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Week 5 - May 08, Weekly Ask a Vet Q&A

 

  • Question: If I have a cat over 15 pounds, can I use the appropriate dosage dog Revolution?
    Deborah, Tampa, FL
  • Answer: The active ingredient in the dog and cat version of Revolution is exactly the same. The concentration is higher in the dog version - 120mg/ml instead of 60mg/ml in the cat version however for the same weight of animal the dose is half, meaning that the same amount of active ingredient is applied to dogs and cats for the same weight. For large cats over 15 pounds many pet owners use the Revolution for Small Dogs 10.1 to 20 pounds.

 

  • Question: My Cairn Terrier has a recurring yeast condition on his skin. He is strictly on a fish and sweet potatoes dog food (allergy formula). We pretty much have eliminated a food allergy. We had it pretty much under control, and I then put Frontline on him and that seems to be when it flared up again. Could this be our problem? It doesn't seem to be a seasonal condition, it has been a problem year round. I know he is uncomfortable, he chews on his feet all the time. Do you have any suggestions?
    Dani, Reading
  • Answer : It sounds like your fellow doesn’t have a food allergy if he has been on a low allergy diet, however the only real way to know for sure  is to ‘challenge’ him by going back to his original diet and seeing if that causes him to flare up.  I’m not sure the cause would be the Frontline, though I would suggest trying a different product next time – maybe the Advantage or Revolution. It is possible that your fellow has Atopy – which is an allergy to airborne allergens, sometimes Atopy is seasonal, other times not, depending on the actual allergen. Allergy testing is available to determine if Atopy is the actual cause. Often conditions like this require a fair amount of ‘detective work’ to get to the cause. A specialist veterinary dermatologist should be able to get to the bottom of his condition.
    Having said all that, yeast infection - usually caused by an organism called Malassezia is a very common secondary infection in dogs with an allergic skin condition. The yeast itself causes the dog to be quite itchy. You should treat this with twice weekly washes with a medicated antifungal shampoo. I have found Malaseb to be the best for this condition.

 

  • Question: Is it okay to use the revolution on my dog since I give her heartgard for heartworms?
    Lora, Chalmette
  • Answer: Yes there is no problem using the Revolution with other heartworm preventatives. It won’t react with any of the other meds. Sometimes pet owners do this if they don’t want to use the Revolution year round, but intermittently for flea or tick control, or to treat ear mites etc.

 

  • Question: It looks like revolution covers everything except mosquitos, The chart indicated that is aslo controls heartworms, eliminating the need to give monthly heartworm pills. Would this product be my best choice for flea & tick control on outdoor dogs & cats?
    Tracy, Blythewood, SC
  • Answer : Yes the Revolution is a very good combination product that eliminates the need to give multiple different products. No one product covers everything though. The Revolution does not cover all of the gastro-intestinal worms. In cats you should still worm with a tape wormer such as the Virbac tapewormer or Droncit and for dogs an allwormer such as Drontal or Canex Plus every 3 months.

 

  • Question: Does Frontline Plus also treat a lice problem? What would need to be done to rid an area of lice?
    Beverly, Kewanna, IN
  • Answer : Frontline Plus is registered for chewing lice in both dogs and cats. Most insecticidal treatments such as weekly washes with a permethrin based rinse such as Permoxin in dogs, weekly washes with a pyrethrin based shampoo such as Petgloss shampoo for dogs and cats, monthly treatment with Advantix in dogs, or monthly treatment with Advocate (Advantage Multi) or Frontline Plus in dogs and cats will control lice.

 

  • Question: Hi, my cat is very sick. The vet doesn't know what's wrong with her. She throws up all the time, she has lost a LOT of weight. She is extremely thin and very bony. He prescribed antacids and had us change her food to Iams. She stopped throwing up all the time but now she just doesn't eat. For the past two days she has been sneezing a lot and has not eaten at all. We changed her kitty litter and gave her a bath as she hadn't cleaned herself in months. She actually seemed to enjoy the bath although she was cold afterwards so I blow dried her (on low). I am looking for some cold medicine. She is all plugged up. Snores and wheezes. I think if she could smell her food she might eat it. Can you recommend a decongestant for her? Thank you.
    Teri, CA
  • Answer: It does sound like your girl is very ill. If you vet cannot help I think you should seek a second opinion. She may require laboratory tests such as blood tests to determine the cause of her problem. It is correct that when a cat cannot smell their food they often won’t eat. They can also dehydrate as many cats get their fluid requirements from their food. One of the best treatments for congestion is steam. One easy way is to place her in a basket on the floor of the bathroom when you have a hot shower. The steam that she breathes in will help break down the mucus which is causing the congestion. If you have a vaporizer as is used for children this will also help.

 

  • Question hearing alot about Pro-Meris. Can you shed some light on this medication? Frontline Plus doesn't: Hi, I have been using Frontline Plus on my cat for flea control. However, I have been  seem to control her scratching. She is indoor-outdoor, age is about 9 years old and healthy. Thanks
    Benni,Nashville, TN
  • Answer: I have heard from other pet owners that Frontline Plus is not working as well as it once was in certain areas. Other pet owners find that the product works just fine. If you are still finding fleas after using Frontline Plus you should consider using a different product such as Advantage or Revolution.
    Promeris is a relatively new product with a new active ingredient called Metaflumizone. The spectrum of activity is similar to Frontline Plus in that it treats fleas in dogs and cats as well as ticks in dogs. It is a once a month ‘spot on’ topical treatment. There is no known cross resistance with any of the existing treatments.

 

  • Question: Here in the states they are selling Capstar for killing fleas, is the med that you are selling equal to that of capstar. the fleas here are bad but I cannot afford the local vet prices for capstar. I have purchased the Frontline plus from you last year and was very happy, but the cats need more. the year is bad. I want to order a large supply if it is the same Thank you for your help?
    Alice, Fulton, TX
  • Answer: We don’t actually stock Capstar however we have a wide range of very effective and very easy to use products for flea control that will control the fleas just as effectively as Capstar. Capstar kills fleas for 24 hours after treatment, however it has no effect after this. If you give Capstar once a week, then the animals are protected against fleas for one day out of that week.  Treatments such as Frontline Plus, Advantage, Revolution and Advocate (Advantage multi) all kill fleas for a month after treatment. They are easy to apply – the tube of liquid is squeezed onto the cats back between the shoulder blades.

 

  • Question:  i have had the nora virus and now my cat looks like its running a little low and its third eye is out slightly do you think the cat has caught my virus and if so how should i treat it?
    Cherie, South Australia
  • Answer: Nora virus belongs to a family of viruses known as Calicivirus. While there is a type of Calicivirus that affects cats, humans are the only known host for the Nora virus. Calicivirus is common in cats and causes severe flu like symptoms however cats are protected from this virus by their annual vaccination.

 

  • Question: My dog is not eating. I took him to the vet and he has liver problems and possible cancer.
    Medina, NYC
  • Answer: I’m sorry to hear that your dog has such a serious problem. Let’s hope that it is something that can be managed. The liver is a very  complex organ and one of the most important functions is to detoxify harmful toxins that build up in the bloodstream. In dogs with liver conditions, a very important part of managing the condition is by modifying the diet to minimize the amounts of toxins the liver has to process and provide maximum nutrition so that damaged liver cells can repair themselves.
    Protein levels have to be at optimal levels. Too high a level increases the amount of ammonia that the liver needs to breakdown while too little will not provide the protein required by the body and liver cells. Protein should be high quality and have the correct ratio of the different amino acids. This usually means protein derived from animal sources rather than from plant sources such as found in soya beans used in the manufacture of cheaper brands of dog food.
    Fats and carbohydrates need to be carefully controlled to supply an easily available source of energy. Vitamins and minerals especially the water soluble vitamins – the B group vitamins and zinc need to supplemented in dogs with liver disease. Increased fiber in the diet helps with the removal of toxins from the digestive tract.
    You should talk to your vet about commercial diets available for dogs with liver disease or an online search may find a homemade diet that will address these issues. If your dog is not eating well a high energy, vitamin and mineral supplement such as Nutrigel may help.