Tip of the Month

• Flea Control - Shut Down the Circus in your Home - August 2008

  Flea Control – Shut Down the Circus in Your Home
  
  Do you have a flea problem in your home that just won’t go away? Do you seem to keep treating your pets (following the advice of your veterinarian or their assistant) but never seem to stop the prolific infestation of fleas?
  
  Here are some facts and tips to help you plan an attack that will shut down that flea circus in 24 hours.
  
  A flea has four stages in its life. First, fleas are laid in eggs which hatch into larvae. The larvae resemble tiny maggots and within a week build a protective cocoon around themselves. Once in this cocoon state, they are called pupae. The pupae can remain in this stage until warm, moist conditions are present (up to a year) which are necessary for them to hatch into adult fleas. Adult fleas live up to two years, and an adult female flea can lay up to 50 eggs every 24 to 48 hours, totaling up to 1,000 eggs in her lifetime.
  
  Fleas can transport themselves from one animal to another by walking, jumping, or being transported by a host. They feed off the blood of pets, with the female flea consuming up to 15 times its own body weight of your pet’s blood each day. Young puppies and kittens can develop “flea anemia” if the infestation is out of control, which can lead to death within a day or two. Graduates of veterinary and veterinary assistant schools can explain the graveness of this disease.
  
  Adequate flea control involves the following steps:
  • Removing fleas from the inside of your house
  • Removing fleas from the outside areas surrounding your house
  • Removing fleas from your pets
  • Using preventative flea control products on your pets
  
  A treatment program should be planned and executed within a 24-hour period with help from professionals (such as your veterinarian, anyone who has attended an accredited veterinary assistant school, etc.). Since fleas do not live on your pets (they usually just jump on for a meal), they will live and lay their eggs in your carpets, curtains, bedding, throw rugs, and areas around the house where your pets sleep, such as dog beds.
  
  In the morning, take your pets to the veterinarian for a flea bath or flea dip by a veterinary assistant (whichever your veterinarian recommends) and leave them there for the day.
  
  Then, treat the indoor environment with the proper amount of flea bombs or flea foggers. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Next, treat the outside environment with a pesticide spray that includes agents that kill fleas specifically. Be sure to spray kennel areas and any warm, moist areas in the grass and/or dirt where your pets play or lay. Again, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Many pest control companies can be hired to spray the indoor and outdoor environments for you if you do not want to do this yourself.
  
  Lastly, ask your veterinarian about topical flea products that will kill the flea when it bites, or internal flea growth regulation medications that cause the female fleas to lay only sterile eggs when feeding off your pet.
  
  The best plan for flea control is prevention before the problem becomes dangerous to your pet’s health and well-being. It is important to keep your pets protected all year ‘round. Remember that prevention is crucial in keeping the flea circus from setting up and thriving in your home!
  

• Administering Oral Medication to Dogs and Cats - March 2009

  Administering Oral Medication to Dogs and Cats
  
  Pet owners will often come across the challenge of having to administer oral medication to their animals, whether it be antibiotics, pain medication after surgery, or otherwise. The veterinary assistant is responsible for pilling your pet while she is still within the veterinary hospital’s walls; however, upon bringing your pet home, you will become accountable for this crucial task.
  
  Professionals in animal jobs will tell you that opening a dog or cat’s mouth is a sensitive task as there is always the risk of getting bit. The biggest advantage of oral medication is that it allows you to continue your pet’s ongoing medications without having to give them painful injections. Oral medication can also shorten an animal’s hospital stay due to the fact that oral medication may be administered at home. Many injectable medications are also manufactured in pill or liquid form.
  
  Before departing from the veterinary facility with your pet, make sure to ask the facility’s vet assistant to demonstrate the administration of oral medication to you. He or she should be happy to do so. You can also follow the helpful instructions provided here.
  
  Pilling a Cat
  Hold the cat’s upper jaw over the top of her head with your thumb and index finger behind the top canine teeth. Your fourth and fifth finger should wrap around the back of the cat’s head, pointing it upward. Hold the pill or syringe full of liquid medication in the other hand and use one finger of that hand to pry the bottom jaw open. If the medication is in pill form, drop the pill as far back in the cat’s mouth as possible without allowing it to fall to the sides of the mouth. Keep in mind that the esophagus is to the left of the trachea, so the pill should be placed in the left-rear portion of the throat. You can use your finger or a pill gun (available at pet supply stores) to guide it down the esophagus, but work quickly if using your finger to avoid being bitten. Close the mouth immediately and hold it shut, stimulating swallowing by either blowing in the cat’s nose or massaging her throat. Make sure your cat swallows the pill; you should be able to visibly see her swallowing. Rinse her mouth with a syringe full of water. Bad-tasting pills will cause a cat to salivate excessively, which can be a problem if the medication comes back up. To limit salivation, try to act quickly to decrease the amount of time the pill is in her mouth. If your cat is resisting by pushing away with her limbs, wrap her in a towel to restrain her limbs.
  
  Pilling a Dog
  The difference between oral medication administration of canines and felines is that with a dog, you may stick your finger inside his mouth behind his upper canine teeth and apply pressure to the roof of his mouth. The sensation of your finger across the roof of the dog’s mouth will coerce him to open his mouth. As with felines, use the other hand to hold the medication and open the bottom jaw. Drop the pill as far back in the mouth as possible, slightly to the left as this is where the esophagus is located. Allow his head to return to a normal position so he may swallow, and then repeat the process with a syringe full of water. If your dog is resistant to taking medication, try this trade secret used often by those in animal jobs such as your veterinary assistant – hide the pill or capsule in a piece of tasty food such as cheese or a hot dog to turn stressful medication time into a treat.
  

• Ringworm - February 2010

  Despite the name, Ringworm is not a worm but actually a fungus. Known as Dermatophytosis, it can be spread from cat to cat or even from pet to human. As it is a fungus, it contains spores and these spores can live in the environment for up to 24 months and can live on furniture, bedding, clothing or anything that the infected animal has been in contact with. Individuals with animal jobs should be very careful since it is very easy to bring ringworm home to your family members and pets.
  
  On occasion, ringworm can infect an animal’s entire body but most commonly appears as scaly, hairless sores on the ears, tail and or head. These sores can be very itchy and fill with pus, and may cause an increase in shedding. Sometimes ringworm will also cause the nails to grow deformed.
  
  A fungal culture done at your veterinary hospital is the more common way to diagnosis ringworm. The treatment can include an antifungal cream but an oral treatment may have to be used in the more severe cases plus the animal may have to have regular dips. The fungal cultures must be negative for 2 weeks before any treatment is stopped.
  
  Kittens under 12 months old are the most susceptible but also outdoor pets, older pets or animals whose immune system may be compromised. Persian cats also appear to be more susceptible to the ringworm fungus.
  
  Since ringworm is so contagious, it is important to wash your hands and clothes anytime you come in contact with new kittens and or cats as ringworm is the most common skin infection in felines. This is very important if you work with animals as you can pass it on to another pet. If you suspect your pet has ringworm, isolate the pet and call your veterinarian immediately. It is important to wear gloves when you have to handle an infected animal and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. However, not every human or animal that comes into contact with the fungus will become infected. Current immune system, health, age, condition of skin, and grooming habits will determine if the infection is actually able to take a hold and grow.
  

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