Increased Scrutiny of Flea and Tick Control Products for Pets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is intensifying its evaluation of spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control due to recent increases in the number of reported adverse reactions in pets treated with these products. Adverse reactions reported range from mild effects such as skin irritation to more serious effects such as seizures and, in some cases, death of the pet.

Flea and tick products can be appropriate treatments for protecting your pets and your family’s health because fleas and ticks can transmit disease. While many people use the products with no harm to their pets, EPA recommends that pet owners take precautions when using these products. People should carefully follow label directions and monitor their pets for any signs of an adverse reaction after application, particularly when using these products for the first time. Also, before use of these products on weak, aged, medicated, sick, pregnant or nursing pets, or on pets that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to pesticide products, EPA recommends that a veterinarian be consulted. Additional safety tips are available for taking care of fleas and ticks on your pet.

Pets may experience adverse reactions from flea and tick control products, including spot-on treatments, sprays, collars and shampoos. However, the majority of reports to EPA are related to flea and tick treatments with EPA-registered spot-on products. Spot-on products are generally sold in tubes or vials and are applied to one or more localized areas on the body of the pet, such as in between the shoulders or in a stripe along the back.

EPA has provided a listing of EPA-registered spot-on flea and tick products (10 pp, 63.45 K, About PDF)

Be very careful if you let your Scots swim. Drowning may not seem like a breed-specific health issue, but pools are a big risk to Scotties – especially Scottie pups. They love the water and they love swimming, but they’re notoriously bad at it. Scots in the water must be closely supervised, and Scots in a pool or other abruptly deep water should be avoided at all costs. If you have a pool or pond, it must be securely fenced in before you get a Scottie, and your family must be committed to keeping things secure.

Paws Aboard Doggy Life Jacket and Designer Doggy Life Jackets

Have a safe and fun summer!

	You probably don’t realize it, but dogs and cats get cancer at approximately the same rate as people do. Unfortunately, 80%of pet parents know little or nothing about pet cancer.
	That's why it's so important to learn all you can about the disease. The Blue Buffalo Foundation for Pet Cancer Research, through the Pet Cancer Awareness (PCA) program, is devoted to raising awareness about the warning signs of cancer, as well as educating pet parents about ways to minimize the risk.
	With your help, it’s our hope that we can one day find a cure for this devastating disease.

 

I was shocked last summer to find a tick on two of my dogs.  We do live near the woods and often take walks.  The only way to find ticks on your dog is to physically check the skin for any bumps - then check closely to see the cause.  After referral with the Vet, the following worked well in removing the ticks: