Tick and Flea Borne Diseases:

• Lyme (Borrelia burgdorferi) is a tick and flea borne spirochete. The bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi is transferred when an infected tick (often the deer tick) or flea bites a host (animal or human). The symptoms of Lyme disease in humans include: aches in the joints, fever, and a host of other "flu-like" symptoms. Clinical signs in the dog include: arthritis, arched back, heart arrhythmia, fever, neurological disturbances, polyarthritis, rash and stiff legged gait.

• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Rickettsia rickettsii)

  Rickettsia rickettsii is transmitted by ticks (often the American Dog Tick) and can cause severe disease. Clinical signs in humans include: fever, neurologic disorders, bone and muscle pain and a rash which first appears on the wrists and ankles and may become generalized.  In dogs, clinical signs include: fever, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, pain, weakness, neurologic disorders, convulsions, death.

• Plague (Yersinia pestis)

  This disease is making a comeback in some western states. In Colorado, a veterinarian required hospitalization and intensive care after treating a cat that subsequently died of plague. Cats are particularly at risk because they hunt rodents that harbor fleas infected with Yersinia pestis. Dogs and livestock are at risk, but rarely develop symptoms. Personal hygiene and aggressive flea control are the keys to prevention.

• FELINE HEMOBARTONELLOSIS

  Feline infectious anemia is a mycoplasmal infection that may be asymptomatic (Mycoplasma haemominutum) or cause chronic or sudden onset of anemia (Mycoplasma haemofelis). Infection typically results in anemia that can vary from mild to severe. There may be concurrent infection with FeLV, FIP, FIV, feline babesiosis, and cytauxzoonosis, all of which will make the anemic state worse.

• BABESIOSIS

  In the dog it is caused by Babesia canis or B. gibsoni; whereas in the cat the causative organism is B. felis. Infection typically results in anemia due to erythrocyte destruction.

• CYTAUXZOONOSIS

  An infrequent, usually fatal, disease of domestic cats caused by the protozoan Cytauxzoon felis that is transmitted by ticks. Infection results in mild to moderate non-regenerative anemia as a result of sudden erythrocyte destruction. Differentiation needs to be made between Cytauxzoon felis and the smaller feline parasites Babesia felis and Mycoplasma haemofelis.  

To prevent the risk of flea and tick infestation and the transfer of these diseases to your pet, White Oaks West Animal Hospital recommends the use of Frontline Flea and Tick control each month when the weather is above freezing.

Frontline can be applied 2 days before or 2 days after a bath, and does NOT wash off your pet if allowed to dry for 48 hours.

Tick Control (Frontline)

On June 8, 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency website announced the Hartz Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens were to be cancelled due to adverse reactions.  Full details are provided here:  http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick-drops.htm

Frontline coupon available here: http://www.saygoodbyefleas.com/

Tick photos compliments of Merial and Tick chart compliments of Fort Dodge Laboratories

Updated March 14, 2004

EPA Orders Retailers to Stop Sales of Counterfeit Flea & Tick Products

The Environmental Protection Agency is acting to disrupt an effort to distribute counterfeit products for controlling fleas and ticks on dogs and cats. The agency has ordered pesticide distributors and retailers in a number of states to stop selling counterfeit products that contain false EPA registration numbers and labeling for Advantage and Frontline brands of pesticides. The orders prohibit retailers and distributors from distributing or selling the counterfeit products and make them responsible for their proper disposal.

The counterfeit pesticides appear to have been unlawfully imported and packaged in retail cartons designed to look similar to legitimately registered pesticides sold in the United States. The EPA investigation is ongoing and, so far, it appears that the counterfeit products have been sold to distributors and retailers throughout the country.

"We strongly applaud the EPA's recent actions and their notification of their efforts pertaining to counterfeit pet products. This supports Bayer's efforts to take a strong stand against counterfeit products within the industry," said Bob Walker, communications director for Bayer Corp., which markets Advantage for cats and dogs.

Legitimate Advantage and Frontline products that have been through the EPA's review process are registered for use in the United States, and are not affected by this action. Pet owners who are concerned their pet may be affected by counterfeit products should contact their veterinarian.

"A good safeguard to ensure the integrity of products such as these is to purchase them from a reputable source. The best way to be confident about the source of Frontline products is to purchase through your veterinarian," said Dr. Zachary Mills, executive director of veterinary services for Merial.

Counterfeit products should be disposed of according to local accepted procedures for other household chemicals. Many communities and municipalities have local resources to dispose of household chemicals, and consumers are encouraged to contact their local solid waste authority for more information on disposal programs for chemicals.

Before a pesticide can be marketed in this country, the EPA performs a scientific review to ensure that use of the product is unlikely to cause harmful effects on people, pets, or the environment. According to EPA spokesman David Deegan, "We cannot make any assurances to the public that these counterfeit products would be equivalent (to the rigorously tested legitimate Advantage and Frontline products.)"

The only way to determine whether a product is legitimate or counterfeit is to open the package. The EPA has posted detailed information, including photos of legitimate products, at www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/petproduct.htm.