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Critter Creek Vet Quarterly
Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue
Spring Is the Time for Fleas
As the weather becomes nicer we tend to spend more time in the outdoors with our pets. With the increased outdoor activities our four legged friends become more at risk for fleas.
What are fleas?
A flea is a
small insect (appx. 1/16”) that is normally reddish brown and lives
on most warm blooded mammals such as dogs, cats, rats, mice and
humans. The flea also
has a hard exoskeleton to protect it from harm.
Its thin body allows it to move easily through the hair of
most pets. Fleas have
the ability to jump upwards of three feet.
There are five varieties of fleas, but the most common in
What is the
lifecycle of the flea?
Once an
adult flea feeds, she will have the ability to reproduce.
The female flea will lay her eggs in the fur of the host.
She can lay upwards of 500 eggs over her lifetime.
Once the eggs are laid they will roll off the host and into
the carpet, bedding or furniture.
These eggs can hatch in anywhere from
When the
egg hatches it will become a larva.
The microscopic larva crawls in the carpet or cracks in the
floor where it will feed off the dead tissue of the animal, flea
droppings (dried blood)
or other vegetative matter it can find.
The larva will stay in this state between seven to fourteen
days depending on the availability of food.
Once the larva has matured it will spin a cocoon (pupa).
It will stay in this state and mature into a flea
in anywhere from five days
to five weeks. At this
point the immature flea will attach itself to the host.
The flea will stay in the immature state until it feeds on
the host. Feeding is
required for the life cycle to start over again.
What kind of
problems do fleas cause?
The flea
can cause a condition known as flea allergy dermatitis.
This can start with an itching of the skin and lead to
inflammation and hair loss.
It might only take one bite of the flea to start the cycle of
reaction. When this
happens, your pet may itch for up to five days from one single bite.
Also the
flea is the intermediate host for an internal parasite known as the
tapeworm. Your pet can
pick up tapeworms through routine grooming.
Once the flea is digested, the tapeworm egg hatches in the
pet’s stomach and the worm grows in the pet’s intestines.
How do I get
rid of fleas?
Obesity and Its’ Risk to Your Pet.
How to help your overweight pet
Some problems might include:
How do you
know your pet is overweight?
If your pet
is of ideal weight you will be able to palpate their ribs without
excessive fat covering them, waist is noticeable, and the abdomen is
tucked up when viewing from the side.
On the other hand with an overweight pet you will not be able
to feel their ribs and have no waist.
In the instance of obesity, your pet will have a large amount
of fat over the thorax and base of tail and fat deposits hanging
from the waist and abdominal distention.
What are the
common causes of weight gain?
What can be
done for the overweight pet?
It first
takes a huge commitment on your part
in order for your pet to lose weight.
Sometimes a reduction in food or the elimination of treats or
table scraps will do the trick.
But there are times that more aggressive measures are needed.
At this point the doctor might want to recommend a specialty
diet such as Hills Prescription R/D.
This is a high fiber, low calorie diet, which combined with
exercise can reduce your pet’s weight over time.
Also new to the market is Slentrol by Pfizer, a once a day
weight loss medication added to your pet’s diet.
A proper exercise program will increase the benefit of
Slentrol. If you are
concerned about your pet and their weight issue, please do not
hesitate to discuss it with one of our qualified staff.
Heartworm Not a Small Problem Any More.
The facts you need to know.
What is
heartworm disease?
Heartworm is an actual worm that lives in the heart and in the adjacent vessels of the heart. The female worm can range from six to fourteen inches in length. Once infested dogs can have as many as three hundred worms living in their heart at one time.

How will I know if my dog has
heartworm?
The easiest way to find out if your dog has heartworm disease is to test for it. This is accomplished through a simple blood test that can be run in the hospital while you wait for their visit. Since this is an antigen test, it will only test for the presence of the adult worms. If you think your pet has heartworm disease, you may see the following signs:
· Coughing
· Trouble Breathing
· Loss of stamina
· Nervousness
· Weight Loss
Unfortunately, it can take anywhere from two to three yearsof infestation before the above signs become present.
How
is heartworm transmitted?
Heartworm is transmitted from dog to dog by mosquitoes. The mosquito acts as the intermediate host by picking up the microfilaria (baby heartworm) from the pet’s blood stream and injecting it into the next pet upon taking their next blood meal. The microfilaria flows up the blood stream until it reaches the heart. Once in the heart the microfilaria attaches themselves and matures into an adult worm.
How can I prevent heartworm disease?
Once your pet has been tested for heartworm disease it is recommended that they be placed on heartworm prevention. These products will insure that your pet will not become infected with heartworms if they are bit by a carrier mosquito. We carry both Heartgard and Revolution for your prevention needs.
What can I do if my dog gets
heartworm?
Once your dog is diagnosed with heartworm disease, treatment for
eradication is recommended .
Your veterinarian will go over in depth, a treatment plan
that is right for your pet.
This can include blood work, x-rays, cage rest, and treatment
with Imitacide for the eradication of the worm.
Incidents of Heartworm in
Based on information provided to our hospital by Iddex Laboratories
there where 868 confirmed cases of heartworm disease between the
March 2001 and March 2007.
The trend has been increasing over the past few years.
With this information we are making a more concerted effort
to make sure every pet has been tested and treated with a heartworm
preventative.
Ask your veterinary specialist about how you can save on
Frontline and Heartgard for prevention of fleas, ticks and
heartworms in your pets.