Ask a Vet Top Ten Questions of the Week - Week 3 - Sept 08,

Q: my youngest dog is almost two, he gets along with my older two dogs very well, but he has accidently gotten out the front door, and made it to the neighbors yard before we could catch him, he attacked their dog who was on a chain, i don't know why. he is good with children and other animals that aren't on chains.
Debra P, Niles, MI

Dr Mark: Hi Debra,

There are a few reasons why this may have happened. Aggression between unfamiliar dogs can be due to dominance, fear, or protective behavior over territory or people. Dogs of near equal dominance are most likely to compete for dominance. While your dog may be fine with his place in the hierarchy with your other dogs, he may have been trying to establish rank with the neighbor’s dog. Most dominance hierarchies are established with posturing and no fights. With the other dog on a chain, either he felt threatened by being on a chain and was not prepared to back down, or your dog may have felt an advantage.
Prevention of this sort of aggression starts with puppy training and socialization. For adult dogs, your local dog training academy should be able to help with aggression training. Instructors will be able to help you determine the root of the aggression.  Long term treatment consists of desensitization (gradual exposure) and counter-conditioning the dog to accept other dogs with obedience and rewards.

Regards
Dr Mark, Bvsc

Q: which flea treatment works the best? i have 2 labs between 1and a half and 3 yrs. old. i've been reading that frontline isn't working well anymore? i've been using k9 advantix & it only lasts about 3 wks. how well does advantage work?which do u think works the best?
David M, NY

Dr Mark: Hi David,

The active ingredient (Imidacloprid) that controls fleas in the Advantix is exactly the same as that in the Advantage, so you will find that if the Advantix is only lasting 3 weeks then the Advantage will probably work the same. If ticks are a problem then I would continue using the Advantix. If not then you may also want to consider the Revolution.

Regards
Dr Mark, Bvsc
 

Q: I am involved with cat rescue and unfortunately we have so many unspayed and unneutered cats we never seem to get ahead. I know this is often the case in some other areas as well. I have converted my garage to a "safe house" for cats and kittens and have close to 25 at the moment. Unfortunately, one cat came in with ringworm and of course it spread to the rest of the population. We use sulphur dip and do it once a week for three weeks. This does work to some degree but not completely. I also feel this dip is highly toxic. Is there a better solution and is there a way to keep it from spreading?
Pat R, Dewey Beach, DE

Dr Mark: Hi Pat,

Because of the resilient nature of the ringworm fungus and because the fungus can survive for such long periods in the environment, controlling ringworm in a situation like yours will be very difficult.  The treatment regime should involve the use of a number of different treatments at the same time. Repeated washes in the lime sulphur wash , treating the individual lesions with a cream such as Fungafite cream and maybe also oral anti-fungal medication such as  griseofulvin or itraconazole  for many months, as well as very strict disinfection and quarantining of new animals will be required to eliminate this disease. I suggest you talk to your local vet about setting up a proper treatment regime.


Regards
Dr Mark, Bvsc

Q: I bought the heartguard with out the plus for roundworms, etc. What can I give my dog in addition to the Heartguard to make sure all worms are prevented?
Maci, OH

Dr Mark: Hi Maci,

You will also need to worm your dog with an ‘all wormer’ tablet which covers all of the intestinal worms. The best products are the Drontal Allwormer tablets, the Canex Mutispectrum wormer or the Popantel Allwormer tablets.  Adult dogs should be wormed every 3 months with these products.

Regards
Dr Mark, Bvsc

Q: Dr. Mark, I sent you a question that you published this week. My dogs name is Willy and he is a West Highland Terrier. The spots that he was chewing and biting at on his tail and butt were from flea bites. I was told to buy a hydrocoritzone spray for pets from the vet and use it acording to the instructions. I bought some and used it and in about 1 day, I noticed that he had stopped biting and chewing and his hair started growing back in about 3 days. But i am still fighting keeping the fleas off him. The vet did say that out in our area that frontline works better than anything, but i see they have another one called revolution. Can you tell me anything about it? Thanks Again.
Penny B, Cold Water, KS

Dr Mark: Hi Penny,

It’s good that you were able to find out the cause and that you are able to treat the condition now. Revolution is a combination product which treats Heartworm as well as other external parasites. It controls fleas and one type of tick – the American dog tick. It does eliminate the need to give a separate heartwormer medication. If other ticks are a problem in your area you may need to continue with Frontline Plus or try Advantix. If not then the Revolution should be a good product for you. I have had a few customers tell me that the Frontline Plus is not working as well as it once was, I haven’t heard of any problems with the Revolution.

Q: Hi, I have 4 felines that are inside cats. One of my cats Sootie (the black one...the calico is a feral i trapped and socialized), has sensitive skin, and when I put revolution on her it looked like it burned her and, I wiped it off right away. Which of the flea products is better for sensitive skin.
Holly, Greenville, NC

Dr Mark : Hi Holly,

For animals with sensitive skin I tend to recommend the Advantage. The active ingredient (Imidacloprid) forms small crystals that bind to the shaft of the hair. It is not absorbed into the skin like Frontline Plus or Revolution.

Regards
Dr Mark, BVsc

Q: I have two kitty cats they are each about 3 years old. I have been treating them for fleas like crazy. I usually use Frontline Plus. But I applied the frontline on them 20 days ago and the fleas are back already. What should i do? I give them a bath three days before applying the frontline and then usualy 5 days after applying the frontline because the flea eggs larve and pupae are all over my poor kitties. Please help!
Crystal, WA

Dr Mark: Hi Crystal,

I have had a number of my customers say that they are finding that the Frontline is not working as well as it once did. It appears that in certain areas the fleas are developing some resistance to this product. You can apply the product more often then monthly, and sometimes applying the product every 2 weeks for a few doses will bring the fleas under control. Maybe you should consider changing to Advantage or Revolution.  I haven’t heard of any problems with these products.

Regards
Dr Mark, BVsc

Q: I have a 4 month old American Bulldog who is constantly scratching. He was given 1/2 tablet of an antihistamine, but it doesn't relieve the itching. I only bathe him every 2 weeks and have used an oatmeal shampoo and then a sulfur/aloe shampoo, but the itching comes back. He doesn't have fleas, and he only started showing a redness near his tummy. The vet didn't find parasites or mites, and now the puppy seems to sneeze when I take him outside. What could be wrong?
Elizabeth G, Miami, FL

Mark: Hi Elizabeth,

One of the most common reasons that dogs itch, chew, scratch and have irritated skin is because of an allergy. Dogs can be allergic to many different substances such as flea bites, other insect bites, plant pollens, grass seeds, house dust etc. Treatment involves reducing the allergen (the cause of the itch), moderating the response that the pet has to the allergen and treating any secondary complications such as bacterial or fungal skin infections.

To reduce the amount of the allergen, depending on what the allergen is, involves doing different things such as keeping dogs away from plants, grasses etc. that they are allergic to, eliminating fleas, changing diets etc. Washing with an appropriate shampoo reduces the amount of allergen on the coat. You maybe should try a shampoo and conditioner shown to reduce the irritation such as the Aloveen shampoo and conditioner.

Regards
Dr Mark, BVsc

Q: My Ocicat weighs about 12-13 pounds. I purchased Frontline Plus about a week ago and it appears to be doing nothing. A lot of it seemed to get on his coat instead of his skin. My cat seems to be afraid of picking up fleas in his usual haunts (he is an indoor cat - apparently a visiting kitten brought the fleas) and has spent several days curled between a white sheet and white blanket (both freshly washed). I saw no dead fleas - not one. I used a flea comb (and water with SoftSoap to shake the fleas into) and I found only live fleas, not a single dead one. I'm wondering if the single dose is enough for him, due to his weight. One vet told me it might not cover him completely; another vet told me it would work the same, but it would just give out sooner (i.e. need applying sooner than 30 days - which is what Frontline said). With whom do you agree?.
Ann F, Hendersonville, NC

Dr Mark: Hi Ann,

The cat Frontline Plus treats cats up to 15 pounds, so the one vial should be adequate. I have had a number of my customers say that they are finding that the Frontline is not working as well as it once did. It appears that in certain areas the fleas are developing some resistance to this product. You can apply the product more often then monthly, and sometimes applying the product every 2 weeks for a few doses will bring the fleas under control. Maybe you should consider changing to Advantage or Revolution.  I haven’t heard of any problems with these products.

Regards
Dr Mark, BVsc

Q: Please help! I have adopted a kitten and will bring it home soon. The problem is I have a 5 y/o cat that thinks she is boss at this home already.and already has a nasty temper Do you have any suggestions as to how I can bridge this gap? Thanks in advance.
Olive W, Port Saint Lucie, FL

Dr Mark: Hi Olive,

A little bit of preparation can help make the process of introducing your new kitten a lot easier. It is a good idea if you can take a towel or blanket that the kitten has slept on home to let your older cat smell the new kitten smell.

Have a separate area prepared for the kitten with an individual litter box, water dish, and feeding dish. Have the kitten stay in this room for a day or so that it becomes familiar with that room. If things get a bit heated with your older cat you can place the kitten back in this room which is familiar to it.

Introduce your new kitten to your other cat gradually. Don’t put both cats together or attempt to force a meeting.  Give extra attention to the older cat.  Have extra play periods together with the cat and give plenty of tender, loving care. It is a good idea to try the introduction after a patting session with your older cat. You can try an introduction through a screen door, or have the kitten in a carry basket on the floor or you can try having somebody bring the kitten into the room.

Hissing and spitting is to be expected. After a while when things settle down between the two,  try leaving them to roam free around the room. Be prepared to separate the cats if the older cat becomes too threatening but sit back and allow the cats to meet. Expect a two or three weeks to pass before the cats begin to exist in any thing resembling harmony. Usually confrontation shifts to the older cat ignoring the younger kitten and then to active interaction between the two.

Regards
Dr Mark, BVsc