Dr. Maro: Are flea, tick and parasite prescriptions safe for pets?
Several years ago, I contracted Lyme disease. Like many of my dog patients (and cats, too), I didn’t develop symptoms immediately. Some pets and people become ill within a few days of exposure, while others may take weeks to months. Since pets and people with Lyme disease may develop symptoms before they can make an immune response, often initial testing will show up as negative.
It took me a long time to feel comfortable about going out in the woods for long walks again. The irony was that I got a tick attachment in my own yard, 10 feet from my front door, while planting in a flower bed.
When I finally started hiking, I decided to use natural tick repellants. They were based in essential oils. I applied them to my clothing and boots, tucked my pants into my socks and boots and went hiking. About 10 minutes into the woods, my skin started breaking out in hives. I had a terrible reaction to the natural product and spent the day itching.
Since then, I use a permethrin spray on my clothing and let it dry prior to getting dressed for an outing. It also is a derivative of a natural product, but it is produced with controlled and known concentrations. I don’t apply it to my skin directly and so far, no more ticks.
Many clients are surprised when I explain that I recommend, for most pets, use of controlled doses of tested and regulated tick products, sold directly by vets who purchase directly from manufacturers, to keep their pets parasite and tick-free.
The reason I tell my own tick story is that many pets are exposed repeatedly to ticks, as I was, and tick-borne diseases occur as a result. These include Ehrlichia, Babesia, Anaplasma, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Bartonella. They often have vague symptoms and may go untreated and even die from their diseases without anyone knowing they were infected.
Sometimes these pets carry ticks into their homes and people become exposed, up to many weeks after the tick hitched a ride on the pet, never knowing where they picked up the tick. In actuality, the human didn’t pick the tick up. The pet carried it indoors.
I cannot stress enough the importance of parasite prevention and treatments for the well-being of the entire family. Both internal and external parasites can be life-threatening to pets and humans.
When it comes to use in healthy animals, not all flea and tick products perform equally in all situations. I do recommend using products based on your vet’s guidance, with consideration for breed, age, lifestyle, client preferences for application (oral vs topical, with treatments given by mouth being preferred by many) and current health status.
When people ask about natural tick control or natural dewormers, I explain that they have lost effectiveness in our region AND there are no requirements for testing for contaminants and heavy metals in essential oils. Owners may expose their pets, unknowingly, to toxic chemicals in “natural products” which cause allergic or toxic effects.
For patients with a history of seizures, geriatric disorders, cancer or autoimmune diseases, my recommendations center around using lower trial dosing and monitoring pets closely during first introductions of ALL medications. I also suggest using prescription liver detoxification protocols to prevent the accumulation of drug metabolites in the liver. This will help pets clear drug residues.
Guidelines for choosing and purchasing all flea, tick, deworming and heartworm preventives include:
Follow your vet’s recommendations.
Purchase directly from your vet.
If your pet acts weird after any medication administration, call your vet and order blood testing. Weird behaviors may be related to many other problems not associated with the drug.
Possible drug reactions should be reported by your vet to the drug manufacturer, who may order additional testing. NEVER buy medications, supplements or nutritional products from an unknown source. This includes “the internet.” (This week I treated a dog that was in organ failure and the owner had been purchasing prescription meds on the internet from a site that didn’t require a script from a vet — big red flag for fraudulent products. Even with a script, a product online may be “fake.”)
Have all pets tested for internal and external parasitic conditions twice annually. Even indoor pets. And then rely on your pet’s vet to dispense the best treatments to keep your family and pet healthy.
Discuss all your concerns about parasite preventives and drugs prescribed for your pet. When in doubt about whether your pet is really in good health, opt for the extra blood work BEFORE prescriptions are dispensed.
Currently available flea, tick, parasite and heartworm medications use very low doses which are typically tested at levels up to 6-10 times normal dosing. These tests tell your vet about what to expect if a pet eats a whole package of preventives.
When pets overdose, notify your vet, the emergency number on the package and the ASPCA Pet Poison center for advice on how to treat a toxicity reaction.
Remember, natural doesn’t always mean safe AND pharmaceutical preventives do save lives and can help you and your family stay well.
Dr. Cynthia Maro is a veterinarian at the Ellwood Animal Hospital in Ellwood City and the Chippewa Animal Hospital in Chippewa Township. She writes a biweekly column on pet care and health issues. If you have a topic you’d like to have addressed, email ellwoodvet@msn.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Maro: Are flea, tick and parasite prescriptions safe for pets?
