As many of you know, I am one that prefers the comfort of the indoors. However, that doesn’t mean I’m lax on my parasite prevention and awareness. There are many indoor sources of both external and internal parasites and I want to make sure all my friends are aware of these risks so they can protect their pets as well.

Bugs & Rodents Can Carry Diseases

Insects

We animals love stalking and hunting those creepy crawlies, but that provides its own set of risks. Did you know that cockroaches can be infected and pass both roundworms and hookworms?! Flies also carry and spread roundworms when we catch the delicious pests. There has even been some early evidence the stink bugs may carry giardia. Like we needed another reason to hate these guys!

 Mice

Outdoor cats have long known this fact, but the same hold true for us indoor hunters. Eating mice puts animals at risk for tapeworm and roundworm infections as well as they can carry fleas and ticks.

Mosquitos

These bloodsuckers carry their own unique risk to my animal friends. Mosquitos carry a very dangerous parasite called heartworm disease which can be fatal, especially in cats. More than 25% of cats diagnosed with heartworm disease, were considered indoor only by their people parents! We’re not safe anywhere!

Potting Soil

Did you know that 15% of commercial potting soil is contaminated with roundworm eggs?! Gross!

What Bugs Do Cats Carry? What About Humans?

 Like it or not, you are also a source of parasites for us. Not directly of course, but fleas and ticks can hitch a ride on your clothes. Fleas and ticks prefer our warmer body temperatures; so given a choice, they will leave you and attack us instead. And don’t forget, you can track dirt in from your shoes. 20% of the soil around here is contaminated with roundworm and hookworm eggs. These eggs are microscopic so you would never even know they were there.

And lastly, if you have other pets that do go outside, they bring things inside to us also such as fleas and intestinal parasites. To add insult to injury, some pests even carry other pests. Fleas are a main source of one type or tapeworm. When we ingest them trying to get them off of us, we can become infected with tapeworms. Now that’s just plain rude! For more info on these parasites, visit www.capcvet.org.

Can My Cat Get Worms From Eating Flies?

We get this question a lot, so we’ll address it here. The short answer is, yes, your cat can get worms from eating flies, but it is rare. It is also rare for your cat to get sick from an y insecticide the fly may have come into contact with. However, reach out to your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your cat has come into direct contact with an insecticide.

After a few days of TLC from our staff and IV fluids and medications, Chiquita has made a full recovery. Here is a picture of Chiquita at her last check up wearing her rock star outfit. She is feeling much better and her blood tests are back to normal. Also, her gums are almost as pink as her lovely fur.

MAKE SURE TO KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY CARE FOR YOUR PET. CONSULT A REPTILE VETERINARIAN ON:

• Choosing the right cage ensuring the proper size and substrate.
• The preferred optimal temperature range (POTR) that your reptile requires
• What is an appropriate diet for your reptile; and does it change as they mature
• How to provide humidity/water. For aquatic reptiles, ensure the water is properly cared for.
• The lighting and UVB requirements for your pet

WE RECOMMEND SCHEDULING A NEW ADOPTION EXAMINATION WITH A REPTILE VETERINARIAN. THESE VISITS ARE IMPORTANT TO ALLOW THE VETERINARIAN TO HELP YOU WITH THE TOPICS ABOVE AND FOLLOWING:

• A reptile’s body systems are closely related to the conditions of its environment. Ensuring proper husbandry is extremely important. The Veterinarian will work with you to make sure your reptile’s care and needs are optimized to ensure a healthy, long life.
• Reptiles show illness in very subtle ways. Regular examinations will help to detect these conditions before they may be outwardly apparent to pet owners.
• As your reptile ages, its environmental and dietary needs may change. The Veterinarian can guide you through these transitions.
• It is difficult to perfectly mimic a reptile’s diet in the wild. Supplementation is often needed. The Veterinarian can explain what your new reptile may need and signs to look for that may show nutrient deficiencies.

IN ADDITION TO REGULAR WELLNESS VISITS,

YOUR NEW REPTILE SHOULD ALSO BE SEEN BY THE VETERINARIAN IF YOU NOTICE ANY OF THESE SIGNS:

• Diarrhea or change in eliminations
• Decreased appetite
• Quivering or muscle tremors
• Any swelling, especially on the limbs or around the face/head
• Decrease or change in activity level

PLEASE CALL ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF DAUPHIN COUNTY TO SCHEDULE YOUR NEW ADOPTION EXAM AT 717-652-1270

Diagnosis is made by a blood test that is run in our office and takes about 10 minutes. This test detects antibodies to the Anaplasma organism that have been made by your dog’s immune system. A positive test indicates that your dog has been exposed to Anaplasma; it doesn’t necessarily mean that there is an active infection. Your veterinarian will determine if the infection is active and if treatment is needed. It is highly recommended to test yearly; the test also screens for heartworm disease, Lyme disease, and another tick borne disease called Ehrlichia. Since Anaplasma and Lyme can be carried by the same tick, it is possible to have been exposed to both diseases. Diagnosis is more difficult in cats. There are more sensitive tests that can be done at an outside lab.

If your dog or cat does become infected with Anaplasma, there is good news. The disease is treatable if caught early. Symptoms usually resolve within 48 hours after treatment begins. The treatment is a 30 day course of an antibiotic called Doxycycline.

Since you now know the causes and treatment of Anaplasma, the next question is how can you prevent your pet from contracting the disease. Keeping your pet on year-round tick prevention is the best way to protect your pet. There are many different preventives available. At the Animal Hospital of Dauphin County, we recommend the following:

Bravecto – a chewable tablet for dogs that kills fleas and ticks for up to 12 weeks. The medication in Bravecto is stored in your dog’s tissue right under the skin. When a flea or tick bites your dog, it ingests the medication and dies. This medication can be used in dogs 6 months of age and older.

Frontline Plus – a monthly topical treatment for dogs and cats. This medication is applied to your pet’s skin near the base of the neck. The medication is stored in the oil glands for 30 days and self-distributes to the hair and skin through the hair follicles. Fleas and ticks that come in contact with the hair and skin die – no biting is necessary.

Nexgard – a chewable tablet for dogs that kills fleas and ticks for up to 30 days. This medication works like Bravecto but is safe for puppies as young as 8 weeks.

Vectra 3D – a monthly topical treatment for dogs. This medication kills fleas and ticks through contact with the skin – no biting is necessary.

Checking your pets for ticks is a very important step to remember as well. Check for ticks between toes, under collars, behind ears, and in the armpit area. Check the body by running your hands through your pet’s coat, feeling for bumps. If you find an attached tick, you can remove it by grasping it close to the skin and pulling straight out. There are also “tick twisters,” which are handy tools to remove ticks. Submerge the tick in alcohol or flush it down the toilet.

Ask your veterinarian about keeping your pets safe from these serious diseases.

Heartworm disease is a serious and even fatal disease that can affect dogs and cats. This disease is caused by worms that infect the blood and live in the heart, lungs and blood vessels. This infection can cause heart failure, lung disease and cause other organs in the body to be compromised.

Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquito bites. Mosquitos get infected by biting animals that have been infected with heartworm and currently have the baby worms or microfilaria living in their blood stream. When that infected mosquito bites another non infected animal the baby worms enter that animal by the bite wound.

The life cycle of heartworms simplified:Mosquito bites infected animal. Baby worms that are now in the mosquito develop into infective larvae stage over 10-14 days. Infected mosquito bites non-infected animal. Larvae are transmitted to non-infected animal through mosquito bite wound. The larvae then live in the tissues for around 2 months while developing. The adult worm is now living in bloodstream and heart for the next 4-5 months while it reaches full maturity. Mature worms now live in heart and bloodstream and can start producing larvae that can now infect another mosquito. Mosquito bites the now infected animal and the life cycle repeats.

Heartworms can live for 5-7 years in dog and 2-3 years in cats. Once an animal is infected with heartworm it can take months for symptoms to appear.

Canine symptoms you may see could be the following:

• mild persistent cough
• reluctance to exercise
• fatigue after mild activity
• decreased appetite
• weight loss
• swollen abdomen(extra fluid)-severe cases
• caval syndrome-blockage of blood flow-severe cases

Feline symptoms may include:

• coughing
• asthma-like attacks
• periodic vomiting
• loss of appetite
• weight loss
• difficulty walking/fainting
• fluid accumulation in abdomen

Diagnosis is made by a blood test looking for heartworm proteins. Cats are harder to diagnose and usually require a special blood test and even ultrasound/x-rays.

While it is true that the southern states are more known for heartworm infections solely because the temperature is warmer longer periods of the year. Warm weather = mosquitos. Heartworm disease has been diagnosed in every state of the US. The incidence for heartworm has grown dramatically in the last 5-10 years.

Current recommendations is year round heartworm prevention for all dogs and cats in all states. There are many options for preventives. The ones that we use at AHDC are-Heartgard (dog), Interceptor (dog), and Revolution (cats/dogs). These preventives also protect against certain intestinal parasites. Revolution also protects against fleas, and some ticks in dogs.

Testing should be done for heartworm disease every year, or before restarting prevention if a dose was missed. Even if your pet is on a preventative year round, testing should still be done to be sure of product effectiveness of prevention. Testing can be done at the vet office with a small amount of blood and results are available in as little as ten minutes! Some of the companies that sell preventatives will pay for all or a portion of treatment cost if proven that animal is on year-long prevention with no missed doses and has yearly testing documented in their medical records. Some of the medications can be harmful to animals that have active heartworm infections, which is why testing is required if doses are missed.

Treatment for heartworm is very expensive and required to prevent death from large worm burdens. Sadly there is no treatment approved in cats-the only way is prevention! Treatment can range in cost from $1200-$2000, and includes bloodwork, x-rays, multiple injections, oral medications, and many, many vet visits. When comparing cost of treatment vs cost of prevention there should be no question! Prevention is usually less than $300 for a whole year of protection. Prevention is the way to go!

As you can see it’s a little difficult to condense all the information of heartworm disease into a short blog, but all the information is extremely important and we want everyone to be fully educated! If interested in more information on preventions we have available, please contact our office to help your pet be the healthiest they can be!

Heartworm disease is a serious and even fatal disease that can affect dogs and cats. This disease is caused by worms that infect the blood and live in the heart, lungs and blood vessels. This infection can cause heart failure, lung disease and cause other organs in the body to be compromised.

Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquito bites. Mosquitos get infected by biting animals that have been infected with heartworm and currently have the baby worms or microfilaria living in their blood stream. When that infected mosquito bites another non infected animal the baby worms enter that animal by the bite wound.

The life cycle of heartworms simplified:Mosquito bites infected animal. Baby worms that are now in the mosquito develop into infective larvae stage over 10-14 days. Infected mosquito bites non-infected animal. Larvae are transmitted to non-infected animal through mosquito bite wound. The larvae then live in the tissues for around 2 months while developing. The adult worm is now living in bloodstream and heart for the next 4-5 months while it reaches full maturity. Mature worms now live in heart and bloodstream and can start producing larvae that can now infect another mosquito. Mosquito bites the now infected animal and the life cycle repeats.

Heartworms can live for 5-7 years in dog and 2-3 years in cats. Once an animal is infected with heartworm it can take months for symptoms to appear.

Canine symptoms you may see could be the following:

• mild persistent cough
• reluctance to exercise
• fatigue after mild activity
• decreased appetite
• weight loss
• swollen abdomen(extra fluid)-severe cases
• caval syndrome-blockage of blood flow-severe cases

Feline symptoms may include:

• coughing
• asthma-like attacks
• periodic vomiting
• loss of appetite
• weight loss
• difficulty walking/fainting
• fluid accumulation in abdomen

Diagnosis is made by a blood test looking for heartworm proteins. Cats are harder to diagnose and usually require a special blood test and even ultrasound/x-rays.

While it is true that the southern states are more known for heartworm infections solely because the temperature is warmer longer periods of the year. Warm weather = mosquitos. Heartworm disease has been diagnosed in every state of the US. The incidence for heartworm has grown dramatically in the last 5-10 years.

Current recommendations is year round heartworm prevention for all dogs and cats in all states. There are many options for preventives. The ones that we use at AHDC are-Heartgard (dog), Interceptor (dog), and Revolution (cats/dogs). These preventives also protect against certain intestinal parasites. Revolution also protects against fleas, and some ticks in dogs.

Testing should be done for heartworm disease every year, or before restarting prevention if a dose was missed. Even if your pet is on a preventative year round, testing should still be done to be sure of product effectiveness of prevention. Testing can be done at the vet office with a small amount of blood and results are available in as little as ten minutes! Some of the companies that sell preventatives will pay for all or a portion of treatment cost if proven that animal is on year-long prevention with no missed doses and has yearly testing documented in their medical records. Some of the medications can be harmful to animals that have active heartworm infections, which is why testing is required if doses are missed.

Treatment for heartworm is very expensive and required to prevent death from large worm burdens. Sadly there is no treatment approved in cats-the only way is prevention! Treatment can range in cost from $1200-$2000, and includes bloodwork, x-rays, multiple injections, oral medications, and many, many vet visits. When comparing cost of treatment vs cost of prevention there should be no question! Prevention is usually less than $300 for a whole year of protection. Prevention is the way to go!

As you can see it’s a little difficult to condense all the information of heartworm disease into a short blog, but all the information is extremely important and we want everyone to be fully educated! If interested in more information on preventions we have available, please contact our office to help your pet be the healthiest they can be!

Puppies will first look to you for direction, as well as protection. Don’t be scared to tell strangers, friends, or family “I’m training my puppy, please don’t pet him, or give him attention”. Don’t worry about being rude, or that many people will misunderstand this. Your priority is your four-legged friend who is still learning how to co-exist in a very big world. Without clear direction from you, the puppy may start to make not so good choices; for example, fear barking. Our lack of action has now taught our dog to potentially be aggressive to new people and places. We need to start the process of of getting  strangers and your new puppy in a safe environment for both of them.

Now here is what you can do:

• Immediately get your puppy’s attention-use a high reward such as a tasty treat or favorite toy. Continue to redirect to yourself and engage your puppy until the distraction has either lost its appeal, or is no longer around
• Keep your puppy focused on you
• Anytime your puppy seems nervous or strange-redirect them to you
• Teach your dog that new places, people, and things, are cause for reward and play from you. This will both build their focus on you, and teach them that the world is no big deal and can be ignored or not worried about
• When people and the world are no source of concern, it can be met calmly later on
• Don’t let other people distract your puppy, letting other people engage and reward your dog teaches them to ignore you. You also don’t want to build expectations that won’t be met, creating a puppy that is unsure.

In short don’t be scared to be assertive, say no, ask politely. Imagine how strangers would look to you if you were only 12” tall. This is also a critical time when you are creating the building blocks of a life-long partnership, and focusing on the core concepts of motivation and engagement with your new puppy. Teach them now that you are the source of their reward, praise, and safety, and you will have a dog that looks to you for life, and will be confident out in the world with you by their side.

Vomiting, diarrhea, and upset stomach may be just a start. More serious diseases such as pancreatitis, organ disease, and other illnesses can result from letting them eat anything they can get. This may lead to hospitalization in the most extreme cases.

If you choose to feed your pet from the table, these are the foods to completely avoid:

Chocolate: Most people are aware that chocolate is bad for pets, you may not know that the darker the chocolate the more dangerous it can be.  Chocolate can cause an upset stomach, tremors, seizures, and even death if enough is ingested.

Xylitol:  This is an artificial sweetener that is often used in types of candy. If this is ingested, it can cause low blood sugar, and possible liver failure.

Raisins/grapes: These can cause renal failure and the toxic dose differs for every individual. For some pets, even a couple could result in toxicities.

Macadamia nuts: Muscle weakness, tremors, and vomiting can occur with ingestion. Macadamia nuts first were found in Australia. They are currently grown in Hawaii, California, and Mexico. For a full history, you could read a history of Macadamia Nuts.

Onions and garlic: Eating these foods can lead to destruction of red blood cells and can cause anemia.

While all pets’ stomachs are different and some are more sensitive than others, some “ok” people food include:

• Carrots
• Small pieces of apple (NO seeds or core)
• Green beans
• Lean meats (avoid ham since very high in salt)

If your pet is dedicated and tricky enough then they might have outsmarted our Holiday Safety Tips. You may believe that your pet may have ingested something toxic or unhealthy or if you are noticing any signs of digestive issues then you should contact us. Please call the Animal Hospital of Dauphin County at (717) 775-7554.

If possible, please provide the following information when calling so the veterinarian can better help your pet:

• Food ingested
• Quantity
• Pet’s approximate weight
• Time of ingestion
• Any signs of illness you are seeing.

Wishing you and your pets a very happy and healthy holiday season!!!

Luckily for pet owners, heartworm disease can be very easy to prevent. There is a variety of monthly medications that can be prescribed to your dog and cat, including flavored chewable tablets and topical medications.

Heartworm disease has been on the rise in Pennsylvania over the past few years. According to the American Heartworm Society, vet clinics in PA were reporting an average of 1-5 heartworm cases per year in 2010. Some clinics in northern PA were seeing even less than that. Then in 2013, at the next report, all surveyed clinics were reporting at least 1-5 cases per year, and many clinics reported 6-25 cases per year. This does not include the millions of pets who are never tested.

Heartworm disease affects dogs and cats in different ways. The heartworm larvae is injected into the bloodstream by the mosquito. In dogs, the larvae grow into adult worms in the heart and lung vessels, causing severe damage that may be permanent. There can be as many as 50 adult worms in the heart and lungs in an infected dog. Symptoms in dogs can range from a mild cough to full blown heart failure. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all! In cats, the worm burden tends to be much less but they are more sensitive to the larvae. The larvae can trigger a severe inflammatory reaction in the lungs similar to asthma. This inflammation can cause fatal respiratory disease.

Once infected, heartworm disease can be painful and expensive to treat. There is an injection for dogs that is given multiple times over the course of 1 month to kill the adult heartworms. There is no specific treatment for cats, only supportive care.

It is recommended to test for heartworm disease yearly, even if your dog is on year round prevention. This helps to ensure that the prevention is working. The test also checks for other diseases like Lyme disease. Reliable testing is not available for cats and they can be given heartworm preventive without testing. It is recommended to test your dog before starting the preventive. The preventives only kill the larvae that have been transmitted to your dog within the past 30 days. For example, if your dog was bitten by an infected mosquito on May 15th and you started your preventive on July 1st, your dog is NOT protected from heartworm disease. You should test again in 6-12 months to check for a mature infection. This is another advantage to giving heartworm prevention year round; the risk of missing an infection is much less. And with winters getting warmer, how do we know when the last mosquito left Pennsylvania? September? December? Or did they ever leave at all?

For more information about canine and feline heartworm disease, talk to your vet or visit the American Heartworm Society’s website at www.heartwormsociety.org.