The most common allergic skin disease in the dog develops when certain dogs become hypersensitive to flea bites. The allergic agent is contained in the saliva or mouth parts of the flea and is injected into the dog when the flea feeds. The disease usually occurs during the warm months and is commonly called “summer…
Fleas and ticks are external parasites that cause annoyance and health problems on your pets. The following are two questions answered about fleas and ticks. How Can I Keep My Dogs Free Of These Parasites? Flea control products such as Prevention and Frontline works very well for most pets. In areas of heavy parasite concentration,…
Do Different Parasites Prefer Certain Host Animals? Yes, there are fleas that prefer cats and those that would rather have their meal on dogs. However, while some fleas do exhibit certain preferences, they are not usually host-specific. That is, in the absence of the preferred host, the flea will attack a less desirable host such…
It’s the same sad song each year: “My dog has fleas and they are out of control”! Every time warm weather approaches, veterinarians across the country will once again be overflowed with complaints and questions from worried dog and cat owners who are waging the recurrent battle against external parasites, particularly fleas and ticks. The…
Advances in veterinary medicine have led to increased longevity for pets, but special problems still crop up in older animals, especially dogs, either as a direct or indirect result of aging. An older dog may suffer from a variety of major and minor ailments that do not normally afflict younger pets. Among the most important…