Pesky Summer Pests... Part 1
Summertime - and the living is easy - unless you are a dog or cat plagued by pesky
summer insect pests! Though insect bites may be "irritating" to your pet, causing itching
and swelling, those signs may just be the "tip of the iceburg". The consequences of a
single insect bite can lead to life-threatening problems for your pet. The Animal
Emergency Center and Specialty Services wants you to be aware of some of the specific
diseases and problems associated with insect bites - and reminds you that Prevention is
always the best medicine!
Bee Stings and Spider/Insect Bites
Bees, yellow jackets, wasps, hornets, spiders and fire ants are common problems for pets.
They attack the face and paws of pets as they investigate and play with them. Most
reactions manifest as localized allergic reactions with itching and facial swelling (primarily
the muzzle, eyes and ears). However, life-threatening systemic reactions can lead to
difficulty breathing and anaphylactic shock.
If you believe that your pet has been stung or bitten by an insect or if you see facial or
limb swelling in your pet, contact your veterinarian immediately. Your pet may require
several injections and you may be asked to remain at the clinic for 1-2 hours to ensure
that any allergic reaction is subsiding before discharge. It is important to let the
veterinarian know if your pet has difficulty breathing or if there has been any vomiting
or diarrhea - signs of systemic allergic problems. This may require
more aggressive treatment and hospitalization for the best
outcome. If your dog has had repeated exposure to allergic
reactions from insect bites or stings, your veterinarian may opt to
allow you to have injectable medications at home should a crisis
rapidly occur prior to transport to their facility or our emergency facility.
Prevention: It is difficult to prevent insect stings or bites when dogs are free-roaming in the yard. It is
important to survey your yard and to treat any ant mounds and remove wasp or hornet nests. When
possible, keep your pet from "nosing around" in your flower beds.
Fleas
Itching, scratching, licking, and pawing at the face are signs that your dog or cat may show to flea infestation. A single
bite from a single flea can cause intense itching and irritation in a pet that is allergic to
flea saliva. The best place to look for the presence of fleas on your pet is on their back,
just at the base of their tail. You may not see the fleas, but if you see what looks like
black pepper in their hair on or their skin, fleas are there! Flea allergies can also cause
redness and pustules or papules in the skin.
If your pet is itching and scratching or licking at their paws or pawing at their face, it
is important to treat their specific underlying problem and to give them relief! Unless
advised to do so by your veterinarian, you should not go to the store and simply buy
general flea treatment products and apply them to your pet. An examination of your
dog or cat by your veterinarian will allow treatment specific to your pet's needs and
health status. It may become necessary for you to treat your house for fleas at the
same time, since these pesky insects can live in your carpeting for a long period of time
multiplying!
Prevention: Your veterinarian will prescribe safe topical or oral flea preventatives for your dog or
cat.
Ask them what type and brand they recommend.
Did you know that the Animal Emergency Center and Specialty Services has a branch in the southern suburbs of
Milwaukee, open on weekends and holidays, to meet your pets urgent needs ? Visit our website
to learn more about the Animal Emergency Center South, in Greenfield, Wisconsin.
Check out our new transport van, available to transport your pet from your veterinarian or from
AEC South to the Animal Emergency Center and Specialty Services, when needed!!!
Pesky Summer Insect Pests...Part 2
Now that you have your fleas and stinging insects under control, it is time to ensure that you have adequate prevention of
tick borne diseases and mosquito transmitted problems for your dogs and cats.
Ticks
The bite from a single tick can lead to serious systemic problems for your dogs and cats. Smaller animals can become
severely anemic with an overwhelming tick infestation. A single tick, hidden somewhere on the pet's body, often the ear
canal, can result in paralysis of their four limbs until the tick is removed. And systemic diseases, such as Lyme disease and
ehrlichiosis can be cause by organisms passed to the dog or cat by the tick.
Lyme Disease
Transmitted through the bite of a tick, Borrelia burgdorferi is the scientific name of
the bacteria that cause Lyme Disease in dogs. Ticks don't cause the disease, they
merely harbor and transmit the bacteria that cause the disease. At least three
known species of ticks can transmit Lyme Disease, but the majority of Lyme
Disease transmissions are due to the bite of a very tiny tick commonly called the
Deer Tick, or Black-legged Tick (scientific name is Ixodes scapularis). Lyme Disease
in dogs has been reported in every state With Wisconsin a prominent location.
Clinical signs can include fever, lethargy, joint pain or swelling, kidney failure,
neurologic abnormalities, and generalized vasculitis. Though equivocal results are
possible, a diagnosis can be made through compatible clinical signs, a history of
tick bite, and blood tests submitted to a laboratory by your veterinarian. Treatment
is possible with antibiotics, given over an extended period of time, with residual
problems such as arthritis or immune mediated secondary problems a possible
consequence of the disease.
Vaccinations are available and should be discussed with your veterinarian if your dog is likely to be exposed to tick infested
areas. However, the best method of treatment is PREVENTION - adequate tick control!
Ehrlichiosis
Ehrlichiosis is a tick-born disease of dogs (less common in cats) characterized by fever, lethargy, lameness and/or bleeding
tendencies. It is caused by one of several rickettsial organisms that belong to the genus, Ehrlichia. They enter various cells
of the body and behave as tiny parasites, eventually killing the cell. The disease is spread predominantly by the brown dog
tick.
Subclinical, asymptomatic infection may occur and may persist for months or years. Acute clinical signs may develop in
some dogs and resolve spontaneously or with treatment. Acute infections may also develop into chronic infections that
produce more severe clinical signs.
Should your dog show signs compatible with Ehrlichiosis, your veterinarian will want to do blood tests, to include a
complete blood count, biochemical profile, and clotting profile. In addition, specific tests to detect Ehrlichia antibodies may
be submitted
It is sometimes difficult to determine whether the antibody titers are due to chronic exposure or whether the titers indicate
there is active infection present. The PCR blood test is capable of detecting the presence of extremely small amounts of the
organism.
Treatment may include supportive care, such as blood transfusions and fluid therapy, as well as antibiotics, such as
doxycycline, to kill the organism. Again, prevention is the most important treatment!
Tick infestation can be prevented by spot-on medications that are applied to the skin, or with sprays, collars, and dips.
Avoid tick-infested areas. Ticks must be attached for a minimum of 24 to 48 hours in order to transmit most tick-borne
diseases, so remove any ticks as soon as possible. Be sure to consult your primary care veterinarian to determine the
specific tick and flea product that will best suit your dog or cat's environmental and medical needs.
It is not wise to choose flea and tick control products without your veterinarian's advice!!!
Mosquitos
The blood sucking mosquito is a source of inoculation of parasites into the dog
and cat. Heartworms are a parasitic worm (about the diameter of thin
spaghetti) transmitted from one infected dog or cat to another, through the
bite of a mosquito. The immature form of the worm, called a microfilaria,
circulates in the blood stream. The adult worm lives as a free floating worm in
the right ventricle of the heart and nearby blood vessels.
Clinical signs of heartworm infection in the dog are quite variable. Signs can
range from weakness and lethargy, to coughing, bleeding, labored breathing,
and/or fulminate right heart failure. The diagnosis can be made by blood tests.
Once the clinical abnormalities of the disease have been stabilized, treatment
is possible with specific medications to kill the adult worms and immature
parasites. However, there may be residual damage to the cardiovascular system as a result of the heartworms and/or the
treatment. As always, the best method of caring for your pet is to prevent the parasitic infestation!
Your dog should be on Heartworm preventative.
Dogs more than 7 months of age should be tested before starting heartworm
preventatives. Puppies should be started on Heartworm preventative by 8 weeks of
age (depending on the product being used) and then blood tested at 7 months of
age. Dogs are then tested on a regular basis. Ask your primary care veterinarian
for their heartworm preventative protocol!
Any area where dogs can get heartworm, cats can get them as well. In cats, one worm can cause sudden death or sudden
(acute) respiratory signs. Preventative medication is often started in the cat without testing unless signs of a Heartworm
infection are noticed.
Visit the Animal Emergency Center and Specialty Services booth at the Washington County Pet Expo,
September 12th
and
13th for exciting pet health information, fun for kids - and a BIG surprise!