1. Fleas & Ticks April 20, 2006 Brought to you by: The Brookside Barkery and Bath & Acupuncture and Herbs For Pets

2. Fleas & Ticks The Bugs What they are What they are Where they live Where they live How they cause problems How they cause problems What to do when you find them on your pet What to do when you find them on your pet What you can do to prevent them What you can do to prevent them What you can do to kill them What you can do to kill them

3. The Bugs Fleas Fleas Insects Insects Susceptible to chemicals (except pupae) Susceptible to chemicals (except pupae) Repellents work Repellents work Immune system strength is a factor Immune system strength is a factor Diet is a factor Diet is a factor Live weeks or months without eating Live weeks or months without eating Males feed Males feed Ticks Ticks Arachnids (8 legged adults) Resistant to chemicals (much harder to kill) Repellents don’t work Immune system strength not as important (some) Diet not as important Live months to years without eating Males don’t feed -they just breed

4. Fleas first

6. Fleas 4 Stages Adult Adult Hungry Feeds on blood 2-3 meals/day Hungry Feeds on blood 2-3 meals/day On the warm blooded host most of their adult life On the warm blooded host most of their adult life Females lay as many as 800-2,000 eggs (15-40/day) Females lay as many as 800-2,000 eggs (15-40/day) Eggs Eggs Laid on the pet Laid on the pet Fall off into bedding/carpet/cracks/yard Fall off into bedding/carpet/cracks/yard Caterpillar/Larvae Caterpillar/Larvae Consumes organic matter (flea dirt, crumbs, etc.) Consumes organic matter (flea dirt, crumbs, etc.) flea caterpillar makes a little cocoon flea caterpillar makes a little cocoon Pupa Pupa Impervious to insecticides Impervious to insecticides Wait many weeks for a host to come near Wait many weeks for a host to come near Senses vibration or movement to induce hatch Senses vibration or movement to induce hatch

7. 5% Adults 50 days 10% Pupae 4 to 5 months 35% Larvae 12 days 50% eggs 10 days ADULTS ON THE PET REST OF LIFE STAGES LIVE IN THE ENVIORONMENT OFF THE PET

8. Diseases & Problems Fleas Cause Flea Allergy Dermatitis Flea Allergy Dermatitis Infections Infections Itching Itching Hairloss/Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation Hairloss/Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation Irritation/suffering Irritation/suffering Tapeworms (intestinal parasite) Tapeworms (intestinal parasite) Fleas are one of the possible intermediate hosts Fleas are one of the possible intermediate hosts Rabbits are the other possible intermediate host Rabbits are the other possible intermediate host Rule out: Indoor animals with tapeworms have had fleas! Anemia (low PCV-red cell count) Anemia (low PCV-red cell count) Severe infestation Severe infestation Large numbers of fleas Large numbers of fleas Long term infestation Long term infestation Bubonic Plague Bubonic Plague

9. Flea Health Issues Problems are relatively minor Problems are relatively minor Problems are relatively easy to solve Problems are relatively easy to solve Fleas are fairly wimpy insects-easy to kill Fleas are fairly wimpy insects-easy to kill Many of the common treatments are too strong for routine use Many of the common treatments are too strong for routine use

10. What Not To Do If You Find A Flea Don’t freak out Don’t panic Don’t run out and buy Frontline Don’t burn down the house Save the “BIG GUNS” for later

12. What To Do If You Find A Flea (chill) 1. Kill the flea 2. Check for more on that pet 3. Check for more on the other pets 4. If you find more, kill them 5. Wait a few days or a few weeks to determine 1. If there is a problem 2. How serious is the problem. There is plenty of time to decide if you need to (back one slide)

13. The Bugs Fleas Fleas Insects Insects Susceptible to chemicals (except pupae) Susceptible to chemicals (except pupae) Repellents work Repellents work Immune system strength is a factor Immune system strength is a factor Diet is a factor Diet is a factor Live weeks or months without eating Live weeks or months without eating Males feed Males feed Ticks Ticks Arachnids (8 legged adults) Resistant to chemicals (much harder to kill) Repellents don’t work Immune system strength not as important (some) Diet not as important Live months to years without eating Males don’t feed -they just breed

14. Ticks 4 Stages Lifecycle can take from 1-7 years Hard Ticks and Soft Ticks very different Eggs Eggs Larvae Larvae 6 legs 6 legs Take a blood meal and molt Take a blood meal and molt Nymph Nymph 8 legs 8 legs Take a blood meal and molt Take a blood meal and molt Adult Adult 8 legs 8 legs Female feeds, lays thousands of eggs and dies Female feeds, lays thousands of eggs and dies

15. Ticks Hard Ticks “Ixodidae” Brown Dog Ticks Lone Star Ticks

16. Different Life Cycles One host/one year One host/one year Three hosts/three years Three hosts/three years Two hosts/two years Two hosts/two years

17. Soft Ticks “Argasidae” Female deer tick with eggs Adult deer tick Questing

18. Soft Ticks “Argasidae” Egg hatches to a six legged larva Takes a blood meal from a host Molts to the first nymphal stage Multiple (up to 7) nymphal stages Final molt to the adult stage

19. Soft Ticks “Argasidae” feed several times during each life stage feed several times during each life stage females lay multiple small batches of eggs females lay multiple small batches of eggs entire life cycle lasts several years entire life cycle lasts several years resistance to starvation-can survive for many years without a blood meal resistance to starvation-can survive for many years without a blood meal

20. Soft Tick Life Cycle Deer Tick

21. Diseases transmitted by ticks bacteria bacteria rickettsiae rickettsiae protozoa protozoa viruses Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, rocky mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and tick-borne relapsing fever viruses Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, rocky mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and tick-borne relapsing fever

22. Tick Health Issues Tick Health Issues Problems are relatively major Problems are relatively major Problems are difficult to solve Problems are difficult to solve Many of the common treatments are necessary and dangerous Many of the common treatments are necessary and dangerous

23. What To Do If You Find A Tick 1. Kill the tick 2. Check for more on that pet 3. Check for more on the other pets 4. If you find more, kill them, chill 5. Wait and determine 1. If you have a tick problem 2. How serious is the problem. There is plenty of time to decide if you need to (forward one slide)

25. Typical Control Measures What most regular veterinarians recommend Chemical Chemical Pet IGR Sprays Powders Shampoos Dips/wipes Spot-ons Household Bombs Sprays Yard Spray Granules

26. IGRs, Sprays/Dips, Spot-ons, and Collars IGR (Insect Growth Regulators) IGR (Insect Growth Regulators) Sprays/Dips Sprays/Dips Pyrethrins (Adams, Vet-Kem, Etc.) Pyrethrins (Adams, Vet-Kem, Etc.) Organophosphates (Paramite Dip) Organophosphates (Paramite Dip) Spot-ons Spot-ons Advantage/Advantix Advantage/Advantix Frontline/Frontline Plus Frontline/Frontline Plus Revolution Revolution Collars Collars Flea collars (pyrethrin, permethrin, organo- phosphate) Flea collars (pyrethrin, permethrin, organo- phosphate) Tick Collars (Preventick-amitraz) Tick Collars (Preventick-amitraz)

27. IGR Insect Growth Regulators/Lufenuron (Program), a non-pesticide Methoprene (Precor) Pyriproxyfen (Nylor, Archer) Don’t kill adult fleas or pupa Don’t kill adult fleas or pupa Adult fleas will still bite the animal Will not stop flea allergies More effective when mixed with an adulticide More effective when mixed with an adulticide Not as toxic as adulticides (IGRs are of negligible hazard to humans, pets, and the environment) Not as toxic as adulticides (IGRs are of negligible hazard to humans, pets, and the environment) Rarely cause any medical issues Rarely cause any medical issues

28. Systemic Pesticides You need to know what you are putting on your pet Advantage/Advantix Advantage/Advantix Imidacloprid is a pesticide that kills adult fleas on contact (100 percent of adult fleas are killed on the pet within 24 hours.) Imidacloprid is a pesticide that kills adult fleas on contact (100 percent of adult fleas are killed on the pet within 24 hours.) Frontline/Frontline Plus Frontline/Frontline Plus Fipronil is a pesticide that kills adult fleas up to three months when applied to dogs and a month or more on cats. Ticks are killed for a month or more on dogs and cats. Fipronil is a pesticide that kills adult fleas up to three months when applied to dogs and a month or more on cats. Ticks are killed for a month or more on dogs and cats. Revolution Revolution Selemectin is a spot application flea killer with heart worm preventative Selemectin is a spot application flea killer with heart worm preventative

29. Effective? Yes Safe??? Despite label claims of safety and efficacy, I have to recommend my clients rethink topical parasite control. Toxicity (tongue and pulse) Seizures Immune system disorders Cancer Internal medical disorders Topical irritation and skin damage I DO NOT RECOMMEND ROUTINE MONTHLY APPLICATION OF SYSTEMIC PARASITE TREATMENTS; USE SAFE, NATURAL ALTERNATIVES FIRST. I DO RECOMMEND STRATEGIC USE OF SYSTEMIC PARASITE TREATMENTS IN STRONG HEALTHY ANIMALS WHO ARE NOT HIGH RISK FOR REACTION WHEN NATURAL ALTERNATIVE ARE UNSUCCESSFUL.

30. Natural Pet Strong Immune System Diet/food additives SupplementsColostrum/IgGAnti-oxidants Power Mushrooms Vitamins Avoid Exposure Regular grooming cut their hair flea comb daily baths/shampooRepellants/Botanicals Essential Oils Parasite Dust Home Diatomaceous Earth Boric Acid Parasite Dust YardNematodes Keep mowed short No piles of sand or gravel Pick up debris Fence yard-stop roaming Traps Flea-light bulb over shallow pan of soapy water Tick-Warm fuzzy blob in yard

31. Rules to protect your pet Use natural remedies first and constantly Use natural remedies first and constantly Diet/food additives/immune enhancers/ repellents Diet/food additives/immune enhancers/ repellents Nematodes/Boric Acid/Diatomaceous Earth Nematodes/Boric Acid/Diatomaceous Earth Try safer chemicals first (IGR, pyrethrins, Preventick collar) Try safer chemicals first (IGR, pyrethrins, Preventick collar) Stay out of infested areas during high risk seasons Stay out of infested areas during high risk seasons Postpone systemic and spot on therapies to use as a last resort in the face of infestation-NOT THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE Postpone systemic and spot on therapies to use as a last resort in the face of infestation-NOT THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE

32. Preventing parasites Start early-don’t wait for infestation Start early-don’t wait for infestation Use multiple products with different activities Use multiple products with different activities Stay on top of it-daily tick check-daily flea comb Stay on top of it-daily tick check-daily flea comb Put your glasses on Put your glasses on Get under a good light source Get under a good light source Put your hands on your pet Put your hands on your pet Check frequently for infestations Check frequently for infestations Know what you are looking for Know what you are looking for Watch for the secondary signs Watch for the secondary signs Itching from fleas Itching from fleas Hair loss or damage to coat or skin Hair loss or damage to coat or skin Flea dirt Flea dirt Sores or bumps from ticks Sores or bumps from ticks

33. Put an end to the itch!

34. Thank You Your Wellness Connection Brookside Barkery & Bath

35. Next Month’s Lecture Topic May 18 — Skin & Coat – Dr. Faris May 18 — Skin & Coat – Dr. Faris Itchy flaky skin Itchy flaky skin Dermatitis Dermatitis Oils added to diet Oils added to diet How often to wash your pet How often to wash your pet Shampoo’s & ingredient to avoid Shampoo’s & ingredient to avoid