Winter and Fleas

Think the flea threat is over with cold weather approaching –- think again!

With winter coming and colder temperatures with it, many fleas will die off. Once temperatures drop below 37 degrees Fahrenheit fleas start to freeze, but it can take up to 10 consecutive days of temperatures below 37 degree before fleas outside die. If day time temperatures exceed 37 degrees the fleas can survive and remain active.

Fleas are crafty and often find ways to survive the cold. The body heat of outside animals provide a safe haven for fleas even in the coldest weather. Micro-environments is another way fleas survive the winter. Outside animals often seek warmth up near foundations, under porches and in mulch beds. In these areas the temperature may not drop below 37 degrees and the fleas remain active. If your curious pet explored these areas, they may be the next hot meal for the fleas and can transport them into your home, only to thrive in the warm environment. Form theses areas fleas may find their way into your home through cracks in the foundation or other small openings.

So with cold weather the flea risk may diminish but it is not gone. To prevent flea infestation in your home we recommend using flea control products like Frontline Plus, Revolution or NexGard all year long.

Tick-borne Diseases: Lyme Disease

Following the lead of our colleague, Dr. Miller, we will take a closer look at Lyme disease, our area's most common tick-borne disease. Lyme disease (named for the Connecticut town) has been around for over a century but did not gain public notoriety until the 1980s. The Northeastern US and upper Midwest represent disease “hotspots,” but with warming temperatures, the disease is spreading. While we see scattered cases throughout our clinic's areas, the Goose Lake region especially represents a regional/local hotbed. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted by Ixodes ticks, in our area better known as the deer tick.

Map of the State of Illinois Canine Lyme Disease Prevalence for 2014. (CAPC)

Lyme disease, or Borreliosis, while also a well-known human disease, manifests itself differently in our canine patients. Greater than 90% of dogs who are infected with the organism are not “sick” because of it and are asymptomatic. In dogs, the disease may not manifest itself for weeks to months after infection and they may present with signs of arthritis or perhaps a fever. Fortunately, symptoms of the disease respond quickly to a course of appropriate antibiotics. Although rare, the most serious potential long-term effect is kidney disease. Due to this potential risk, in some cases we may recommend a urinalysis be checked to look for any possible indications of kidney involvement. Lastly, while cats may become infected with the organism, they appear more resistant to its effects, do not develop clinical signs and currently, the disease is not regarded to be of clinical concern in our feline patients.

As noted earlier, the deer tick transmits the bacterium, causing infection. There are three life stages involved: larvae, nymph and adult, that utilized various-sized 'hosts' for their feeding (blood sucking!). These hosts range from small (white-footed mouse) to large (dogs, deer, humans) depending on the life stage of the tick. Not surprisingly, the mouse and deer are quite prevalent in our area. Whit the tick feeds on its host, it requires a minimum of 48 hours to pass the bacterium, thus, if the tick is removed within 48 hours of attachment, the bacterium cannot be transmitted and the host will not get the disease.

Diagnosis of Lyme disease is confirmed through blood testing. When performing our recommended yearly heartworm testing, the test also checks for three tick-borne diseases: Lyme, Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis, the latter two being less common in our are. Remember, simply having a positive result does not constitute illness. However, if the patient is exhibiting joint pain and maybe a fever, we may prescribe a course of antibiotic therapy. Treatment does not eliminate the organism, it will remain in a low latent state, similar to the 90% of infected dogs who do not experience illness.

Tick control is the hallmark of Lyme disease prevention. Ticks can be active year-round and continuous protection is recommended. We carry and utilize monthly topical applications or a new chewable monthly medication, all of which kill ticks before they can transmit disease. In addition to these products, vaccination offers additional protection against Lyme disease. The vaccine inactivates the bacterium within the tick. While we do not vaccinate ever canine patient, it is recommended for patients who reside in regional hotspots, those individuals whose lifestyle is higher risk such as hunting dogs, or individuals who travel to other geographical hotspots such as Wisconsin.

Remember, prevention is the key to protecting both our canine companions AND their human friends, as we take to the woods and fields in our area!

Click here to find more information about CAPC prevalence maps for pet parasites.

Fleas!

Even though we see patients with fleas year-round, as spring approaches the fleas become even more prevalent. So, we wanted to share some information to help you understand more about fleas and how to keep them off your pets and out of your house.

Two species of fleas are seen in pets, the cat flea (Scientific name: Ctenocephalides felis) and the dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). Strangely enough, the cat flea is actually the most common species of flea we see on pet dogs. Lucky for us, these two species are very similar and respond to the same flea preventive medications.

Fleas are insects, and just like other insects such as butterflies, fleas go through several life stages before they complete their metamorphosis into an adult flea. One female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day, which then fall off of the pet and end up in your carpet, furniture, bedding, or any other crevice that can provide protection. When the eggs hatch, a larva emerges, which is like the caterpillar stage of the butterfly. Because the larva likes to find a dark hiding place, we usually don’t see this stage of the flea. Like a caterpillar, the larva creates a cocoon for the next life stage, which is called a pupa. While in its cocoon, the pupa can remain protected and dormant for several weeks. The pupae are provoked to transition to adult fleas and emerge from their cocoons when a pet walks by that they can jump onto.

Now that we’ve covered some basic flea biology, we can use that background to answer some common misconceptions we hear:

1. “My pet doesn’t go outside, so he can’t have fleas.”
   1. If your pet goes outside to use the bathroom, that is enough time to pick up fleas that wildlife may have left in your yard. Also, other pets and people can track in fleas or flea eggs that have the potential to infest your house and pets.
2. “My dog brought home fleas from the boarding kennel.”
   1. Sometimes we will get reports from owners that when they brought their pet home from boarding, they started seeing fleas on their pet. Although it is always possible for pets to bring home fleas, usually this situation means that dormant pupae were hiding out in the house and were awakened when the pet came home. If your pets became overdue for their monthly flea preventive while they were boarding, make sure they receive it as soon as you get home.
3. “It’s winter. My pet doesn’t need flea preventative now.”
   1. Since pupae can lie dormant for an extended period of time, your pet can still be exposed to fleas during colder months if there are pupae hiding in your house.
4. “We already treated my pets for fleas last month. We still have fleas, so it didn’t work.”
   1. The eggs, larvae, and pupae that can hide out in your house can persist for months. It can take several consecutive months of treating ALL the animals in the house in order to eliminate fleas from your house. The current recommendation is to treat all the pets in an infested house for at least 3 consecutive months. Also some flea medications can cause fleas to become hyper-excited before they die, so it seems like there are suddenly more fleas because they are now hyper-active and not hiding.
      
      

So, what is the best way to prevent fleas from infesting your pets and your house? The best way to control fleas is to treat every pet every month with flea preventives from a veterinarian. We have multiple choices available including topical liquids you place on your pets back and oral flavored medications. Not every medication is perfect for every pet. If you have questions, please ask us and we will decide together what is best for you, your pet, and your pocketbook.

Keep a lookout for our next blog about another creepy-crawly parasite – Ticks!