NASTY ECTOPARASITES

Fleas and ticks are aesthetically displeasing PLUS they carry many  diseases that affect our pets and us!  While most of you have heard  about Lyme disease from ticks and anemia and tapeworms from fleas, there  are many other diseases these vectors cause.  We recommend flea and  tick prevention YEAR ROUND!! There are many products out there, so  please talk to your veterinarian before purchasing a product.  Please  avoid OTC products like those that contain permethrins, pyrethrins,  essential oils like pennyroyal etc, which can cause death in cats. There  are also some products that are specifically designed for dogs and if  cats contact the dog after application they can die--READ LABELS before  you apply any flea/tick product.  Collars, UNLESS they are vet approved  are not effective and can be dangerous--to pets AND humans..we have seen  cats die from collars.. if your cat comes to the clinic with a toxic  collar it will be removed and discarded..and remember if you are using  Seresto collars the collar IS ONLY being approved by the EPA until 2028,  the reason for the reported deaths were due to MECHANICAL STRANGULATION  or trauma caused by the collar according to the EPA.. make sure to  apply it properly..too loose it is not effective, too tight you are  choking your pet and could kill him/her..check collars weekly!!... Nexgard is an excellent oral chew for dogs which can be used as long as they  have no seizure history and are not being used for breeding .. Cheristin starts killing fleas on cats in 30 minutes... Nexgard Combo works great  for fleas, ticks, and parasites including tapeworms for  cats...Revolution Plus for cats kills ticks, fleas, ear mites and  parasites...there are many other vet approved products as well..we all  have our favorites..

What is flea and tick preventive toxicity in cats?  why NOT to use those cheap, nonefficacious, toxic collars for cats!!

 "The CAPC, AAHA, AVMA and AHS recommend BROAD -SPECTRUM PARASITE PROTECTION FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CATS due to the fact that ticks, fleas, ear mites, intestinal worms and heartworm-infected mosquitoes can hitchhike on other pets, shoes, and clothes or through doors and windows"...Fecal testing is needed every 3-12 months depending on the cat's lifestyle...if your cat has been bitten by ticks he/she should have a SNAP 4DX test done because cats ARE susceptible to Lyme Disease, Ehrlichia and Anaplasmosis, esp in PA!!  Revolution Plus prevents HW disease; kills adult fleas and treats and prevents flea infestations;  prevents flea tapeworm infections by killing fleas;  treats and controls Lone Star Ticks (A. americanum), Black legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), Gulf Coast Ticks (A. maculatum) and American Dog Ticks (D. variabilis)-all of these ticks can be found in PA; it also treats and controls roundworms and hookworms and ear mites; Nexgard Combo: Treats & Controls Tapeworms; Protects Against Adult Fleas; Protects Against Ticks but only I. scapularis and A. americanum; Prevents Heartworm Disease; Treats & Controls Roundworm and Hookworm  

CAT TICK INFO AND WHY INSIDE CATS ALSO NEED TICK PREVENTION:   "Ticks from cats in the United States: Patterns of infestation and infection with pathogens" by Dr. Susan Little et al in 2018:   796 ticks were found on 332 cats in 18 states from 41 vet practices (20 in the NE);  it was discovered that 53% of ticks were Ixodes scapularis, 28% A americanum and 16% D variabilis plus some misc ticks... this study found that cats that NEVER WENT OUTDOORS acc to owners had 3.4% of ticks, cats that spent less than 30% of the day outside had 18.4%, cats that spent 31-70% outside had 33.7% and cats that spent over 70% outdoors had 44.6%...25.7% of  I. scapularis were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi and  4.4% with Anaplasma phagocytophilum;  1.3% of  A. americanum were infected with Ehrlichia chaffeensis; and 3.1% of D. variabilis were infected with RMSF (cats do not get clinically sick from this)  Therefore, since ticks can be hitchhikers, spread disease to ALL CATS and PA is a hotbed for ticks and tick borne diseases, PROTECT YOUR CATS!!!!

I  pulled a tick off myself or my pet...is it carrying any diseases? SEE: The Tick Research Lab of PA
Lots and Lots of Flea info:  The FLEA TOOL KIT
This is an EXCELLENT read:  Not Fleas AGAIN??
Flea Life Cycle
Break the Flea Cycle
Flea Allergy Dermatitis

Ear Mites  are ITCHY!! would you like a bug crawling around in your ears??  TREAT affected animals please!

Demodectic Mange in DOGS

Demodectic Mange in CATS

Sarcoptic Mange in DOGS

Notoedric Mange in CATS

Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitoes...this website is from Elanco but gives you info on these bugs and prevalence maps!
Lots and Lots of Tick info: The TICK TOOL KIT
Dogs, Ticks and Tick-Borne Parasites
LYME DISEASE INFO
Tick Borne Diseases
Tick Life Cycle
How to Remove Ticks
Humans Cannot Contract Lyme Disease from Dogs
Safe Use of Flea and Tick Preventive Products 

External Parasites of Cats and Dogs 

Though many of you have been told that Heartworm disease is not in our  area, it is.  With rescue dogs and owned dogs traveling all over the US  and owners not testing for HW or placing their pets on HW prevention, HW  disease is being diagnosed more frequently every year in PA.  Heartworm  prevention not only prevents heartworm disease, but it also controls  parasites.  We recommend YEAR ROUND prevention.  Those few dollars you  spend a month on prevention could save your pet's life plus thousands if  HW is contracted!!! 

The AMERICAN HEARTWORM SOCIETY will  give you all the information you need about heartworm disease in dogs  and cats incl the basics, incidence maps, the life cycle, treatment,  videos, why you need year round treatment etc.  You can also check out CAPC parasite prevalence maps to see what the incidence of heartworm is in your county as well.
Mosquito Life Cycle
Feline HW guide
HW disease in Cats