight legs protruding off it. How many legs a tick has depends on their life stage, with larval ticks having six legs and more mature ticks having eight legs.  After a blood meal, the tick’s flat body becomes engorged, and this makes it much easier to spot on a cat’s body, both by the eye and through touch, Dr. Kornreich says.

An engorged tick on a cat will be the size of a pea or slightly larger, Kornreich says. “It’s something most people would definitely recognize by feeling with their hands. People get freaked out, but ticks are much more difficult to identify before they’ve taken a blood meal.”

For this reason, brushing or petting your cat regularly will help you spot and remove ticks, and deal with any potential ill effects more quickly and easily. Plus, time may be of the essence in these situations because the earlier you remove the tick, the lower the risk of disease transmission.

Other Symptoms of Ticks on Cats

There aren’t necessarily any other inherent symptoms of a tick on a cat besides potential skin irritation that comes with attachment, but there are a host of symptoms that may accompany the variety of tick-borne illnesses cat parents should be aware of.

Outside of cytauxzoonosis, Dr. Kornreich cites tularemia as one of the more concerning tick-borne diseases. Also known as rabbit fever, tularemia is found everywhere in the United States outside of the southwest and Rocky Mountains, he notes. “Cats can also be infected, and this causes lethargy, abdominal pain, vomiting, and liver problems, among other symptoms.”

Two more diseases worth knowing, Dr. Kornreich says, are anaplasmosis and hemotropic mycoplasmosis (which used to be known as haemobartonella). Both may cause severe anemia in cats, while anaplasmosis also causes enlarged lymph nodes and stiff joints.

In addition to the familiar symptoms of lethargy and poor appetite, those infected with anaplasmosis may also limp or have trouble walking, as well as pass dark or bloody stools. Rapid weight loss, white or pale coloring of the gums, and jaundice may also accompany symptomatic cases of hemotropic mycoplasmosis.

How to Remove a Tick From a Cat 

Once you understand how to get rid of ticks on cats properly, it’s a pretty simple process. If a tick is attached, Dr. Delmain says, you can buy a “tick twister” if you don’t already have tweezers or forceps, which can also work for removal. Simply use one of these devices to grab the tick as close to its head as you can and pull it out with straight, steady traction. 

“If you don’t have any of those,” Dr. Delmain says, “some will detach with soap and water on a cotton ball.” Once you have the tick fully removed from your cat’s body, you can kill it by putting it in a jar of rubbing alcohol. Dr. Kornreich adds that it’s best to kill ticks without touching them. 

If you are concerned about removing a tick from your cat at home, your veterinarian or a veterinary technician can help with the procedure.

Monitoring Your Cat After a Tick Bite

Some tick-borne diseases will take time to develop, Dr. Kornreich says, so it’s important to monitor for common feline symptoms of illness, like lethargy, poor appetite, and weakness. Seek professional medical help for your cat right away if you see these. 

Otherwise, neither Dr. Kornreich nor Dr. Delmain says it’s necessarily essential that you take your cat into the vet if you find and detach a tick. It’s more about what symptoms or changes you observe.

“Any time you see a cat with clinical signs, bring them to the vet promptly,” Dr. Kornreich says. “And you should always bring them in once a year, and cats older than ten years of age should make that visit twice a year.”

How to Prevent Ticks on Cats

“We have an amazing generation of tick preventatives right now,” Dr. Delmain says. “They will kill ticks within a couple hours of them getting on the cat, and because the tick-borne diseases need attachment to last for about a day to transmit, if a cat is on these medications, the ticks can’t attach long enough to spread the disease.” 

These tick preventatives for cats are available as oral or topical medications. Dr. Delmain says there are also collars you can try that have similar positive effects as the other drugs, but it’s important to work with your veterinarian if you want to try any of these options. Your veterinarian can help you ensure that the tick collar is tight enough to be effective.

Dr. Kornreich adds that it’s also good to keep tick populations down on your property or anywhere you or your animals roam. “We recommend cats stay indoors, but if you allow them outside, there’s reason to expect that if a lawn is well-mowed, it’s less likely for ticks to be found there because they like places that are wooded and have tall grasses.”

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According to Mark Cousins, DVM, DABVP (Feline Practice), of The Cat Practice Veterinary Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana, it’s hard to know the true prevalence of heartworm disease in cats because most veterinarians do not routinely screen cats for heartworm. However, a 2020 study comparing heartworm prevalence for a random sample of 100 shelter dogs and 100 shelter cats from a heartworm-endemic region found that the rate of infection may be more similar between dogs and cats than previously thought (1).

“As a feline practitioner from New Orleans—where heartworm rates are known to be quite high in dogs—I can tell you that heartworm is also very common in cats,” says Dr. Cousins, who is on the board of directors for the American Heartworm Society. “Anyone with a cat who lives in an area known to have heartworm in dogs should also be concerned about protecting their cats.”

How Do Cats Get Heartworm?

Cats become infected with heartworms when they are bitten by a mosquito that carries heartworm larvae. The larvae develop into immature adults within the cat’s tissues and then enter the bloodstream. The immature adults become mature adult heartworms after reaching their ultimate destination—the heart and its associated vessels.

Unlike dogs, cats are not ideal hosts for heartworms, so although cats can become infected, heartworm disease is quite different in cats than dogs. “[Cats] can and do develop adult worms, but the majority of infections in cats are from immature worms that are eliminated before they reach the adult stage, thanks to the cat’s immune system,” Dr. Cousins says. “These immature worms are not harmless; they cause disease in the cat.”

According to Dr. Cousins, cats usually harbor less than six adult heartworms, and single-worm infections are common. Heartworm-infected dogs generally have a dozen or more adult heartworms, sometimes even carrying over 100 worms.

12 Heartworm Symptoms in Cats You Shouldn’t Ignore

Heartworm symptoms in cats range from very mild to severe. Because cat heartworm symptoms resemble those of other illnesses and diseases, they can sometimes be overlooked. According to the American Heartworm Society, some common signs of heartworm in cats include:

• Chronic coughing
• Asthma-like attacks
• Wheezing
• Vomiting
• Lack of appetite
• Weight loss
• Difficulty walking
• Fainting 
• Seizures
• Fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites)
• Collapse
• Sudden death

“Death from heartworm disease in cats typically occurs when an adult worm living inside the cat dies,” Dr. Cousins says. “This causes an acute respiratory disease syndrome. The death of just one adult worm inside a cat can cause a fatal reaction.”

Cat Heartworm Symptoms: Next Steps

If you’re worried that your cat might have heartworms, do not delay scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian. There are two simple blood tests veterinarians can use to screen cats for heartworm infection:

Antigen tests, which are used to screen dogs for heartworms, only detect the presence of adult female heartworms. Antigen tests are a useful tool to detect adult heartworms in cats, but only if a cat is harboring adult female worms. 

“A better screening test for cats is an antibody test, which tells the veterinarian that the cat has been infected with heartworms at some point in its past,” Dr. Cousins says. “This tells the veterinarian and owner that the cat has been exposed to and infected with heartworms and therefore is at risk.”

If a cat has a positive antibody test, the vet can perform an antigen test and/or heat-treated antigen test (which helps rule out potential false-negative test results) to see if adult worms are present. Chest X-rays and an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram) may also be recommended.

Dr. Cousins points out that most cats with adult heartworms can survive, especially if they receive good supportive care. “Anecdotal evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory medications like steroids, as well as a class of drugs called leukotrienes, can be helpful,” he says. 

Owners of cats that test positive for adult worms should talk to their veterinarian about spotting signs of acute respiratory disease, which can indicate that worm death is occurring. Supportive care at the veterinary clinic can help cats survive this critical time.

Do Cats Need Heartworm Prevention?

Pet parents might think that indoor cats don’t need to worry about heartworms, or that prevention is only needed in the summer months, but both of these assumptions are false. The American Heartworm Society recommends year-round heartworm prevention in all cats, including those that live primarily indoors. 

“Studies have shown that heartworm in cats is not limited to outdoor pets,” Dr. Cousins says. “Mosquitoes love to come indoors! And it only takes one feeding session by a mosquito to infect a cat. No one knows when the first and last mosquitoes of a so-called season will be present.” 

Mosquitoes can survive in colder climates due to elevated temperatures within urban “heat islands” (areas of warmth created by buildings and concrete). Mosquitoes can even live indoors, so it’s impossible to identify an entirely safe season when cats are not at risk of becoming infected with heartworms. 

“I also find that cat owners are better at adhering to heartworm prevention if they give a pill or apply a spot-on medication on a routine, year-round basis,” Dr. Cousins says.

Although effective treatment options are available for dogs with adult heartworms, there are no FDA-approved treatments for heartworms in cats. “This makes prevention especially important for cats, and there are safe and highly effective preventives out there for them,” Dr. Cousins says.

Every heartworm preventive for cats protects against multiple parasites. Depending on the product you choose, you can keep your cat safe from heartworms—as well as from harmful intestinal worms like roundworms and hookworms, and/or external parasites like fleas, ticks and mites—year-round.

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Toxoplasmosis is considered a public health concern because the infection can pass from cats to people during this shedding stage. A study recently estimated that 37.5 percent of domestic cats worldwide have been exposed to the parasite that causes this infection as demonstrated by the presence of antibodies within their blood. Additionally, about 2.6 percent of cats were shedding oocysts in their stool indicating a current, active infection. 

Because infected cats can pose a risk to humans, pet parents should understand what toxoplasmosis is and how to prevent their cats from becoming infected.

What Is Toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a protozoan parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. It affects many different types of animals and can result in a wide variety of symptoms. It is relatively common in cats but most are asymptomatic despite being infected with the parasite. 

This disease is also zoonotic, which means that it can spread from cats to people. Outdoor cats are much more likely to become infected compared to indoor cats due to their likelihood of coming into contact with contaminated soil or other animals who may be carrying the parasite.  

Causes of Toxoplasmosis in Cats

Cats can get toxoplasmosis when they ingest an infected rodent or bird, raw meat, or contaminated fecal material within the environment. 

In as little as three days after becoming infected, cats begin to shed oocysts in their stool. Shedding may continue for up to 20 days. After the oocysts are passed by the cat and exposed to the environment, they become infectious and can cause disease in other animals or people if accidentally ingested. Infected cats usually only actively shed oocysts once in their lives after their first exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. However, the parasite can enter the tissues of the cat and cause a chronic, inactive infection. If a cat becomes immunosuppressed, re-shedding of oocysts may occur.

Since toxoplasmosis can be passed from cats to humans, it is understandable that many pet parents may be concerned about exposure. This transmission occurs through accidental ingestion of infected fecal material, not by simply breathing in cat litter. Accidental ingestion can occur if a pet parent cleans the litter box of an infected cat and forgets to wash his or her hands afterwards before touching his or her mouth or eating a meal. Practicing good hand hygiene when tending to the litter box, such as wearing gloves and washing hands, can reduce the risk of infection in people.

Toxoplasmosis Symptoms in Cats

Many healthy cats do not show any signs that they have been infected by Toxoplasma gondii. However, when cats do show symptoms, they can be highly variable depending on the cat’s health status and age. 

Symptoms that may be seen in cats with toxoplasmosis include:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Low appetite
• Difficulty breathing
• Jaundice
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

This infection can also negatively affect the brain and eyes in some cats. Infected cats may experience the following symptoms:

• Confusion
• Incoordination
• Abnormal behaviors
• Head pressing
• Vocalizing
• Seizures
• Localized or generalized eye inflammation

Diagnosing Toxoplasmosis in Cats

Veterinarians will start with a physical exam and take a history from the pet parent to identify any abnormalities or clues as to what might be affecting the cat. If toxoplasmosis is suspected, a stool sample can be collected and examined under the microscope to identify oocysts that the cat may be shedding. Blood and other body fluids may be sent to a laboratory for more specific testing. 

Diagnosis can also be made by sending a tissue sample to a pathologist for review; however, this can be costly and is typically done post-mortem. Additional testing, such as X-rays, a neurological exam, and an eye exam can be performed to support a diagnosis of toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis Treatment in Cats

Clindamycin, an antibiotic, is commonly prescribed for a period of 3 to 4 weeks to treat toxoplasmosis in cats. An anti-parasitic medication known as pyrimethamine in combination with an antibiotic called sulfadiazine may also be used. In many instances, no treatment is necessary in cats.

Some cats may require hospitalization if they are very ill from the infection. Treatment may consist of intravenous fluids and other necessary supportive care, such as oxygen therapy, until they are feeling better. Cats may be given additional treatment based on their presenting symptoms at the discretion of the veterinarian.

Treatment costs for toxoplasmosis can vary greatly depending on the symptoms the cat is experiencing and the types of treatment being administered. Clindamycin is given orally at home and can range from $20-$30 for a course of treatment. Supportive care or hospitalization can range from $500 or more. 

Follow up stool testing to identify whether oocyst shedding has stopped can also add additional costs to the final bill.

How to Prevent Toxoplasmosis in Cats

The best preventative measure pet parents can take to reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis in their cats is to keep them indoors. Since rodents are a reservoir for infection, ensuring the home is rodent-free is critical. 

If a cat does become infected, it is important to separate him from other cats within the household. This includes providing separate food and water bowls, separate bedding, and a separate litter box until the shedding of oocysts stops.  

If pet parents are unable to keep their cats inside, deterring rodents and birds from the property is helpful. Ensure outdoor cats always have access to clean, fresh water so they are not tempted to search for other water sources that could potentially be contaminated. Feeding cats dry food rather than a raw diet also reduces their risk of contracting the infection.

Pet parents may also be interested in learning how they can prevent infection in themselves if their cat is diagnosed with toxoplasmosis. Cleaning the litter box every day can greatly reduce the risk of cat to human transmission. Oocysts that have been shed by an infected cat must be exposed to the environment for one to five days before becoming infectious. The exact time period will depend on environmental conditions, but cleaning the litter box each day is an important guideline to follow. 

Pet parents should always wash their hands after tending to the litter box or after coming into contact with any areas outdoors, such as sandboxes, that cats may have defecated in as well.

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Treatment of roundworms in cats is essential in order to prevent complications and stop the shedding of roundworm eggs into the environment.

What Are Roundworms?

Roundworms are large, round, parasitic worms that live in the small intestine of infected cats. The most common roundworm species in cats is Toxocara cati, though infection with other species is also possible. 

How Do Cats Get Roundworms?

Cats become infected with roundworms by ingesting roundworm eggs from the environment, or by ingesting other vertebrate hosts that are infected with roundworms, such as birds and rodents. Kittens can also be infected with roundworms while nursing. However, unlike dogs, which can be infected in utero, kittens cannot be infected with roundworms prior to birth.

After a cat ingests roundworm eggs, the roundworm larvae migrate through the liver and lungs before making their way back to the small intestine, where they develop into adult worms. 

This migration may result in pulmonary disease, irritation of the stomach that induces vomiting, and inflammation of the intestines, which can cause diarrhea. However, many cats infected with roundworms are asymptomatic, particularly adult cats. 

Can Humans Get Roundworms from Cats?

Yes, humans can be infected with roundworms. Infection is most common in children and most often occurs due to infected soil at playgrounds or parks, or in sandboxes. 

Parents should make sure that children are not eating dirt and are not playing in areas where pets may have defecated. Infected cats shed roundworm eggs in their feces, so it is very important to clean up feces promptly and practice good hygiene, such as frequent handwashing.

Can You See Roundworms in Cat Poop or Vomit?

You may see adult roundworms in cat vomit. These worms are recognizable as being large, light tan in color, and having three prominent lips on one end. In general, however, pet owners typically do not see roundworms in cat poop or vomit. 

Roundworm eggs are shed in the feces of an infected cat, but these eggs are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye. This is why routine fecal testing for parasites is very important to diagnose infections in cats that may otherwise be missed.

Symptoms of Roundworms in Cats

As stated above, many cats with roundworm infections, particularly adult cats, are asymptomatic. This means that these cats can be shedding roundworm eggs into their environments without their owners ever realizing there’s a problem.

When cats do develop signs of roundworm infection, symptoms can include:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Poor hair coat
• Pot-bellied appearance
• Failure to thrive
• Intestinal obstruction
• Sudden death

Diagnosing Roundworms in Cats

To diagnose a roundworm infection in your cat, your veterinarian may recommend some or all of the following tests:

Physical Examination. Your veterinarian will perform a comprehensive head-to-tail physical examination on your cat, including palpating your cat’s abdomen, checking their weight, and assessing their hair coat. 

Fecal Floatation. Your veterinarian may recommend assessing a sample of your cat’s feces for the presence of roundworm eggs. Presence of eggs indicates a roundworm infection. False negatives may occur in some cases.

Fecal Antigen Testing. This test uses a sample of your cat’s feces to detect an antigen produced by both young and adult roundworms in your cat’s small intestine. Because it is not dependent on egg production, false negatives are less common than with fecal floatation testing. This test is typically performed in combination with a fecal floatation test.

Roundworm Treatment for Cats

Roundworms in cats can become severe enough to cause intestinal obstruction or even death, particularly in young kittens. It is important to treat a roundworm infection for the health of your cat and to prevent transmission of roundworms to other pets and people in the household. 

Cat roundworm treatment typically consists of a prescribed medication to be taken for a certain period of time.

Roundworm Medicine for Cats

A number of deworming medications are effective against cat roundworms. Your veterinarian may prescribe medications such as:

• Fenbendazole
• Milbemycin
• Moxidectin
• Pyrantel pamoate

The dosage and duration of treatment will depend on the medication and the size of your cat. Treatment may be repeated at 2-3 week intervals to ensure the infection is cleared.

General Cost to Treat Roundworms in Cats

Fortunately, treatment for roundworms in cats is relatively inexpensive. Pet owners can expect to spend $20-$75, depending on the type of medication prescribed and the duration and frequency of the treatment.

How to Prevent Roundworms in Cats

There are a few ways to prevent roundworms from becoming an issue in your cat.

Kittens should be dewormed at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age, and then monthly until 6 months of age. Cats over 6 months of age should be treated with parasite control products effective against roundworms monthly. 

Promptly cleaning up feces and stopping ingestion of prey animals can also prevent a cat roundworm infection.

Related Conditions

• Hookworms
• Whipworms
• Giardia
• Coccidiosis

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Despite the major health risks posed by this disease and the rising number of cases throughout the US, a recent study found that only about 30 percent of US dog owners had purchased heartworm prevention within the last year (1). 

While most dog parents are somewhat familiar with the risk of heartworms they are often unfamiliar with dog heartworm symptoms. In this article, we will describe common dog heartworm symptoms that all dog parents should know. 

How Does a Dog Get Heartworm? 

Heartworm disease is caused by a parasitic worm, Dirofilaria immitis, which is transmitted through mosquito bites. When a mosquito takes a blood meal from a dog that is infected with heartworms, the juvenile heartworms in the blood (called microfilariae) develop into infective larvae inside the mosquito. These can then be transmitted to the next dog the mosquito bites, causing them to become infected. 

Any dog can become infected with heartworms. However, dogs with a higher risk of mosquito exposure — such as outdoor dogs, stray dogs, hunting dogs, and dogs living in the southeastern United States — are more likely to develop heartworm disease. 

Once infected, these worms can cause significant damage to the dog’s heart, lungs, blood vessels, and even the liver and kidneys. 

7 Dog Heartworm Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore

Often, dogs that are diagnosed with heartworms don’t show any abnormal symptoms at the time of their diagnosis. In fact, one study reported that 32 percent of dogs diagnosed with heartworms were asymptomatic (2). This is likely due to routine testing for heartworms, which allows veterinarians to catch this disease early on. 

The longer a dog is infected with heartworms, the more the worms reproduce, and the more likely the dog is to show symptoms of heartworm infection. 

The tricky thing is that many of these symptoms aren’t specific to heartworm in dogs. They are also commonly observed in many other dog diseases and ailments. For this reason, an assessment by a veterinarian is crucial to help determine the cause. 

Still, in order to get that assessment, pet parents need to know what to look for. So here’s a helpful overview of heartworm symptoms in dogs to watch out for.  

What are the First Signs of Heartworms in Dogs?  

1. Coughing 

After migrating through the skin and muscles, juvenile heartworms enter the chest cavity and lungs. They fully mature within the pulmonary arteries, where they will live out their life cycle, which can span 5 to 7 years. 

Since heartworms are not a normal part of a dog’s body, the immune system reacts to the worms causing widespread inflammation. In the lungs, this inflammation causes a pesky dry cough that won’t go away. For this reason, any time a dog has a persistent cough, a visit to the veterinarian is in order for heartworm testing and evaluation.

2. Exercise Intolerance

Another early sign of heartworm disease is difficulty exercising or a sudden reluctance to exercise. 

This can happen for many reasons. But when a dog has heartworms, adult worms living in the blood vessels of the lungs cause those vessels to narrow and not work as well as they should. That can prevent the lungs from exchanging oxygen efficiently. And because moving the body requires oxygen-rich blood, exercise may be more difficult for dogs with heartworms

If you normally take your dog on an hour-long daily walk, and suddenly your pup can’t walk for 20 minutes without wanting to lay down, it’s time for a visit to the vet. 

3. Lethargy

As with infections of any kind, heartworms can make dogs more sleepy and lethargic because their body is busy trying to fight the infection. The direct impact heartworms have on a dog’s heart and lung performance can also contribute to lethargy and low energy. 

Symptoms of Late-Stage Heartworm Disease in Dogs

4. Weight Loss

Advanced heartworm infections can cause dogs to lose weight. As heartworms take up residence in a dog’s pulmonary arteries for longer periods of time, this forces their body to have to work harder to perform basic bodily functions, such as breathing and pumping blood.

This increased exertion requires more calories to sustain it. However, dogs with heartworms typically don’t make up for this need by eating more food. Instead, the inflammation caused by the worms makes infected dogs feel less hungry, which contributes to the weight loss. 

5. Labored Breathing

Another late-stage sign of heartworm disease is labored breathing, which is often a symptom of right-sided heart failure. 

Over time, the right side of the heart has to pump harder and harder to push blood through the narrowed, heartworm-damaged pulmonary arteries. Eventually, this can lead to heart failure and often labored or rapid breathing. Labored breathing should always be treated as an emergency and you should not delay seeking veterinary care, should this occur. 

6. Swollen Belly

The right-sided heart failure seen in late-stage heartworm disease can also lead to a buildup of fluid in a dog’s belly. This condition, known as ascites, happens when blood pools in the lungs because the heart isn’t pumping properly, and fluid leaches from the pooled blood into the abdomen. This causes a dog’s belly to appear more rounded or swollen. 

7. Collapse

Sudden collapse or fainting episodes, called syncope, can be seen in dogs with advanced heartworm disease. This can be a result of heart failure or caval syndrome. 

Caval syndrome is a severe complication of heartworm disease in which heartworms become lodged in the right side of the heart. The worms become tangled and prevent the heart chambers from properly closing. This clump of worms also causes red blood cells to burst, leading to severe anemia and weakness. 

Caval syndrome requires emergency surgery in order to prevent death and even then the chances of survival aren’t great. For this reason, should your dog suddenly collapse, it is important to seek emergency veterinary care right away. 

Heartworm Symptoms in Dogs: Next Steps

If your dog is not on year-round heartworm prevention medicine and you notice any of the symptoms described above, it is important to consult with your veterinarian about the possibility of heartworm disease. 

A veterinarian can usually perform a quick heartworm test during your visit to provide an answer right away. And even if your dog tests negative for heartworms, your veterinarian may be able to diagnose another health concern with similar symptoms before it becomes more serious.

However, ignoring symptoms of heartworm disease or skipping annual heartworm tests could prove deadly, because it reduces your chances of catching the disease when it is still treatable. 

Heartworm treatments for dogs are most effective when the infection is detected before symptoms develop. A dog with heartworm symptoms can still benefit greatly from treatment. However, the cost of treatment is typically higher. And some things, like lung damage, are often permanent.

Do Dogs Need Heartworm Prevention? 

Heartworm in dogs is a serious disease that poses a significant threat to your pet’s health even if it is treated. So preventing heartworm disease from happening is much preferable to treating the disease, whether your dog is diagnosed when asymptomatic or after symptoms develop. 

The good news is that this disease is almost 100 percent preventable with proper, consistent use of preventatives, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. 

The American Heartworm Society recommends dog parents in all 50 states administer year-round, FDA-approved heartworm prevention medication for dogs, as well as limit dog exposure to mosquitos and their breeding environments. 

Talk to your veterinarian about which heartworm prevention is best suited for your dog, based on your pet’s risk factors and lifestyle.

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We get it. All species of ticks are gross, but the ick factor is nothing compared to their potential to transmit tick-borne diseases to your dog.

Different tick species can carry different diseases and pose a variety of risks to your canine companions. In this article, we’ll be focusing on the brown dog tick and what you need to be aware of if your dog is bitten by one.

What Is a Brown Dog Tick?

As you may have guessed, the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) was named for its color. These parasites are reddish-brown in color and have elongated bodies.

Nymphs (younger ticks) grow up to 1.3 millimeters long and 0.66 millimeters wide, with four pairs of legs. Adult brown dog ticks also have four pairs of legs and the same reddish-brown coloring but grow up to 3.18 millimeters long and 1.68 millimeters wide. After a blood meal, engorged female brown dog ticks can increase their size 100-fold.

The brown dog tick can be found in all 50 states, and it’s the most widespread species in the world. And even though brown dog ticks prefer tropical and temperate climates, the blood-sucking parasites can survive indoors anywhere in the world, says Dr. Katie Clow, veterinarian and assistant professor at Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph. “Because dogs move all around the world, either with their owners or to find new homes, these ticks can be transported vast distances and end up in new places,” she explains.

In fact, Dr. Clow notes that one of the things that makes the brown dog tick unique is the fact that it thrives in indoor environments, including homes and kennels that are too arid for other tick species to survive.

“When [brown dog ticks] are not actively looking for a host…like a dog, they can hide in cracks and crevices within the home,” she adds.

Brown Dog Tick vs. Deer Tick

The deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) is another common tick species. It’s found mainly along the east coast of the United States, especially in forests, meadows, and wetlands where white-tailed deer are plentiful. Dogs pick up the ticks while hiking or running through these areas.

At first glance, the deer tick might be mistaken for a brown tick, but a closer look reveals some distinct differences between the species. For starters, male deer ticks are dark brown to black in color, and female deer ticks have colorful orangish-red markings on their backs.

Both male and female deer ticks have dark heads with dark spots behind their heads (called a dorsal shield) and four pairs of legs that are dark brown to black in color, earning them the nickname “blacklegged tick.” 

5 Brown Dog Tick Dangers

Brown dog ticks are known to carry diseases that can be potentially dangerous to our canine companions, causing symptoms ranging from mild illness to death. Let’s go over some of the most common brown dog tick diseases, as well as the dangers associated with them.

Anaplasmosis

Deer ticks and Western black-legged ticks are typically associated with anaplasmosis, but one form of the disease, Anaplasma platys, is transmitted by the brown dog tick.

Symptoms like lameness, joint pain, fever, and lack of appetite most commonly appear within one to seven days after an infected brown dog tick bites a canine. In more severe cases, dogs may experience vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, trouble breathing, and seizures.

Antibiotics are used to treat the disease. The prognosis is good, with most dogs showing significant signs of improvement within 24 to 48 hours of starting treatment.

Babesiosis

Brown dog ticks can transmit a number of Babesia species, intracellular parasites that attack red blood cells. The most common symptoms of babesiosis include fever, anemia-related low energy and weakness, and low platelets that can increase the risk of bruising and bleeding. 

“The symptoms range from mild to severe, with younger animals generally experiencing more severe disease,” Dr. Clow says.

Babesiosis is treated with a number of different medications. However, eliminating this organism can be challenging. Some dogs remain chronically infected, despite aggressive treatment.

is found throughout the United States. Ehrlichiosis can cause symptoms ranging from fever, low energy, and lack of appetite to weight loss and nosebleeds. These symptoms usually occur one to four weeks after infection. 

Although treatment for acute ehrlichiosis is available and can lead to recovery, some dogs don’t show any symptoms and are never treated. This can lead to infected dogs becoming

 “subclinical” carriers of the bacteria. “This means brown dog ticks that bite them can pick up the bacteria and then transmit it to other dogs,” Dr. Clow says. “It also means they may develop the chronic phase of disease, which can be severe and fatal.” 

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rickettsia rickettsii causes Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and brown dog ticks are among the species that transmit the bacterium. “Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a severe and potentially fatal disease in dogs,” Dr. Clow says.

The main symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of balance, seizures, swelling of the limbs and muscle/joint pain that can make it difficult to walk, and other neurological signs.

Humans can also be diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. While you can’t get the disease from your dog, you can get it from tick bites, so it’s important to check yourself for ticks after being in the same environments as potentially infected brown dog ticks.

Hepatozoonosis 

Unlike other tick-borne diseases that are transmitted when an infected tick bites a dog, hepatozoonosis infection occurs when dogs ingest an infected tick. Hepatozoon, a single-celled organism, is released from the ingested tick into the dog’s intestine and travels through the liver, lungs, and other organs and bone marrow.

Hepatozoonosis can be found throughout the United States but it’s more common in warmer climates, including the southern and southeastern regions of the country. Most hepatozoon cases associated with brown dog ticks are asymptomatic, but signs may include fever, weight loss, and lethargy. Medications are used to manage the signs associated with symptomatic infection, but the infection typically cannot be cured.

Brown Dog Tick Symptoms

Dr. Clow notes that “tick bites are rarely noticed,” so it’s also a good idea to be on the lookout for signs that your dog may be sick from a tick-borne disease, including:

• Lethargy
• Joint pain
• Poor appetite
• Dark-colored urine
• Fever
• Muscle wasting
• Swollen lymph nodes

If you notice any of these symptoms, call your veterinarian.

What to Do if You Find a Brown Dog Tick on Your Dog

If a brown dog tick has chosen your pup as its host, grab the tweezers (or a tick removal tool)! You’ll need to remove it and you may want to take it to your veterinarian to have the species identified and talk about the next steps. 

You may also need to contact an exterminator. “If you find repeated brown dog ticks on your dog, you could have a home infestation,” says Dr. Clow. “Especially if you live in colder climate areas where ticks are not known to be found outdoors.”

Brown Dog Tick Bite Prevention

You might not always be able to prevent a brown dog tick from biting your dog, but you can take action to prevent the parasites from transmitting disease.

It’s important to do regular “tick checks” to make sure that a brown tick isn’t using your dog for a blood meal. Check your dog’s entire body but pay special attention to the head, ears and back, between their toes, and the area where their legs meet their bodies, which are favorite spots for brown dog ticks to attach.

But the best way to prevent brown dog ticks and other tick species is to give your dog regular flea and tick preventatives. “Pet parents should consider veterinary prescribed tick preventatives that are effective against brown dog ticks,” Dr. Clow says.

These easy-to-administer products can kill ticks as soon as they bite your dog, preventing disease transmission and ensuring your dog stays healthy. 

The post Brown Dog Tick: 5 Dangers for Dogs appeared first on Great Pet Care.

We encourage you to contact your veterinarian if your dog is exhibiting abnormal symptoms after a tick bite. And although removing a tick from a dog isn’t too complicated once you get used to it, don’t be afraid to ask for help. “Most veterinarians will remove ticks in their office, so if you are not comfortable removing yourself, it is okay to consult the professionals,” says Dr. Katie Pagan, a partner veterinarian with Heart + Paw in Fells Point, Maryland. 

Dog Tick Removal: What You’ll Need

These items will help ensure safe dog tick removal and make the process easier.

• A tick removal tool. The best way to remove ticks from dogs is to use a specialty tool. They’re available in a variety of designs including specialized tick tweezers, tick keys, tick scoops, and tick twisters.

• Plastic gloves. Because ticks can transmit disease to humans, it’s always better to be safe. “Experts agree that it is best if the person removing the tick wears protective gloves to prevent possible infection,” says Dr. Jerry Klein, chief veterinary officer for the American Kennel Club, based in New York City.

• Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. This has multiple uses, such as lessening the tick’s grip on your dog’s skin, killing the tick after removal, and disinfecting your tick tool.

• A lidded container or plastic storage bag. A container or bag provides a place to kill and dispose of the tick after it’s been removed, or to safely hold it if you need to bring it to your veterinarian for inspection.

• Antibiotic ointment or antiseptic. You’ll use this to clean the bite spot and prevent infection after removing the tick.

• A magnifying glass. Ticks are small, so having a magnifier can make it easier to find them.

• A dog treat. A favorite treat or food placed in a dog puzzle toy is a good way to keep your dog occupied and calm during the process.

How to Remove a Tick from a Dog

Before getting started, be sure you know how to identify a tick. They’re generally small and brown with a hard oval body and eight legs, and they can resemble a skin tag when embedded in the skin.

Once you know what to look for, you can start removing the tick from your dog.

Removing a Tick with Tweezers

Tweezers can be used on all sizes of ticks, and because they’re made of metal, they can easily be sterilized. One thing to consider is that tweezers have sharp ends, which can inadvertently stick your dog during the process.

Step 1: Prepare for tick removal. Gather all your supplies and have a dog treat ready in case you need to distract your pup. Then put on your gloves and get ready to locate the tick.

Step 2: Distract your dog. If your dog is not a fan of sitting still, try offering a treat, puzzle-toy, or lick mat with peanut butter as a means of distraction. It will be easier to remove the tick if your dog isn’t trying to get away from you.

Step 3: Locate and stabilize the tick. Part your dog’s fur to find the tick, then work to loosen its grip. “Placing a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and applying the cotton ball directly on top of the tick can sometimes work in backing the tick off of the skin,” says Dr. Pagan.

Step 4. Grasp the tick and pull it out. Now you’re ready for the actual dog tick removal part. To do this, firmly grasp the tick as close to the dog’s skin as possible, recommends Dr. Klein. “In a sustained, non-twisting motion, gently but firmly pull the tick out of the dog. Avoid bursting the tick on the dog to prevent infection.”

Veterinarians say it can help to aim for grabbing the head and mouth area.

Using a Dog Tick Removal Tool

There are several different types of tick removal tools, so we’re going to go over how to properly use each one. 

Regardless of which tool you use, the first two steps listed above (prepare for tick removal and locate and stabilize the tick) will remain the same. Starting with step 3, here’s what you need to know about extracting a tick with different types of dog tick removal tools.

Tick Key

This tool resembles a metal key with a slot on the end. It’s simple to use, can easily be sterilized, and doesn’t have sharp edges. It may not be effective at removing smaller ticks, however.

How to use it: Instead of grabbing the tick as you would with tweezers, move the tick key across your dog’s skin, making sure the slot moves over the tick. Do this until the tick is removed.

Tick Scoop

A tick scoop is shaped like a measuring spoon, except that it has a v-shaped notch on the end for grabbing and removing the tick. This tool may not be as effective at grabbing smaller ticks, and because it’s made of plastic, it’s not as easy to disinfect as metal.

How to use it: Place the spoon’s notch on the skin near the tick, and using light pressure, slide the spoon forward so that the notch covers the tick. Keep sliding it forward until the tick is removed.

Tick Twister

This tool looks like something you might use in your garden to aerate soil and remove weeds. Tick twisters are available in two sizes, though both versions may be a bit cumbersome for pet parents with large hands and dogs with long fur.

How to use it: Slide the end of the twister toward the tick until it becomes stuck between the prongs. Then gently lift and twist it two or three times, and pull it up when the tick has released its mouth from your dog’s skin.

How to Remove a Tick Head from a Dog

If you’ve successfully removed the tick’s body but the head is still stuck in your dog’s skin, don’t panic. “The skin will eventually push the rest of the tick out over the next few days or weeks,” says Dr. Pagan.

Some dogs, she adds, may experience a reaction that can cause dermatitis, or a small area of redness on the skin, she adds. “Your vet may prescribe medication for this if it is severe, but most of the time it is very mild and goes away on its own once the entire tick is gone.”

You can always ask your veterinarian for guidance if the tick head is still embedded in the skin.

Things to Avoid When Removing Ticks from Dogs

There are some items that while convenient to use, are not recommended for removing ticks from dogs.

Your hands and fingers. Using your hands is an ineffective way to remove a tick, plus “It could burst and pass infectious bacteria into small cuts in your skin,” says Dr. Klein.

Improper tick remover tools. It may be tempting to use something you have around the house (like a credit card or lit match) for dog tick removal, but don’t. “These methods are riskier and may not cause proper removal of the tick,” Dr. Klein warns.

Olive oil. According to Dr. Klein, Some people have tried placing olive oil on the site to suffocate the tick, but he doesn’t recommend it. “This may make the tick too slippery to remove properly,” he explains.

Petroleum jelly. This is another slippery substance that “tends to irritate the skin more,” says Dr. Pagan. Petroleum jelly can also cause a tick to regurgitate saliva into the wound, which increases the risk of infection.

Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has antiseptic and antibacterial properties and other beneficial uses for dogs. Still, Dr. Pagan recommends against using it to remove ticks because “It tends to irritate the skin more.”

Soap and water. Though soap and water is a must for washing your hands and the tick tool, current evidence shows that it’s minimally effective at removing a tick from a dog. It’s better to use tweezers or a proper tick removal tool.

What to Do After Removing a Tick from Dog

Now that you’ve removed the tick, there are a few important follow-up steps to remember.

Kill and dispose of the tick. You can kill the tick by dousing it in rubbing alcohol, says Dr. Klein. “Then either flush it down the toilet or place it in an airtight container and bring [it] into your vet in case they would like to visualize the tick and submit it for analysis.”

Apply an antiseptic to your dog’s skin. Veterinarians recommend dabbing some alcohol on a cotton ball to the area of the dog’s skin to help prevent infection. Or you can use an antibacterial cream or ointment designed for pets. 

Search for other ticks. Once a tick has been introduced into your home, it’s easy for them to reproduce, so be diligent about looking for others. “It is imperative to search your dog for any additional ticks,” says Dr. Pagan. If you do find one, repeat the steps for removing a tick with your tool.

Wash your hands and sterilize your equipment. Because humans are at risk for developing tick-borne illnesses, experts recommend washing your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after removing a tick from a dog. You should also wash your tick removal tool with rubbing alcohol or soap.

Monitor your dog for signs of dermatitis. If your dog’s skin appears red and irritated, contact your veterinarian, recommends Dr. Pagan. “Most cases of tick dermatitis are mild, but if it is severe, your vet may need to prescribe medication.”

How to Prevent Tick Bites on Dogs

Though no technique is foolproof for preventing tick bites, a few basic practices can go a long way.

Use Proper Preventatives

Using a year-round preventative on your dog is essential. Formulas are usually combined with flea preventative medicine and come in a variety of forms including topical ointments, collars, and chews. “These products will kill the ticks right away before they have the chance to transmit any diseases,” says Dr. Pagan. Your veterinarian can recommend the product most appropriate for your dog.

Check Your Dog for Ticks on a Regular Basis

By performing daily tick checks on your dog, you’re in a better position to eradicate it and stop the spread of any disease. This is especially helpful, says Dr. Klein, “if [you’re] living in an endemic area or have pursued activities in areas such as grassy or sandy environments.”

​​Ticks like to hide around dogs’ ears and between the toes, so pay close attention to these areas and other “hidden” locations.

Maintain Good Sanitation Practices

Wash and (if needed) disinfect any blankets and sheets your dog sleeps on, and regularly vacuum your rugs, furniture, and drapes, Dr. Klein recommends. And don’t forget to clean your outdoor area. “Keep wood piles and leaves cleaned and away from your home,” he adds. Since ticks feed on other animals, finding ways to deter wildlife from entering your yard can also help reduce the risk.

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If your dog has been diagnosed with heartworm disease, it may feel overwhelming and scary. You may wonder what a dog’s life expectancy after heartworm treatment is, and you may not know the right course of action to take. Fortunately, your veterinarian is an excellent resource for all of your questions. Read on to learn more about heartworm treatment for dogs and what to expect.

Dog Heartworm Treatment Plan: What to Expect

Dogs usually require treatment for heartworms in the following situations:

• You missed your dog’s heartworm prevention, you live in an area with heartworm disease, and your dog tests positive for heartworms
• You have adopted a dog who tested positive for heartworm disease
• You didn’t know that your dog had heartworm disease until they were tested

The goals of heartworm treatment for dogs are to improve the health of the dog and eliminate all life stages of the parasite from their body. The type of treatment your veterinarian will recommend depends on several things:

• How sick your dog is from heartworm
• If your dog has any other health conditions
• How many worms they are carrying

If your dog is not exhibiting any symptoms of heartworm disease, then treatment is generally straightforward and successful. If your dog is sick from heartworms, then they will need to be stabilized before starting treatment to eliminate heartworms. This may require that they receive intravenous medications, such as steroids, diuretics, blood pressure medication, heart medication, and fluid therapy. Sometimes, dogs are carrying so many worms that they require surgical removal of worms. Treating these patients can be very difficult, which is why heartworm prevention is so important in dogs. 

The American Heartworm Society recommends that all dogs undergoing treatment for heartworm disease, whether they are sick or not, are hospitalized while they are receiving and recovering from medication injections to kill worms. This is because it is critical that they stay very quiet while they are receiving medication to eliminate the worms. Overheating, excitement, or exercise during treatment—and for 6-8 weeks after the last medication injection—are the most significant factors contributing to life-threatening heart and lung complications associated with heartworm disease treatment, including death from pulmonary thromboembolism. It is best that a dog go on cage/kennel rest as soon as they are diagnosed with heartworm disease.

In some cases, your veterinarian may elect to pre-treat your dog with medication before starting injections to eliminate the worms. These medications can be given at home (and are covered in more detail in the “Dog Heartworm Medicine” section of this article). 

For most dogs, heartworm treatment takes about four months from beginning to end. However, expect some testing to be required after treatment has stopped, and plan to keep your dog on heartworm prevention continually after they are treated. 

Dog Heartworm Treatment Cost

Cost of heartworm disease varies, but in general, you can expect the following:

• Initial physical examination and heartworm test: $75-$125
• Confirmation tests: $25-$45 
• Additional tests (chest X-rays, chest ultrasound): $250-$1,000
• Pre-treatment medications: $50-$100
• Heartworm prevention to kill heartworm larvae: $20-$60
• Injections to kill adult heartworms: $500-$1,500
• Hospitalization during injections: $20-$40/day
• Follow-up veterinary visits and testing: $100-$150
• Surgery costs: $3,000-$6,000

If your dog is very sick or requires multiple rounds of treatment, the cost goes up.

Heartworm disease in dogs treatment can be costly. Pet insurance, emergency credit lines, savings accounts, and payment plans can all help with the cost of veterinary bills. In addition, if you can afford part of the treatment but not all, talk to your veterinarian—they can offer options that can still help your dog.

Dog Life Expectancy After Heartworm Treatment

Dog life expectancy after heartworm treatment varies. Heartworms cause serious inflammation and damage to the heart and lungs. The longer a dog is infected with heartworms, the more damage occurs. Dog life expectancy after heartworm treatment depends on how much damage was done, how the dog tolerates treatment, and the overall health of the dog. 

In general, dogs that are asymptomatic for heartworm disease can live a long, healthy life free of symptoms after treatment. Dogs who are sick with heartworm disease and have symptoms (cough, exercise intolerance, etc.) have a poorer prognosis with treatment. Your veterinarian will be able to best advise you of your dog’s life expectancy after treatment. 

Dog Heartworm Medicine

Dogs who are initially diagnosed with heartworms are given several medications to weaken adult worms, kill worm larvae, and reduce side effects associated with killing adult worms. 

Doxycycline, an antibiotic, is often given for four weeks prior to administration of melarsomine to kill a bacteria called Wolbachia, which is often present with heartworms. This drug often minimizes side effects associated with melarsomine and kills worm larvae.

If a dog is showing signs of heartworm disease (coughing, etc.), they will also be pre-treated with steroids and other medications before melarsomine injections. 

Heartworm prevention medication is often administered for eight weeks before giving melarsomine to kill worm larvae. 

Melarsomine is the only drug approved by the FDA to kill adult heartworms. It is administered by an injection into muscle. After each injection, dogs must be kept as quiet as possible while worms die. This equates to six to eight weeks of rest, no exceptions. Most dogs need to be crated or kenneled to stay quiet, and they must be kept on a leash to do their business. It is best to not have visitors during this time, as it can excite your dog. Remember—this is for your dog’s own good.

Additional medications that may be prescribed include aspirin or heparin to reduce clotting or risk of pulmonary thromboembolism. There is no natural heartworm treatment for dogs.

After treatment, dogs should be given heartworm prevention monthly for the duration of their lifespan. If they have any lingering symptoms associated with inflammation caused by the worms, they will be prescribed medication to manage those. 

How to Treat Heartworm in Dogs at Home

Letting a dog who is undergoing treatment for heartworms exercise or get excited is a serious no-no can result in serious adverse side effects. However, it can be challenging to keep dogs quiet. Here are some tips that can help you:

• Keep your dog indoors and in a large kennel/crate most of the time
• Keep your dog on a leash when they urinate/defecate
• Keep on-leash walks very short and slow; allow your dog to sniff for 10 minutes several times a day
• Refrain from having visitors to your home if that makes your dog excited
• Spend lots of time with your dog just hanging out
• Utilize food puzzles and long-lasting chews
• Reduce overall calories by 20 percent to prevent weight gain while confined
• Train your dog to follow quiet commands while crated
• Utilize over-the-counter calming aids
• If you are struggling, talk to your vet and ask them for advice or additional tools
• If your dog had surgery, monitor the surgical site daily for two weeks for any signs of inflammation and infection, such as redness, swelling, discharge, or odor

Heartworm Treatment for Dogs: Tips and Advice

Most dogs will have lower energy while being treated for heartworms. Signs that your dog is experiencing serious side effects of heartworm treatment in dogs and that you need to call a veterinarian immediately include:

• Pale gums
• Coughing
• Extreme lethargy
• Paralysis/dragging legs/can’t get up
• Confusion
• Swelling, redness, or discharge from injection site

Heartworm poses a grave risk to dogs. The longer they remain in a dog’s heart and lungs, the greater the damage to the cardiopulmonary system, the greater the risk of illness and death, and the higher likelihood that heartworms will be spread to other dogs. While heartworm treatment can feel overwhelming, remember you are doing the right thing and giving your dog the best chance at a healthy life by choosing to have them treated.

The post Dog Heartworm Treatment Plan: Steps and What to Expect appeared first on Great Pet Care.

“Fleas are small insects that survive by feeding on animal or human blood,” explains Dr. Kathryn Duncan, DVM, Ph.D., DACVM, a parasitology field specialist at Merck Animal Health. “They’re found in many geographical locations and environments—even indoors—and can affect cats of all ages and breeds.”

To protect both pets and humans from these nasty critters, we’ve rounded up the most effective options for preventing fleas on cats. 

Flea Prevention for Cats: Why It’s Important

Once fleas find a steady food source, like your cat, they tend to remain on that animal. However, their eggs will fall off into the environment, becoming scattered throughout your home. These eggs will eventually hatch and become larvae, and then they will grow into biting adults. Once fleas invade your home, it could take months to get rid of them. 

“Fleas cause irritation and skin allergies, and can transmit other parasites such as tapeworms to your cat,” Dr. Duncan says. “In kittens, fleas can cause fatal anemia if present in large numbers.”

When not biting your cat—commonly around their neck, ears, and tail—fleas happily feast on humans. Duncan warns that fleas don’t just cause itchy welts; they can spread diseases to us, such as flea-borne typhus and cat scratch disease (CSD). 

In order to prevent the risky and unpleasant effects of fleas, it’s essential to ensure that all of your pets receive veterinarian-recommended flea prevention on a regular basis.

How to Prevent Fleas on Cats: 5 Methods to Try

Fleas are a problem for many cats; just ask Dr. Patrik Holmboe, DVM, who says treating and discussing cat flea prevention is an everyday occurrence at his Amsterdam-based clinic. But there’s good news: flea infestations are typically preventable—when your cat is routinely treated with preventative flea medication, he says.

While there are many ideas when it comes to flea prevention for cats, Dr. Duncan says she only trusts Federal Drug Administration (FDA)- or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved products to be effective and safe.

In addition to giving prescription flea prevention for cats, the following steps can also help reduce the risk of fleas entering your home:

Limit travel. Anywhere other pets have been, like a boarding facility, is at risk of harboring fleas.

Keep a sanitary home. Rodents have their own fleas, but despite the name (rat fleas), they’ll happily hop onto you or your cat. 

Limit outdoor exposure. Even if your cat doesn’t venture outdoors, fleas from the environment can latch onto shoes or clothing from other flea-infested homes.

Don’t share pet supplies. This is especially true for any brushes, pet clothing, or carriers from friends or the thrift store. If bringing home any secondhand supplies, transport them in a sealed plastic bag and immediately wash them once home.   

Limit exposure to other pets. Since fleas can jump from pet to pet or humans—yes, dogs can give fleas to humans and cats—avoid spending time with any pets that aren’t treated with flea control medication. 

Vacuuming your home and furniture continuously for about three weeks is a crucial step in eradicating an established flea infestation. However, the veterinarians we spoke to say deep cleaning, pesticides, and natural remedies will not stop fleas from hitching a ride on your pet. Treating your home is unlikely to be fruitful unless you take steps to prevent reinfestation.

Remember, these measures are not as beneficial as the year-round use of an effective flea prevention product. To truly prevent fleas, you’re going to need to work with your veterinarian to develop a flea prevention plan. 

Flea Preventatives for Cats: Options to Consider

According to Drs. Holmboe and Duncan, preventative flea medication is the number one way to protect your cat, yourself, and your home from fleas. 

“We are lucky there are options for effective and safe flea control in cats, and product recommendations vary based on individual preferences,” Dr. Duncan says. When in doubt about the best flea prevention for cats, consider these options, then talk to your veterinarian.   

Topical Flea Treatment for Cats 

FDA- and EPA-approved topical or spot-on flea treatments for cats are a safe and effective way to prevent fleas—if applied correctly, our experts stress. “This involves placing the product on the animals’ skin, not their fur,” Dr. Holmboe says. “Additionally, make sure the animal doesn’t lick it off or otherwise get the medication washed off within 24 hours of application.” Some products are absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream [1, 2], while many topical preventatives instead distribute across your cat’s skin and oil glands.

A compelling perk of topical flea medications for cats is that they may protect your pet against other parasites, such as heartworms, hookworms, ear mites, and ticks, in addition to killing and preventing fleas. Topical flea treatments for cats should be applied every one to three months, depending on the medication you choose. Read the product label or ask your veterinarian if you have questions about the dosing frequency for your cat’s flea prevention.

Oral Flea Treatment for Cats

Oral medication is Dr. Holmboe’s go-to method of flea prevention for cats, and it works very quickly. Medications with the active ingredient nitenpyram, for example, start killing fleas within 30 minutes of taking the pill [3], however this product only remains in the bloodstream for a short time and does not offer any long-last prevention. In contrast, lotilaner (Credelio) begins killing fleas in as little as 8 hours [4] and prevents reinfestation for one full month. 

While oral medication allows you to avoid the need for skin application, you have to convince your cat to swallow a pill or eat a chewable tablet. Cats may readily accept the medication if it has an appealing smell and flavor. For example, Credelio CAT is a small, chewable tablet made with a vanilla and yeast scent and flavor to please even picky cats. Like topical flea treatments, FDA-approved oral flea treatments for cats are considered safe and effective. Depending on the product you choose, it should be administered every one to three months, according to the instructions on the label.

Flea Collars for Cats

According to Dr. Holmboe, the benefit of cat flea collars is that they are effective for six or more months. However, he says they’re not as effective as oral or spot-on flea treatments for cats [5] and can become a safety hazard if snagged. Many cat flea collars kill existing fleas and protect against fleas and ticks. 

Natural Flea Treatment for Cats and Other Product Considerations

Other cat flea treatments include medicated flea shampoos, powders, and dips made especially for cats and kittens. These can be useful for treating an initial flea infestation, but they won’t protect your cat from future fleas, Dr. Holmboe says. Additionally, some products may be toxic for cats. Unlike other cat flea treatments, there are some flea shampoos that may be safe for kittens. However, always consult your veterinarian before putting anything in your kitten’s fur on their skin.

As for natural flea remedies for cats, Dr. Holmboe says they’re just not effective. Rather than reaching for potentially dangerous essential oils or other natural remedies, discuss the pros and cons of each medicated option carefully with your veterinarian. They can help you decide which flea preventative is best for your cat. 

Cat Flea Preventatives: Safety Tips

According to the FDA, there have been limited reports of topical flea products with the active ingredient isoxazoline associated with neurologic adverse reactions, including muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizures [6]. However, Dr. Duncan says, “the benefits of flea prevention outweigh the potential, and rare, side effects.”

To ensure the safest and most effective application of flea medication, our experts offer a few tips:

Follow all product guidelines. If you have questions about how to apply or administer your cat’s flea medication, contact the manufacturer, or talk to your veterinarian. 

Use the correct dose and never split doses between pets. Because products made for dogs can be toxic to cats, only apply or administer flea medication labeled for cats. 

Don’t use expired medications. “It’s best to throw away expired products and purchase new as efficacy declines after expiration,” Dr. Duncan says. 

Follow the recommended application intervals. Dosing intervals vary by medication, so always read the label before applying or administering the next dose. Because fleas can survive indoors during winter months, Dr. Duncan recommends treating pets with flea preventatives year-round. 

Monitor your cat. “There are minor and rare side effects that may result from using flea and tick preventives, such as low appetite, lethargy, or vomiting,” Dr. Duncan says. “Pet owners should monitor their pet’s behaviors within the first few days of treatment and seek care from a veterinarian if side effects occur.”

What to Do if You Find a Flea on Your Cat

Look for signs of redness, crusting, or scabs on your cat’s skin if they’re scratching more than usual. When inspecting your cat’s skin, you may spot live fleas moving around in their fur and small black dots, which are flea dirt or flea waste material. Flea combs can also be used at home to routinely check your cat for fleas.

If you suspect your cat has fleas—or any other skin condition—call your veterinarian for care. They’ll likely recommend or prescribe medication to kill fleas and prevent their return.

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As many as 1 in 4 cats are carrying fleas. With this fact in mind, you’ll definitely want to know how to identify cat fleas. But what do cat fleas look like? And how can you tell if your cat has them? Luckily, we have your back.

Cat Flea Anatomy

Adult cat fleas are very small, and it’s not particularly easy to get a good look at their anatomy because of their size and tendency to jump around. So, what do cat fleas look like if we’re looking at them through a microscope?

Cat fleas are wingless insects with three pairs of legs attached to their thorax, which is the part of the body behind the head. Their third pair of legs is larger than the other two pairs and allows them to jump. Cat fleas have a large abdomen, which is the back segment of their body.

Often described as “laterally flattened,” cat fleas look like their sides have been squished towards each other. They’re covered with hard plates known as sclerites. Their flattened bodies and the presence of sclerites make them very hard to squash. These sclerites have tiny hairs or spines on them which are directed backwards, allowing them to move easily through the cat’s fur.

Another unique feature of Ctenocephalides fleas is that they have both a pronotal and genal comb. These “combs” are a series of spines, and their location around the mouth and head of a flea can be used to differentiate flea species. A genal comb is one that is located above the mouthparts while the pronotal comb is located near the start of the thorax.

Cat fleas have two small eyespots, one on each side of the head. While these eyes don’t form normal visual images, they are sensitive to light, producing visual cues that the flea can use to navigate its environment. Their mouthparts, which they use to collect a blood meal from their host, are found at the bottom of their head.

What Do Cat Fleas Look Like to the Human Eye? 

Adult cat fleas are very small, with females being around 2.5 mm in length and males being around 1 mm in length. Some people describe fleas on cats as looking like black specks or coffee grounds. Cat fleas are around the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen or smaller.

The easiest way to see adult fleas is to use a quick-acting insecticide to kill the fleas and then a flea comb to collect fleas. However, keep in mind that cats are fastidious groomers! This means that it can be very hard to actually catch a flea on your cat before they’ve groomed it off of themselves.

You’re more likely to see these small, dark, oval-shaped insects if you part the fur and look at the skin. Cat fleas can be fast little bugs, so you may see them weaving in and out of your pet’s fur as they move around. Cat fleas can also jump long distances, so you may see them catapult off your pet’s body. In this way, they sometimes seem to “disappear” when you see them.

Although fleas often feast around a cat’s flanks and rump, you may have an easier time finding them up around the neck of your cat. This is because your cat is much more likely to successfully groom off the cat fleas on the back half of their body. Given the medium to dark brown color of fleas, they are easier to find on cats with light fur.

What Do Flea Eggs Look Like to the Human Eye?

Adult female fleas shed eggs within two days of meeting male fleas on your cat. Impressively, one female flea can create 25-50 eggs in one day. These glistening, white flea eggs are only around 0.5 mm in length, making them very easy to miss. 

While it’s possible to find these eggs on your cat, most of the eggs fall off into the environment. If you’re going to find them on the cat, it will more likely be up around their head and neck where they may have a harder time grooming the flea eggs off. You may see these eggs in the cat’s bedding, and they’d be nearly impossible to see on a carpet.

What About Cat Flea Larvae? 

After around 3-4 days, these eggs hatch into larvae. Cat flea larvae are a bit larger than adult fleas, measuring up to 5 mm in length. The larvae appear like tiny white worms or maggots with small white hairs on their body. You may occasionally find larvae on your cat, but most of the larvae will develop in the environment. The cat flea larvae will feed on organic debris in the environment, including the droppings of adult fleas.

What Do Flea Pupae Look Like?  

After around two weeks, the larvae will develop into pupae, which finish their development in silk cocoons. These 5 mm cocoons are sticky and thus become covered with environmental debris, making them very hard to see. The pupal stage can be brief (around 8 days) but can last up to 30 weeks depending on environmental conditions. Adult fleas will hatch from the pupae. The adult fleas jump onto your cat and feed on blood, allowing them to continue their life cycle.

Other Signs Your Cat May Have Fleas

Because it’s so difficult to spot a flea on your cat, sometimes you must rely on other signs to help you determine that your cat has fleas.

One thing you might find is flea dirt, which is a nice way of saying flea poop. Flea dirt can look like black pepper flakes in your pet’s fur and is often noted on the skin along the base of their furs. You can find flea dirt anywhere on your cat but may have more luck locating it up along the neck where cats have more difficulty grooming.

If you were to take some of this flea dirt and place it on a damp paper towel, you would see a reddish ring around the flea dirt. This is because flea dirt is digested blood.

Other signs that could signify that your cat has fleas include:

• Itchy skin (pruritus), which makes your cat scratch at themselves and groom more than usual
• Redness or pink tinge to skin due to inflammation (erythema)
• Single, raised red or pink spots on the skin from flea bites on cat
• Symmetrical hair loss, usually affecting the sides, rump, tail-base, and thighs
• Vomiting hairballs from overgrooming
• Scratch marks from itching
• Tapeworms (your cat can get tapeworms from swallowing fleas)

Cats who are allergic to flea saliva can develop flea allergy dermatitis, which causes moderate to severe skin inflammation and crusts or small bumps (papules), often around the neck and lower back. These cats will be excessively itchy and uncomfortable and are more likely to develop a secondary skin infection.

Flea Prevention for Cats

Cat fleas have worldwide distribution. Anywhere there are fleas, your cat is at risk for developing an infestation. Luckily, many monthly preventative medications are available to protect your cats from fleas, most of which are spot-on treatments. Other options include chewable tablets, flea collars, and flea sprays.

Some flea and tick preventatives are available over-the-counter while some require a prescription from your veterinarian. Do not use products that contain permethrin, as this can cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures, and death in cats. Any product you use must be labeled as safe for cats.

Examples of ingredients which are safe for most cats and can help kill and prevent fleas include fipronil, fluralaner, imidacloprid, selamectin, and more.

To prevent your cat from getting fleas, make sure you are also using prevention on the other pets in the home, too. Fleas can move between dogs and cats. Remember that most fleas on dogs are actually cat fleas. Keeping your cat indoors can also prevent a flea infestation.

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Fleas can become a big problem within a few days of landing on your cat. Not only do they need to be eliminated as quickly and effectively as possible, but they must also be prevented from returning. 

Before we get into all that, let’s start by answering the main question you’re probably wondering: how do cats get fleas?

How Do Cats Get Fleas?

Contrary to popular belief, fleas cannot fly. Instead, they use their strong legs to jump and land on a cat’s body. Fleas can jump an average of 8 inches, which is quite far, given their tiny size.

The cat flea (also known as Ctenocephalides felis) can easily hop on indoor cats who occasionally spend time outside with their owners. Indoor cats who freely roam outside are also easy targets for fleas.

But how do indoor cats get fleas if they rarely or never venture outside? Unfortunately, cat fleas have found clever ways to get inside your home and onto your kitty:

Other pets. If you have a dog, your dog can carry fleas inside the home after a walk or playtime outside. Even if your dog is on a year-round flea preventative, fleas can ingeniously hop off your dog and onto your cat before getting killed 

Humans. Cat fleas can hitch a ride inside on your clothes or shoes.

Rodents. Rodents can have fleas. If you have a rodent problem in your home, fleas will have easy access to your cat.

Traveling. Traveling can be as simple as going to the veterinarian’s office. Other pets in the waiting room may have fleas that can jump onto your cat.

New home. A new home may look spotless, but immature fleas may be biding their time in the crooks and crevices of the house, waiting to become adults and jump onto your cat.

Old furniture. Did you recently buy furniture from a yard sale or consignment store? That furniture may also have immature fleas. 

The Flea Life Cycle

Understanding the flea life cycle goes along with knowing how your cat can get fleas.  

Adult fleas land on a cat and promptly start feeding on their blood. Adult female fleas then begin laying eggs – up to 40 to 50 per day! These eggs fall off the host and hatch after about 12 days as flea larvae. The larvae wrap themselves in a cocoon and mature into pupae.

The pupae can be dormant in their cocoons for months, even years. When the pupae sense that a host is nearby, they will emerge from their cocoons as mature adults. Mature adults will jump onto their host within a few hours of coming out of their cocoon, and the cycle begins again.

It’s also important to note that adult fleas comprise only a small percentage (5 percent) of the flea population in a home. Eggs make up 50 percent, larvae make up 35 percent, and pupae make up 10 percent.

How to Tell a Cat Has Fleas

Fleas are tiny and difficult to find on your cat. But they irritate a cat’s skin and can cause significant discomfort. Here are the common signs and symptoms of a cat flea infestation:

• Patches of hair loss
• Excessive grooming
• Constant itching and scratching
• Red, scabbed skin from scratching

Fleas also leave behind flea dirt, which is rust-colored flea poop. You can see flea dirt on your cat and where your cat likes to spend time, such as their bed or a cat tree.

Because fleas take a blood meal, a severe flea infestation can cause anemia, especially in kittens. Signs of anemia include lethargy and pale gums. This can be life-threatening in kittens and requires immediate veterinary treatment.

How to Get Rid of Fleas on Cats

Before going over the different flea treatments for cats, it’s important to note few considerations:

1. It can take at least three months to eliminate all flea life stages successfully.
2. All pets in the home need to be treated for fleas simultaneously, not just your cat.
3. Your home (indoors and outdoors) must be treated to eliminate all fleas and sources of fleas.

When it comes to eliminating fleas on cats, there are several treatment options available. Some treat active infestations, while others break the flea life cycle and prevent future infestations.

Shampoos. Flea shampoos are fast-acting and kill adult fleas on contact. However, they don’t provide long-term flea control.

Spot-on treatments and oral tablets. Both of these options break the flea life cycle and do provide long-term flea control (up to several months). They may contain an adulticide or an insect growth regulator (IGR). IGRs break the life cycle at the larval stage, preventing fleas from maturing into adults.

Natural remedies. Natural flea treatments often contain essential oils and have become more popular recently. However, they are not nearly as effective as insecticide-containing flea treatments. Also, if not used properly, essential oils can be toxic to cats.

Flea comb. Because the typical flea treatments are generally considered unsafe for kittens younger than 8 to 10 weeks old and weighing less than 1.5 to 2 pounds, the best option for them is a flea comb. After combing through your kitten’s fur, immediately dip the comb in a bowl of soapy water to kill the fleas.

Flea treatments are available over-the-counter (OTC) or with a veterinary prescription. OTC flea treatments are less expensive but may not be as effective or long-lasting as prescription flea treatments. Also, prescription flea treatments for cats can provide additional protection against heartworms and intestinal worms.

With so many options for flea treatments for cats, it’s best to work with your veterinarian to select the most appropriate one for your particular kitty. 

However, you must never use dog flea products on cats. Dog flea products may contain permethrin, which is toxic to cats. If you have a dog, ask your veterinarian about permethrin-free flea treatments.

How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Home

It will take diligent work to eliminate the flea eggs, larvae, and pupae lurking inside and outside your home. Here are some strategies:

• Vacuum frequently, focusing on where immature fleas like to hide: bedding, soft furniture, carpeting, and cracks and crevices. Empty the vacuum bag outside your home
• Wash your cat’s bedding and soft furniture, such as pillows, in hot water
• Hire a pest control service to get rid of rodents
• Mow your lawn regularly and get rid of piles of leaves. Fleas love to hide in tall grass and leaf piles

Flea Prevention for Cats

Fleas are a big nuisance, so prevention is key. A year-round flea preventative for your cat and all household pets is the best way to avoid fleas.

Also, regularly check your cat’s fur for fleas with a flea comb. If you detect fleas, use the treatment strategies described above.

Continue to vacuum and clean regularly to ensure no flea eggs, larvae, or pupae are in your home.

Keep your cat indoors as much as possible, and check them for fleas whenever they do venture outside or travel with you.

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To help ease any worries, this article provides everything pet parents need to know about toxoplasmosis in dogs.

What Is Toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by a single-celled organism called Toxoplasma gondii, or T. gondii for short. T. gondii is a parasite that can infect nearly all mammals including humans, though it can only grow to maturity and reproduce in domestic and wild cats. 

Toxoplasma gondii has been found all over planet Earth. If a cat eats prey animals or raw meat infected with T. gondii, the parasite will mature and reproduce in the cat’s digestive tract. When the cats infected with T. gondii defecate, their feces contain millions of infectious parasitic eggs.  

Over time, a cat’s immune system forces the parasite to stop reproducing and instead, form dormant cysts in muscle and brain tissue. Humans become infected when they accidentally ingest parasite eggs from contaminated food or water, or from not washing their hands after cleaning the litter box used by a cat that is actively infected with Toxoplasma.

Toxoplasma behaves differently in dogs because they are considered intermediate hosts (i.e. the parasite cannot mature or reproduce in dogs), and infected dogs are not considered contagious to other animals or humans. Most healthy dogs can eliminate the infection on their own if they come into contact with the parasite, though puppies, geriatric dogs, young dogs with the distemper virus, and adult dogs with compromised immune systems are at higher risk for becoming sick from toxoplasmosis. 

Causes of Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

Toxoplasmosis in dogs can either be an acute or chronic condition. Dogs become infected with Toxoplasma gondii by accidentally ingesting parasitic eggs in soil, eating cat poop, or eating contaminated produce or raw meat.  

Symptoms of Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

Most dogs do not show any symptoms of toxoplasmosis, and even if they do, the symptoms can be quite vague. Toxoplasmosis symptoms in dogs may include:

• Fever
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Tonsillitis (may appear as drooling or difficulty swallowing)
• Jaundice 
• Difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Seizures/tremors
• Incoordination
• Weakness
• Paralysis

If your dog is experiencing any of the symptoms listed here, please make an appointment with a veterinarian as soon as possible. These symptoms are also associated with many other disease conditions and often require veterinary assistance to diagnose and resolve the issue. 

Toxoplasmosis symptoms in dogs that require treatment are more common with the acute form of the disease; the chronic form usually has no symptoms and does not require treatment.

Diagnosing Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

To diagnose toxoplasmosis, a veterinarian will conduct a full physical examination and measure vitals, including body temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and weight. Be sure to let your veterinarian know if your dog has eaten cat poop or if you have stray cats that visit your yard. Laboratory tests on blood and urine will be ordered to evaluate your dog’s immune system and organ function.  

Your veterinarian will likely order a fecal test to check for other parasites that can cause the same symptoms as toxoplasmosis. They might also order imaging tests such as radiographs (X-rays) and abdominal ultrasound to get more information. If your dog has neurological signs, your veterinarian may want to evaluate their spinal fluid for signs of infection or inflammation, and also conduct a neurological examination. Remember, symptoms of toxoplasmosis are rare in dogs, so your veterinarian may need to run a few tests to figure out what is going on.

The most specific tests for toxoplasma are serological tests that measure the level of toxoplasma proteins (antigens) present in the body. PCR is the typical test to diagnose toxoplasmosis and determine if the infection is acute or chronic. 

If you are curious as to whether your dog has been exposed to toxoplasmosis, you can have their antibodies tested. If they have already been infected, they will have antibodies in their blood, however, antibody tests are not useful to determine if a dog has an active infection or if they need treatment.

Treating Dogs for Toxoplasmosis

If your dog is very sick from toxoplasmosis, they will need to be hospitalized for treatment. While hospitalized, dogs will typically receive intravenous fluid treatment for hydration and intravenous antibiotics to eliminate the infection through an IV catheter placed in their arm. If your dog has seizures, anticonvulsant medication may be prescribed to control them.

Most of the time, however, dogs will be treated for toxoplasmosis with antibiotics on an outpatient basis, as dogs rarely show symptoms or get very ill from this disease. Also remember – most dogs don’t require any treatment for toxoplasmosis. Usually it is only the dogs with compromised immune systems and very young dogs with developing immune systems that show clinical signs associated with toxoplasmosis.

Cost to Treat Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

The cost for treating toxoplasmosis in dogs depends on a few factors, starting with the testing portion of the process. The cost of testing for toxoplasmosis varies and can range from $300-$1,500. From there, the cost will vary based on the necessary treatment. Hospitalized treatment can cost upwards of $1,000, but when it comes to a simple dose of antibiotics, most dogs can be treated for under $100

How to Prevent Toxoplasmosis in Dogs

Even though Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite, the good news is that most dogs do not get sick from it, and there are ways to minimize your dog’s exposure. 

Because the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis is commonly spread by ingestion of raw meat and unwashed produce, the best way to prevent your dog from acquiring this parasite is to refrain from feeding your dog raw meat and always wash produce before giving it to them.

To avoid ingestion of cat poop, you should limit your dog’s access to it. Keep feral cats out of your yard, and if you have a cat, keep the litter box in an area where your dog cannot access it. 

Additional strategies to reduce your dog’s exposure to toxoplasmosis include:

• Washing your hands after playing outside
• Covering outdoor sandboxes
• Cleaning the litter box daily

If you have further questions about toxoplasmosis in people, check out the CDC website for more information.

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Giardia in dogs is generally not severe, though some young dogs may become severely infected and can experience dehydration due to diarrhea. Fortunately, treating giardia in dogs is relatively inexpensive, although multiple courses of treatment may be needed. Read on to learn more about this parasitic infection in dogs and what you can do if your dog is infected.

What is Giardia?

Giardia is a protozoan parasite, found worldwide, that infects many mammalian species. The parasite is found in soil, water, or food contaminated with infected feces. Infection in dogs is common, particularly in crowded environments such as shelters, breeding facilities, and kennels. Several studies have also found an increased prevalence of giardia in dogs that visit dog parks. Young animals are more commonly infected than older animals, and infection is typically more severe in younger animals.

Giardia parasites attach to the small intestines and damage the cells lining the small intestine, causing malabsorption and hypersecretion that leads to diarrhea. Within about 5-12 days of infection, the infected dog will begin shedding giardia cysts in its feces, posing an infection risk to other animals and potentially even re-infecting itself.

How Do Dogs Get Giardia?

Transmission of giardia occurs via the fecal-oral route, meaning that dogs must ingest contaminated feces to become infected. This can occur directly if dogs eat poop or indirectly by ingesting contaminated food or water. Because it only takes a small number of giardia cysts to cause an infection, even walking through contaminated soil and then licking the paws can cause a dog to become infected with giardia. Infective giardia cysts can live in the environment for months under ideal conditions.

Giardia is not contagious directly between dogs, but exposure to an infected dog’s feces can cause your dog to become infected. Similarly, dogs cannot directly transmit giardia to humans. However, humans can become infected with giardia by the same fecal-oral route that affects dogs. Ingesting contaminated water is a common route for exposure to giardia in humans. 

Giardia Symptoms in Dogs

Many dogs with giardia have no symptoms. However, it’s still important for the giardia to be diagnosed and treated, because asymptomatic dogs are still shedding infective giardia cysts into the environment, increasing the risk of infecting other dogs and people. 

When dogs have symptoms of giardia, they may include:

• Diarrhea
• Increased frequency of defecation
• Abdominal discomfort
• Dehydration
• Lethargy
• Poor body condition
• Vomiting (rare)
• Fever (rare)
• Blood in the stool (rare)

What does giardia poop look like? Poop from a dog with giardia may be liquid to semi-formed, and is often pale and mucous-like in appearance. The quantity of stool is typically normal. 

How to Diagnose Giardia in Dogs

Giardia can be difficult to diagnose because the shedding of cysts occurs intermittently. To identify giardia in the feces, your veterinarian may recommend some or all of the following tests:

• Fecal flotation with centrifugation. This is the most commonly used test for the diagnosis of giardia. In this test, a sample of your dog’s feces is mixed with a special solution that makes giardia cysts float to the surface where they can then be identified under a microscope.

• Fecal enzyme-linked absorbent immunoassay (ELISA). This test identifies giardia-specific antigens from trophozoites, which are the growing stage in the parasite life cycle. This eliminates the diagnostic problem of intermittent shedding of cysts. 

• Fecal direct smear. A small amount of your dog’s feces is mixed with two to three drops of saline and then examined under a microscope to identify giardia trophozoites. 

Because giardia can be difficult to diagnose, a negative test result does not necessarily rule out giardia as the cause of your dog’s symptoms. Your veterinarian may recommend repeating the test(s), sometimes as frequently as every other day, over several days to increase the chances of diagnosing giardia.

Giardia in Dogs: Treatment

The main goal of treatment is to stop the symptoms of giardia, such as diarrhea. The secondary goal of treatment is to eliminate the infection, which can be difficult due to the resistance of some giardia strains to treatment. 

In addition to medication, good sanitation is essential to remove the source of infection and prevent re-infection. Feces must be picked up and disposed of daily and surfaces should be cleaned and sanitized. Following treatment, a recheck fecal flotation with centrifugation should be performed to assess whether the infection has been successfully cleared.

Medications for Giardia in Dogs

Medications used to treat giardia in dogs include Metronidazole, Febendazole, or a combination of febantel, pyrantel pamoate, and praziquantel (DrontalPlus). The dosage and duration of these treatments will depend on the treatment used, your dog’s weight, and the severity of your dog’s infection. 

Be sure to follow your veterinarian’s dosing instructions and give the entire course of medication, even if your dog’s symptoms resolve before the course is finished. In some cases, your veterinarian may recommend giving a second course of medication to ensure that the infection is fully cleared.

Probiotics for Dog Giardia

Probiotics work by populating your dog’s gut with healthy bacteria. Probiotics do not treat giardia, but they are not harmful and may be helpful in the treatment of diarrhea. Your veterinarian may prescribe a probiotic to help resolve your dog’s diarrhea after treatment for giardia. Probiotics are generally given in the form of a capsule or powder sprinkled on your dog’s food.

General Cost to Treat Giardia in Dogs

Giardia is generally inexpensive to treat and pet owners should expect to spend $50-$150 dollars treating this condition in most cases, depending on the size of the dog and the severity of the condition. 

In some cases, multiple courses of treatment may be needed to clear the infection, and this can incur an additional cost. 

How to Prevent Giardia in Dogs

There are a few things that pet parents can do to help prevent their dogs from contracting giardia. 

Practice good hygiene. Clean up feces daily to prevent giardia from spreading from one animal to another. Dispose of feces immediately. Wear gloves and wash hands after contact with feces.

Avoid contact with contaminated water sources. These include areas where wildlife or other dogs may defecate.

Sanitize areas where infected dogs have been. Giardia cysts can live in the environment for long periods of time. Use disinfectants that are effective against giardia or steam clean the area to inactivate the cysts.

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Heartworms are one of the more dangerous parasites in cats, so it’s important for you to understand what these parasites are, how they affect cats, and what you can do to keep your cats safe.

Can Cats Get Heartworm? 

The simple answer is that yes, cats can get heartworms. However, heartworm disease in cats isn’t the same as it is in dogs. Before we get to the differences between heartworms in dogs and heartworms in cats, let’s go over what heartworms actually are.

Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm) is a parasite that is spread to dogs and cats by mosquitoes. The name “heartworm” gives you two important pieces of information about these parasites. One, they are worms, and two, they affect the heart. An adult heartworm looks like a thin, cooked spaghetti noodle, with adult worms ranging from 4 inches to over a foot in length. The adults typically live in the pulmonary artery (which carries blood to the lungs from the heart) and right ventricle of the heart. As a result, heartworms mostly impact the heart and lungs. 

While the heartworms themselves aren’t thought to cause pain, the secondary conditions that result from the worms can cause severe distress and death. Cats are considered an atypical host for heartworms while dogs are the preferred host. As a result, dogs can have 30 to over 100 adult worms in their heart and lungs while cats who have adult heartworms typically only have one to three. This doesn’t mean that heartworms are any less severe in cats, with heartworms more likely to cause severe respiratory disease or sudden death in cats than in dogs.  

How Common Is Heartworm in Cats?

A 2020 study in Florida found that the prevalence of adult heartworms in shelter cats was 4 percent compared to 28 percent in shelter dogs, meaning for every seven dogs with adult heartworms there was one cat with adult heartworms (1). Overall, the prevalence of heartworm disease in cats is suspected to be about 5 percent to 15 percent of the prevalence in dogs in any given area (2).

What Causes Heartworm in Cats?

Cats get heartworms through mosquito bites. Currently, mosquitoes are the only known vector of heartworms. When the mosquito pierces the cat’s skin while biting, heartworm larvae that were picked up from another animal (usually a dog) can enter the cat. Most heartworms that are passed to a cat will not make it to adulthood, but those that survive will migrate into the pulmonary artery and right ventricle of the heart, developing into adult worms over six to eight months. Adult worms live in cats for around two to four years. While this is the overall gist of a heartworm’s life cycle, more specifics about the lifecycle can help us understand their effects on cats. 

Because dogs are the preferred host of heartworms, adult male and female heartworms will mate while parasitizing a dog, producing microfilariae (baby heartworms). Microfilariae are microscopic and move throughout the bloodstream. These microfilariae are ingested by mosquitoes when they bite the dog. Within a few weeks, the microfilariae will develop into stage three larvae within the mosquito. This stage is the infective stage that can be passed on to cats or other dogs when the mosquito feeds. 

Over two months, the larvae that pass into the cat will develop into immature worms in the animal’s subcutaneous tissue, fat, or muscle. Immature adult heartworms will enter the bloodstream, which will allow them to move into the heart and pulmonary artery which they call home. Once these immature worms reach the heart and lungs, you may begin to see signs of heartworm disease in cats. These immature worms can cause a severe inflammatory response that affects the arteries, small airways (bronchioles), and air sacs of the lungs (alveoli). 

If the cat survives the initial migration of the worms into the heart and lungs, the worms will mature into adult heartworms over three to five months. While adult heartworms live for up to five years in dogs, they typically have a shorter lifespan (two to four years) in cats. Because the cat is an atypical host, these worms don’t usually reproduce within the cat, meaning the cat usually doesn’t have circulating microfilariae and isn’t infectious to other animals. When adult worms die, some cats have an extreme inflammatory response that can manifest as respiratory distress, shock, or sudden death of the cat. 

Can People Get Heartworms from Cats?

This all sounds very scary for your cat, and honestly, it is! A natural worry you might develop is if you or your family members can get heartworms from your cat. Humans can get heartworms, but this isn’t common. Because heartworms do not produce microfilariae in cats, human infections are usually carried by mosquitoes from dogs or wild canids. Your heartworm-positive cat is almost never at risk of transmitting heartworms to you. Humans are accidental hosts and aren’t suitable for the worms to thrive in. Heartworms that die in the pulmonary vessels result in nodule formation in the lungs, which can be hard to distinguish from lung cancer nodules and result in the need for a biopsy. Most of the time, humans don’t have any clinical signs of heartworm infection. In the United States, 116 cases of heartworms affecting humans have been reported (3).

Heartworm Symptoms in Cats

One of the most alarming characteristics of heartworm infection in cats is that you often don’t know your cat has heartworms until it’s too late. Unlike parasites that affect the stomach and intestines, you’re not going to find heartworms or their eggs in your cat’s feces, so you’re probably not going to know your cat has heartworms unless they develop signs or you’re routinely getting them tested by a veterinarian. 

Common clinical signs of heartworms in cats include:

• Intermittent vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Rapid and labored breathing
• Coughing, gagging, and wheezing
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy
• Weight loss

In some cats, these signs will appear around two months after the initial infection when the immature adult worms are migrating into the heart and lungs. If you’re noticing these symptoms in your cat, it’s important to have your cat examined. These clinical signs, especially the respiratory symptoms, are often mistaken for feline asthma. This severe inflammatory response is called heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD).

So, is heartworm in cats fatal? Unfortunately, the answer is often yes. For around 10 percent to 20 percent of cats (4, 5), the first sign of heartworm infection is sudden death, which can occur at around two months when the worms migrate to the heart and lungs or later on when an adult worm dies (sometimes two to four years after infection). Sudden death usually occurs due to severe inflammation in the lungs, which is not responsive to medications like steroids. 

Stages of Heartworm Disease in Cats

Although there are more stages of heartworm disease in dogs, the American Heartworm Society (6) divides feline heartworm infection into two stages:

Stage 1 occurs when the immature worms arrive in the pulmonary arteries, at which point many of them die. This is the point at which cats can develop HARD. Some cats may die or be euthanized at this stage due to the severity of their illness.

Stage 2 occurs when adult worms die, resulting in an extreme inflammatory, anaphylactic response that is very often fatal. Dying adult heartworms can form a clot (embolism). Cats who do survive often have permanent lung damage and long-term respiratory disease. Adult worms can die at any point, but in cats they may live for two to four years. This stage can occur anywhere from around six to eight months after the initial mosquito bite up to around four years later. Again, many cats who experience this stage will be euthanized due to the severity of illness. 

Diagnosing Heartworm in Cats

Diagnosing heartworms in cats is a bit tricky. After performing a physical exam and collecting your pet’s history, additional testing your veterinarian may do to determine if your cat has heartworms include:

Heartworm antigen test: The usual SNAP test that your veterinarian runs for your dog at the clinic specifically detects an antigen that is associated with adult female heartworms. This means the heartworms need to be at least 6 months old and that there needs to be adult female heartworms for the test to be positive. Recall that dogs can have well over 100 worms. The chances that at least one of those is a female worm is very high. But cats often have only one to three worms. If all their adult worms are male, they will test negative on this SNAP test. Furthermore, cats that are having HARD symptoms at two months after infection will still test negative. So, veterinarians often must rely on other testing to confirm a diagnosis of heartworms in cats.

Heartworm antibody test: The preferred method for screening cats is to run both an antigen and antibody test. While the antigen test detects adult female heartworms, the antibody test detects exposure to heartworm larvae. The antibody test can be positive as early as two months after initial infection. One issue with the antibody test is that antibodies can persist for years, so a cat who was exposed but cleared the infection on their own may test positive. However, if your cat’s physical exam and history are suggestive of heartworms and either the antigen or antibody test is positive, your veterinarian is likely to move forward with management of heartworm symptoms.

Chest X-rays (thoracic radiography): Your veterinarian is also likely to perform radiographs of the chest to look for changes to the heart and lungs that may be suggestive of heartworms.

Ultrasound of heart (echocardiogram): In some cases, an echocardiogram may be beneficial. Worms can sometimes be visualized within the right ventricle or pulmonary artery with an echocardiogram. Not all clinics have the capability to perform an echocardiogram.

Heartworm in Cats Treatment

There is no approved medical treatment for heartworms in cats. The injectable medication (melarsomine) used in dogs is toxic to cats at low doses, and the sudden death of the worms from the injection may also result in the sudden death of the cat itself. The only way a cat will be cured of heartworms is if they clear the infection and survive on their own, which occurs in around 80 percent of cases (5). Instead of treating heartworms, the goal is to manage the symptoms.

In cats who are experiencing respiratory distress or shock, they will need emergency treatment. If your pet is having difficulty breathing or collapses, you need to take them to the emergency veterinarian immediately. Treatment may include steroids, intravenous fluids, bronchodilators, and oxygen administration. 

Long-term management of symptomatic cats may include slowly tapering doses of steroids such as prednisone to reduce inflammation in the lungs, as well as bronchodilators. A bacteria called Wolbachia lives within the heartworms, so your cat may be prescribed doxycycline to kill these bacteria and weaken the heartworms. No home remedies are shown to be effective, but it’s recommended to reduce stress in the home, as this could contribute to development of symptoms. 

The disease can be monitored with repeat antibody and antigen tests. Your veterinarian may recommend this testing on an annual basis in asymptomatic cats but may want to test more often in cats with symptoms. In cats who have heart or lung changes identified on X-rays or an echocardiogram, repeat imaging may be recommended every six months. 

Heartworm Surgery for Cats

In cats with severe symptoms, especially those rare cases with high worm burdens causing obstruction in the heart (caval syndrome), surgical removal of the heartworms may be recommended. This is a very rare procedure and usually reserved for severe cases due to the high risk associated with the surgery. Typically, instruments are introduced through the right jugular vein into the right side of the heart to remove worms (7).

Cost of Treating Heartworms in Cats

Cost will vary depending on what treatments you pursue. If your cat is in respiratory distress or shock and you elect to attempt treatment, emergency services can cost several thousand dollars. However, if your cat’s case is mild, management with steroids is usually very affordable and may be under $10 to $20 for the prescription itself after the initial testing. Initial diagnostics will usually cost under $500 for exam, antibody test, and antigen test but may increase to over $1,000 depending on if advanced imaging (echocardiogram) is performed. Chest X-rays are usually around $200. Surgical removal of heartworms is an extremely specialized procedure, which may cost over $6,000 and is not guaranteed to be successful. 

Heartworm Prevention in Cats

Luckily, pet parents have multiple options for preventing heartworms in their cats. 

Although indoor cats can definitely still get infected with heartworms (it only takes one mosquito bite!), they’re less likely to be affected than cats who live or venture outside. Keeping your cats indoors is one way to reduce exposure to mosquitoes. That being said, one study at North Carolina State University did find that about a third of heartworm-positive cats were housed exclusively indoors (4), so you’ll definitely want to keep your indoor cats on prevention.

The best way to protect your cat, whether indoor or outdoor, is to keep them on year-round heartworm prevention. As the climate changes, mosquito ranges are expanding, and mosquito season is beginning to include more time of the year. Current options include either topical solutions that are applied to the skin between the shoulder blades or oral medications. This medication is typically given to your cat once monthly for life. The long-term injectable preventative is currently only used in dogs. A prescription is needed for heartworm preventatives, and these medications are sometimes combined with prevention of fleas and internal parasites. 

Examples of preventative medications that work against heartworms include:

• Selamectin
• Moxidectin
• Ivermectin
• Eprinomectin
• Milbemycin

Related Conditions 

• Heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD)
• Acute death syndrome
• Heartworm disease in dogs
• Caval syndrome
• Feline asthma

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This household product is easily accessible and cheap, but is Dawn dish soap for fleas an effective remedy for pet parents? 

Keep reading to learn about whether Dawn dish soap actually works for killing fleas and what pet parents should know before raiding the grocery store aisles. 

Does Dawn Kill Fleas?

The simple answer is yes, Dawn does kill adult fleas. However, it’s not recommended for pet flea prevention and treatment. In a pinch, it’s fine to use initially on a flea-infested animal to help remove fleas and wash off flea dirt, but it’s not an ideal long-term flea treatment because it doesn’t kill flea offspring or repel fleas.

Fleas are flat-bodied, six-legged wingless parasites that are about an eighth of an inch in size and reddish-brown or black in color. The most common signs of a flea infestation are scratching, biting, skin wounds or hair/fur loss, and small red bumps or flaking skin (if infection occurs). 

Fleas are visible to the naked eye and get around by jumping, reaching as high as 48 centimeters. This is important to keep in mind because when you use Dawn dish soap (or any other similar dish soap), it only physically removes the adult fleas on the pet. It does not address the underlying problem of fleas in the pet’s environment, including flea eggs and larvae, which allows for prompt reinfestation of your pet.

“It lifts grease from the skin, helping sweep up the fleas, wash them off, and drown them,” says Dr. Julie Sanders, director of operations at Heart + Paw. However, it doesn’t get rid of fleas entirely because, as soon as your pet is out of the sink/tub, “new fleas can jump on and survive.” 

Will Any Dish Soap Kill Fleas?

“Dawn has no special properties to kill fleas. Any shampoo or detergent acts about the same in physical removal [of fleas],” says Dr. Sanders. However, she stresses that there are “gentler shampoos that would be just as effective in temporary removal of adult fleas.” 

Consult with your veterinarian about the safest and most effective method of flea control for your pet, depending on their age and health status. 

If you are going to use Dawn, Dr. Sanders recommends sticking to the original formula and avoiding versions with heavy scents and “oxy” additives. “Irritation from detergents tends to be greater from the “oxy” formulas that contain forms of peroxide,” she adds. “The additional oxidizing action of peroxide can cause additional irritation and be especially harsh on the skin.” 

Diluted Dawn soap (mixed with water), may be used to kill fleas on very young puppies or kittens who are not old enough for vet-recommended flea preventatives. However, there are more skin-friendly options available on the market that are specifically made for companion animals. 

Is Dawn Dish Soap Safe for Dogs and Cats?

According to Brian Taylor, professional groomer of DogFatherofHarlem and owner of Harlem Doggie Day Spa in New York City, if a pet is infested with fleas, the skin is already irritated. Although Dawn dish soap isn’t toxic, the chemicals in it can “cause further damage such as drying of the skin, dulling the coat, and literally stripping the natural oils that a pet needs”.

“I personally advise against using Dawn detergent or any soap not intended for a pet when possible,” adds Taylor. 

Liquid soap can get into places such as eyes and nasal passages and can also be inhaled or ingested, which can cause problems, ranging from mild irritation to pneumonia, says Dr. Sanders. “Ingestion can cause nausea and vomiting. Accidental inhalation (which can happen when bathing a wiggly pet) can destroy the sensitive lining of the lungs and predispose pets to pneumonia.” 

How to Use Dawn to Kill Fleas

If you are looking for a one-time or fast-acting solution to kill adult fleas that are on your dog or cat, Taylor recommends the following steps: 

• Combine 1 quart water, 1 cup white vinegar/apple vinegar and 1 cup baby shampoo or Dawn/other liquid soap. 
• Use this mixture to bathe your dog or cat in the tub, but do not pour soap directly into a bathtub filled with water. Soap can irritate your pet’s eyes. 
• Do not use this mixture anywhere near the pet’s head or eyes. 

Why You Shouldn’t Rely on Dawn for Flea Infestations

To eliminate fleas successfully, treatment needs to focus on breaking their life cycle. “Adult fleas are only 5 percent of an active flea infestation,” explains Dr. Sanders. “ 95 percent of a flea infestation is in the juvenile stages in the environment.” 

According to Dr. Sanders, this means that for every single adult flea you see being drowned through shampooing, there are around 95 eggs, pupae, and/or larvae in the environment, including in the carpet, dog beds, grass, tile cracks, or hardwood floors. For every female flea, expect at least 40 eggs per day that are on the animal’s skin, which then fall off into the surroundings. These juveniles will quickly develop and can jump onto your pet and re-infect them.

Dawn dish soap doesn’t clean the surroundings or repel fleas. “By the time we notice a single flea on a dog, the infestation has been there for about two weeks. Since cats are fastidious groomers, they can hide the infestation for even longer,” says Dr. Sanders. 

Best Methods for Killing and Preventing Fleas

When you notice fleas on your pet or suspect that they exist in your house, here are some methods to prevent an infestation. 

Grooming

Your pet’s coat provides the perfect warm habitat for external parasites like fleas to thrive. “They like to hangout underneath tangled and matted hair/fur making it very uncomfortable for the pet because they are being bitten by these parasites nesting and traveling along the skin,” says Taylor. 

He recommends regular grooming to prevent matted or tangled fur and more importantly to locate fleas or ticks. 

Brushing

In between grooming sessions, brush your pet regularly and thoroughly, by working your way to the scalp and detangling from there, recommends Taylor. “If there is knotting, a comb can assist with the knots and a gentle detangling spray can help soften the hair/fur. If there is serious knotting, you will need a groomer because this can be a painful process.” Add using a flea comb (a finely-spaced comb), to the routine to get fleas, flea dirt, and even eggs off your pets. 

Flea and Tick Preventatives

Preventing flea infestations is much easier and more cost-effective than having to treat an infestation once it happens. There are several flea preventatives on the market (for dogs and cats) that are oral and topical. A more cost-effective preventative is the flea collar, which can be fitted around your pet’s neck, though the oral and topical medications may work better for many cats. There are also oral medications (nitenpyram) that can be given to kill the adult fleas, but these should be used in conjunction with preventatives and environmental management. Keep in mind that you will need to treat all in-contact pets in the home. 

Deep Cleaning

Keep your pet’s surroundings and yard clean to prevent flea growth. Vacuum regularly with a machine with good suction to remove fleas of all stages from the environment. Wash rugs, bed covers, and upholstery covers. Clean dog blankets using the hottest setting in the washing machine.

When in doubt, you can always enlist the help of your veterinarian and pet groomer to help you combat these pesky insects.

Editorial credit: jadimages / Shutterstock.com

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The good news is that it’s easy to treat worms in dogs and protect your canine companion against future infections. There are several dewormers for dogs available on the market that can be used to get rid of worms. There are also long-term parasite control products that are effective against multiple types of worms and can be used year-round. 

Let’s take a closer look at why deworming dogs is so important, plus explore some of the top dewormers for dogs.

Our List: Dog Dewormers

• Best with 5-Worm Protection: Interceptor Plus 
• Best with Flea Control: Trifexis 
• Best Broad-Spectrum: Drontal Plus
• Best with Heartworm Prevention: Heartgard Plus

What Is Deworming for Dogs?

All dogs are at risk for encountering worms, such as hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. Dewormers are medications that kill intestinal parasites that your dog may have contracted. “Broadly, these medications are called anthelmintics,” explains Dr. Audrey Wystrach, DVM, CEO of Petfolk. Some medications also help to prevent reinfection for a period of time. 

“Many deworming products are effective for more than one type of worm,” Dr. Wystrach adds. “There are many different varieties and drug classes; generally, products that are effective against flat-shaped worms like tapeworms are not effective against round-shaped worms, such as roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms.” 

Dewormers are available in a variety of forms, such as pills, chewable tablets, and liquids. Some of the common active ingredients you’ll see in dewormers for dogs include:

• Febantel or Fenbendazole : Used to treat roundworms, hookworms, lungworms, whipworms, and some rare species of tapeworms
• Ivermectin: Heartworm preventative that’s also effective against hookworms and roundworms
• Pyrantel Pamoate: Effective against intestinal roundworms and hookworms
• Praziquantel: Most commonly used to treat tapeworms

Wystrach notes that while most dewormers for dogs need to be prescribed by a veterinarian, there are some over-the-counter options available. 

How Do Dogs Get Worms?

You might not think your dog has worms, but unfortunately, your pup can pick up these parasites just from being outside. From sticking their nose in the dirt at the dog park to chasing and eating small animals, there are many scenarios that can put dogs at risk of contracting worms. 

“Intestinal worms, such as hookworms, roundworms and whipworms, are commonly transmitted when dogs ingest contaminated soil or feces containing eggs, or immature worms that have been passed from other infected animals in the environment,” explains Dr. Wystrach. 

Your dog can also become infected with a common species of tapeworm by accidentally ingesting an infected flea while grooming themselves. 

Another type of worm that dogs are at risk of, though it’s not an intestinal worm, is called a heartworm. Heartworm is an internal parasite that lives in the blood vessels inside the lungs and heart. Dogs can get heartworms after being bit by an infected mosquito. Heartworms can cause organ damage, heart failure, and death if left untreated. 

Why Dewormer for Dogs Is Important

Dewormer for dogs is not only important to rid your pet of an infection but also to keep the entire household healthy. Some intestinal worms, like roundworms and hookworms, are also infectious to people.

If left untreated, these parasites can cause serious health problems for your dog. Intestinal worms can lead to a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and vomiting. As such, most veterinarians recommend using year-round parasite protection to keep your dog healthy and avoid reinfection. 

If your dog has intestinal worms, your veterinarian will prescribe a deworming medication. Once the infection has cleared, your veterinarian may recommend year-round parasite protection medication. In other cases, your veterinarian may just recommend treating the infection with a long-term parasite protection medication and keeping your dog on it year-round. In other words, year-round parasite protection medications are dewormers. 

If your dog is on a heartworm preventative, know that these are often effective against some intestinal worms, too.

4 Vet-Approved Dewormers for Dogs

It’s important to talk with your veterinarian to choose the best dewormer for your dog. “Product type, dosing, and frequency are all very important factors when considering treatment,” explains Dr. Wystrach. Your veterinarian will also consider factors such as your dog’s age, breed, and other medical conditions to select the best option for the treatment and/or control of worms.

Best Dewormer for Dogs with 5-Worm Protection

Our Pick: Interceptor Plus 

Interceptor Plus is a monthly, chicken-flavored chewable that covers five types of dangerous worms. It protects dogs against heartworm disease and hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm, and whipworm infections. The active ingredients in Interceptor Plus are milbemycin oxime and praziquantel. This prescription medication is suitable for dogs 6 weeks or older and 2 pounds or greater.

Highlights:

• Prevents heartworm disease
• Treats and controls roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, and tapeworm infections
• Given once monthly
• Chicken-flavored chewable tablets

Things to Consider

• Available by prescription only

Best Dewormer with Flea Control

Our pick: Trifexis 

Because fleas can carry a common species of tapeworm, you may want a product that offers flea control in addition to deworming. Trifexis is a comprehensive option in this regard—it not only deworms but also offers heartworm prevention and kills adult fleas. The prescription medication is effective against hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm infections, and it comes in small, beef-flavored tablets. It can be given to dogs 8 weeks and older, and it’s designed to be used on a monthly basis.  

Highlights

• Prevents heartworm disease
• Treats and controls hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm infections
• Kills adult fleas and prevents flea infestations
• Beef-flavored tablet

Things to Consider

• Available by prescription only
• Does not treat and control tapeworm infections. However, it kills fleas, which can carry tapeworm
• More expensive than other dewormers

Best Broad Spectrum Dewormer for Dogs

Our pick: Drontal Plus

For a dewormer that’s effective on a wide range of parasites, Dr. Wystrach’s top choice is Drontal Plus. “We recommend Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer because it is safe, effective, and eliminates all parasites within seven days,” says Dr. Wystrach. This prescription medication treats tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms using a combination of praziquantel, pyrantel pamoate, and febantel. This dewormer comes in both tablet or chewable forms, and it can be given to dogs over 3 weeks old. 

Highlights

• Kills nine species of intestinal worms
• Available in tablet or chewable form
• Suitable for dogs and puppies over 3 weeks old
• FDA-approved
• Affordable

Things to Consider

• Available by prescription only

Best Dewormer with Heartworm Prevention

Our pick: Heartgard Plus

Many pet owners like to take care of regular deworming and heartworm prevention in one step, which is why Heartgard is so popular. When given on a monthly basis, the prescription medication uses ivermectin to kill heartworm larvae, and it also treats several types of hookworms and roundworms. Heartgard tablets have a chewable beef-flavored form, and the medication can be given to puppies starting at 6 weeks old. 

Highlights

• Provides heartworm prevention
• Kills hookworms and roundworms
• Beef-flavored chewable tablets
• Suitable for dogs and puppies over 6 weeks old

Things to Consider

• Available by prescription only
• Certain dog breeds are sensitive to ivermectin
• Doesn’t treat or control whipworms or tapeworms

Buyer’s Guide: Dewormer for Dogs

Here are some factors to take into consideration before choosing a dewormer for dogs:

Proper diagnosis: If you think your dog has worms, it’s essential to bring your dog to the veterinarian to get a proper diagnosis before treatment. “Parasitism is an important conversation to have with your veterinarian,” Dr. Wystrach says. “A fecal evaluation is critical to define and diagnose the type of parasitism present, as well as the proper treatment protocols and safety precautions. It is important to note that, many times, pets harbor more than one parasitic infection at a time.”

Types of parasites: There are several types of intestinal worms that can affect dogs. Different medications are effective against different parasites, such as tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms. Some dewormers also help to prevent heartworm disease, which can cause serious illness and death. 

Active ingredients: Some of the most common active ingredients in dog dewormers include febantel, ivermectin, pyrantel pamoate, and praziquantel. Each one is effective against specific types of worms. Talk to your veterinarian about which ingredients make sense for your pet.

Frequency and dosing: When selecting a dewormer, you’ll also want to consider how often it needs to be administered and the proper dose for your pet. Medications that contain a heartworm preventative are typically given on a monthly basis.

Parasite prevention: Even if your dog doesn’t currently have worms, your veterinarian may recommend a year-round parasite protection product based on your pet’s individual needs and offer guidance on the proper dosage and frequency.

Dog Dewormer FAQs

How often should you deworm your dog?

The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends that all dogs be on year-round parasite prevention that protects against both heartworms and intestinal worms. If you do not give monthly heartworm prevention to your dog, you should administer a dewormer at least once every three months. 

How long does it take for a dog dewormer to work?

Dog dewormer starts working quickly, usually within a few hours of administering the product. However, it may take up to a week to completely rid your dog of parasites.

Does dewormer cause diarrhea in dogs?

Side effects after deworming are relatively uncommon. When they do occur, side effects include lack of appetite, gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and diarrhea. You may notice visible worms passing in your dog’s stool, as the worms die and leave the intestines.

Is there such a thing as a natural dewormer for dogs?

If you believe your dog has worms, Dr. Wystrach advises against using a natural dewormer. “Many naturally occurring plants and remedies can be toxic or harmful to pets,” she says. “Natural does not equate to safe.”

The post Best Dewormer for Dogs: 4 Vet-Approved Picks appeared first on Great Pet Care.

These insect parasites can cause serious itching in kids and can easily spread to other individuals in the household, making them a tremendous headache (no pun intended!) for affected families.

Although dogs aren’t susceptible to our human lice, they can become infested with their own species of canine lice. Continue reading to learn more about these parasites, including how to diagnose, treat, and prevent canine lice. 

Do Dogs Get Lice?

Just like humans, dogs are susceptible to lice. Lice can also affect cats, birds, horses, and many other pet species. However, the type of lice that dogs get are different from those that affect humans.  

Can dogs get lice from humans? 

Fortunately, the answer is no. Lice are highly species-specific. This means that humans can only contract lice from other humans, and dogs can only contract lice from other dogs. 

Your dog cannot get lice from you or your human family members; similarly, you cannot contract lice from your dog. Cats and other pets have their own lice species, which also cannot be shared with dogs. 

What Exactly Are Lice?

Lice are small, flightless insects that are difficult to see with the naked eye. In dogs, lice are typically just 1-2 mm long, or about half the size of a flea. 

Adult lice live on their host’s skin, feeding and laying eggs. These eggs, called nits, typically become securely attached to the dog’s hair. Less commonly, nits and adult lice may fall off the dog into the surrounding environment, where they will wait for a new host.  

There are two separate categories of lice: chewing and blood-sucking lice. Chewing lice feed on dead skin cells and oils that are present on the surface of your dog’s skin. Blood-sucking lice, in contrast, attach firmly to the skin and feed on an animal’s blood.

There are three species of dog lice that can be found in North America: 

Linognathus setosus: This blood-sucking louse attaches securely to the skin and feeds on a dog’s blood. It is found worldwide, including in North America. 

Trichodectes canis: This species of chewing lice on dogs feeds on canine skin cells and oils. It is found worldwide, including in North America. 

Heterodoxus spiniger: This chewing louse is relatively rare. It is an uncommon cause of dog lice in North America, but it is occasionally reported.

What Are the Signs of Dog Lice?

Both chewing and blood-sucking lice can cause significant skin irritation in dogs. The lice themselves may be difficult to see, although chewing lice are often more active (and therefore more visible) than blood-sucking lice. In most cases, you will see the skin damage caused by lice before noticing the actual parasites. 

Signs of lice in dogs may include: 

• Itching, scratching, chewing, or rubbing of the skin
• Redness and irritation of the skin
• Restlessness, inability to get comfortable
• Matted fur
• Rough, dry, dull coat
• Small scabs on the skin
• Hair loss (especially around the head, groin, and rectum)
• Visible lice on the skin
• Visible nits in the hair (translucent oval eggs attached near the base of the hair)
• Anemia (with severe blood-sucking lice infestations)
• Lethargy (with severe infestation)
• Weight loss (with severe infestation)

The signs of lice can easily be confused with a number of other canine skin conditions and parasites.

How Do Dogs Get Lice?

Lice spreads among dogs that are in close contact with each other. They are most common in dogs that are living in large groups or crowded animal shelters. Lice can also be transmitted via close contact at dog parks, dog daycare centers, dog shows, or any other setting where dogs are permitted to interact closely. 

Lice can also be spread on contaminated bedding or other objects. Therefore, dogs can catch lice in boarding facilities, grooming facilities, and other locations where dogs are housed. It’s important to thoroughly clean bedding and other objects that are shared between dogs. 

In general, lice pose a greater risk to dogs with underlying health conditions and dogs living in unsanitary conditions. While any dog can contract lice, unhealthy dogs are more likely to develop serious, problematic lice infestations.  

Dog Lice Treatment

Lice can be treated with a variety of topical medications. Once your veterinarian confirms that your dog is infested with lice, they will recommend the best treatment option for your dog. 

There are a variety of treatment options available for canine lice, including: 

• Lime-sulfur dips
• Topical selamectin (Revolution)
• Ivermectin, which may be given orally or via injection
• Frontline Plus
• Seresto collar

While some of these treatments are available over-the-counter, it’s important to talk to your veterinarian before implementing any treatment at home. Using these products for lice may require different dosing instructions than what is recommended on the product label. This should be performed only under the guidance of a veterinarian. 

Here are some other steps for getting rid of canine lice:

Treat all dogs in your home. Your veterinarian will likely recommend treating all dogs who live with you, given the contagious nature of lice. Remember, lice are species-specific so there is no need to worry about humans or other non-canine pets in your home. 

Clip or shave your dog’s hair. If your dog has long hair, your veterinarian may recommend clipping or shaving your dog. Removing your dog’s long hair will allow you to reduce the number of nits on your dog, making it easier to treat a lice infestation. 

Do a deep clean. Additionally, it’s important to thoroughly disinfect your dog’s environment. Dog beds and blankets should be washed in hot water and dried on high heat. Brushes, toys, bowls, and other items should be soaked in hot water. Your couch and carpets should be vacuumed thoroughly, to remove adult lice and nits.  

How to Prevent Lice in Dogs

The same parasite preventatives that you use to protect your dog against fleas and ticks can also protect your dog against lice. These parasite preventatives should be administered year-round, even during the winter. Talk to your veterinarian to determine the best parasite preventative for your pet. 

Also, remember that lice is most problematic in dogs that are in poor health. Good nutrition and regular veterinary care will help keep your dog healthy, reducing their risk of lice and other parasites. 

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What Are Hookworms in Cats?

Hookworms are a blood-sucking intestinal parasite that occurs in cats, dogs, and humans.  Hookworms are a common parasite of cats, particularly those that go outdoors, have access to feral cat populations, hunt, or access potentially contaminated environments. The most common species of hookworms in cats are Ancylostoma tubaeforme and Ancylostoma braziliense. Once infective larvae of these species reach the cat’s GI tract, they mature into adult hookworms that firmly attach to the intestinal wall via six sharp teeth. Adult hookworms can live in the intestine for four to 24 months, living off the host’s blood. Large hookworm infestations can lead to anemia and death, especially in young animals.

What Causes Hookworms in Cats?

Any age or breed of cat can be infected with hookworms, but young cats are more likely to be affected. Cats get infected with hookworm in several ways. One of the most common ways cats become infected with hookworm is through ingesting infective larva from the environment. This can occur from ingesting contaminated feces or soil. The hookworm larvae are swallowed and travel to the gastrointestinal tract, where they mature into adults.  

Cats can also acquire hookworms from eating infected prey such as rodents. Cockroaches, in particular, are a very common transport host of hookworm larvae. When the cat ingests the cockroach, the dormant larvae are released into the cat’s digestive tract, where they develop into adult hookworms.

Hookworms can also be transmitted just by walking in areas contaminated with infective hookworm larvae. The larvae can penetrate the skin, after which they travel to the lungs via the cat’s veins and lymphatic system. The larvae then migrate through the lungs to the trachea.  Large numbers of migrating larvae can cause respiratory symptoms and pneumonia. Once they reach the trachea, the larvae are coughed up and swallowed, allowing them to reach the digestive tract where they mature into adult hookworms.

Hookworms in dogs can be transmitted from mother to puppies before birth and during nursing. This does not occur in cats.  

It is important to note that the same cat can become infected with hookworms more than once.  Cats can become re-infected from the environment and infective hookworm larvae can survive in soil for a few months under optimal conditions. Infected cats also shed hookworm eggs in their feces, further contaminating the environment. Practicing good sanitation by removing and disposing of feces promptly is essential to reduce the risk of re-infection.

Humans can also become infected with hookworms from the environment. This typically occurs by ingesting contaminated soil, most often occurring in children who play in areas where infected cats or dogs defecate. Humans can also be infected via direct skin penetration of the infective larvae. Direct transmission of hookworms from cats to humans does not occur.

Symptoms of Hookworm in Cats

Many cats infected with hookworm are asymptomatic and do not show any signs of infection, so routine screening tests are important to identify hookworm infections. In kittens, heavy infestations of hookworms may cause anemia and death. Other symptoms of hookworm infection can include:

• Blood in the stool
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Dry cough
• Poor hair coat
• Pot-bellied appearance
• Loss of body condition
• Loss of appetite
• Pale mucous membranes
• Respiratory symptoms
• Pneumonia
• Failure to thrive

If you suspect your cat may have hookworms, or any other type of parasite, visit your veterinarian to diagnose the problem and receive appropriate treatment.

How to Diagnose Hookworm in Cats

If a hookworm infection is suspected, your veterinarian will first perform a full head-to-tail physical examination on your cat. Your veterinarian may also recommend additional diagnostic testing, such as the evaluation of a fecal sample. Your cat’s fecal sample may be used for the following tests:

• Fecal floatation with centrifugation. This test is used to look for parasite eggs in your cat’s feces. A female hookworm produces 600-6,000 eggs per day, which are passed in the feces. These microscopic eggs float readily in a floatation solution and can then be visualized under a microscope. Identifying hookworm eggs on a fecal floatation test confirms the presence of hookworm infection in your cat.
• Fecal antigen testing. This test identifies an antigen produced by both immature and adult hookworms in the small intestine. This test does not rely on egg production, so it can detect hookworm infections by immature worms or those that are single-sex infections, allowing earlier identification and treatment. Because each test has its strengths and weaknesses, fecal antigen testing and fecal floatation testing are typically performed together.

Hookworm Treatment for Cats

If left untreated, hookworm infections can lead to anemia, respiratory illness, loss of body condition, failure to thrive, and even death, particularly in young animals. Hookworm infections should be treated immediately with deworming (anthelmintic) medications to kill the adult worms. In severe infections, additional supportive care such as fluids, blood transfusions, iron supplements, or a high protein diet may be needed to support the animal until the worms are killed. Your veterinarian will determine the best course of treatment based on your cat’s test results and the severity of the infection.

In addition to medication to kill the worms, it is important to practice good environmental sanitation to prevent re-infection. Because hookworm eggs are shed in the feces, frequent removal and disposal of feces from the environment is essential to prevent re-infection. Following treatment with anthelmintic medications, repeat fecal floatation tests are necessary to ensure that hookworm eggs are no longer being shed.

Hookworm Medication for Cats

Anthelmintic dewormers are used to kill adult hookworms and treat hookworm infections. These include medications such as:

• Ivermectin
• Selamectin
• Moxidectin/Imidacloprid 
• Fenbendazole 
• Milbemycin oxime
• Emodepside
• Selamectin/Sarolaner
• Pyrantel pamoate

General Cost of Hookworm Treatment for Cats

In most cases, two rounds of deworming medication are recommended to clear a hookworm infection. In severe infections, additional medications and supportive treatments may be necessary, which will incur an additional cost. For the average hookworm infection, cat owners should expect to pay around $25-$150 for treatment, depending on the medications prescribed.

How to Prevent Hookworms in Cats

The best way to prevent hookworm infections is by deworming kittens with an age-appropriate anthelmintic deworming medication at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. All cats should also be started on a monthly preventive medication as soon as they are old enough to do so.

Environmental sanitation is also an important step to prevent infection and especially to prevent re-infection after a cat has tested positive for hookworms. Feces should be removed from the litter box or the environment and disposed of promptly. This prevents hookworm eggs from hatching and larvae from developing.  

Related Conditions

• Roundworm
• Tapeworm
• Whipworm
• Coccidiosis

The post Hookworms in Cats appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Although Lyme disease can affect dogs and cats, it is much more common in dogs than cats. Lyme disease in cats has been observed only in a laboratory setting and not in the natural environment. 

If you’re wondering if a cat can get Lyme disease, the short answer is: yes, but it is unlikely. Although Lyme disease is exceedingly rare in cats, it’s still worth learning more about this tick-borne disease.

Can Cats Get Lyme Disease?

Cats can get Lyme disease, but the chances of a cat—indoor or feral—being affected by the disease are close to zero.

Lyme disease is transmitted by the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis or Ixodes pacificus), typically in the spring and fall. Nymphs (baby ticks) and adult female deer ticks are the primary spreaders of the disease.

Deer ticks become infected when they feed off of wildlife infected with B. burgdorferi. The bacteria enters the tick’s body during a feeding.

Ticks like to perch on stalks of grass. Rather than jump onto their hosts, ticks wait until an unwitting host, such as a cat, walks by. The tick then crawls onto the host’s skin.

If a deer tick lands on a cat, it will start feeding and transmit B. burgdorferi through its saliva onto the cat’s skin. This transmission process takes about 24 to 48 hours. The bacteria replicates on the skin, then moves into the cat’s tissues, including the joints and nervous system, where it can stay hidden from the immune system.

Even for strictly indoor cats, a deer tick can find its way inside by hitching a ride on a person or dog who’s just been outside. That deer tick may eventually crawl onto the cat’s skin.

However, cats’ fastidious grooming habits work in their favor regarding Lyme disease. Even if a deer tick did land on your cat, your cat’s grooming would probably remove the tick before it began transmitting the bacteria.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Cats

Cats with Lyme disease are frequently asymptomatic. If a cat does have clinical signs, these signs will be similar to those seen in dogs with Lyme disease:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty breathing
• Shifting leg lameness (shifting from one leg to the other because of pain) 

Severe Lyme disease can damage the kidneys and cause symptoms like vomiting, limb swelling, and weight loss.

A telltale sign of Lyme disease in people is a ‘bull’s eye’ rash at the bite site, but cats and dogs rarely develop this rash.

Symptoms of Lyme disease in cats don’t show up until several weeks after the tick bite. If a deer tick has bitten your cat, and the tick stayed on long enough to transmit B. burgdorferi, you would have to wait for at least several weeks to see any signs of the disease.

Ticks on Cats: What to Do

Check your cat’s skin regularly for ticks, especially if your cat spends any amount of time outside. Promptly remove any tick you see to minimize the chances of disease transmission. Here are the steps to safely remove a tick from a cat:

Step 1: Gather tick-removing supplies: rubbing alcohol, a glass jar, a pair of disposable gloves, a pair of tweezers, and triple-antibiotic ointment.

Step 2: Pour rubbing alcohol into the jar and clean the tweezers with some rubbing alcohol.

Step 3: Put on a pair of gloves.

Step 4: Pull back your cat’s fur as much as possible to get a good view of the tick.

Step 5: Use the tweezers to grasp the tick’s head. Do not squeeze or twist! 

Step 6: Firmly pull up and remove the tick from your cat’s skin. 

Step 7: Place the tick in the jar of rubbing alcohol to kill it.

Step 8: Throw away your gloves and wash your hands.

Step 9: Apply some triple-antibiotic ointment to the bite site.

Contact your veterinarian after you have removed the tick. Your veterinarian may advise you to submit the tick to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory for additional testing to determine the diseases the tick carries.

Although signs of Lyme disease take weeks to appear after a tick bite, continue monitoring your cat after removing the tick. Contact your veterinarian if your cat shows any signs of Lyme disease.

Diagnosing Lyme Disease in Cats

Veterinarians diagnose Lyme disease in cats by knowing a cat’s history of tick exposure, performing basic laboratory tests (blood work, urinalysis, X-rays), and ruling out other diseases that could be causing Lyme disease-related symptoms. Veterinarians may also test a sample of joint fluid for B. burgdorferi.

A blood test is available that detects Lyme disease. However, a positive test result would not show up until several weeks after the tick bite.

If you submitted the tick for testing, those results would help determine whether your cat has Lyme disease.

Treatment for Lyme Disease in Cats

Lyme disease in cats is treated with the antibiotic doxycycline, which works quickly and is very effective against the disease. When treated early, cats with Lyme disease have a good prognosis. 

Lyme disease that is not treated early or left untreated can cause permanent tissue damage, so early treatment provides the best chance of recovery.

Medications to Treat Lyme Disease in Cats

Doxycycline is typically given for a 30-day treatment course. Although this antibiotic is effective, it does have some drawbacks. For example, not all cats can tolerate doxycycline. Also, because B. burgdorferi likes to hide inside the tissues, multiple rounds of doxycycline may be needed to clear the body of the bacteria.

Doxycycline tablets can cause esophageal strictures that narrow the esophagus and make swallowing difficult. Veterinarians often prescribe liquid doxycycline to avoid this problem. 

Pain medication is recommended if a cat has joint pain. 

If a cat has severe Lyme disease, additional medications, such as intravenous fluid therapy and kidney medications, may be needed.

Cost to Treat Lyme Disease in Cats

Diagnosing and treating Lyme disease has varied costs. It may cost several hundred dollars to complete the diagnostic testing for the disease, especially if the tick is submitted for testing at a veterinary diagnostic laboratory.

The cost of medications varies, but doxycycline and common pain medications are usually not very expensive. Treatment costs can jump significantly for cats that require hospitalization because of severe Lyme disease.

Your veterinarian will determine the exact costs of treating your cat.

Preventing Lyme Disease in Cats

Monthly tick prevention is the best way to prevent Lyme disease in cats. A monthly topical tick preventative, given every month throughout the year, will provide the best tick prevention for your cat. Remember that tick prevention is still important for indoor cats.

Other prevention strategies include checking your cat’s skin for ticks regularly (and removing any ticks that you see) and keeping your grass trimmed. Of course, keeping your cat indoors as much as possible will minimize the chances of a tick crawling onto your cat.

Lyme Disease in Cats: Bringing It Together

Because Lyme disease is so rare in cats, this disease is not something that needs to be high on your list of concerns as a cat owner. Nonetheless, remain diligent about practicing tick prevention strategies and contact your veterinarian if your cat has been bitten by a tick and shows signs of Lyme disease.

The post Can Cats Get Lyme Disease? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

The truth is, fleas are incredibly common, especially the type known as the “cat flea” (aka Ctenocephalides felis). Cat fleas love to live on cats (and dogs) and they can affect both indoor and outdoor kitties. All a flea has to do to get inside your home is hitch a ride on another pet or your pant leg — and they can reproduce pretty quickly, leading to an infestation. Since fleas are good at hiding in your kitty’s fur, you might not notice until it becomes a bigger problem, such as if your cat has an allergic reaction that causes intense itching, redness, fur loss, or crusts. Cats can also get tapeworm from accidentally ingesting an infected flea while grooming, and kittens or senior cats with severe infestations may be at risk of flea-induced anemia.

If you notice fleas or flea eggs on your cat, black specks in their fur (known as “flea dirt”), or get bites yourself, try not to panic. While veterinarian-prescribed oral or topical flea treatments are the safest and most effective option, there are over-the-counter remedies that can also be beneficial. 

What Are Cat Flea Collars? 

Cat flea collars are collars that are made of materials like plastic or silicone that release a chemical or essential oil over time that repels or kills fleas. 

“They are different from other flea treatments because they are a passive form of treatment,” explains Amy Davis, veterinarian. “They can also be used in conjunction with other forms of flea treatment for an increased level of protection.”

Flea collars are appropriate for most cats—with some brands even being appropriate for kittens over 12 weeks old or senior cats. Read the label to make sure the collar you get is appropriate for your cat’s age. You might also want to check with your vet before choosing a collar, especially if your cat has a specific health condition. 

How Do Cat Flea Collars Work?

Though it depends on the type of cat flea collar you get and the ingredients it contains, cat flea collars generally work in one of three ways:

• They release a chemical that kills fleas
• They release a chemical that repels fleas
• They release a chemical that interferes with flea egg development

Some cat flea collars will work in a combination of ways against multiple life stages of fleas, killing eggs and adult fleas to give your kitty more thorough protection. However, some flea collars only affect fleas a short distance from the collar. 

Additionally, there can be health risks associated with flea collars. Some flea collars contain chemicals, such as organophosphates, that can result in serious signs of toxicity in cats. Others may contain essential oils that can cause reactions in some cats. Therefore, it’s important to do your research. 

The Seresto flea collar for cats is most commonly recommended by veterinarians, due to its efficacy and low risk of harmful side effects. A 2021 investigative report raised some safety concerns about Seresto collars, but they are generally regarded as the safest over-the-counter flea collar option. The formula is effective against fleas, flea larvae, and ticks—and it lasts up to eight months. It starts to repel and kill fleas within 24 hours and ticks within 48 hours of initial application.

Are Flea Collars Safe for Cats?

Flea collars should be used with caution in cats. While the risk associated with a Seresto collar is relatively low, other over-the-counter feline flea collars contain essential oils or organophosphates that can be toxic in cats. In general, your best option for safe and effective flea control comes from veterinarian-prescribed flea preventatives for cats.

If you elect to use an over-the-counter flea collar, read and follow the directions on the label carefully. Do not use a dog flea collar on your cat, for example, as canine flea collars often contain pesticides that are toxic to cats. You’ll also want to make sure that you don’t put the collar on too loosely or too tightly, and that it has a breakaway feature to prevent accidental strangulation. 

If your cat tends to chew on things, you’ll also want to be careful. “Some collars contain pesticides that can be harmful to cats if they lick or bite their fur after it’s been put on,” explains Davis. “These collars can [also] be harmful to cats if they chew on them, so it’s important to make sure your cat doesn’t chew on the collar.”

Some cats also have sensitive skin or are allergic to certain ingredients. If your cat has sensitivities or starts developing a rash after wearing the collar, discontinue using it. 

Tetrachlorvinphos is an example of an organophosphate found in certain cat flea collars that may cause signs of toxicity in some cats, as well as in young children who touch the collar. Signs of toxicity to watch for include vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors, and paralysis. If you noticed any of these signs, remove the collar and contact your veterinarian immediately.

Shopping for a Cat Flea Collar: What to Look For

When you’re shopping for a cat flea collar, there are a few things to consider.

Active ingredients: First, take a look at the active chemicals. Collars that contain pesticides are generally highly effective at killing fleas and working against active infestations. However, as noted earlier, they are associated with risks of toxicity. Other collars are made with essential oils, which work by repelling the fleas. However, essential oils can also be very irritating to cats, so check with your veterinarian.

Durability: Second, make sure the collar is durable and will last a while. This will help you get the most use out of the collar for the money you spend on it. 

Safety: Third, make sure the collar has safety features for your kitty, like a breakaway feature to prevent accidental strangulation. 

Using Cat Flea Collars: Tips and Advice

Make sure that your cat is wearing their flea collar properly. “Collars should be worn high up on their neck, behind the ears, so that they come into contact with as much skin as possible,” says Davis. You’ll also want to make sure that the collar fits correctly. If you can’t fit two fingers under the collar, it’s on too tightly, but if the collar can easily slip off your cat’s head, it’s too loose.

To make the collar more effective, your cat should wear it for at least eight hours a day. Even though some collars are water-resistant, you might want to remove the collar while bathing your cat. 

Finally, monitor your cat closely when using any new over-the-counter flea treatment. While serious toxicities are relatively uncommon, they can certainly occur. The sooner you detect signs of toxicity, the sooner your cat can receive veterinary treatment.

The post Cat Flea Collars: Safety Tips and What to Consider appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Whether your dog already has fleas or you want to prevent them, we have the scoop on the most effective formulas—both prescription and over the counter—approved by veterinarians.  

The Importance of Flea Medicine for Dogs

Flea bites not only cause itchiness and skin irritation, they can result in serious illness, says Dr. Jerry Klein, chief veterinary officer for the American Kennel Club, based in New York City. “In tiny puppies and kittens, fleas can cause a life-threatening anemia due to significant loss of blood,” he says. “In many cases, flea bites can cause severe allergic reactions in both pets and people due to reactions to their saliva.” 

Fleas can transmit infectious diseases. “The most common flea of North America can transmit diseases like typhus, flea-borne spotted fever, bartonellosis (AKA cat-scratch disease), and flea tapeworms,” Klein adds.

Preventing flea infestations, veterinarians say, is much easier and more cost-effective than treating them. “The longer an infestation goes without treatment, the more environmental contamination will occur which can make resolving the infestation more difficult,” says Dr. Ashley Barnes, medical director at Louisville Family Animal Hospital in Louisville, Colorado. “It also increases the time the pet will be uncomfortable and increases risk for secondary skin infections.”

Another benefit of using a flea preventative, veterinarians say, is that they usually offer protection against ticks that can transmit diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and rickettsiosis. Some products even protect against heartworms, mites, mosquitos, and other parasites.

Types of Flea Medicine for Dogs

Most flea medicine for dogs is available in oral form (as chews and pills) and as topicals (including sprays), collars, and shampoos. They range in cost, effectiveness, and levels of protection.

Oral Flea Medicine for Dogs

Oral flea medicine for dogs comes as flavored chews that your dog enjoys every one to three months. With some exceptions, oral medicine is typically available only with a prescription.

Some flea chews for dogs protect against fleas and ticks, while others offer broader coverage. Simparica Trio—available with a veterinarian’s prescription—for example, also helps protect against heartworm disease, roundworms, and hookworms, as well fleas and ticks.

Capstar—a tablet that is available without a prescription—only targets fleas and is only effective for a short time. Capstar kills fleas that are on your dog at the time you administer the tablet, but it doesn’t have the long-lasting benefits of other flea preventatives. (It only kills adult fleas as opposed to other oral products that have growth regulators, in addition to adulticides.) “In really bad infestations, we will sometimes use Capstar along with a preventative so we kill the fleas faster but prevent reinfestation,” says Barnes. 

Other oral flea preventatives remain in your dog’s system for one to three months, offering continued protection. Oral products are the most effective form of flea medicine for dogs, veterinarians say. They’re a good option if your dog doesn’t do well with collars, or you don’t want your children or other pets exposed to topical flea medicine ingredients.   

Oral flea medicine for dogs is generally more expensive than other products, and they don’t offer repellent activity, says Dr. Susan Jeffrey, an associate veterinarian at Odyssey Veterinary Care in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. “The flea has to bite the pet in order to ingest the medication.”

Chewable flea prevention may not be a good fit for dogs with food sensitivities or conditions like irritable bowel disease, says Klein. Additionally, “These products should be cautioned in pets with pre-existing epilepsy,” says Dr. Katie Pagan, a partner veterinarian with Heart + Paw in Fells Point, Maryland.  

Topical Flea Protection

“Orals are more effective but the topicals are a close second,” says Barnes.

These products get applied to your dog’s skin, typically once per month. Some topical flea medicines for dogs, like Frontline Plus, are available over the counter, while others, like Revolution, require a prescription. They also vary in their levels of protection. Revolution, for example, protects against heartworms, as well as fleas and ticks; while Advantage only kills fleas. 

A plus is that many topicals have a repellent component in addition to ingredients that kill the fleas, says Jeffrey. 

Some people may not want their kids exposed to flea medicine, Jeffrey adds. Additionally, “Some of the topicals also have tick preventives that can be toxic to cats who could potentially come into contact with the medication.” 

Prescription topical medications are typically more effective, and non-prescription topicals vary in their effectiveness. “If I know someone who wants the cheapest medication, I try to steer them toward Frontline Plus or Advantage because they are over the counter and known to be safe and usually effective,” says Jeffrey.

Flea Collars

Once a flea collar is fitted properly around the dog’s neck, it slowly distributes ingredients that kill fleas (and ticks, in some cases). Collars are available without a prescription and are more cost effective than chews or topicals. 

As with other over the counter flea products, effectiveness can vary. “A Seresto collar is very effective for dogs (and cats) but other collars out on the market just do not work well or can cause contact dermatitis to the skin,” says Pagan. The duration of protection varies by product, though Seresto’s collar lasts for 8 months.

Collars can offer protection, says Klein, but are not used as much as topicals, pills, and shampoos. 

Flea Shampoos

Though most veterinarians recommend oral flea medicine, topicals, and collars for optimal protection, flea shampoos might be an option if you prefer a natural product. Keep in mind that shampoos don’t offer ongoing protection against fleas, however, says Pagan. “It only kills what is on them.” 

As with other non-prescription flea products, shampoos can vary in their effectiveness; and some dog shampoos can interfere with topical tick and flea medicines. Discuss using a flea shampoo with your veterinarian before bathing your dog with one of these products.

Best Flea Medicine for Dogs According to Veterinarians

To help take the guesswork out of choosing effective parasite protection, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best flea medicine for dogs that veterinarians approve of and recommend. 

Your own veterinarian can ultimately suggest a product that is best suited to your dog. If a product isn’t mentioned here, that doesn’t infer that it’s ineffective.

Best Fast-Acting Tick and Flea Medicine for Dogs

Our pick: Credelio

Credelio is a small, beef-flavored chewable tablet that kills ticks and fleas fast (in as little as four hours) and offers one full month of protection. It is effective against four types of ticks: lone star tick, American dog tick, black-legged tick, and brown dog tick. This medication is available by prescription, so talk to your veterinarian about whether it is a good fit for your dog. Some pet parents may choose to use this medication along with Interceptor Plus, which protects against all five major worms, for broad-spectrum parasite protection.

Highlights

• Beef-flavored chewable tablet given orally, once a month
• Treats and prevents flea infestations and treats and controls tick infestations
• Effective against four types of ticks
• Protection lasts a full month
• Available in a variety of strengths, according to a dog’s weight

Things to Consider

• Must be administered with food or given within 30 minutes of feeding your dog
• Cost varies depending on the strength of the dose and the number of doses in each box
• Not suitable for puppies under 8 weeks of age 
• Dogs must weigh 4.4 pounds or greater to use this medication
• Potential side effects may include weight loss, elevated blood urea nitrogen, increased urination, and diarrhea. 
• Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders

Check out our full review

Best Flea Medicine for Dogs with Multi-Worm Protection

Our pick: Trifexis

Trifexis is a beef-flavored tablet that not only protects dogs from fleas but also heartworm disease and three kinds of intestinal parasites: hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms. It’s easy to give like a treat and only needs to be dosed once a month. As with other heartworm medications, your dog will need to be tested for an existing heartworm infection before starting this product. Talk to your veterinarian to see if Trifexis is a good fit for your canine companion.

Highlights

• Monthly, beef-flavored tablet given orally
• Kills fleas on dogs and prevents infestations, prevents heartworm disease, and treats and controls hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm infections
• Full month of protection
• Available in a variety of  strengths, according to a dog’s weight

Things to Consider

• Your dog will need to be tested for an existing heartworm infection before starting this medication 
• Administer with food for maximum effectiveness
• Cost varies depending on the strength of the dose and the number of doses in each box
• Not suitable for puppies under 8 weeks of age
• Dogs must weigh 5 pounds or more to use this medication
• Potential side effects may include vomiting, decreased activity, itching, decreased appetite, and diarrhea
• If vomiting occurs within one hour of administration, you will need to redose
• Use with caution in dogs with pre-existing epilepsy

Check out our full review

Best Vet-Recommended Flea Medicine for Dogs

Our Pick: Simparica Trio

Veterinarians recommend Simparica Trio because of its effective protection against ticks and fleas, as well as heartworms, roundworms, and hookworms—all in one convenient monthly chew. It’s a small, liver-flavored chewable tablet available by prescription. Because it provides heartworm protection, your dog will need a negative heartworm test on file in order to be prescribed this product. 

“I personally give this product to my dog along with hundreds of thousands of other dogs and have never had an issue,” says Pagan. 

Highlights

• Multi-purpose chew that kills fleas and prevents infestations, kills five types of ticks (including the Lyme-carrying Blacklegged tick), treats and controls roundworms and hookworms, and helps prevent heartworm disease
• Liver-flavored chew that can be taken with or without food

Things to Consider

• The cost for a six-month supply (six tablets) is on average, between $140 to $170 dollars, depending on the size of your dog
• You can only get Simparica chewables with a prescription from your veterinarian. And because it contains a heartworm preventative, your dog needs a negative heartworm test on file
• As with any oral flea medication, the flea has to bite the dog in order to ingest the medicine
• May not be a good option for dogs with food sensitivities or epilepsy

Best Chewable Flea Medicine for Dogs

Our Pick: Bravecto

While most flea medications are administered monthly, Bravecto chews provide protection against fleas and ticks for 3 full months. This makes it a convenient option for busy pet parents who might forget to administer a dose every month. Bravecto chews are available by prescription only.

Highlights

• Provides flea and tick protection for 3 months 
• Works within hours after it’s been consumed

Things to Consider

• Requires a prescription from your veterinarian
• Oral flea medicine for dogs may not be a good fit if your dog has epilepsy or food sensitivities
• Though one chew lasts for up to three months, it costs between $57 and $60.

Best Topical Flea Medicine for Dogs

Our Pick: Revolution

Revolution is a multi-use, FDA-approved topical solution—available with prescription—that you apply directly to your dog’s skin every 30 days. It protects against fleas (and prevents infestations), the American dog tick, heartworms, ear mites, and sarcoptic mange.

“I personally have prescribed this countless times. It is very safe and effective,” says Pagan.

Highlights

• Multi-spectrum product that protects against fleas, ticks, heartworms, ear mites, and mange
• Good option for dogs who won’t eat chews or tolerate collars
• Non-greasy, quick-drying formula. You can bathe your dog two hours after application without it affecting the ingredients

Things to Consider

• Requires a prescription from your veterinarian, as well as a negative heartworm test
• May not be a good option if you’re concerned about children or pets being exposed to flea medicine ingredients

Best Flea Medicine for Large Dogs

Our Pick: NexGard

This beef-flavored chew kills adult fleas and ticks for one month. It’s FDA-approved to help prevent Lyme infections caused by Blacklegged ticks. 

Highlights

• Kills fleas before they can lay eggs. FDA-approved to prevent Lyme infections from Blacklegged ticks
• Offers formulations specifically for large dogs, including those weighing between 60 and 121 pounds 
• Comes in a tasty beef-flavored chew that can be taken without food

Things to Consider

• Requires a prescription from your veterinarian
• Chewable flea and tick medicine for dogs should be used with caution in epileptic dogs. It may also not be well tolerated in dogs with food allergies or sensitive stomachs
• The flea has to bite the dog in order for the medicine to be effective

Best Flea Medicine for Small Dogs

Our Pick: Simparica

A bite-sized flavored chew that offers protection for 35 days and is available with a prescription. It protects dogs from flea infestations and ticks, including the Blacklegged species. Another plus is that Simparica doesn’t need to be given with food. 

Highlights

• Kills adult fleas, prevents infestations, and kills ticks that carry Lyme disease
• Comes in formulations for small dogs, including those weighing between 2.8 and 5.5 pounds
• Can be given without food

Things to Consider

• Requires a prescription

Best Flea Medicine for Puppies

Our Pick: Revolution Topical Solution for Puppies

Formulated for tiny bodies under 5 pounds, this solution gets applied to your puppy’s skin monthly. It’s a prescription-only, multi-use product that kills adult fleas and prevents infestations, prevents heartworm disease, and treats and controls ear mites. It’s fast-drying, so you can bathe your dog two hours after application without reducing the medicine’s effectiveness. 

Highlights

• Formulated for puppies under 5 pounds
• Multi-use product that kills adult fleas, prevents infestations, prevents heartworm disease, and treats ear mites
• Non-greasy formula that dries quickly 

Things to Consider

• Requires a prescription and heartworm test on file

Dog Flea Medicine Buying Guide

Cost and convenience are, of course, important considerations when choosing a flea medicine. Other factors like your dog’s medical history and size, as well as product reliability, are critical to consider, too. 

What to Do When Purchasing a Flea Medicine

Consider your dog’s medical history. Pagan says caution should be used if considering chewable tablets for dogs with epilepsy. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, she says you may want a collar or topical instead of a pill. “If your dog is itchy and has sensitive skin a chewable tablet would be better suited for your needs. If you bathe your pet often and do not like a greasy product applied to the coat, a chewable tablet is for you and your pet.”  

Be careful with cats in the home. If you also share your home with cats, avoid flea and tick medicine for dogs containing permethrin, an ingredient in many tick preventives that is toxic to cats, says Jeffrey. “Since most flea preventives have a tick preventative, I avoid this ingredient if there is a cat in the house that could be exposed.”

Make sure to reach the label closely. When purchasing flea medicine without a prescription, it’s imperative to read the label—including whether the product is appropriate for your dog’s weight and age, says Klein. “Many medications are not label approved for puppies less than seven weeks of age, breeding, pregnant or nursing dogs.” 

Prescription Vs. Over the Counter Flea Medicine for Dogs

Though veterinarians will recommend specific over the counter flea products if cost is a factor, they say prescription flea medicine for dogs is better regulated. Prescription products tend to be more effective, and associated with fewer side effects. 

Over-the-counter flea medicines may be less expensive and available without a prescription, but effectiveness can vary. “You always want to ensure you are purchasing any OTC products through a reputable party as there are many counterfeit products out on the market,” says Pagan.

Dog Flea Prevention vs. Treatment

Prevention is when you give your dog flea medicine on a regular basis to prevent infestations, says Jeffrey, “But it can also mean the product has ingredients that will repel fleas.” Treatment, she says, is when you use a product to kill fleas already known to be present on your dog. 

Most products currently on the market target both prevention and treatment, says Pagan. “They start killing fleas within hours and prevent them after the fact. Some pets may develop flea allergy dermatitis or parasites secondary to fleas so additional medications could be needed.” 

Where to Buy Flea Medicine for Dogs

Purchasing flea medicine through your veterinarian is the safest option. “Your veterinarian purchases products directly through a reputable party to ensure these products are not counterfeit and will not cause an issue with your pet,” says Pagan. 

If you’d rather purchase your flea medicine independently, start by asking your veterinarian for recommendations of trusted retailers. Or stick with trusted pet supply shops or online pharmacies. These services will often contact your veterinarian directly to ensure your prescription is on file and will ship the medication directly to your door. 

Our Experts

• Dr. Jerry Klein, chief veterinary officer for the American Kennel Club
• Dr. Ashley Barnes, medical director at Louisville Family Animal Hospital
• Dr. Susan Jeffrey, associate veterinarian at Odyssey Veterinary Care
• Dr. Catherine Barnette, veterinary reviewer and expert for Great Pet Care

The post Best Flea Medicine for Dogs: Vet-Approved Options appeared first on Great Pet Care.

That’s why it is so important to use a flea comb for dogs to check for any infestations. 

What is a Flea Comb for Dogs? 

A flea comb is a specialized tool that helps find and get rid of fleas on dogs and other pets. The comb has finely spaced teeth that can pick up and remove fleas, flea eggs, and flea dirt that traditional brushes can’t. Flea dirt is adult flea feces that shows up as tiny dark specs, almost like small coffee grounds, on your pet’s skin and fur. 

Types of Flea Combs

There are a few different types of flea combs available to pet parents. These include traditional manual flea combs and electric flea combs. 

Manual flea combs work just like any other comb and a pet parent will need to drag the grooming tool over their dog’s coat in order to pick up any fleas or flea eggs. Manual combs are relatively small, able to fit in your pocket or bag, which is great to use on the go after hiking, beach days, and dog parks to remove any fleas before you head home. 

Electric flea combs release a mild electrical charge that kills fleas and their eggs on contact. The charge will not harm your pet. These combs are bulkier than traditional flea combs because they require a battery. Some electric flea combs do make a beeping sound, which may startle some dogs.

Flea combs also come in different materials. Most often, you’ll find plastic and metal or stainless steel options. Many people prefer not to use plastic ones, as the teeth can break off when stressed too hard. 

If your dog has a longer coat, flea combs with longer teeth can help the comb move through their fur easier, while removing fleas, flea eggs, and flea dirt. Flea combs with shorter-length teeth are best used in dogs with short coats. 

The bottom line is to look for a flea comb that has very small spaces between the teeth, so it can comb out and remove fleas. If the spaces between the teeth of the comb are too wide, then it could leave live fleas, flea eggs, and flea dirt behind on your dog. 

How to Use a Flea Comb

Using a flea comb—whether you choose a manual or electric one—is easy. However, it’s important to take a few steps before and during the combing process. Here are some tips for successfully using a flea comb on your dog.

Step 1: Set up an area in the house or an outdoor spot where you can easily vacuum or clean after flea combing your dog. You can lay down a towel or pee pads to catch any fleas, flea eggs, and flea debris.

Step 2: Before using the flea comb, carefully brush out or remove any mats from your dog’s coat. This way the comb can easily move through their fur, without causing irritation when tugging on mats or knots.

Step 3: To get started move the comb gently through your dog’s fur, starting at the head and moving towards the tail. Be sure to comb multiple times through your pet’s coat, concentrating on the neck, belly, and around the tail base where fleas tend to congregate. 

Step 4: For manual combs, after every few strokes dunk the comb in the bowl of warm water and remove debris off the comb with paper towels. You may see some live fleas, so the water will help to kill them. Electric combs can be wiped off with a paper towel. The fleas should already be dead due to the electric current.

Step 5: When you are finished, remove the towel or pee pad you used and wash or throw them away to prevent flea reinfestation. Vacuum the area thoroughly, and be sure to wash and clean anything that was used during your flea combing session. 

Bonus Tip: It helps to make this process fun for your dog. Have a few high-value dog treats or a toy on hand to keep them entertained while you comb them. You can also use a lick mat and smear it with dog-safe peanut butter or plain pumpkin as a way to keep them still and occupied.   

Treating Fleas on Dogs: A Multi-Step Approach

Combing your dog’s coat for fleas is a great way to keep these pesky parasites at bay, but treating and getting rid of fleas takes diligence and different methods. Depending on where you live and your activities, you may need to use a flea comb multiple times a week. 

But when it comes to preventing a flea infestation, prevention is key. Use your comb to check for fleas after time spent outdoors in the backyard or when returning from hikes or the dog park. Vacuum areas in your home that your dog frequents, especially corners of the room and carpets. Wash bedding, toys, and blankets to remove any fleas and flea eggs, and bathe your dog if you do find fleas with your flea comb.

It’s also important to talk to your veterinarian about flea prevention medication for the best year-round flea protection.

The post Flea Comb for Dogs: How to Use One appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Here’s what you need to know about tick paralysis in dogs, plus symptoms to watch for and how this condition is diagnosed and treated.

What Is Tick Paralysis in Dogs?

Tick bite paralysis in dogs is just what it sounds like: a form of dog paralysis that is caused by ticks. 

The saliva of some ticks contains toxins that affect the canine nervous system. As the tick feeds on a dog, these toxins enter the dog’s bloodstream and cause paralysis. In the early stages of the disease, the signs of paralysis may be very subtle. Over time, however, the dog will lose the ability to walk, eat, and even breathe. 

Canine tick paralysis is most common in the United States and Australia. Rarely, it can also occur in Asia and Europe.

Paralysis Tick: 4 Species to Know

In the United States, tick paralysis is usually caused by American Dog Ticks, Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks, Deer/Blacklegged Ticks, or Western Blacklegged Ticks. Other species, such as the Lone Star Tick and the Gulf Coast Tick, have the potential to cause tick paralysis but are rarely implicated.

Tick identification can be challenging and is often best left to a professional. However, these guidelines can help you determine whether your dog’s tick is a species commonly associated with tick paralysis:  

• American Dog Tick: These ticks are found primarily in the eastern United States (east of the Rocky Mountains) and in limited numbers along the Pacific coast. Adults are brown, with white to gray markings on their body. 
• Rocky Mountain Wood Tick: These ticks are found at high elevations in the Rocky Mountains. They are brownish-gray in color. 
• Deer or Blacklegged Tick: These ticks are found throughout the Eastern United States, east of the Rocky Mountains. Adults are orange-brown in color, with black legs.
• Western Blacklegged Tick: These ticks are found along the Pacific Coast, primarily in California. Their appearance is similar to the Deer or Blacklegged Tick.

For additional information on tick species in the United States, see Species of Ticks: 7 That Affect Pets.

Paralysis Tick Removal for Dogs

Dogs can acquire ticks anytime they are outdoors, but they are most common in deep grass or brush. If your dog may have been exposed to ticks, check your pet carefully and remove any ticks that you find. Ticks not only pose a risk of tick paralysis, they can also transmit a number of tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis. 

Ticks like to hide in skin folds and other dark places. For this reason, it’s common to find ticks between a dog’s toes, around a dog’s ears, and in the groin area. Check over your dog’s entire body, but pay careful attention to these particular regions. 

When removing ticks, it’s important to remove the entire tick, including its head. Don’t pull on the tick’s body, because doing so often results in the mouthparts being left behind in your dog’s skin. Use tweezers to grasp the tick’s head, as close to your dog’s skin as possible, and remove the entire tick. You can also use tick removal tools, which are designed to simplify tick removal and make it less stressful for you and your dog.  

Symptoms of Tick Paralysis in Dogs

Paralysis tick symptoms usually develop three to five days after the tick has attached to the dog. Early signs of paralysis may be subtle, including weakness and incoordination. Without treatment, however, these signs will progress to paralysis of the hindlimbs and then the entire body. Eventually, the dog’s breathing will be affected and death may occur. 

Symptoms of tick paralysis may include: 

• Weakness
• Incoordination or stumbling
• Paralysis of the hindlimbs, which often progresses to involve all four legs
• Facial drooping
• Grunting on exhalation
• Trouble chewing
• Difficulty breathing 

If your dog is showing signs of tick paralysis, seek veterinary care immediately. There are a number of other neurologic conditions that can be confused with tick paralysis, and these conditions may require immediate treatment.

Diagnosing Tick Paralysis in Dogs

Your veterinarian will begin by performing a thorough neurologic exam. Tick paralysis affects a dog’s nervous system, but there are a number of other conditions that can cause similar signs. A neurologic exam will help your veterinarian begin to narrow down the list of possible causes for your dog’s weakness or paralysis. 

There is no diagnostic test for tick paralysis. Diagnosis requires finding a tick on the dog, removing that tick (or administering tick prevention), and seeing a resolution of clinical signs over the following 24 to 48 hours. 

While this may sound like a simple approach, it does have a downside: not every paralyzed dog with a tick has tick paralysis. Dogs presenting for other neurologic issues might just happen to have a tick or two on their body. Therefore, it may take your veterinarian a day or two to determine whether tick removal was an effective treatment for your dog.  

In the case of a paralyzed dog, any delay in testing and treatment can be significant. Therefore, your veterinarian may recommend diagnostics to rule out other conditions, even while waiting to see how your dog responds to tick removal. 

How to Treat Tick Paralysis in Dogs

Tick paralysis is treated by removing the offending tick, or treating the dog with an effective tick preventative. Improvement is usually rapid, with most dogs “back to normal” within a day or two.   

Depending on the severity of your dog’s signs, your dog may require hospitalization for additional treatments. Your dog may receive intravenous (IV) fluids to prevent dehydration, and dogs that are having trouble breathing may be placed on a mechanical ventilator. 

How to Prevent Tick Paralysis in Dogs

Preventing tick paralysis means preventing ticks from feeding on your dog. Remember, signs of tick paralysis usually develop several days after tick attachment, so a brief contact with a tick is unlikely to lead to tick paralysis; it’s prolonged feeding that you need to prevent. 

The best way to prevent tick paralysis is to administer year-round flea and tick control. Prescription-strength preventatives are often most effective, and are available in both topical and oral formulations. Talk to your veterinarian to determine the best tick control product for your dog. 

If you spend time outdoors in areas where ticks are prevalent, check your dog for ticks after outings. Remember to look around the ears and between the toes, as these are places that ticks like to hide. Finding and removing ticks can also help prevent tick paralysis in your dog.

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Can Humans Get Fleas from Dogs?

The short answer is yes, fleas that live and feed on dogs can jump onto humans and bite us. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is the most common flea in the U.S., and the most common flea seen on cats and dogs. While the cat flea will bite a variety of mammals including humans, we aren’t its preferred host. However, when a flea emerges from a cocoon, it will jump on the nearest warm mammal, and that might be a person if there aren’t any other options available.  

How Can Humans Get Fleas from Dogs?

If your dog has fleas, they may jump off your dog, onto your skin, and bite you. In other scenarios, fleas can infest the home environment (carpet, bedding, cracks and crevices, etc.), and then jump onto a human and bite them. Fleas may also lay eggs in the home environment that can hatch, develop, and bite humans as well.

Can Fleas Live on Humans?

The good news is that fleas that live on dogs do not “live” on humans in the same way. There are a few reasons for this: first, flea bites are itchy and hard to miss, and most humans will notice fleas on themselves right away. Fleas do not reproduce on humans because fleas need fur or feathers to hide and several days to feed in order to lay viable eggs. Fleas cannot bite through clothing, however, rarely they may hide under clothing and repeatedly bite a human.

Can Humans Get Fleas in Their Hair?

Fleas rarely infest human hair: most flea bites are located around the feet and ankles because that is as high as the flea can jump and get a quick bite before being noticed by a person and picked off. It’s even hard for fleas to jump and land on us! Accordingly, humans do not typically have flea dirt on their body or in their hair because flea dirt is the digested blood in feces excreted by fleas, and fleas do not typically stay undisturbed on humans long enough for that to happen. 

Most fleas will bite a human two or three times, realize we aren’t the preferred “meal,” and then jump off. If your dog has fleas, however, and sleeps with you, you may find flea dirt in your bed.

What Do Flea Bites Look Like on Humans?

Flea bites in humans are usually smaller than mosquito bites, and occur in clusters (often three bites) around the feet, ankles, near the edges of tight-fitted clothing (like socks), or in moist bendy parts of the body, like armpits or legpits. They may be surrounded by a red halo. Flea bites may be very itchy or minimally itchy, it depends on the person. Flea bites look similar to bed bug bites, but bed bug bites are usually on around the face, neck, hands, and arms. If in question, consult with your doctor.

Can Humans Get Sick From Flea Bites?

If you are sensitive or allergic to flea bites, you can develop hives or a rash. Furthermore, scratching at the bites can cause a secondary bacterial infection. 

While plague is commonly transmitted in the U.S. by ground squirrel fleas and not the fleas that live on dogs, there are some cat flea bite-related diseases that you should know about. Typhus is transmitted by infected cat fleas and their flea dirt; it is rare in the U.S. with most cases reported in California, Texas, and Hawaii, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

If a human accidentally swallows a dog or cat flea infected with a common tapeworm, the human can become infected with tapeworms. Small children are much more at risk than adults because of their close proximity to the ground and their propensity to put everything in their mouth. 

How to Get Rid of Fleas on Humans

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If you are getting bit by fleas, then you must eradicate fleas on all your furry pets and in your environment, otherwise the pets will get continually infested and you will keep getting bit. Ask your veterinarian for the best flea treatments for your area. A product that quickly kills adult fleas and an insect growth regulator that prevents eggs from hatching is usually recommended, and all pets in the household (including cats!) need to be treated to prevent reinfestation. 

For dogs, Nexgard, Bravecto, and Simparica are veterinarian-recommended products available that can kill fleas quickly before they start reproducing, and keep killing fleas for a month. For cats, Revolution or Advantage II are some of the products available for flea control. These products require a prescription, and your veterinarian can advise you on how often to administer them to your pets. If your dog swims regularly, inform your veterinarian, as this may impact how long a flea product lasts. Follow all instructions exactly or risk reinfestation. 

In addition to killing fleas on your pets, you need to get rid of fleas in the environment. This is particularly important if your pets get reinfested even while using products. Remember: If you are seeing fleas on your dog or getting bit, then there are likely fleas of all life stages developing in your home. (Ew! That is called the biomass). If this is the case, the following tips will help you:

• Vacuum all flooring, throw rugs, and both sides furniture cushions every couple of days for a month. This will suck up adult fleas, any developing immature fleas, and flea eggs. If you have a bad infestation, vacuum daily for one month and then once a week for an additional two months to eradicate the flea biomass. (It only takes 24-48 hours for fleas to start laying eggs.) Throw away the vacuum bag at least twice a week, as it may contain developing fleas. 
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in cracks and crevices. This dries fleas out, and dried out fleas are dead fleas.
• Wash all pet bedding every couple of days. If your pet sleeps with you, wash your bedding every couple of days. 
• Clean pet carriers daily, or bar access.
• Use an outdoor inverted aerosol insecticide where fleas like to hide (under decks, warm, moist areas).
• Purchase flea traps, and change out weekly for two months.
• If you do all this and nothing helps, consult with a local exterminator. 

How to Prevent Flea Bites on People and Pets

If you keep fleas off your pets and your pet’s environment, then flea bites should cease. Here are some tips to stop the problem before it starts:

• Keep grass mowed short, clean up and remove all leaf litter, and bar access to wildlife dens or under decks where fleas like to lurk.
• Utilize flea control products correctly per label instructions during flea season on all pets (including cats!). In warm areas, this may require year-round flea control.
• If wildlife frequent your yard, utilize outdoor insecticides, or talk to your landscaper about applying professional products.
• Regularly vacuum carpets, rugs, and furniture, including under cushions.
• Keep your house clean: sweep floors and mop regularly.
• Wash pet bedding on hot at least monthly, preferably every two weeks.
• Comb your dog with a flea comb a couple times a week. If you find fleas, dip them in soapy water to drown them. 

As always, it is recommended to enlist the help of your friendly local veterinarian if you have fleas biting you or your pets.

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Fleas are still so prevalent that flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), or itching due to fleas, remains the number one cause of itching and allergic skin disease in dogs in the United States. 

Flea allergy dermatitis can be frustrating for pet owners, extremely uncomfortable for dogs and fleas can transmit disease to animals and humans. Fortunately, flea allergy dermatitis is easily preventable and treatable.

Can Dogs Be Allergic to Fleas?

The majority of dogs will find flea bites uncomfortable. However, some dogs are hypersensitive to flea bites. These pets will experience a much more severe reaction to flea bites than other dogs and are therefore considered allergic to fleas. 

Dogs with flea allergy dermatitis, also referred to as flea bite hypersensitivity, have often been already diagnosed with other allergies such as food or environmental allergies. Flea allergies can develop at any age, but most cases of FAD appear in dogs between 2 to 5 years old. Flea allergies are the most common type of allergy diagnosed in dogs and cats.

What Causes Flea Allergy in Dogs?

Flea allergies occur once an animal has been exposed to fleas. As a flea feeds, it releases saliva rich in enzymes, peptides, amino acids and histamines. The body recognizes these compounds as antigens, triggering an immune response. 

Some dogs may show signs of itching within minutes of a bite, while others may experience a more delayed reaction 24 to 48 hours later. A single flea bite can make a sensitive pet itchy for up to two weeks. 

In many cases of flea allergy dermatitis, dog owners are confused about their pet’s symptoms because they have not seen a flea on their pet. However, it is important to acknowledge that fleas are tiny, about the size of a sesame seed, and very fast. Fleas can discreetly hop on and off your pet while they are on a walk or playing in the park. Fleas also do not need to live on your dog. These tiny, mighty bugs can live in your home, hiding in the cracks between cushions or in your dog’s bed after biting your dog. Another reason owners may not always find fleas on their pet is that they may be biting and scratching so vigorously that the fleas are removed before they are spotted. 

Dog Flea Allergy Symptoms

Dogs suffering from flea allergy dermatitis often display the following symptoms:

• Itching, redness, and crusting primarily on their back from just behind the rib cage to the base of the tail (this area is often referred to as the flea triangle.) 
• Biting or chewing their skin excessively
• Raw open wounds where hair has been chewed called hot spots around the base of the tail or the face
• Dragging themselves along the carpet
• Hair loss secondary to biting, chewing, or scratching
• Red bumps on the skin similar to pimples
• Oily appearance to the skin and coat
• Small black dots, called flea dirt, in the coat
• Loss of sleep/scratching through the night
• Decreased appetite and restlessness

Some of these symptoms occur because dogs are itching so severely that they traumatize their skin barrier and allow secondary infections to form. These infections compound a pet’s itch and irritation, making the situation even more uncomfortable for affected dogs. 

Diagnosing Flea Allergy in Dogs

Flea allergy in dogs can be quickly diagnosed by discovering fleas or flea dirt (little black specks of dried blood) in a dog’s coat. That said, the absence of fleas does not exclude flea allergy dermatitis as the cause of a dog’s itch because, as we discussed, fleas are not always present on a dog after they have taken a meal and caused the allergic reaction. 

In many cases, FAD is diagnosed based on the symptoms, coupled with the lack of consistent, reliable flea prevention being administered year-round.

Your veterinarian will need to perform a physical exam to rule out other causes of itching and make sure your dog hasn’t developed any secondary skin infections due to the severity of their itching.  

Dog Flea Allergy Dermatitis Treatment

First and foremost, any fleas on the pet will need to be completely removed, and new bites must be prevented. Your veterinarian will prescribe a reliable and safe flea product to kill any fleas actively on your pet and prevent any new bites in the future. A flea control product will be needed for all pets in the house (cats included) to eradicate these pesky insects from the animal’s environment fully. 

An anti-itch medication may also be prescribed to help your pet feel more comfortable while their skin heals. This may be a steroid or a prescription allergy medication such as Apoquel or Cytopoint. Apoquel is an oral tablet for dogs that relieves and controls allergic itch and inflammation due to skin allergies. Cytopoint is an injection given at your veterinarian’s office that controls allergic itch in dogs and provides relief for up to 8 weeks.

Secondary skin infections that may have developed will also need to be treated. Typically this will be a medicated shampoo and possibly oral antibiotics or antifungals as deemed necessary based on physical exam findings. 

Environmental treatment is also necessary. The inside of the house should be treated using a combination of flea bombs, sprays, vacuuming carpets and couches, washing all upholstery such as bedding, curtains, throw blankets and more. Treating your backyard, patio and porch is also advisable. In some cases, such as for large homes or those with many animals, hiring professional exterminators is a good idea.

Treating the environment alone is not sufficient to prevent FAD, as it will only rid the home and surrounding area of fleas present at that moment. In a short time, new fleas can move in and take root, especially if there are unprotected pets in the home to provide hungry fleas with meals.

Preventing Flea Allergy in Dogs

Thankfully, flea allergy dermatitis is easily preventable and begins with strict, year-round flea control. Monthly flea prevention comes in topical and oral forms to fit a variety of pets’ lifestyles and needs. Other products, such as flea control collars, are beneficial if applied correctly and changed regularly. 

Unfortunately, many over-the-counter options are not reliable at eliminating fleas entirely, so a prescription flea control product is necessary for pets who are hypersensitive to flea bites. 

Despite popular belief, fleas are not entirely dormant in winter months, especially if they have found their way inside our temperature-controlled homes. Therefore, flea products should be given year-round. If flea control products are discontinued in the winter months, it can be much harder to prevent an infestation in the spring and summer when flea numbers are the highest.

Unfortunately, fleas are here to stay, no matter how clean we keep our pets and our homes. By keeping our pets on a reliable and safe flea control product year-round, dog owners can avoid unnecessary veterinary visits, expensive treatments and save their dog from the discomfort that flea bites can cause.

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It turns out our feline friends are just as susceptible to a flea infestation as all those animals that came before. But how do you identify fleas on cats? And what should you do if you find them?

Fleas on Cats: What Do They Look Like?

Fleas are very small dark brown bugs that are 1.5 to 4 mm in length. From side to side, flea bodies are very compact and flat. No wings are needed for fleas’ incredible ability to jump. Often, these bugs move so fast and are so small that they are hard to find. 

Using a fine-toothed comb (or a flea comb) across the body of your cat would be the best way to attempt to find live fleas. You’ll see the small bugs briefly before they jump away! However, the most common way you’ll know if your cat has fleas: flea dirt.

Flea Dirt on Cats

Fleas suck up the blood of your cat. Then, when they poop, it comes out as a brown-black color. Flea dirt is essentially flea poop! It can be found on your cat’s skin as brown-black specks. If you find some, use a fine-toothed comb and collect some of the specks with your cat’s fur. Place this debris on a wet paper towel. If the specks create brown-red smears, it is flea dirt. This is a sign that your cat has fleas. 

Flea Eggs on Cats

Flea eggs are white and less than 1 mm long! Because they are so small, it is very challenging to see them. If you have a way of zooming in, flea eggs on cats can be found on individual strands of fur. However, most of the eggs are never found because they are so small and cats lick and groom themselves a lot. All in all, flea eggs are very challenging to see.

Flea Bites on Cats

Flea bites cannot be seen by the naked eye. However, fleas can create itchiness and inflammation in your cat’s skin that you can see, known as dermatitis. Some cats are actually allergic to the saliva of fleas, so even one bite from one flea can cause an allergic reaction in their skin. If you see redness on your cat’s skin and your cat appears itchy or uncomfortable, it could be a sign of fleas. 

Other Signs of Fleas on Cats

Even if you don’t see physical evidence of fleas on your cat, that doesn’t mean they aren’t present. Here are some other signs that your cat could have fleas.

Dermatitis

As mentioned above, flea bites can cause dermatitis, an allergic reaction that causes itching and redness on a cat’s skin. The most common symptoms are many tiny crusts on the skin all around your cat’s neck and shoulders, and possibly near the base of the tail. Other symptoms can include red skin, fur loss, obvious itchiness, or crust. Typically, the skin around the neck, shoulders or base of the tail are affected the most.

Excessive Itching

Many cats hide that they are itchy, but when they are really itchy, pet parents tend to take notice. Cats love to groom and lick, but you may see your cat very suddenly turn her head and begin feverishly biting and licking at her back or other areas. When you pet your cat, she may begin to lick, scratch, or thump her back leg as if to scratch. 

Fur Loss

Itching can cause loss of fur, so you may find clumps of fur from your cat laying on the ground.

Flea Dirt in the Home 

In the environment, it is very hard to see fleas. The most common places fleas live on are pet beds and high traffic areas, meaning wherever your pets–or you–go the most in your home, that’s where the fleas are. Look for flea dirt on pet bedding and areas where your cat spends most of their time.

Human Symptoms

Pet parents may also experience symptoms of fleas! Small red bumps, especially on your legs and feet, as well as itchiness may be signs of flea bites. Once the fleas are gone, these symptoms typically go away quickly. But if you notice flea symptoms on your own body, it’s a good idea to inspect your cat, since flea infestations can spread quickly. 

How to Get Rid of Fleas on Cats

Treating fleas on cats requires a multistep approach. Follow these steps to kill fleas on cats and get rid of them in your environment.

Use a Flea Treatment That Kills and Prevents

The most important way of getting rid of fleas on cats is to give them a flea treatment that is also a preventive (i.e. prevents fleas from jumping on your cat). There are many excellent flea prevention products on the market that also kill live fleas, and your veterinarian can recommend specific brands. 

Be very cautious that you do not accidentally purchase flea preventives meant for dogs—this is deadly in cats. 

Flea baths for cats are not generally recommended. Most cats do not like baths, but more importantly, flea baths will only kill the fleas currently on your cat—they do not prevent fleas from jumping right back on minutes later. 

Treat Other Pets 

Any pets in your home—including dogs, rabbits, and other cats—must be treated for fleas as well! If one of your cats has fleas, all your pets have fleas. You cannot get rid of fleas unless ALL pets are treated. However, fish, reptiles (e.g., snakes and lizards) and amphibians (e.g., frogs) do not require treatment.

Thoroughly Clean and Treat Your Home

Environmental clean-up and treatment are key to getting rid of fleas on cats. All bedding that your cat has access to must be thoroughly washed on hot and dried on hot. Daily thorough vacuuming of all carpet as well as the nooks and crannies of fabric furniture and wood floors may decrease the number of fleas (just don’t forget to empty the vacuum container right away!). 

Realistically, calling a pest control to treat your house for fleas is the absolute best way to keep your cat and your home environment flea free. You and your kitty will need to leave the house for a few hours while they use chemicals to kill fleas.

How to Prevent Fleas on Cats

The most important thing any pet parent can do to prevent fleas is to apply a veterinary approved flea prevention product every month. Talk to your veterinary clinic or hospital about products they recommend. 

Flea medications come in a variety of forms, including:

• Liquid medication. There are liquids that go onto the skin of your cat that should be applied on the back of her head to keep her from licking it. The liquid will absorb over a few hours, protecting the whole body. 

• Oral medication. There are also medications you can give by mouth for flea prevention, but some pet parents find this difficult to do for their cats. 

• Collars. Cat flea collars are generally not recommended, as they only prevent fleas a short distance from the collar—meaning your cat could have fleas biting their tail and back legs even when wearing a flea collar.

Preventing fleas includes keeping your cats strictly indoors—no adventures on the patio, even if it’s enclosed. However, many pet parents give their cat some fresh air on a harness or the patio. As long as flea prevention is applied every month, this should prevent fleas. 

Don’t allow your cat to meet wildlife or other animals, since fleas as well as many other parasites could be spread to her through contact.

The post Fleas on Cats: How to Identify and Treat Them appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Let’s take a look at six of the most common tick-borne illnesses in the United States and how they can impact your dog’s health.

How Do Ticks Transmit Disease?

Dogs are infected with tick-borne illnesses when they are bitten by an infected tick or, in some cases, when they ingest an infected tick. Ticks on dogs must remain attached long enough to transmit the disease – some diseases take as little as a few hours to transmit while others may require as much as 1-2 days of attachment for transmission to occur. After transmission, the incubation period (the time it takes for symptoms to appear) varies from days to months depending on the disease. 

6 Dangerous Tick-Borne Diseases

Tick-borne illnesses vary in their symptoms and severity, but all of them have the potential to cause serious illness or even death. Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential to ensure your dog has the best possible outcome. 

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is most common in the northeastern, upper midwestern, and west coast regions of the United States. It is caused by a bacteria which is transmitted by the following types of ticks: 

• Black-legged tick
• Western black-legged tick

The majority of dogs infected with Lyme disease remain asymptomatic. In 5-10 percent of infected dogs, symptoms develop within 2-5 months of infection. Symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs can include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, joint pain, shifting leg lameness and swollen lymph nodes. In rare cases, a serious and sometimes fatal condition called Lyme nephritis can occur, in which Lyme disease causes a progressive kidney failure.

Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. Doxycycline is the most commonly used antibiotic for treating Lyme disease, but other antibiotics such as amoxicillin, azithromycin, or cefovecin may also be used. Your veterinarian may also prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication to help alleviate the joint pain that can be caused by Lyme disease. For patients with Lyme nephritis, hospitalization and aggressive fluid therapy are necessary to try to prevent kidney failure. 

For dogs with uncomplicated Lyme disease, the prognosis is good and most begin to show improvement within 24 to 48 hours of starting treatment. For dogs with Lyme nephritis, the prognosis is poor. 

There is a Lyme disease vaccine for dogs that is available at most veterinary clinics. Speak with your veterinarian about the Lyme vaccine if you live in an area where Lyme disease poses a significant threat.

Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis is found in the northeastern and upper midwest regions of the United States, as well as along the west coast. Anaplasmosis is caused by bacterium which is transmitted by the same types of ticks that carry Lyme disease. Infections occur most commonly in late spring through fall. 

Many dogs infected with Anaplasmosis are asymptomatic. Those that do develop symptoms often display signs such as lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, dehydration, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, pale mucus membranes and lameness. 

Anaplasmosis is treated with oral antibiotics such as doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline or chloramphenicol. Your veterinarian may also prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication to help alleviate joint pain that can occur as a result of anaplasmosis infection. When treated appropriately, the prognosis for dogs infected with anaplasma is very good.

Ehrlichiosis

Ehrlichiosis can be divided into two subtypes: canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME), which is transmitted by the brown dog tick, and granulocytic ehrlichiosis, which is transmitted by the lone star tick. 

CME is most common in the southwestern and southeastern United States, while granulocytic ehrlichiosis is most common in south central and southeastern United States, primarily in the spring and summer.

Dogs infected with ehrlichiosis may have few or no symptoms. Symptoms vary depending on the type of ehrlichiosis infection. Dogs infected with granulocytic ehrlichiosis most commonly show symptoms including loss of appetite, lameness, stiff gait and lethargy. 

Dogs infected with CME will show symptoms such as depression, dehydration, fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, enlarged lymph nodes and bleeding abnormalities.

Ehrlichiosis is treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol. Your veterinarian will prescribe an appropriate antibiotic and dosing regimen for your dog.                                                                                                                                   

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever occurs primarily in the southeastern, midwestern, western, and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Infections most commonly occur from March to October. The disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted through the bite of several types of ticks including the American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick, lone star tick and brown dog tick. 

Infections can range in severity from mild to fatal. Less severe cases may have few or no symptoms of infections. Other cases cause symptoms such as depression, loss of appetite, muscle pain, vomiting, weakness, weight loss, bruising and nosebleeds. Severe cases may progress to multi-organ failure and may develop additional symptoms depending on the organ systems affected.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline, tetracycline, enrofloxacin, or chloramphenicol. Your veterinarian will choose an appropriate antibiotic and dosage regimen for your pet. 

Severe cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever may need additional supportive therapy such as intravenous fluids, steroids, or blood products. Most dogs respond rapidly to antibiotics and prognosis is excellent for those diagnosed and treated early in the course of disease.

Babesiosis

Babesiosis occurs throughout the world, but in the United States infections are more common in the southern states. This disease is most commonly transmitted by the brown dog tick species, but can also be transmitted by several other types of tick including the deer tick, American dog tick, and the Asian longhorned tick. 

Infections with Babesia spp. often produce no symptoms. Dogs that do develop symptoms typically experience moderate to severe hemolytic anemia along with fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, bruising, vomiting, discolored urine, bleeding, weakness, pallor and nose bleeds. 

Treatment of Babesiosis depends on the species of Babesia causing the infection. Large Babesia species are treated with injections administered by your veterinarian. Small Babesia species are more difficult to treat and may be addressed with a combination of oral medications. 

Your veterinarian will determine the best course of treatment for your dog based on the type and severity of the infection. In severe cases, supportive care such as fluid therapy or blood transfusions may also be warranted.

Hepatozoonosis

Canine hepatozoonosis is found worldwide. In the United States, it is most common in southern states. It most frequently affects young dogs under 2 years of age and is spread by the brown dog tick. Unlike the other tick-borne diseases, hepatozoonosis is transmitted by ingesting an infected tick, not by being bitten by one. 

Many infected dogs are asymptomatic or have minimal symptoms. Dogs that do exhibit symptoms may experience lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, fever, dehydration, pallor and enlarged lymph nodes. The disease can be debilitating or even fatal.

The goal of treating hepatozoonosis is to eliminate the parasite from the bloodstream and alleviate clinical signs. While treatment is often successful at reducing symptoms and improving quality of life, it is very difficult to completely clear the parasite and a cure for this disease is unlikely. Treatment for hepatozoonosis typically involves injections administered by your veterinarian at one to two-week intervals. Alternatively, your veterinarian may prescribe a combination of oral medications such as Procox, clindamycin, or doxycycline. Hepatozoonosis may require treatment for a year or longer.

Tick-Borne Disease in Dogs Infographic

How to Prevent Tick-Borne Illnesses in Dogs

Tick-borne illnesses can be easily prevented by keeping your dog up to date on flea and tick preventive medications year round. There are several excellent products on the market in both chewable and topical formulations, so you’re sure to find a product that fits both your pet’s needs and your own lifestyle and budget. Your veterinarian can help you choose a product that is safe, effective and best suited to your needs.

In addition to preventive medications, be sure to thoroughly examine your dog for ticks after spending time in wooded areas, tall grassy meadows, or other areas where ticks are commonly found. Ticks on dogs must be attached for hours to days in order to transmit disease, so removing a tick as soon as possible can help prevent tick-borne illnesses in your dog.

The post Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs: 6 Dangerous Ones appeared first on Great Pet Care.

The Dangers of Ear Ticks on Dogs

Usually, dogs get ticks by going outside. Ticks wait on blades of grass, shrubs and even trees to attach themselves to passing animals. When your dog walks by, the tick senses him and jumps aboard. Dogs who hike, hunt, or live near the woods are at higher risk for ticks but any dog who goes outside can be bitten by a tick. 

Once a tick has landed on your dog, it can be hard to tell what a tick looks like on a dog. They often look for a warm safe place to hide and embed themselves. Some common places include arm and leg pits, between the toes, under the collar, and the ears. 

While ticks do embed everywhere on dogs, ears are among the most common places. Whether floppy or erect there are plenty of nooks and crannies in a dog’s ear for ticks to hide and make themselves comfortable. Ear ticks on dogs are only a bigger risk than any other location if they embed in a dog’s ear canal. A tick in this location is especially difficult to find and can lead to ear infections and even deafness. Because ears are sensitive and they tend to bleed easily, it is important to take extra precautions when removing a tick from a dog’s ear.

All ticks are dangerous because they can carry diseases, but different types of ticks carry different diseases. While Lyme disease is often the most well known tick-borne illness, there are many other diseases spread by ticks including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis, tick paralysis and Alpha-gal (the disease that makes humans allergic to red meat). In some cases, it only takes a few hours for ticks to transmit disease to dogs. 

At first, these diseases mostly cause vague symptoms in dogs such as tiredness, soreness and a decreased appetite. However, some dogs get much sicker and can suffer consequences like kidney failure, blood problems, paralysis and even death. That is why it is very important to use effective tick prevention and also monitor your dog for ticks closely. 

How to Tell if Your Dog Has Ear Ticks

Your dog can have a tick on its ear and never show any signs that it’s there. Some dogs will shake their heads or scratch at their ears because of an embedded ear tick while others will not. These are also signs of an ear infection, so if you have looked carefully for a tick and can’t find one then your dog should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. 

It is a good idea to check your dog’s ears and their whole body for ticks after all outings with high tick exposure such as hiking, hunting, or a walk at the park. Risk is highest in summer and fall but ticks can be active all year-round. 

Using your hands as much as your eyes, slowly and carefully look and feel all over your dog for any lumps or bumps that weren’t there before. Spread the hair over any area you feel a bump and visually inspect it for a dark red, brown, or black dot. Turn the ears over to feel and look on both sides. Look as far into the ear canal as you can. Spread your dogs toes and look on the top and bottom of the feet. This process may take some time if your dog has long or very thick hair. 

Ticks range in size from a pinpoint to raisin. Before a tick feeds it will feel mostly flat and hard. At this stage they look and feel like a small scab. Adult ticks have eight legs that you may notice moving. Their head is small relative to the rest of the body and the head will actually embed in your dog’s skin. As a tick feeds it becomes engorged, meaning the back part of the tick will swell to many times its original size. Engorged ticks look gray, light brown, or beige.

How to Remove Ticks From a Dog’s Ears 

Removing ear ticks on dogs is similar to removing a tick anywhere else on a dog’s body but with a few important differences. A dog’s ears are very sensitive and many dogs don’t appreciate their ears being messed with. When your dog and your household are calm, sit with your dog and offer treats for touching his ear. If your dog does not cooperate with you by staying still willingly, let your veterinarian remove the tick. It is not worth risking injury to yourself, your dog, or the bond between you. 

Ticks can be removed with tweezers or with any specially-designed tick removal tools (this article will only focus on removing ticks with tweezers). It is imperative to remove the entire tick including the head and mouth parts. If left behind, they can continue to transmit disease to your dog as well as cause a painful skin infection. If you are unsure whether you removed the entire tick including the head, draw a circle around the area with a pet-safe marker, and have your dog examined by a veterinarian. 

If you have any concerns at any point in the process, call your veterinarian. They may recommend bringing your dog in for tick removal or be able to coach you through the process in more detail.

If the tick is embedded in the ear canal do not attempt to remove it yourself. In that situation your veterinarian must be the one to remove it as you risk severely injuring your dog.

Tools Required for Tick Removal

• Rubber or disposal gloves
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton ball or cotton swab
• Clean tweezers
• Small bowl or cup
• Phone or camera
• Pet-safe (non-toxic) marker

Instructions to Remove a Tick from a Dog’s Ear

Step 1: Take a picture of the tick from both its top and bottom (if your dog becomes ill, your veterinarian will want to know what kind of tick bit your dog). Then, draw a 2-inch circle around the tick with a pet-safe marker. This way if you do not completely remove the tick, your veterinarian will know where to look.

Step 2: Wearing gloves, hold your dog’s ear firmly with your non-dominant hand. Use your other hand to separate the hair on the ear and rub the skin around the tick with rubbing alcohol using a cotton ball or cotton swab. Rub the cotton ball or swab directly on the tick as well.

Step 3: Keeping the hair parted around the tick, grasp its head with the tweezers as close as possible to the skin and slowly but firmly pull away from the skin without twisting. 

Step 4: Place the tick in the bowl or cup and photograph it again, as close up as you can. Then pour rubbing alcohol over it to cover it completely. This will kill the tick. 

Step 5: Using a fresh cotton ball or cotton swab, clean the area on your dog’s ear again with rubbing alcohol.

Step 6: Toss the tick into the toilet and flush. Throw away all of the disposable items. 

Step 7: Rinse the tweezers with rubbing alcohol and allow them to dry before cleaning with soap and water.

Step 8: Check your dog’s ears once more for ticks and repeat the above process if you find more.

How to Prevent Your Dog from Getting Ear Ticks

The best way to prevent your dog from getting ear ticks is to keep him on effective tick and flea control all year long. Your veterinarian will have several prescription options that are safe, effective and easy to use. The type of prevention you use is a personal choice, so consider not only the efficacy of a product but also the safety for your particular pet and the ease of administration. 

Collars, topicals, or oral tick prevention should be provided to your dog year-round. Ticks winter on wildlife, so even just going in the yard can lead to a tick bite. 

Check your dog for ticks after every adventure in the woods or around tall grass. Be sure to look on both sides of the ear and as deep into the canal as you can. Keep your dog off furniture and bedding until you are sure you have removed any ticks, even dead ones. 

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More than 15 flea species have been found in domestic dogs over the years—and it turns out canines may actually be the perfect hosts for bringing flea-borne diseases into homes [1].

We all know that fleas can cause itchiness and rashes, and that they’re incredibly tough to get rid of. But can fleas kill a dog? Can these pesky parasites actually lead to a dog’s death? We asked a veterinary expert to set the record straight.

Can Fleas Kill a Dog?

“The short answer is yes,” says Dr. Tyra Davis Brown, who practices at Hammond Animal Hospital and Pet Lodge in Louisiana, “and I’ve seen it happen in a patient.”

What Brown is referring to is a dangerous condition called flea anemia, which can actually lead to a dog’s death if left untreated. 

In the warm South, where there are rarely hard freezes to kill off outdoor fleas, Brown says they are common year-round. At work, she saw a group of small dogs who continued to come in covered with fleas—even after Brown brought it up to the owner multiple times. On one visit, she noticed that one of the flea-ridden dogs was feeling sick. Brown ordered blood work, which revealed severe anemia. She advised the owner to address the flea issue immediately. When the dog returned a few weeks later, the fleas were still there, and his blood work was even worse. 

Brown referred him to a specialist, but the dog died shortly afterward. “It was the fleas,” she says. “There was nothing else going on with him medically, except for the severe flea infestation. His anemia was a direct result of that.”

“We don’t see it often,” Brown says of flea anemia that’s severe enough to kill a dog, “however, as in this case, it can and does happen.”

And anemia isn’t the only concern when it comes to flea-borne diseases and dogs. Fleas can also cause Bartonella—an infection from bacteria that fleas may carry. While treatable with antibiotics, Bartonella that goes unaddressed can lead to fatal heart inflammation in dogs, Brown says, and it can even transmit to humans, too.

A Closer Look at Flea Anemia

In dogs, anemia occurs when the body lacks sufficient red blood cells, hemoglobin, or both. It can be caused by any number of diseases, injuries, or conditions—including blood loss due to fleas. That’s because, as parasites, fleas don’t just bite and cause an itchy feeling. Each adult flea actively sucks blood from their host several times every day. The more fleas there are on a dog, the more blood it’s losing. And as we all know, sufficient blood is crucial to a healthy body.

“If you have parasites constantly sucking your blood, your body can compensate for a while,” Brown says. “But after that, if you don’t have enough blood, things are going to shut down. Your cells will start to die. Your immune system can get out of whack.”

She says flea anemia is particularly dangerous in small dogs. “A big dog could get anemia from fleas, but the likelihood of death is slimmer compared to a tinier dog,” she says. The reason is simple—big dogs have more blood, so it’s easier for their bodies to survive losing some. Little dogs have much less blood to spare.

According to Brown, the symptoms of anemia to look for in dogs include 

• Pale gums (instead of the usual bubblegum-pink color)
• Increased fatigue and loss of stamina
• Loss of appetite
• Panting or gasping for breath
• Some dogs may also begin seeking warmth in ways they didn’t before

If you notice any fleas on your dog, Brown suggests getting them treated immediately. “When you see one flea on your dog, you should know there are probably a hundred more,” she says. And if you can’t get those fleas under control quickly—or if you spot any symptoms of anemia—bring them to a veterinarian immediately. 

Other Flea Diseases

While other diseases fleas carry or conditions they cause may not lead directly to a dog’s death, they can still make a pup sick or very uncomfortable. 

Flea allergy dermatitis is a common cause of skin disease in dogs. It happens when the body reacts to the saliva that fleas inject when they bite. “All it can take is one flea to set the skin off,” Brown says. “And if that one flea becomes a hundred fleas, or even 10 fleas, the reaction is going to be worse.” In some dogs, a single flea bite can cause itching for days, and may eventually result in hair loss down the middle of the back to the base of the tail. 

Fleas can also cause tapeworms in dogs. This happens when a dog is licking itself and swallows a flea that’s harboring a tapeworm. A severe tapeworm infection can cause death in puppies or dogs with other illnesses. If you see any signs of tapeworms in your dog’s feces, be sure to contact your veterinarian right away.

Flea Prevention Tips

“Every animal should be on some type of [flea] preventative 12 months out of the year—especially if you live in a warmer climate where you don’t get hard freezes a lot,” Brown says. There are numerous options out there, from topical treatments to oral medications. Just be sure that whatever you use explicitly states it will combat fleas.

The CDC suggests limiting how much time your pet spends outside, giving frequent baths, and regularly checking for fleas [2]. It also recommends cleaning pet bedding often with soap and water.

Brown says it’s vital to vacuum your home at least every other day and immediately empty the bag. You should also sweep and mop bare floors, because eggs can hide in the cracks between planks. 

“We can’t make fleas vanish entirely,” Brown adds, “but you can keep them out of your home and off your pet.”

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Therefore, learning to identify fleas before they can cause destruction is a valuable skill, but finding these tiny terrors is tricky. Not only can these parasites move rapidly and without detection, the symptoms they create are similar to those found in diseases not caused by fleas. 

To help take the guesswork out of flea identification, we’ve compiled a guide that shows you how to tell if your dog has fleas, how to get rid of them once you do find them, and what you can do to prevent future occurrences. Always start a conversation with your veterinarian if you suspect your dog has fleas.

Identifying Fleas: The Basics

Once you can identify fleas on your dog, you’re better positioned to provide relief from the itchiness and discomfort, and to prevent health problems—like hot spots and bacterial infections—from occurring. 

What Do Fleas Look Like?

Finding fleas on dogs isn’t easy. Not only are these reddish-brown parasites the approximate size of a sesame seed, they have a flattened body that lets them move quickly and stay out of sight. Fleas are wingless insects, so while they can’t fly, they have a long pair of hind legs that gives them athletic-grade jumping abilities. They’re able to maintain a solid grip on dogs because of the rows of comb-like, spiny structures on their legs, back, and mouth.

So how do you look for something so undetectable? It’s easier to look for flea excrement (flea dirt) than actual fleas, veterinarians say. You can accomplish this with a flea comb,” says Dr. Susan O’Bell, service director at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston.

“This looks like coffee grounds or dirt on the comb as you sift through the fur or hair, especially down the back toward the base of the tail,” she says. 

Flea Eggs on Dogs

Flea eggs are even more difficult to see than adult fleas. “They are about the size of a grain of salt though oval and off-white in color. They can be on the coat but can be mistaken for dry skin,” says Dr. George Melillo, co-founder and chief veterinary officer at Heart + Paw, headquartered in Philadelphia.

By using a flea comb to gently push the fur away from the skin, you’ll be able to get a closer look, says O’Bell, who is board certified in veterinary internal medicine. 

Flea eggs don’t remain on dogs for very long, though. “The majority of flea eggs will fall off a dog shortly after they are laid and, if they fall onto warm carpets, blankets, or bedding, can easily hatch, with subsequent fleas finding their way back to your dog,” O’Bell says.

Flea Bites on Dogs

Flea bites on dogs appear as very small, raised red dots, says O’Bell. “They are usually smaller than other insect bites though they can be easily inflamed, and appear larger, once a dog scratches the itch.” 

The size of the bite can vary, however. “Some dogs will have a much stronger itch reaction than others, which often will result in a much larger and more visible red area,” O’Bell adds.

Signs of Fleas on Dogs

Aside from confirming the presence of fleas, flea dirt, or flea eggs on dogs, there are some other signs you can watch for. Since these signs can be present in unrelated conditions, we recommend contacting your veterinarian if you notice anything out of the ordinary.

Scratching and Biting

Excessive scratching or biting at the fur is one of the most common signs of fleas on dogs, says Melillo. “Dogs scratch on occasion just like people do. If the scratching or chewing at the fur becomes unusual, fleas should be considered.” 

It doesn’t necessarily take a flea infestation to cause potent itchiness, either. “Some dogs will have hypersensitivity to fleas and one or two fleas will cause intense itchy skin,” adds Melillo. 

Skin Wounds or Hair Loss

All that repeated scratching and biting can damage your dog’s skin. “Often, especially with dogs that have flea allergies, the skin could quickly become quite red, raw, and experience fur loss,” says Melillo.

If these hot spots (also called acute moist dermatitis) become inflamed and infected, your veterinarian may prescribe a course of antibiotics and steroids. 

Hair loss on the lower back, belly, and thighs can also be a sign of fleas on dogs.

Small Red Spots

Tiny, red, raised spots on the skin are a sign of flea bites on dogs, says Melillo. “They are small and often best seen in areas where the fur is thinner (like on the belly) or at the base of the tail.” Flea bites can also become inflamed and appear larger in some dogs.

The Presence of Flea Dirt

Not to be confused with flea eggs, flea dirt—flea excrement containing the dog’s digested blood—is more commonly found on dogs than live fleas. “If you take some of the flea dirt and place it on a wet paper towel, the flea dirt will appear reddish brown. It is a sign of fleas,” says Melillo.

Pale Gums

Pale pink to white gums are one of several signs of fleas on dogs. Because fleas feast on their host’s blood, a flea infestation can result in significant blood loss, and consequently pale gums. Healthy gums are salmon pink, shiny, and moist. If you notice pale gums and suspect fleas, contact a veterinarian quickly or bring your dog to an emergency hospital for treatment.

Weight Loss

Fleas carry tapeworms, a parasite that grows internally when a dog inadvertently ingests a flea. This usually happens during self-grooming, as the dog attempts to alleviate the itchiness and discomfort. Dogs with tapeworms might experience some unexpected weight loss or diarrhea. You may also notice the presence of tapeworm segments around the anus, which look like sesame seeds.

Does Your Dog Have a Flea Allergy or an Unrelated Skin Condition?

Though flea allergy in dogs is a common cause of skin disease in dogs, there are other conditions—like food allergies, allergies to pollen or mold, dry skin, or fungal infections—that might be the source of your dog’s symptoms. So while looking for the above signs can be helpful, you need to confirm the actual presence of fleas, flea dirt, or flea eggs to be certain. 

This is why it’s essential to consult your veterinarian if you suspect your dog has fleas. “The veterinarian will also assess if there is an allergic component to the discomfort or even a secondary bacterial infection that can be a result of fleas,” says Melilo. “Many times a dog will require medications to treat these secondary skin diseases while also tackling the flea problem.”

How to Get Rid of Fleas

In order to get rid of fleas, it’s important to treat your dog—and any other pets in your home—as well as your environment, says Melillo. “If you only treat the dog, without treating the home, you are unlikely to ever resolve the flea problem.”

How to Kill Fleas on Dogs

To kill fleas on dogs, start by talking to your veterinarian. “It’s always best to discuss treatment plans with your veterinarian as the best approach will differ according to the individual dog and his or her home environment,” says O’Bell. 

Generally, though, if you suspect fleas, the most important thing you can do is to treat your dog and any other pets in your home with a veterinary recommended product, says O’Bell. “These products are, broadly speaking, very safe and highly effective.”

Your veterinarian may suggest a dual attack plan to address both adult fleas and flea eggs. Tablets or chews containing a chemical compound like nitenpyram function as a fast-acting insecticide that kills adult fleas. These products will only last for one day, however, so it is important to also use a flea preventive that is long-acting and will kill multiple life stages of fleas, from eggs to adults. There are veterinary approved flea preventives that last from one to three months to ensure that any new fleas that jump onto your dog are quickly killed. Products with insect growth regulators (IGRs), an insecticide that prevents flea eggs from maturing, are available for dogs in oral and topical form. Prescription flea medication is generally much more effective and safer than over-the-counter products.

Ask your veterinarian if giving your dog a lukewarm bath might be beneficial. There are dog shampoos on the market formulated to kill fleas, as well as calm irritated, itchy skin with ingredients like oatmeal.  

How to Kill Fleas in the Home

If your dog has a flea infestation, killing the fleas on your dog won’t solve the problem. It’s important to thoroughly clean your home and your dog’s environment. Here are some tips for killing fleas in your home.

Vacuum regularly. Vacuuming has been shown to be effective in eliminating fleas in all life stages, researchers at Ohio State University say. Experts recommend vacuuming every day if possible, or at least every other day. Focus on hidden areas like closets and crevices, as well as open rugs and carpets. Vacuuming “underneath cushions and under pieces of furniture should all be included in your cleaning plan,” says O’Bell.  

Use a vacuum with good suction, and toss the canister or bag with the remnants into your trash container (then seal it) to prevent eggs from hatching. Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the hot steam and soap from a steam cleaner can kill fleas in all stages of their life cycle.

Wash bedding and upholstery. Find bedding, towels, upholstery covers, toys, or any items your dog spends a lot of time with and toss them in the washing machine. Using the hottest cycle possible, wash these items with laundry detergent or bleach, then place them in the dryer. Consider tossing and replacing items if the flea infestation is extreme.

Products with IRG (used to kill flea eggs) are also available in spray form to use on your pet’s bed. Just make sure to follow directions to keep your pet safe.

Discourage pets from sleeping on furniture. It’s best to keep dogs off furniture, at least until you’ve had a chance to eradicate the flea problem, recommends O’Bell.  “Eggs that hatch can fall on these surfaces and lead to more generations of fleas in a relatively short period of time.”  

How to Prevent Fleas on Dogs

It’s much easier and cheaper to prevent fleas than to eradicate them, especially since fleas reproduce quickly. Here are a few tips that may spare you and your dog aggravation.

Use a Flea Preventative on a Regular Basis

The center of any flea prevention plan is the regular use of a veterinary-recommended preventative product.  “Using monthly prevention against fleas is the best way to eliminate flea allergy in the first place,” says O’Bell.  

Prescription preventatives are generally the most reliable, says Melillo. These come in the form of oral chews and pills, topicals, and collars. “I tend to recommend oral monthly parasiticides,” he explains. Some dogs that are allergic to oral medications can also use flea collars as a prevention measure. Talk to your veterinarian about the option that is best for your pet.

While some over-the-counter (OTC) products can be effective, Melillo says that fleas can develop resistance to some products. If you do use an OTC product, be sure it’s from a trustworthy source. “I have seen counterfeit products my clients obtained online. Astute veterinary technicians found misinformation on what appeared to be otherwise a replica of a product label,” warns O’Bell.

Whether you use a prescription or OTC preventative, the bottom line is to use a product that has been recommended by your veterinarian.

Develop a Grooming Routine With Your Dog

Using your flea comb, sift through your dog’s hair or fur to find fleas, flea dirt, or flea eggs. If you’re not up to the task, find a professional pet groomer you can take your dog to on a regular basis. These pros are trained to find fleas, and are a good alternative if you don’t know how to tell if your dog has fleas.

Keep It Clean

The same practices used to kill fleas—vacuuming regularly and cleaning bedding—also help to prevent and control them. Fleas don’t just live indoors, however. Since wild animals like raccoons, coyotes, and stray cats can also carry fleas, veterinarians recommend limiting your dog’s contact with them. Or consider humane wildlife deterrents, like installing fencing or placing netting on food plants.

Safety Precautions When Using Flea Products

Check with your veterinarian before using any products containing pesticides since they can interfere with certain medications.

Also avoid using dog flea products on cats, veterinarians warn. The pesticide class pyrethrins, for example, is highly toxic to cats. 

“Similarly if you have any exotic species in the house who interact with your cats and dogs, check with your veterinarian as some exotic species can be uniquely sensitive to certain ingredients,” says O’Bell.

The post How To Tell If Your Dog Has Fleas? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Bugs range from being a nuisance, like gnats, to being a true health hazard, like ticks. Keeping ticks off your pet with a parasite preventative is your first line of defense, but these persistent creatures can still latch on despite your best efforts.

In order to pull off ticks safely and effectively, pet parents need to have the right kind of tick removal tools. But with so many options available, how do you choose the right one for your dog?

What is a Tick Removal Tool?

Tick removal tools are specifically designed to safely pull a tick’s whole body and head from your pet without putting you or your pet in jeopardy.

While it might be tempting to just grab onto a tick embedded in your dog’s skin and try to yank it out with your fingers, your hands aren’t the best instruments for tick removal. Not only are they ineffective at getting out the entirety of the tick, but you also run the risk of accidentally squeezing the tick and injecting the infectious agents into your dog.

Plus, pet parents with cuts on their hands are at a greater risk of coming in contact with potential harmful tick-borne disease, such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Tick tool designs vary from basic tweezer-type implements to tools that use leverage to remove the tick. The right type of tool for you and your pet depends on a few factors:

• Your dexterity
• Your dog’s fur type
• The location of the tick on your dog’s body
• The size of the tick

Speedy tick removal is critical since these parasites carry a number of diseases that are harmful to pets and people alike. Ticks feed on the blood of mammals by latching on for a day to as long as a week. They can’t fly or jump and require direct contact in order to attach to a host, so they’re most commonly found in tall grass, leaves, and woodland paths where a potential host might brush up against them.

What makes these parasites even more dangerous is that they can be tiny—as small as the size of a pinhead or grain of sand. Ticks also like to hide on dogs in hard to find places, such as under armpits, and in and around ears. The best way to prevent disease transmission is to check your dog for ticks after they play in areas where ticks are known to reside, and if you find a tick, use a dog tick removal tool within 24-hours of a tick attaching.

Common Tick Removal Tools

Though the goal is the same no matter the tool, the design and mechanics of how to use tick tools varies. Below are some common types of tick removal tools, how to use them, and which situations they work best for.

Basic Tweezers

Many households already have tweezers but it’s important to note that the pointed, fine-tipped style is the most effective type for tick removal. Metal tweezers are easy to use on ticks of all sizes and can be sterilized by soaking in rubbing alcohol once the job is complete. However, the sharp ends might pinch your dog, particularly if the tick is small.

Tick Key

Instead of pulling up on the tick, this tool moves across the skin to drag the tick out. It’s simple to use, and because it’s not sharp it doesn’t cause pain to your dog when removing a tick. This metal tool can be sterilized once the tick is removed. However, it might not be effective on smaller ticks, since the tool could pass over a tiny tick’s body. The size of the tool might also make it challenging to use on certain parts of your pet’s body, like close to the eyes or on the tail.

Tick Scoop

This plastic tool is a single motion removal tool that gets rid of ticks via a v-shaped notch in a spoon-like bowl. Once the tick is isolated within the notch it can be removed with a forward sliding motion. These tools have a comfortable, familiar shape, and if the tick is large enough it’s easy to remove. However, it might be difficult to capture smaller ticks within the notch, and because it’s made of plastic it’s not as sturdy and can’t be sterilized as thoroughly as metal tick removal tools.

Tick Twister

As the name suggests, this plastic tick tool is shaped like a tiny garden hoe and requires a twisting motion to remove the parasite. This tool usually comes in two sizes, enabling even the smallest ticks to be isolated and removed. However, while the small size is good for snagging tiny ticks, pet parents with large hands might find it difficult to manipulate. It can also be challenging to use on dogs with long fur, as it might become tangled in the tool during the twisting removal process.

Metal Tick Removal Set

These metal tool sets look like medical-grade equipment and can be easily sterilized after use. The tweezer has a long handle that allows for better leverage, and the fine pointed tip can isolate even the smallest ticks. The notched tool can be used with a forward sliding motion for larger ticks. These tools are heavy, which could make them uncomfortable for smaller dogs, and the sharp, pointed end of the tweezers could be painful if accidentally poked into the skin.

How to Safely Remove a Tick

No matter what type of tool you select for tick removal, the basic procedure for how to pull a tick out remains the same. Keep your dog calm during the process since reactivity will make the job more challenging for both parties. It might help to give your dog a xylitol-free peanut butter-filled toy to keep them occupied, especially if the tick is attached in a difficult location.

Step 1: Part your dog’s fur and place the tool near the embedded base of the tick and close to your dog’s skin.

Step 2: Pull the tick out using steady, even pressure and without wiggling or squeezing the tick. Make sure you’re following the directions for removal based on the type of tool you are using.

Step 3: Place the tick in rubbing alcohol to kill it and use an antibiotic wipe or spray to clean the area around the bite.

Step 4: Don’t forget to wash your hands as well once you’ve finished cleaning your dog.

Monitor your dog for signs of illness after the removal of a tick. Check the site of the bite for redness or swelling, and watch for malaise, reluctance to move or a loss of appetite. Contact your veterinarian if your pet’s health declines.

Other Helpful Items for Tick Removal

While picking the right tool to actually remove the tick from your dog is important, pet parents should also have a few other items on hand during the process.

These items include:

• Rubber gloves for an extra layer of protection
• A magnifying glass for small ticks
• Disinfectant for the tick tool
• A lidded jar to keep the tick for further examination if your dog seems ill

Where to Buy Tick Removal Tools

Most brick and mortar pet stores and online retailers carry a variety of tick removal tools. They range from $5 to $15 dollars, and many come in multi-packs.

Given tick size fluctuations and the variety of places on your dog’s body where these parasites can latch, it’s helpful to purchase a few different types of tools so that you’re prepared for speedy tick removal in every scenario.

The post 5 Tick Removal Tools (and How to Use Them) appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Diatomaceous earth for dogs and cats is often recommended as a natural option for keeping fleas at bay. But what exactly is it? And more importantly, is it safe and effective?

While this guide is designed to help you understand more about this alternative method of flea control, your veterinarian will be able to best determine if diatomaceous earth is right for your lifestyle.

What is Diatomaceous Earth?

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a whitish sand-like powder composed of a type of fossilized single-celled algae called diatoms. Though estimates vary widely, scientists believe there may be as many as two million species of diatoms inhabiting lakes, oceans, ponds, and most other aquatic environments. In nature, diatoms are an essential food source—both directly and indirectly—for other marine animals, and they help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The outer skeletons of diatoms are made of silicon dioxide, a chemical compound most commonly known as silica.

“These skeletons are largely non-crystalline (amorphous), although diatomaceous earth can contain varying amountsof crystalline quartz. Therein lies the problem,” says Dr. Michael Dryden, university distinguished professor, veterinary parasitology at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. “While DE that contains lower amounts of crystalline silica (less than one percent) are likely fairly safe, some DE contains higher amounts of crystalline silica and are potentially hazardous.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, inhaling crystalline silica can cause a host of health issues like breathing difficulties, irreversible lung damage, and autoimmune disease.

Types of Diatomaceous Earth

There are two main types of diatomaceous earth, categorized by their levels of crystalline silica:

• Food-grade diatomaceous earth
• Filter-grade diatomaceous earth

The food grade variety, labeled “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)” by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for human consumption, contains between 0.5 and two percent crystalline silica.

Non-food or filter-grade diatomaceous earth is toxic to mammals. This type can contain more than 60 percent crystalline silica.

Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill Fleas?

Food grade diatomaceous earth may indeed kill fleas in certain instances, but it’s not the most effective or efficient method of control or prevention, experts say.

“There is some evidence that environmental application of diatomaceous earth to the indoor environment—including carpets and cat scratchers—can kill fleas in the environment,” says Dr. Elizabeth Falk, a board-certified veterinary dermatologist at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Connecticut. “Application to the external environment is of variable efficacy, because it is deactivated by humidity and moisture.”

Theoretically, diatomaceous earth works by drying out the flea, which leads to its death. “The insect’s outermost layer is composed of lipids, which acts to keep water inside the body,” says Falk. “The DE particles stick to the lipids on the epicuticle (protective layer), which disrupt the lipid barrier, allowing water to exit the insect.”

But most pet experts are not optimistic about the use of diatomaceous earth for flea control. “There is virtually no reliable data—lab or field studies—showing it is useful at all for flea control in a home—either powdered in the premises or ingested,” says Dryden. “Our personal observations in field studies in Florida would indicate it is practically worthless. We have enrolled numerous homes in our flea control studies, where the homes were massively flea infested, even though the owners had been using DE. In some homes the powder was so thick it puffed up when walking on carpets.”

Another issue is the rate at which diatomaceous earth kills fleas, which Hanna says is inadequate for her allergic patients. “Although diatomaceous earth may reduce the number of fleas in an environment over a period of time, it just doesn’t have what it takes as an effective flea control for our flea allergic patients,” she says.

These pets are allergic to flea saliva, which Hanna says causes extreme itchiness and secondary infections. “So a flea control product that kills fleas quickly, reducing the number of flea bites and therefore reducing exposure to flea saliva, is paramount to their health and well-being,” she adds.

Other Diatomaceous Earth Uses

In addition to being by some people to control flea populations, diatomaceous earth has a number of other uses. Here are some of the most common.

Pest Control

Food grade DE is sprinkled on vegetable and flower gardens, as well as within the home to prevent insect infestations.

Filtering Agent

Filter grade DE is added to pool filter systems, where it captures small particles—like dirt and bacteria—that other filters might miss.

Anti-Caking Agent

Food grade DE is mixed with animal feed (where it coats particles) to prevent binding and clumping.

Health Supplements

Food grade DE is an ingredient in some nutritional supplements, touted for heart health, digestive issues, bone health, lowered cholesterol, and other health concerns. Studies on the benefits of DE for health have been minimal, so benefits are difficult to confirm. In one older study published in the European Journal of Medical Research, DE was shown to reduce blood cholesterol, but since the study didn’t include a placebo-controlled group, these findings can’t be absolutely determined.

Skin Care Products

Food grade DE is used in products like facial masks and scrubs because of its gentle abrasiveness.

Diatomaceous Earth Benefits

While research about the effectiveness of diatomaceous earth for flea control is unsubstantiated, there are some advantages to using food grade diatomaceous earth.

“It is thought to be quite safe for environmental treatment of fleas, whereas other products can be more toxic to pets, children, wildlife, and even adults,” says Falk. DE is also virtually non-toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates, scientists say.

Depending on the humidity and moisture level (it works better in lower humidity), diatomaceous earth can last in the environment for an extended period of time, says Falk.

It’s also relatively affordable. A four-pound bag, for example, generally costs under $15 dollars, and depending how often it’s used (experts say only a small amount should be used in the home), it can last a long time.

Is Diatomaceous Earth Safe for Pets?

Even food-grade diatomaceous earth can be a health hazard if used inappropriately. “Clearly, small amounts of less crystalline forms are safe, but when you walk into a home where it has been spread everywhere by the homeowner trying to kill fleas in carpet, I have major concerns,” says Dryden.

Inhalation is not the only safety risk. Direct contact with diatomaceous earth can cause irritation, dryness, and in rare cases, skin abrasions, says Chantelle Hanna, a dermatology technician at Southeast Veterinary Dermatology and Ear Clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additionally, because diatomaceous earth is abrasive, it can also be extremely irritating to the eyes, she adds.

“I think it’s important to remember that pets are no less vulnerable to these side effects,” says Hanna. “In fact, their relatively smaller size and proximity to the application surface may put them at a higher risk for experiencing side effects than the pet parent.”

Downsides of Using Diatomaceous Earth

Before using diatomaceous earth to control fleas, understand the caveats.

Its effectiveness varies depending on the environment it’s used in. It may not be as effective, for example, in areas with higher humidity.

Although food-grade DE is safer for home use than filter grade, there are still potential safety hazards for pets and humans, especially if it’s inhaled. Contact with DE can cause skin abrasions, dryness, and eye irritation.

It kills fleas more slowly than traditional products. Many pets, like those who are allergic to fleas, need alternatives that will kill fleas quickly.

Diatomaceous earth is also messy. Powder can get everywhere.

How to Use Diatomaceous Earth for Fleas

Veterinarians recommend against applying diatomaceous earth directly onto pets. “This is due to fears of irritating the respiratory tract and irritating the gastrointestinal tract, particularly in cats, who groom themselves,” Falk says.

Diatomaceous earth is likely best for environmental treatment when used in conjunction with products that get applied directly to the pet, like flea preventatives, says Falk.

One of the most common uses for food-grade diatomaceous earth is in the yard or garden. If you do use it this way, Falk recommends reapplying if after it rains or every few days in areas of high humidity. “It can be mixed with water in order to be sprayed into the environment. It will not be effective when wet, but when it dries out, it should have some efficacy.”

It can also be added to areas inside the home, like carpets, cat scratchers, and pet kennels, Falk says. Experts say a small amount can go a long way.

Because of its potential risks to pets, talk to your veterinarian before using food-grade diatomaceous earth for flea control in your home.

Where to Buy Diatomaceous Earth

Food-grade diatomaceous earth for fleas and other pests is sold primarily at hardware stores and pet supply stores, including online. Diatomaceous earth powder is the most common form and it usually comes in bags, but is also available in jars and bottles.

It’s important to purchase the food-grade variety of diatomaceous earth if you plan to use it at home. Additionally, “Pet parents should make sure they are purchasing a product that is approved by the EPA and that is coming from a reputable distributor,” says Falk. “They should beware of any product that says that it should be applied directly to the pet.”

Finding a safe and effective flea preventative is essential for your pet’s health and comfort. Talk to your veterinarian about the best options for your situation.

The post Diatomaceous Earth for Fleas: Does it Really Work? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

In the United States alone, experts estimate that pet parents spend a whopping $2.8 billion on flea-related veterinarian bills and another $5.6 billion on flea treatments [1].

Not only can fleas make your pet unbearably itchy, but in worst-case scenarios, they may also cause life-threatening cases of anemia in kittens and puppies, pass on a harmful parasite known as tapeworm, and even spread disease to pet parents, says Dr. Michael Dryden, a.k.a. “Dr. Flea,” who recently retired from a career of teaching and research at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

As these little blood-suckers hop onto your dog or cat, rapidly reproduce, and proceed to invade the rest of your home from your carpets to your couch, you might find yourself wondering: Wait, can fleas fly? And if not, how far can a flea jump? 

Read on for the answers, plus how to best protect your pet from fleas, with expert insight from veterinary parasitologists.

Can Fleas Fly?

First things first: Do fleas fly or jump? “Luckily, fleas cannot fly,” says Dr. Heather Stockdale Walden, an assistant professor of parasitology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Rather, fleas fling themselves onto moving targets by leaping off of the ground.

It would be easy to assume fleas might be able to fly considering just how high and far they can jump, though. These tiny bugs are considered some of the best jumpers of all known animals in the world. In fact, their jumping skills are so impressive that some engineers have attempted to imitate them in the form of miniature leaping robots, per an article in the Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering.

So, what gives fleas such an amazing talent for jumping? It’s all thanks to a catapult-like mechanism built into their tiny bodies.

Understanding Flea Anatomy

A quick lesson in flea anatomy: Because fleas aren’t flyers, it should come as no surprise that they have no wings.

So, how many legs do fleas have? Six, and their hindlegs do most of the jumping, says Walden. However, these tiny bugs don’t jump by simply contracting their muscles.

“The length of a flea’s jump is not possible with muscle action,” says Dryden. “Rather, they compress their hindlegs into a natural rubber-like pad made of a protein called resilin and, like a tensed spring, release the pad to catapult themselves into the air.”

In this sense, fleas’ tiny feet act like triggers to release the energy that powers a flea’s high-flying jump. Fun fact: After a flea’s catapult mechanism goes off, the tiny bug tumbles rapidly through the air, as if it’s falling head over heels, says Dryden.

How High Can Fleas Jump?

Although some species of fleas can leap even higher, cat fleas (or the type of flea that typically affects dogs and cats worldwide) can jump about 19 inches or 48 centimeters in length, according to a study in Veterinary Parasitology.

Experts estimate fleas can jump about 150 to 200 times their own body length. To put this into perspective, a 7’3” person endowed with the same jumping capabilities would be able to jump over the tip of the Empire State Building [2].

Naturally, fleas’ ability to jump so high is a concern for pet parents, whether you’ve seen jumpers in the grass in your backyard or other pups scratching themselves at your local dog park. Chances are, though, your pet will pick up fleas from their environment rather than another pup.

How Do Fleas Get on Pets?

“Jumping is the fastest and easiest way for fleas to get onto your pet,” says Walden. While it’s possible for your pet to pick up fleas from rubbing against another animal, most often newly-hatched fleas leap from the ground onto moving targets [3].

While fleas feed on a dog or cat, they produce lots of eggs—up to 40 to 50 per day. As your pet scratches at them and shakes them off, they distribute the eggs throughout your home and yard. “Think of a flea-infested pet as a living salt-shaker,” says Dryden.

Wherever flea eggs land, they develop into larvae which over time grow into adult fleas encased within a cocoon. When the flea detects a potential host from cues like vibrations on the ground, air currents, and heat nearby, it emerges to look for a host [4].

Once hatched, fleas are attracted to the light and turn towards it in order to wait for something to pass by. Whether the shadow is cast by a cat, dog, human, or something else, that’s an indicator to a flea that it’s time to jump in the hopes of landing on a new host.

After they’ve latched onto your pet, it only takes fleas about 24 hours to begin laying eggs again. They do this by consuming 140 percent of their body weight in blood. “Fleas are not just a nuisance—they are voracious blood-suckers,” says Dr. Dryden.

As frustrating and invasive as fleas can be, there are a few simple ways you can keep your pet safe.

Protecting Your Pet Against Fleas

Because fleas reproduce and spread so rapidly, the best way to keep your pet flea-free is to never allow these tiny parasites to get that far, says Dryden. The fix is simple: Ask your veterinarian for a prescription for an effective flea preventative product and give it to your pet regularly, he says.

If you already have a flea problem, again, you’ll want to visit your veterinarian first to determine the right course of treatment for your pet. After that, take additional measures to clear your home of flea eggs as well, says Walden.

Here’s what to do:

• Thoroughly vacuum your home with a focus on your pets’ favorite spots
• Wash pet bedding and blankets
• Limit visitors like other cats and dogs to your home

Finally, if you’re considering giving your pet a flea bath, skip it—most over-the-counter products don’t work fast enough to successfully combat flea infestations these days, as they’ve built up a resistance to them, says Dryden.

Keeping your pet on flea prevention and thoroughly cleaning your home and yard is the best method for protecting your pet from these jumping parasites.

The post Do Fleas Fly? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, approximately 5 percent of U.S. dogs tested positive for Lyme disease in 2019, while approximately 3 percent of dogs tested positive for anaplasmosis and 3 percent of dogs tested positive for ehrlichiosis (1).

Although these may not seem like huge numbers, each of these tick-borne diseases can have significant impacts on infected pets.

Are All Ticks Harmful to Pets?

While there are many different species of ticks found throughout the United States, only a limited number of these tick species have been found to transmit disease to pets and humans.

Your region of the country determines which potentially-harmful tick species are found in your area.

In the Eastern United States, tick species that may cause disease in pets include:

• American Dog Tick
• Deer Tick or Black Legged Tick
• Brown Dog Tick
• Gulf Coast Tick (southeast only)
• Lone Star Tick

In the Western United States, dangerous tick species include the

• American Dog Tick (Pacific Coast only)
• Brown Dog Tick
• Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (high elevations only)
• Western Blacklegged Tick

You don’t need to be able to identify and recognize every species of tick, but learning about the limited number of harmful tick species found in your area can help you identify potential risks to your pets. 

Dangerous Species of Ticks for Pets

There are a number of tick species that are known to be capable of transmitting disease to pets. These species include:

American Dog Tick

The American dog tick is found throughout the eastern United States (east of the Rocky Mountains) and is also found in limited numbers along the Pacific coast. This tick transmits Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia, both of which cause illness in dogs, cats, and humans. It can also cause tick paralysis. Adult American dog ticks are brown, with white to gray markings.

Brown Dog Tick

The brown dog tick is widespread throughout the United States. These ticks transmit a large number of diseases. Many of these infections, including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can affect dogs, cats, and humans. Hepatozoonosis is also spread by the brown dog tick; this infection only affects dogs. Adult brown dog ticks are reddish-brown in color, although they become gray-blue when engorged.

Deer Tick or Eastern Black Legged Tick

The deer tick is found throughout the Eastern United States, east of the Rocky Mountains. These ticks transmit a number of diseases, including anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and Lyme disease. Therefore, these ticks pose a risk to dogs, cats, and humans. Adult deer ticks are orange-brown in color, with black legs.

Gulf Coast Tick

As its name suggests, the Gulf Coast tick is found primarily along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. However, it is also found in coastal regions along the Atlantic Coast, all the way north to the Chesapeake Bay region. This tick is capable of transmitting hepatozoonosis to dogs.

Lone Star Tick

Lone Star ticks are found east of the Rocky Mountains, except in the northernmost states. They are capable of transmitting a number of diseases, including cytauxzoonosis, ehrlichiosis, rickettsiosis, and tularemia. Therefore, these ticks pose a disease risk to dogs, cats, and humans. Adult Lone Star ticks are reddish-brown in color. Females have a large white spot on their back.

Rocky Mountain Wood Tick

The Rocky Mountain Wood Tick is found in the Rocky Mountain states at higher elevations. These ticks transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted fever and tularemia, posing a threat to dogs, cats, and humans. These ticks are brown in color and become gray when engorged.

Western Blacklegged Tick

The western blacklegged tick is found along the Pacific Coast, primarily in California. They transmit anaplasmosis and Lyme disease. They pose a risk to dogs, cats, and humans.

Tick Identification: What to Look For

It can be helpful to familiarize yourself with common ticks in your area and to learn how to identify tick species.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council offers a series of photographs and videos that can be used to study tick species that may be found in your area. Pay close attention to the color and markings of all tick life stages. Size can also be a helpful feature in some cases, though it is often difficult to obtain precise measurements.

If you find a tick on your pet that you cannot readily identify, you can attempt to carefully remove the tick without destroying it. Use tweezers or a tick-removal tool to remove the tick at its attachment to the skin, grasping the head to limit damage to the body. Once the tick has been removed, you can place it in a sealed plastic bag or lidded jar. This will allow you the opportunity to examine the tick more closely.

If you are unable to identify the tick, contact your veterinarian. They may offer tick identification services or may be able to refer you elsewhere for identification of the tick.

Common Tick-Borne Diseases Transmitted to Pets

Ticks are capable of transmitting several different infectious diseases to pets. These diseases include:

• Lyme Disease
• Anaplasmosis
• Cytauxzoonosis
• Ehrlichiosis
• Hepatozoonosis
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
• Tularemia

Each of these diseases can have significant impacts on the health of your dog or cat.

Protecting Your Pet Against Ticks

All pets should be on parasite prevention to prevent tick bites and tick-borne diseases. These preventatives come in oral and topical formulations. Topical products spread on the skin and kill ticks with prolonged contact, while oral preventatives circulate in the bloodstream and kill ticks when they bite your pet and begin to ingest blood. Either form of tick prevention can help protect pets. Talk to your veterinarian to determine the best option for your dog or cat.

In addition to administering parasite prevention, consider trying to minimize your pet’s exposure to ticks. Ticks are most commonly found in wooded areas and tall grass. When walking your dog, try to keep him or her out of tall grass if possible. If you frequently take hikes in the woods with your dog, be sure to be especially vigilant with parasite prevention and check your dog for ticks after you return home.

If you live in an area where Lyme disease is common and your dog is exposed to ticks, talk to your veterinarian about vaccinating for Lyme disease. Lyme disease is the only tick-borne disease for which we have a pet vaccine. This vaccine can provide an extra layer of prevention when combined with tick prevention.

The post Species of Ticks: 7 That Affect Pets appeared first on Great Pet Care.

As a pet parent, you may be curious if certain plants can keep your pet protected from fleas. If you do a quick Google search, site after site that claims that flea-repelling plants do exist. However, does science back up the claims? 

We asked veterinary experts, plant experts, and bug experts if flea-repelling plants actually exist and whether the claims to protect our pets actually hold true. Here’s what you need to know.

Plants that Supposedly Repel Fleas

According to Ball Horticultural Company, plant varieties cited to repel fleas and pests include: 

• Peppermint
• Lemongrass
• Eucalyptus
• Citronella
• Spearmint
• Nepeta (catmint)

However, when it comes to pest control, these plants are typically used in the form of plant extracts—not actual plants.   

“The plant extracts from the list above are often found on ingredient lists for natural products used for pest control where pets are in the house,” says Katie Rotella, communications manager for Ball Horticultural Company. “While there are some savvy homeowners who can make their own extracts, it would require much more plant material than they realize.” 

Plant Extracts for Flea Control

Plant extracts may have flea-repelling qualities, but planting the varieties listed above around your house or keeping one on your counter isn’t likely to do the job. However, many natural pest products do contain them.

“There has been a large number of new products containing things like cedar, peppermint, clove, and garlic oils, which claim to control a wide range of pests,” says Dr. Dave Shetlar, professor emeritus in the Department of Entomology at Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. “Many of these do work, but only by direct contact, with the oil disrupting cell membranes on insects.”

But Shetlar explains that none of these plant-based or natural products have long-lasting, flea-controlling effects and he says that most have no documented repellent qualities.  

What About Pyrethrins to Repel Fleas?

One example of a successful pesticide derived from plants are pyrethrins, which are classified as botanical insecticides.

“Pyrethrins are derived from a compound in chrysanthemums,” says Dr. Kristi Flynn, assistant professor in the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. “That said, I don’t think the plants themselves repel fleas in the garden.”

And the use of pyrethrins may also be dangerous for your pet.

“Further, we avoid products for pets with this active ingredient because it is toxic to cats,” adds Flynn.

The Bottom Line: Do Any Plants Actually Repel Fleas?

You should not rely on plants to magically repel fleas.

“I have not heard of any that have been shown to work scientifically and would be very skeptical of any claims to that effect that do not have peer-reviewed studies published in reputable scientific journals to substantiate their recommendations,” says Dr. Michael A. Arnold, professor of Landscape Horticulture at Texas A&M University.

And that stake in the ground is backed by veterinarians.

“I know of no controlled scientific studies that document anything useful about plants for flea control, documenting antiparasitic abilities of a living plant,” says Dr. Paul DeMars, associate professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oklahoma State University.

And according to Shetlar, plants really do not offer effective prevention when it comes to fleas themselves. 

“The other problem with relying on repellent plants to manage fleas would be the ignoring of the life cycle of the flea,” says Dr. Shetlar. “Fleas have a complete life cycle, with the larvae feeding on a wide range of decaying organic matter (including food crumbs in folks’ couches and carpets!). However, the common species’ larvae must also have a blood meal in order to pupate and emerge as the adult flea.”

Yep, that’s where your pet comes in handy for these pests.

“Repellent plants would have no effect on the flea larvae,” says Shetlar.

Ultimately, there is no scientific evidence to prove plants are effective flea repellents, so pet owners should rely on other methods of flea control to keep their pets safe. 

Flea Control Methods That Work

Instead of relying on plants or extracts to repel or control fleas, the following are veterinarian-approved methods to keep your pets safe from fleas:

Monthly Flea Preventatives 

“Monthly flea preventatives are extremely useful to get rid of fleas, and to prevent an infestation,” says Dr. Tori Countner, veterinarian and founder of The Balanced Pet Vet. “It can take 3-5 months to fully get rid of the pesky bugs once they are in your home. Talk to your veterinarian about which preventative is best for your pet.”

Vacuuming  

Fleas can find shelter in your home, so it’s a good idea to vacuum. And vacuuming has been found to kill fleas in all stages of life.

“Preventative measures for fleas include vacuuming—often in high traffic areas, especially in corners of rooms,” says Countner. It is also recommended to vacuum both sides of couch cushions and in the nooks and crannies of furniture, where all stages of fleas like to hide. If you have a bad infestation, you may have to vacuum every day for several weeks to suck up any fleas hatching in the environment. 

Doing Laundry

Washing your pet’s belongings can help to prevent flea infestations. You should do this on a hot cycle to kill fleas and eggs. 

“Wash pet bedding, collars, and toys frequently,” adds Countner. 

Doing Yard Maintenance

Your lawn can be a breeding ground for fleas, so mowing and maintaining grass and weeds is an easy way to keep them at bay. And you can also treat your yard.  

Courtner suggests using natural yard or home sprays to keep flea populations at bay. “Diatomaceous Earth (food grade, not pool grade) can be sprinkled on your yard and patio for a more natural insecticide,” she says. 

The post Flea Repelling Plants: Do They Really Exist? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Fleas reproduce at lightning speed. A single flea can lead to a full-blown infestation in just a few weeks. Because fleas and their eggs are so small, many people don’t notice them before they become a major problem.

Here is everything you need to know to eliminate flea eggs and prevent an itchy invasion.

What Do Flea Eggs Look Like?

Flea eggs look like very tiny grains of rice. They are tiny ovals, rarely bigger than 0.5 mm (1/50-inch)—about the size of a grain of sand or salt. They can be bright white, off white, or translucent.

It is common for people to confuse them with dandruff, but there are telltale differences. Unlike flat flakes of dandruff, which are irregular in shape, flea eggs are uniformly oval-shaped. Dandruff sticks to pets’ hair and is hard to remove, whereas these eggs are more slippery and spread easily from place to place.

Flea Eggs vs. Flea Dirt

Don’t confuse flea eggs with “flea dirt”—the digested blood that is left as waste from adult fleas. Flea dirt looks more like flecks of black pepper than the salt-like eggs. Flea dirt clumps easily and sticks to dogs’ fur and skin. Like their eggs, however, flea dirt is an urgent signal that fleas are not far away.

Can You See Flea Eggs on Dogs and Cats?

Because they are so tiny, it’s hard to see flea eggs on your pet—especially if they have light-colored fur. And, since the eggs fall from animals so easily, pets don’t usually have large numbers of them at one time.

There are a few tricks you can use to confirm whether there are flea eggs on your dog or cat. First, having a magnifying glass handy can help you know what you’re looking at. Start by checking fleas’ favorite places to hide: the haunches, the base of the tail, the nape of the neck, and between the shoulder blades. If you’re having difficulty spotting the tiny white eggs on your dog or cat, use that magnifying glass to check your pet’s favorite lounge areas.

Using a flea comb can also be helpful to track down flea eggs on your pet. Its long, fine teeth get between hairs to filter out the tiny white eggs. A flea comb will also reveal flea dirt on your pet.

To use a flea comb, run it gently but firmly through the fur to separate the hairs. Go slowly so you can see the skin beneath. Make sure to do this outside if possible, so eggs don’t spray onto the floors and carpet while you comb. Flea eggs on cats are usually easier to comb out due to the softer fur. They can be a little tougher to see and extract from dog fur.

How Long Does It Take for Flea Eggs to Hatch?

Adult fleas can only lay their eggs after they’ve bitten an animal. This little snack is charmingly known in the pest world as a “blood meal.” After that, the eggs can take anywhere from two days to two weeks to hatch.

“The warmer and more humid it is, the faster the life cycle will go,” says Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a staff doctor at NYC’s Animal Medical Center, who specializes in small animal internal medicine and oncology. “If it’s cooler and dryer, the process slows down until the temperature goes up.”

According to the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service, temperatures of 75 to 85 degrees and over 50 percent humidity accelerate the life cycle from egg to larvae.

Where Do Fleas Lay Eggs?

Fleas like to lay eggs near their primary food source—your dog or cat. Fleas can’t produce eggs from a diet of human blood. So, even if they bite people, they almost never lay eggs in human hair. About 36 to 48 hours after making a meal of your poor pet’s blood, a female flea will deposit her eggs into your pet’s fur—but that’s not where they stay.

“Flea eggs are like ping pong balls,” describes Dr. Michael Dryden, who recently retired from a career of teaching and research at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he was known as “Dr. Flea” for his expertise. “They roll right off your dog or cat and bounce into carpets, between floorboards, in upholstery and in your pets’ bedding,” where they like to hide until they are ready to hatch.

The time it takes eggs to fall off your pet depends on how long their fur is and how active they are, but most of the eggs will fall off within a few days. The itchiness from flea bites naturally encourages scratching, which contributes to faster shedding of dry eggs. You’ll find the most eggs in the areas of your home where your pet spends the most time.

How Many Eggs Does a Flea Lay?

An adult female flea can lay anywhere from 20 to 50 eggs a day, depending on how much she has eaten, the temperature, and whether there are any pesticides in the environment. Over the course of a lifetime (just a few months), a single flea can lay as many as 2,000 eggs. That means that a single female flea can cause a serious infestation in a matter of weeks.

How Often Do Fleas Lay Eggs?

As long as a female flea has a steady supply of blood for food, a female flea will lay several eggs after each feeding, meaning every 3-5 hours.

How Long Do Flea Eggs Live?

Flea eggs can survive for about 10 days, tops. “If they don’t hatch in 10 days, they won’t,” Dryden says.

Flea eggs need a warm, humid environment—anywhere from 70 to 90 degrees and 75 to 85 percent humidity. Under ideal conditions, the larvae can hatch in as little as 36 hours. In a less favorable environment, the eggs take longer to hatch.

What Is the Difference Between Flea Eggs and Flea Larvae?

Once the flea eggs hatch, flea larvae emerge. They look like tiny worms, about 2-3 mm long (1/12- to 1/8-inch), with a yellowish-white, segmented body and black head. Flea larvae are born blind and avoid bright light, so they quickly burrow deep into carpets, cracks, and grass, where they feast on flea dirt. Flea larvae make up approximately 35 percent of the total flea population in any given area.

About 5 to 20 days after hatching, if they have the right warm and humid environment, a flea larva will spin a pupa, which is like a cocoon. The pupa is very hard and has a sticky outer coating that helps it hide deep in carpets and fabrics. The pupa stage can last as little as a week or up to a year.  Fleas will not emerge from the pupa stage until they sense body heat and carbon dioxide, signaling that a host is nearby. When your pet walks by, the flea will emerge from its cocoon to begin feeding and the whole cycle starts over again.

What Kills Flea Eggs?

Killing flea eggs is a two-phase process. First, you need to eliminate any eggs and adult fleas on your pet. Then, you need to get rid of the flea eggs in your home.

The very first step in this process should be to bring your pet to see the veterinarian. The veterinarian will examine your dog to understand the extent of the flea problem and determine the right treatment for your pet.

Not all products that kill fleas work to kill flea eggs. Work with your veterinarian to choose the best product and course of action for your pet.

If you get rid of flea eggs and adult fleas on your pet, you need to focus your attention on getting rid of any eggs that may have sloughed off around your home. Here are some steps to take:

Vacuuming

“The most natural, most effective way to get rid of flea eggs in your home is to vacuum,” says Dr. Laurie Leach, of Beverly Oaks Animal Hospital and Emergency Animal Clinic. “Before you start, put some mothballs inside the vacuum bag. When you’re finished, take that bag out immediately to the trash can, so those eggs don’t hatch inside your vacuum cleaner.”

Make sure to use a vacuum with good suction and a rotating brush. Start with the baseboards and thoroughly vacuum the floors, carpets, and upholstered furniture, paying extra attention to corners and crevices. A good vacuuming every other day can remove the majority of flea eggs and also helps to eliminate adult fleas, larvae, some pupae, and flea dirt.

Laundry

Inspect the areas of your house where your pet spends the most time, and gather all the linens, upholstery, and bedding that may have been exposed to flea eggs. Wash them with detergent or bleach, using the hottest cycle the fabric will tolerate. Flea eggs will not survive the extended exposure to the hot water and laundry detergent in the washer. It’s even better if you can also throw the linens in the dryer.

Flea Products

There are a lot of flea products on the market. However, many are aimed at killing adult fleas and are not effective for killing eggs. Your veterinarian can guide you as to the right combination of products to address your pet’s specific needs.

The most effective products to kill flea eggs include insect growth regulators (IGRs). These compounds, called isoxazolines, are safe for pets. They work by mimicking a hormone that stops fleas from maturing into adults—including preventing eggs from hatching. Some IGRs also work to sterilize female fleas so they can’t lay viable eggs.

You can find IGRs in a variety of products for dogs, including oral medications, spot-on skin applications for animals, and in spray form to safely target eggs in your pet’s bedding.

Up until recently, topical products were the only isoxazolines approved for use in cats. In 2021, Credelio CAT (lotilaner) became both the first oral flea and tick product for cats as well as the first oral isoxazoline for cats. It is a small, chewable tablet that starts killing fleas on cats within six hours and also protects against black-legged ticks.

“The right product for your home depends on where you live and your pet’s lifestyle. Your veterinarian will be able to counsel you on the right formula,” says Dr. Dryden.

As for a flea dip or bath, Dryden says they do not kill flea eggs and are no longer recommended for the treatment of adult fleas. If you are unsure about whether a product is safe, be sure to consult your pet’s veterinarian.

Prevention

The best way to avoid becoming overrun with flea eggs is by preventing them in the first place. Work with your veterinarian to get your dog or cat on a proper flea preventative treatment. There are several great medications, such as Credelio, that will stop fleas in their tracks before causing a nuisance to you and your furry friend. In addition, always perform regular examinations of their fur and note any sudden itchiness or irritation they may be experiencing.

Do Home Remedies Kill Flea Eggs?

A quick internet search for “how to kill flea eggs” will yield several other homespun approaches. However, veterinarians say that although some of these can repel adult fleas, most home remedies are not effective to kill the eggs.

The best way to get rid of flea eggs without medication is through diligent vacuuming and washing. In cases of serious infestations, medication will be needed to destroy them. Be sure you speak with your veterinarian about the safety of any at-home remedies you choose, no matter how benign they seem.

Dish Soap

Dish soap can kill some adult fleas, but it is not safe for your pet’s skin because it can remove the natural oils, making it more prone to infection—especially if there is already irritation from fleas. Detergent is also not effective since it kills only adult fleas. Some eggs will wash off during a bath, but this will not address the majority of flea eggs in your home, and you should never bathe your dog with dish soap. Read our full explanation of dish soap for fleas for more information.

Hot Water

Washing linens and bedding in water that is 140 degrees or hotter will be effective to destroy most flea eggs. Steam cleaning carpets after vacuuming can also help to kill remaining flea eggs.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil can help improve certain skin problems or a dry coat in dogs, and it is safe for animals. However, there is no evidence that it does anything to kill flea eggs.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Some advice on the internet recommends sprinkling diatomaceous earth on carpets and pets’ bedding. According to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC), “Diatomaceous earth causes insects to dry out and die by absorbing the oils and fats from the cuticle of the insect’s exoskeleton. Its sharp edges are abrasive, speeding up the process.”

However, some veterinarians warn that it can harm pets’ respiratory and digestive tracts and advise pet parents to steer clear of using it in areas where pets could inhale or ingest it. If you are interested in using diatomaceous earth to kill fleas and flea eggs, ask your veterinarian about best practices.

Salt

Like diatomaceous earth, some people recommend sprinkling salt in areas settled by flea eggs. However, using salt to kill fleas or their eggs is dangerous and ineffective. The amount of salt required to kill flea eggs and larvae is toxic to your dog or cat if he licks it or inhales it.

Vinegar

Vinegar does nothing to kill eggs. However, adult fleas despise the taste and smell, so a solution of vinegar and water may assist as a homemade repellent for adult fleas.

In short—flea eggs are a stubborn problem to get rid of. So, it can be tempting to try any method possible.

Before you forge ahead, make sure your flea control program is veterinarian-approved and that it addresses the entire flea life cycle, so you can be sure the little bloodsuckers will leave your pets and your family alone for good.

The post Flea Eggs: 10 Questions to Help Identify and Eliminate Them appeared first on Great Pet Care.

Ticks are present in all 50 states and the eight-legged arachnids can transmit tick-borne diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis. In 2022, over 424,000 dogs tested positive for Lyme disease and 425,568 were diagnosed with a life-threatening illness called anaplasmosis, according to data collected from the Companion Animal Parasite Council (1).

“Ticks have mouthparts that act like saws to penetrate the skin,” explains Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, Melanie S. Steele Distinguished Professorship in Medicine at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “Once they attach, they secrete a variety of substances that transmit viruses, bacteria, or groups of infectious agents.”

What Do Ticks Look Like?

Ticks are arachnids, not insects. A tick goes through four life stages: eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults. The life stage can affect what a tick looks like.

Larvae, also called seed ticks, earn their name because they are similar in both size and appearance to a poppyseed. Depending on the species, adult ticks can be as small as a 1/4-inch long; engorged ticks (that have feasted on blood) are larger. Tick larvae have six legs while nymphs and adults have eight legs.

Ticks have heads that are much smaller than their bodies. Their mouthparts, the parts that attach to the host, consist of two palps, two chelicerae (chel-is-sir-ee) and one hypostome (high-post-ohm). The chelicerae cuts through the skin and the hypostome functions like a barbed needle, making the tick difficult to remove. Hard ticks also have a tough shell on their backs, called a scutum (scoot-uhm).

Ticks at all life stages can live on dogs. Larvae, nymphs, and adults feed on their blood and transmit disease.

“Tick-borne diseases are the number one vector-borne diseases in the United States,” says Dr. Lee Ann Lyons, a veterinary pathobiologist and graduate research assistant at the University of Illinois. “Often, ticks are so small that most people don’t even realize they’re there—and that’s what makes them dangerous. By the time you realize a tick is there, it’s already been feeding for several days.”

What Dog Tick Diseases Should You Be Worried About?

More than just a nuisance to remove, ticks have the potential to pass on several diseases. Infected ticks transmit these conditions to your dog through their bites. If left untreated, many tick-borne illnesses can have serious consequences for your dog.

Treatment can range from a course of antibiotics for less worrisome cases to hospitalization, blood transfusions, and ongoing treatments for more intense cases. Keep extensive and costly treatments at bay with a pet health insurance plan. The folks at Animalia offer a variety of plans to meet every budget and need when life happens.

The distribution of disease-carrying ticks varies geographically and by time of year. However, you will find ticks virtually in any part of the United States.

Which dog tick diseases should you be most worried about? Here are the most common and troublesome:

Lyme Disease

Caused by the Borrelia bacteria, Lyme disease are transmitted to dogs by the Ixodes tick—also known as the black-legged tick or deer tick. Some dogs will never show symptoms, while others will experience joint pain, lameness, fever, and more. If left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to serious kidney problems.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

This is disease is a bacterial infection caused by the American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick, and Lone Star tick. Its symptoms are highly variable, making it difficult to diagnose. Catching and treating the disease early is key to a good prognosis, as is keeping your dog on a tick preventative year-round.

Anaplasmosis

This condition happens when dogs are exposed to the tick-borne bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Many dogs remain completely healthy, with no signs of disease. However, when clinical signs do occur, they are typically seen one to two weeks after exposure. These dogs develop a flu-like illness, which is sometimes referred to as dog tick fever or dog fever.

Ehrlichiosis

Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial infection that is transmitted typically by the Brown Dog Tick. Within 1-3 weeks of a bite, your dog may show symptoms such as fever, weight loss, and trouble breathing. Getting your dog on antibiotics as soon as possible after detection is key to a speedy recovery.

Harmful Ticks: How to Recognize Them on Dogs

Before a tick attaches, its movements often gives it away. If you see a small, brownish arachnid moving on your dog, pluck it off with gloves or a tissue if possible and kill it by putting it in a jar of rubbing alcohol.

Once a tick embeds itself into a dog’s skin, it might look like a raised mole or dark skin tag. Since it can be hard to distinguish from a small bump, you’ll have to look very closely for telltale signs it’s a tick such as the hard, oval body and eight legs.

The head of the tick is the only part of the parasite that goes into your dog’s body. So if you see a bump that appears to be under the skin, it’s unlikely to be a tick. If, however, you see something that appears to be sticking out of your dog’s skin, it may be a tick. Grab a small magnifying glass to take a closer look.

There are several species of ticks that can transmit pathogens to dogs and identifying what they look like and their characteristics can help your veterinarian diagnose and treat diseases if symptoms become present.

American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis)

These ticks have flat, oval-shaped bodies. Females have white-to off-white markings on their upper backs while males have a mottled brown and white pattern across their backs.

The American dog tick lives east of the Rocky Mountains and in a growing number of areas along the Pacific Coast. Research shows that this tick species prefer attaching around the head, ears and neck of dogs (2). As larvae and nymphs, the American dog tick tends to stick to smaller animals like mice but adult ticks prefer dogs.

“At each one of these life stages, there’s the risk that whatever animals it’s feeding on has one of these pathogens and the tick will ingest it and transmit it to its next host through the bacteria in its saliva,” Lyons says.

Black-Legged Tick (Ixodes species)

Named for its black legs, black-legged female ticks have flat, oval-shaped orange bodies with a large brown dot on their backs. The males are also flat and oval-shaped but have brown bodies with an off-white border. The Western black-legged tick (Ixodes pacificus) also has black legs. The scutum on males consists of dark brown and rust-colored markings and an orange border surrounding their oval bodies; females have a rust-colored scutum with a dark brown marking on their upper back.

The black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and Western black-legged tick are both carriers of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Adult females of both species have black legs, head, and scutum. They also have a reddish-colored abdomen.

These ticks, also known as deer ticks, attach around the head, ears, and neck (and sometimes on the back) of dogs. The black-legged tick lives throughout the Northeast and upper Midwest while the Western black-legged tick has a range that includes Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Both prefer high brush and open grasslands.

Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus)

Named for its brown color, this species can complete its entire life cycle indoors or outdoors. Therefore, you can find them in homes, dog shelters, groomers, and boarding facilities, as well as grasslands. The males and females look similar. Both have flat, oval-shaped brown bodies but the male is darker in color than the female.

The Brown Dog Tick is the primary species that transmits Rocky Mountain spotted fever. While it will attach almost anywhere on a dog, Dr. Kathryn Duncan, a resident in veterinary parasitology at Oklahoma State University, notes that people most often find the Brown Dog Tick around a dog’s head, ears, legs and between the toes.

Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum)

The female Lone Star Tick has a white dot on her back that looks like a drip of paint. Males have dark brown and rust-colored marking (but no white dots). Their bodies are slightly more rounded than other tick species.

These ticks live throughout the Southeast, including parts of Texas. However, Duncan notes that their geographic distribution is spreading fast, adding, “It’s up into the Northeast now and making its way into the Midwest.” You’ll find these ticks hiding in fields and other brushy areas.

On dogs, the Lone Star Tick embeds itself around the head and neck, belly, armpits and groin. It can transmit illnesses like ehrlichiosis and Heartland virus disease, an illness that causes fever, fatigue, headache, nausea and diarrhea.

“It’s a hunter tick,” Duncan explains. “It detects our presence by carbon dioxide emissions and shadows and will pursue your pet…hunting them down.”

How to Find Ticks on Your Dog

Figuring out what ticks look like on dogs begins with regular (daily) tick checks.

You should check your dog for ticks after hikes, trips to the dog park, and playtime in the backyard. Breitschwerdt advises moving from head to tail, running your hands all over with gentle pressure to feel for small bumps. Look under the collar, between the toes and around the tail, moving the hair aside and looking at the skin to see if ticks have attached. Ticks on dog ears are also common, so make sure to check there as well.

“Dogs with long, or dark fur are more challenging to check,” adds Lyons. “You’ll have to be more thorough.”

Using a flea comb can help. The small tines will “catch” on ticks, but combs should never replace a thorough tactile exploration with your fingers. Lyons notes that regular checks can help you find ticks before they attach, reducing the risk that they’ll spread disease.

How to Remove a Tick From Your Dog

If you find a tick on your dog, don’t panic.

The overall likelihood of disease transmission is low. However, the longer the tick stays attached, the higher the risk, according to Lyons.

To remove an attached tick, use a pair of tweezers or a tick-removal tool. Grab the tick as close to your pet’s skin as possible and pull straight up from the body surface, being careful not to pull any fur at the same time. You might notice a welt in the spot where you removed the tick, especially if the mouthparts weren’t fully removed.

“If the mouthparts do stay in, you might have to go to the veterinarian because they have better tools to get those out,” Duncan says. “Sometimes the skin will just close over the remaining mouthpart but it could get infected to the point where you would need more advanced wound care or antibiotics. So, if you can’t get it all out, it is important to watch the area or call your veterinarian for advice.”

Once you remove the tick, save it. Breitschwerdt suggests putting the tick in a plastic bag labeled with the date and storing it in the refrigerator. If your dog starts exhibiting any symptoms such as loss of appetite, lameness, lack of energy, fever, nausea, vomiting and arthritis-like stiffness, your vet can get important information about the species and what diseases it might have transmitted.

“If you’ve ever found a tick on your pet, the biggest takeaway is that your animal has just proven to you that they must be on a regular tick control product,” Duncan says. “Many think the tick season is restricted to the summer months, but Ixodes species [like the black-legged tick] prefer the cooler months of the year and can be found across most of the United States.”

Talk to your veterinarian about which year-round tick prevention is best for your dog and your family’s lifestyle.

The post What Do Ticks Look Like on Dogs? appeared first on Great Pet Care.

According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, nearly 3 percent of dogs within the United States tested positive for ehrlichiosis in 2022 (1).

What is Ehrlichiosis?

Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial infection that can be caused by several different Ehrlichia species. The species most commonly involved in canine ehrlichiosis are Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia ewingii. 

Both of these bacteria are also capable of causing human infection, although humans are most commonly infected with a different Ehrlichia species. It is important to note, however, that humans cannot get this tick-borne disease directly from an infected dog. Infection can only occur through the bite of an infected tick.

Ehrlichiosis is a disease that is seen worldwide. Within the United States, ehrlichiosis is most common in the Southwest and Southeast. 

Any breed of dog can be infected with ehrlichiosis. German Shepherds appear to be more susceptible to this infection than other breeds, but the cause of this predisposition is unknown.

What Causes Ehrlichiosis in Dogs?

Ehrlichiosis is spread through the bite of an infected tick.

When tick larvae hatch out of their eggs, they immediately begin to search for an animal to feed on. If they feed on a dog or a wild animal with ehrlichiosis, that tick becomes infected with bacteria. This infection will persist within the tick as the tick continues to mature to adulthood, resulting in the tick spreading the infection to any human or animal that it feeds upon.

Once the bacteria have entered a dog through a tick bite, the bacteria replicate and spread throughout the dog’s bloodstream.  

Which Ticks Transmit Ehrlichiosis to Dogs?

The most common cause of ehrlichiosis, Ehrlichia canis, is typically spread by the Brown Dog Tick. 

Ehrlichia ewingii, a less common cause of ehrlichiosis, is primarily spread by the bite of the Lone Star Tick. 

Other tick species may spread other strains of ehrlichiosis, but these are far less likely to infect dogs.

Ehrlichia Symptoms in Dogs

The most significant symptoms of ehrlichiosis are seen in dogs that are infected with Ehrlichia canis. These dogs tend to go through a set progression of clinical signs. 

In the acute phase of infection, which occurs 1-3 weeks after the bite of an infected tick, dogs may develop signs such as fever, weight loss, and trouble breathing. This sudden illness may be mild and dismissed by pet parents, or it may be severe enough to warrant seeking veterinary care. After a few weeks, signs of illness typically resolve. 

Dogs then enter a stage that is referred to as subclinical infection. Dogs typically have no visible signs of illness during the subclinical phase, although they may have difficulties with blood clotting if they become injured. In some cases, the condition continues to progress and dogs develop clinical ehrlichiosis. In this phase, signs may include bleeding disorders, limping, and other issues. 

Dogs infected with Ehrlichia ewingii, the less common form of ehrlichiosis, develop different clinical signs. These dogs may develop fever, lethargy, limping, gastrointestinal signs, and neurologic signs. 

Ehrlichiosis symptoms in dogs may include any of the following:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Dehydration
• Weight loss
• Breathing difficulties
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Limping
• Bleeding disorders (nosebleeds, coughing up blood, unexplained bruises)
• Pale gums
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Neurologic signs (difficulty walking, muscle tremors, seizures, loss of consciousness)

Diagnosing This Condition in Dogs

If your dog has nonspecific signs of illness, such as those seen with ehrlichiosis, your veterinarian will likely begin by performing blood tests. A complete blood cell count and serum biochemistry allow your veterinarian to assess your dog’s overall health, including red blood cell count, white blood cell count, platelet count, and organ function tests. If your dog has ehrlichiosis, these blood tests typically show an abnormally low platelet count and low blood protein levels. Red blood cell counts and white blood cell counts may also be reduced.

The most common test for ehrlichiosis is an in-house test that detects Ehrlichia canis. This test can be run in the veterinary clinic and provides accurate results in approximately 10 minutes. In-house testing may be performed on dogs with suspected ehrlichiosis, but it is also often performed as a part of yearly wellness testing in dogs. Many heartworm tests used by veterinary clinics also include a test for Ehrlichia canis.

Other tests are available to detect less-common Ehrlichia species. These tests often require sending a blood sample to an off-site laboratory for analysis. It may take several days to receive the results from these tests. 

How to Treat Ehrlichiosis in Dogs

Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial infection. Therefore, the most important component of ehrlichiosis treatment in dogs is antibiotics. 

Dogs that are severely ill may require additional treatments. In some cases, medication may be required to address pain and inflammation. Dogs with significant bleeding problems may need to be hospitalized for blood transfusions, to address anemia and low cell counts. 

Medications to Treat Ehrlichiosis in Dogs

Doxycycline is an oral antibiotic used to treat ehrlichiosis. This antibiotic is used to treat a variety of tick diseases. Doxycycline may be given in tablet or capsule form. Treatment with doxycycline is typically continued for four weeks, in order to fully eliminate the infection. The most common side effects of doxycycline are nausea and vomiting. Giving the medication with food may lessen side effects. In some cases, other antibiotics that are closely related to doxycycline, such as minocycline or tetracycline, may be used. 

Prednisone tablets may also be given in severe cases, to reduce inflammation associated with ehrlichiosis. Side effects of prednisone may include increased thirst and urination, increased appetite, and increased panting. These side effects typically resolve once the medication is stopped.

General Cost to Treat Canine Ehrlichiosis

The cost of ehrlichiosis treatment depends on the severity of the disease. In dogs with mild disease, requiring only doxycycline, the cost of medication may range from $25-$100. 

In dogs with severe signs of disease, requiring blood transfusions and more aggressive treatment, the cost may increase to thousands of dollars.

How to Prevent Dogs From Contracting Ehrlichiosis

The only way to prevent ehrlichiosis is to ensure that your dog is not exposed to ticks. For most dogs, this requires the use of year-round tick prevention. There are a number of different types of tick prevention available, including oral medications, topical medications, and tick collars. Tick prevention not only prevents ehrlichiosis, but also prevents other tick borne diseases in dogs. 

Talk to your veterinarian to determine the best tick prevention for your pet. 

Related Conditions

• Anaplasmosis
• Lyme Disease
• Thrombocytopenia

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According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, nearly 4 percent of dogs within the United States tested positive for anaplasmosis exposure in 2022 (1).

Anaplasmosis is caused by two different bacteria: Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma platys. These two bacteria are very closely related, but they cause slightly different clinical signs in dogs.

What is Anaplasmosis?

Anaplasmosis is a bacterial infection that is spread by ticks. There are two forms of anaplasmosis, which are caused by different bacteria and have different characteristics.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes the more common form of anaplasmosis, known as dog tick fever. This infection occurs worldwide. In the United States, cases are most commonly reported in the Northeast and Midwest. A. phagocytophilum is spread by deer ticks, Western black-legged ticks, and castor bean ticks.

Anaplasma platys is a less common form of anaplasmosis, known as infectious cyclic thrombocytopenia (thrombocytopenia means “lack of platelets”). This infection is also found worldwide. It is spread by the brown dog tick.

Most dogs that are bit by an infected tick do not develop any clinical signs of anaplasmosis. If symptoms do occur, they typically begin one to three weeks after the bite of an infected tick. Although signs of illness are uncommon, the illness can be severe.

What Causes Anaplasmosis in Dogs?

Anaplasmosis is spread by the bite of an infected tick. The tick must feed on the dog for at least 24 hours in order for the infection to spread. During feeding, bacteria move from the tick’s gut to the mouth, and are then injected into the dog’s blood and tissues.

While any dog can be infected with anaplasmosis, it appears to be more common in Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. We don’t know whether this actually represents an increased susceptibility or whether these dogs are just more likely to spend time in the woods with their owners.

Anaplasmosis Symptoms in Dogs

Asymptomatic anaplasmosis in dogs is common, meaning dogs may not show symptoms of the disease.

Many dogs exposed to Anaplasma phagocytophilum remain completely healthy, with no signs of disease. When clinical signs do occur, however, they are typically seen one to two weeks after exposure. These dogs develop a flu-like illness, which is sometimes referred to as dog tick fever or dog fever.

After the initial illness, flu-like signs often resolve without treatment. However, if the infection progresses, signs of joint inflammation typically develop throughout the body. Affected dogs often limp and visible swelling of the joints may be seen.

Signs associated with A. phagocytophilum infection include:

• Lethargy
• Fever
• Decreased appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Limping
• Generalized discomfort
• Joint stiffness or pain
• Visible swelling of the joints

Dogs infected with A. platys develop a different set of symptoms, although there are some similarities. This bacterium attacks the platelets, which are cells within the blood that are responsible for blood clotting. Therefore, infected dogs often have problems related to abnormal bleeding.

Undiagnosed anaplasmosis in dogs can lead to significant bleeding disorders, which may begin to develop as soon as one to two weeks after infection. Additionally, A. platys can cause chronic anaplasmosis in dogs, with signs waxing and waning over time.

Signs of A. platys infection include:

• Fever
• Nosebleeds
• Unexplained bruising (large bruises or small, pinpoint bruises referred to as petechiae)
• Pale gums
• Enlarged lymph nodes

Diagnosing Anaplasmosis in Dogs

To diagnose anaplasmosis in dogs, your veterinarian will first perform a thorough physical exam and obtain a complete medical history.

Next, your veterinarian is likely to recommend blood tests, including a complete blood cell count (CBC) and serum biochemistry. A dog with anaplasmosis often will have a low platelet count on the CBC, as well as anemia (decreased number of red blood cells) and changes in white blood cells. A serum biochemistry profile may show increases in liver enzymes and proteins associated with inflammation. In some cases, the organism can be seen in the blood with the use of a microscope.

If physical exam and bloodwork findings suggest the possibility of a tick-borne disease, your veterinarian will perform additional tests. Anaplasmosis is usually diagnosed using an in-house test. This test requires only a few drops of blood and provides accurate results within 10 minutes.

One important limitation of the test, however, is that it does not distinguish between active infection and previous exposure. A positive anaplasmosis test can be seen in any dog that has been exposed to the disease, because the test looks for the presence of antibodies and not the bacterium itself. Dogs that test positive for anaplasmosis only need treatment if they have clinical signs or bloodwork changes that suggest an active infection.

In some cases, dogs with one tick-borne disease (such as anaplasmosis) are also infected with other tick-borne diseases (such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, etc.). The test that is commonly performed to diagnose anaplasmosis also assesses for the presence of Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis, but your veterinarian may recommend additional testing to screen for other tick-borne infections.

How to Treat Anaplasmosis in Dogs

As a bacterial infection, anaplasmosis treatment involves antibiotics. Dogs typically begin to show signs of improvement within 24-48 hours of starting antibiotics. Antibiotic treatment is typically continued for one month, in order to maximize the likelihood of eliminating the infection.

In dogs that are severely ill, more aggressive care may be needed. If your dog is dehydrated, your veterinarian may recommend intravenous fluids. Severe discomfort may need to be managed with pain medications. Dogs with very low platelet levels should be confined (to limit the risk of injury that could result in bleeding) and may need blood transfusions.

Medications for Anaplasmosis

Doxycycline is the antibiotic that is typically used to treat anaplasmosis in dogs. Most dogs tolerate this medication well. Like any oral medication, however, this drug may cause vomiting and/or diarrhea in some pets. Gastrointestinal side effects can be minimized by giving the medication with food. If doxycycline is unavailable, minocycline or tetracycline may be substituted; these drugs have similar actions and side effects.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications may also be prescribed to treat joint pain and swelling. These drugs should also be given with a meal, in order to minimize gastrointestinal effects.

All medications should be used according to your veterinarian’s instructions.

General Cost of Treatment for Anaplasmosis

The cost of treatment for anaplasmosis in dogs varies, depending primarily on the size of your pet. Larger dogs need larger medication doses. In general, treatment costs associated with anaplasmosis include:

• Initial diagnostic workup: $150-$350
• Antibiotic therapy: $20-$200

In severe cases, hospitalization and blood transfusions may increase the cost of treatment to several thousand dollars.

How to Prevent Anaplasmosis in Dogs

The best way to prevent anaplasmosis is to ensure that your pet receives year-round flea and tick prevention. It takes 24 hours of feeding for an infected tick to transmit anaplasmosis—so any effective tick prevention (even oral formulations, which require the tick to bite in order to die) will prevent the transmission of anaplasmosis. Talk to your veterinarian to determine the best prevention for your dog.

If you do find a tick on your dog, remove it promptly. Use tweezers to grasp the tick’s head, as close to the skin as possible, then pull gently. The goal is to remove the entire tick, including the head. If the head is left behind, however, there’s no need to panic—your dog’s body will gradually expel the tick head within a few days.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors with your dog, make sure to regularly check your dog for ticks before entering your home.

Related Conditions

• Ehrlichiosis
• Lyme disease
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever

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Unlike people, many dogs who are exposed to Lyme disease never develop any symptoms. Most of the time, symptoms are mild and are easily treated. However, some dogs with Lyme disease can become very sick. 

Getting dogs treatment for Lyme disease early is the best course of action. Let’s take a closer look at how dogs get Lyme, what the symptoms are, and how pet parents can work with their veterinarians to treat and prevent this parasitic disease. 

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia bacteria. This bacteria is transmitted by ticks to dogs (or people), but it is not contagious between species—meaning people cannot get Lyme disease from dogs and dogs cannot get Lyme disease from people. Most Lyme disease infections are transmitted by the Ixodes tick—also known as the black-legged tick or deer tick. 

In the United States, Lyme disease is spreading. It is most common in the Northeast and Great Lakes region, and rapidly spreading across the Northern United States and Appalachia. Currently, there are no states that are free of Lyme disease, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC).

Infection is most likely to occur in the spring and summer but infections happen year-round. Over the winter, ticks survive by biting and attaching to mammals such as mice, squirrels, and deer. When a tick drops off one of these animals, it can be easily picked up by your dog. 

Most ticks quest, which means they climb up long stalks of grass and plants and wait for an unsuspecting animal to walk by. They then attach to the animal and bite for their meal.

Since the disease is transmitted by ticks, risk is highest in and near forested areas. 

Causes of Lyme Disease in Dogs

Dogs get Lyme disease from the bite of an infected Ixodes tick, just like people do. However, transmission of the disease is not instantaneous when the tick bites. It takes 24-48 hours for the tick to transmit the disease to your dog. 

Once the Borrelia bacteria enters a dog’s body, it changes the molecules on its surface in order to hide from the immune system. This is why many dogs do not get immediately sick, but may develop symptoms long after the tick bite. 

Ticks can transmit disease even at an early life stage. Young ticks, known as nymphs (often referred to as seed ticks), look like tiny black dots. Their legs are so small that you may not see them at first. Adult ticks have a black front half of the body and a wider brown back. You may not be able to see the tick’s head if it has already latched onto your dog. 

There is some suggestion that Retriever-type dogs may be slightly more susceptible to a severe form of Lyme disease. Studies from Europe found that Bernese Mountain Dogs may also be at increased risk for this severe form. (2)

Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Dogs

Many dogs who are exposed to Lyme disease never develop any symptoms. But for dogs that show signs, symptoms may develop days to weeks after tick exposure and can range from very mild to severe. 

Joint pain is often the first sign of Lyme disease in dogs and this can include one or more joints. Sometimes, pain in multiple joints just looks like stiffness or slowness to get up and down. 

Most dogs who develop symptoms of Lyme disease will show one or more of the following signs:

• Joint swelling and pain
• Lameness 
• Fever
• Lethargy (decreased energy)
• Swollen lymph nodes

Rarely, dogs develop kidney disease associated with Lyme infection. Symptoms of this form of Lyme disease, called Lyme nephritis, may range from mild to severe. 

The symptoms, which are similar to those of acute or chronic kidney disease, include:

• Vomiting
• Lack of appetite (inappetance or anorexia)
• Edema (fluid under the skin)
• Fluid in the chest or abdomen

Diagnosing Your Dog With Lyme Disease

Diagnosis of Lyme disease starts with a physical examination. There are many causes of illness that look similar to Lyme disease and a full physical examination can help your veterinarian narrow down the possibilities. 

Next, your veterinarian will recommend bloodwork and a urine test. There are several changes that are common in acute and chronic Lyme disease that your veterinarian will look for including signs of inflammation and kidney damage. Since joint pain is a common symptom of Lyme disease, your veterinarian may recommend X-rays to look for other causes of joint pain.

Your veterinarian will perform a specific blood test for Lyme disease antibodies. Antibodies are the part of the immune system that recognizes specific causes of disease, such as the Borrelia bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Antibody tests cannot distinguish between an active infection and simple exposure. This means that though the test is useful to rule out Lyme disease, it cannot confirm that your dog’s symptoms are the result of a Lyme disease infection.

The cost to diagnose Lyme disease in dogs can be as little as $100 to more than $500, depending on which tests are required by your veterinarian. 

Treatment for Lyme Disease in Dogs

Most veterinarians will recommend oral antibiotics given for four weeks after tick exposure for symptomatic dogs. Depending on your dog’s symptoms, your veterinarian may also recommend pain medications or steroids. 

With appropriate treatment, most dogs will fully recover by the end of one month and Lyme disease won’t affect their overall health or life expectancy. 

However, long-term infection with Borrelia can cause damage to a dog’s kidneys, called Lyme nephritis. This is why early detection and treatment for Lyme disease is key. 

Kidney damage is irreversible and is progressive, though there are several types of medications and other treatments that can improve your dog’s health. These include changing to a prescription dog food and adding one or more oral medications to slow damage to the kidneys. Some dogs may also require steroids or other types of immunosuppressive medications. Dogs with Lyme nephritis require frequent veterinary visits in order to manage these medications and make changes as necessary. 

Early intervention with antibiotics will reduce the likelihood that your dog develops the serious form of Lyme disease.            

General Cost

The cost to treat Lyme disease depends on the size of your dog and your geographic location. However, the average range for early treatment with antibiotics and medication is $20-$100. 

However, the bacteria is not fully removed from the body by this treatment and therefore it is possible for dogs to develop long-term effects of Borrelia infection, which may be more costly to treat down the road. 

The cost of treating kidney problems due to Lyme nephritis can easily escalate to thousands of dollars over several years. As the disease progresses, dogs may experience kidney failure, which can deteriorate their quality of life. 

How to Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs

It is easy to prevent Lyme disease with monthly tick prevention. Most tick prevention kills ticks when they bite, preventing transmission of the disease. Since ticks can bite year-round, tick preventatives need to be given year-round. 

Tick Prevention Methods

The most effective tick prevention products require a prescription from your veterinarian and come in chewable and topical formulations. Many of the off-brand and inexpensive over-the-counter options that claim to kill ticks are not effective enough to keep your pet safe. Don’t risk your pet’s health to save a few dollars. These products may also be slower to kill ticks, meaning that your dog can bring ticks into the house where you or your family can also be infected.

Permethrin-embedded collars repel ticks, preventing ticks from biting your dog and are available without a prescription. These collars should only be purchased directly from trusted sources as there are many fake versions offered at discount prices. Citronella collars do not protect your dog from ticks. 

Always check yourself and your dog for ticks after going to forested areas, walking near tall grass, or spending time in overgrowth. Ticks like to attach between a dog’s toes, in the armpits and hip pockets, and in ears. However, ticks can be found anywhere on a dog’s body, including but not limited to parts of the body that come in contact with plants. 

If you do see a tick on your dog, use tweezers or a tick removal tool to gently pull it off. It is important to remove the head with the rest of the body. If you feel uncomfortable performing this procedure at home, contact your veterinarian immediately. 

Lyme Disease Vaccine

A vaccine is available against Lyme disease. However, it is not recommended for every dog. This is because risk of exposure varies by geographic location and lifestyle and because the vaccine is not fully effective.

It is estimated that the Lyme vaccine prevents 60-83 percent of infections (3). The best protection requires re-vaccinating against Lyme disease every 6 to 12 months. The vaccine should not be given to dogs who test positive for Lyme disease. 

Many veterinarians in lower-risk locations consider year-round tick prevention to be safer and more effective than the Lyme vaccine and therefore may not recommend it for your dog. If you are interested in vaccinating your dog against Lyme disease, discuss the vaccine with your veterinarian.

Related Conditions 

• Ehrlichiosis
• Anaplasmosis
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
• Immune Mediated Polyarthritis

Lyme Disease in Dogs FAQs

What is Lyme disease in dogs?

Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia bacteria. This bacteria is transmitted by ticks to dogs, but it is not contagious between species—meaning people cannot get Lyme disease from dogs and dogs cannot get Lyme disease from people. Most Lyme disease infections are transmitted by the Ixodes tick—also known as the black-legged tick or deer tick. 

What are the first symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs?

Joint pain is often the first sign of Lyme disease in dogs and this can include one or more joints. Sometimes, pain in multiple joints just looks like stiffness or slowness to get up and down. However, many dogs who get Lyme disease don’t develop any symptoms.

Can Lyme disease be cured in dogs?

Yes! With proper treatment, Lyme disease can be cured in dogs. Most veterinarians will recommend oral antibiotics given for four weeks after tick exposure for symptomatic dogs. Depending on your dog’s symptoms, your veterinarian may also recommend pain medications or steroids.

What are the three stages of Lyme disease in dogs?

Lyme disease infection in dogs progresses in three stages: early localized Lyme, early disseminated Lyme, and late disseminated Lyme. Early identification is the best way to ensure your dog does not suffer from debilitating symptoms once infected.

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According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC), coccidia infections are present in almost 40 percent of dogs in North America. Fortunately, coccidia are easy to treat, and if treated properly, prognosis for dogs is good.

What is Coccidia?

Coccidia, also called coccidiosis, is the catch-all term for a group of parasites that infect dogs and other mammals. Coccidia are microscopic parasites that live in the wall of a dog’s intestine. There are many species of coccidia, and dogs are most often affected by the species of coccidia called Isospora. 

While you cannot see them with your naked eye, coccidia eggs are routinely detected by veterinary staff on microscopic fecal exams. They look like transparent eggs with very thin walls.

Coccidia can be tricky to diagnose because a dog can be infected and not show any signs at all. Alternatively, coccidia can cause watery, bloody diarrhea and weakness in dogs, and can be life-threatening to very young or very small dogs.

What Causes Coccidiosis in Dogs?

As a responsible dog owner, it is important to know how coccidia is transmitted from dog to dog. 

Coccidia eggs, which are called oocysts, are passed in poop. Within 12-26 hours, these eggs mature and can infect animals that accidentally swallow the infected poop. 

Coccidiosis is very common in young dogs that are housed together, like dogs that are housed in a shelter, rescue, kennel, or breeding facility.

Coccidia are very common in the United States, and these parasites don’t just infect dogs. Mice, houseflies, cockroaches, and other bugs can all become infected and become a source of infection if they are eaten by pet dogs. In addition, dogs can become infected by consuming any part of a carcass that is infected with coccidia.

Most of the time, dogs are infected with species of coccidia that only infect dogs, and the most common species of coccidia do not infect humans. Some other species, such as Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma, can be transmitted to people, but these types of coccidia are rarely transmitted from dogs to humans. 

Symptoms of a Coccidia Infection in Dogs

As previously discussed, coccidia can cause severe watery, bloody diarrhea, weakness, and anemia in puppies. However, in normal, healthy adult dogs, coccidia can cause no symptoms at all. 

Whether or not a dog develops clinical signs related to coccidiosis depends on the dog’s immune system, which is often weaker in puppies than in adult dogs. Stress can also reduce the strength of the immune system, and coccidiosis can develop in dogs that have been recently stressed by rehoming, other infections or disease, or surgery.

Coccidia makes its home in the lining of a dog’s gut. When an infectious oocyst is swallowed by a dog, it breaks open and releases tiny particles that infect intestinal cells—cells that line the gut. These tiny particles reproduce rapidly inside the intestinal cells causing them to burst. If enough intestinal cells burst at the same time, then the dog develops watery, bloody diarrhea.

Additional symptoms of coccidiosis in dogs include:

• Weight loss
• Dehydration
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Lack of energy
• Death (only in severe cases)

Diagnosing Coccidiosis in Dogs

Coccidiosis in dogs is diagnosed with a combination of history (where you dog is from, what his habits are, recent travel, kennel stays, doggie daycare, etc.), signalment (age, breed, gender, neutered or not), physical exam findings, and laboratory tests.

Coccidia are easily diagnosed by examining your dog’s feces under the microscope for the presence of coccidia oocysts (eggs). Fecal float tests are routine tests that are easily run at your local veterinary office. To run a fecal test, your veterinarian will need a fresh sample of poop from your dog, ideally collected the same day as the test and kept in a sealed container. 

A technician mixes a small amount of feces with a solution that is heavier than parasite eggs, which forces the eggs to float to the surface and adhere to a microscope slide. In some cases, the sample may be spun in a centrifuge to further help eggs float to the surface. The microscope slide is then removed and examined under a microscope, allowing visualization of the eggs.

Sometimes a dog can be infected with coccidia but not show any eggs on the fecal float test. In these cases, if your veterinarian is suspicious of a coccidia infection, she may still recommend treatment for coccidia, or she may recommend repeating the fecal float test to look for parasites. 

How to Treat Coccidia in Dogs

There are two ways to treat coccidia infections in dogs: coccidiostat drugs and coccidiocidal drugs.

Coccidiostat drugs are the traditional and most common medications used to treat coccidia infections. Coccidiostat drugs stop coccidia from reproducing and allow the dog’s immune system to eradicate the infection. 

How long coccidiostat drugs take to eliminate the infection depends on how many coccidia are infecting the dog and how strong the dog’s immune system is. Typically, dogs are treated for 5-25 days with Albon, the most commonly prescribed coccidiostat drug.

Coccidiocidal drugs kill coccidia. Ponazuril and toltrazuril are both coccidiocidal drugs that are commonly used in farm animals for coccidia infections. Both of these drugs can be compounded into dog-friendly formulations by your local pharmacist, and only require a few doses in comparison to longer treatments with Albon. 

General Cost to Treat Coccidia in Dogs

The cost of diagnosis and treatment for a coccidia infection range based on geographical location. In general, associated costs can include:

Exam: $40-$70

Fecal Float Test: $30-$50

Medication: $35-$100, depending on type of medication, length of treatment, and size of dog

How to Prevent Dogs From a Coccidia Infection

Reinfection with coccidia is likely because the parasite is so common in the environment. If your dog has been diagnosed with coccidia, it is important to disinfect the environment.

Remove any feces as soon as possible to prevent reinfection. Oocysts in the soil can be killed by spraying a diluted chlorine bleach solution at a dilution of 1 cup of bleach to one gallon of water. 

To avoid infection, prevent your dog from eating feces or potentially infected hosts such as mice or insects. 

Remember that not all dogs that have coccidia have symptoms, so be sure and have your dog’s poop tested yearly for parasites at your local veterinary office. 

Related Conditions

• Diarrhea
• Anemia

The post Coccidia in Dogs appeared first on Great Pet Care.

However, it was not until the 1970s, however, that veterinarians recognized this condition in dogs. 

Ticks that spread this infection live throughout the country, making this condition a widespread threat. 

What is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever?

Rocky Mountain spotted fever in dogs is a tick-borne bacterial infection that may cause a wide range of clinical signs. Some infected dogs remain completely asymptomatic, meaning they show no signs of the infection. Other dogs, however, may develop fatal multi-system organ failure. 

Although many animal species can become infected with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, only dogs and humans develop clinical signs of disease. 

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is not the same as Colorado Tick Fever (CTF), which is a viral tick-borne disease. 

Is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Contagious?

Humans cannot catch Rocky Mountain spotted fever directly from an infected dog. It cannot be passed from dog to dog or from dogs to other pets. 

However, if your dog becomes infected, this indicates that Rocky Mountain spotted fever is present in your area and you are also at risk of contracting the infection. 

What Causes Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Dogs?

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a bacterial infection spread through tick bites, by passing the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. 

Tick species that cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever in dogs include:

• The American dog tick
• The Rocky Mountain wood tick
• The Lone Star tick

Ticks become infected with the bacteria after feeding on an infected animal (often a rabbit or rodent). Once infected, they transmit the infection to dogs or humans when feeding. 

If a tick carrying Rocky Mountain spotted fever bites you or your dog, signs of illness typically develop within two weeks of the bite.

Where is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Found?

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is found throughout North America, Central America, and South America. 

In the United States, the disease is most common in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, and Western regions. 

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, over 60 percent of human cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the United States come from just five states (1): 

• North Carolina 
• Tennessee
• Oklahoma
• Arkansas
• Missouri

Cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever occur year-round. Higher numbers of cases happen in the warmer months, from March through November, typically peaking in June and July. This seasonal variation follows increases and decreases in tick activity.

Symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Dogs

Symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in dogs may vary significantly, depending on the pet’s overall health, immune system, and how quickly veterinarians treat and diagnose the condition. 

In the early stages of infection, dogs typically show vague signs of illness that cannot be directly linked to any specific cause. These signs may include fever, weakness, decreased appetite, generalized pain or discomfort, and vomiting. 

As the disease progresses, more serious signs may be visible. Rocky Mountain spotted fever affects the walls of the blood vessels. Therefore, it causes a wide variety of signs, depending on the affected body part.

Signs of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in dogs are divided into several categories:

Nonspecific signs 

• Fever
• Lethargy, weakness
• Generalized pain or stiffness when walking
• Decreased appetite
• Weight loss (may be rapid and dramatic) 
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Skin abnormalities

• Rash
• Bleeding under the skin (visible as pinpoint red dots or larger bruises)
• Blisters
• Swelling/edema
• Gangrene of the legs

Respiratory issues

• Cough 
• Shortness of breath or labored breathing 

Circulatory abnormalities

• Pale gums, lips, skin
• Nosebleeds

Eye problems 

• Conjunctivitis (pinkeye)
• Bleeding within the eye or in the tissues surrounding the eye

Neurologic abnormalities

• Muscle tremors
• Seizures
• Head tilt 
• Overly reactive to touch or sounds

None of these symptoms are specific to Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Therefore, a veterinarian needs to perform diagnostic testing to determine the cause of a dog’s illness.

Diagnosis of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is challenging to diagnose, because clinical signs are highly variable. Your veterinarian will likely perform multiple tests before arriving at a diagnosis. 

The first step is a complete blood cell count (CBC) and serum biochemistry, which analyzes the clear pale yellow liquid within a dog’s blood called serum. 

The serum biochemistry in a dog with Rocky Mountain spotted fever may be normal or abnormal, depending on the affected body systems. The CBC, however, often points towards the diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. 

Abnormalities in a dog’s CBC may include: 

• Low platelet count (most common lab finding)
• Low red blood cell count
• High or low white blood cell count 

If your veterinarian suspects Rocky Mountain spotted fever, he or she will conduct further testing to confirm the diagnosis. 

Rocky Mountain spotted fever has two specific tests: 

Serology – This is a test that looks for antibodies that the body makes to fight Rocky Mountain spotted fever. These antibodies are present in the blood within 7-10 days of infection and persist for a long time. After an initial serology test, another one may be necessary 2-3 weeks later to see if there has been a significant rise in the antibody levels. 

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing – This test looks for the presence of actual bacteria within the body. The advantage of this test is that a single positive test is adequate to make a diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in dogs. The disadvantage, however, is that this test is not very sensitive and may miss some cases.

Your veterinarian may suggest performing serology and PCR simultaneously, to increase the chances of obtaining an accurate diagnosis. 

Treatment of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever 

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is treated with antibiotics. Several different antibiotics treat this infection, although doxycycline is used most commonly. 

In severe cases, additional therapies may be needed. Dogs may be hospitalized for intravenous fluids and injectable antibiotics if they are vomiting or severely dehydrated. 

In some dogs, widespread inflammation associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever veterinarians may use prednisone or other steroids. 

Severely anemic dogs may require a blood transfusion. 

Recovery and Prognosis

In general, dogs improve quickly with treatment. Dogs often begin to feel better within as little as 24-48 hours and laboratory abnormalities typically resolve within two weeks. 

If veterinarians catch and treat Rocky Mountain spotted fever early, the prognosis is excellent. Most dogs will have lifelong immunity after infection.

Prognosis is guarded if there is delayed treatment and a dog comes in critically ill. 

Medication for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

The most common antibiotic used to treat Rocky Mountain spotted fever in dogs is doxycycline. Pet parents administer it orally, as a tablet or capsule, once or twice daily for 21 days. 

Side effects include nausea and vomiting, although giving the medication with food can minimize these effects.

Alternative antibiotics (if doxycycline is unavailable) include

• Tetracycline
• Enrofloxacin
• Chloramphenicol

Cost to Treat Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever 

The costs of treating Rocky Mountain spotted fever vary, depending on the severity of illness, the dog’s size, regional price variations, and other factors. 

In a dog diagnosed early in the course of disease, you can expect to pay the following: 

• Physical exam: $50-$100
• Laboratory tests: $250­-$500
• Doxycycline: $40-$80

If dogs require aggressive treatment, costs may be significantly higher. You may spend thousands of dollars for hospitalization, intravenous fluids, and other supportive care. 

For this reason, it’s important to take your dog to the veterinarian promptly if you see signs of illness. 

How to Prevent Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Dogs

To prevent your dog from contracting Rocky Mountain spotted fever, use tick prevention year-round. Make sure you’re following dosing instructions according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. 

Even dogs living in urban areas should receive regular tick prevention, because urban rodents and other wildlife can act as a host for ticks and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

A number of effective tick preventions are available, including topical products and oral medications. Talk to your veterinarian to determine the best tick prevention for your dog. 

You should also check your dog for ticks after spending time in the woods or other high-risk areas such as high grass. 

Remove ticks by using tweezers to grasp the tick near your dog’s skin and firmly pull the tick out. Veterinarians do not typically recommend antibiotics for a single tick bite. Talk to your veterinarian if you are in a high-risk area. 

Related Conditions 

• Ehrlichiosis
• Lyme Disease
• Anaplasmosis

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