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Week 1 - June 08, Weekly Ask a Vet Q&A

 

  • Question: I am going to take my cat to a 7 hours drivind trip, and Im looking for some medication that is going to help my cat calm down or sleep, she is going to stay with my friend for 40 days. Thanks
    Mariela, Lynchburg
  • Answer : Anti- anxiety and sedative tablets are available from your vet to help with long car trips such as the one you are about to go on. These tablets are prescription tablets so you will need to see your local vet for these.

 

  • Question: My vet recommends Frontline only as compared to the more economical BioSpot. Do you agree that this product is safer than Bio Spot. Thanks
    Cathy, Lyndhurst, NJ
  • Answer: Biospot if given at the correct dosage is a safe product, however there appears to be less ‘leeway’ with the dosage compared to Frontline, which is very safe. You must be very careful not to apply the dog Biospot to cats though, as the active ingredient in the dog Biospot is different to that in the cat version, and is very toxic to cats.

 

  • Question: My one year old cat has been on Revolution, but he came in from an outing with numerous small ticks(probably deer) and a big brown tick. This is the second time in the last week we have removed ticks. Obviously Revolution does not solve this problem. He is due for his monthly dose next week. Can I get a better monthly product that will take care of the ticks and many of the same items that Revolution covered?
    Dottie, NYC
  • Answer: Whilst Revolution does treat tick on cats and dogs, I generally recommend Frontline Plus for Cats. Through my experience I have found that Frontline is more effective in treating ticks than Revolution but it varies from case to case.  Revolution treats external and internal parasites (worms) in cats so with the Frontline Plus you should also give a separate all wormer such as Drontal or Popantel.

 

  • Question: I have three cats diagnosed with Bartonella. The vet pulled all of the teeth of one cat and he is doing very well. He did not want to pull the teeth initially of the other two, both of whom are having pain again, however. The medication of choice is Zithromycin for 21 days per my vet (based on a friend of his who is a vet and is doing research on this). I am giving Zithromycin liquid in tuna flavor to my little female cat, which she hates, but at least she keeps coming back for more attention. The two males I cannot scruff or otherwise get them to take the liquid tuna flavor. They simply would not tolerate being scruffed OR having it mixed in a little food. So, what are my choices...does the Zithromax come in tablet form that I could chop into very small bits and mix with a tasty food? Is there some other way...? I'm thinking the next step will be to remove the teeth, but does that get rid of the infection once the gums heal? Any suggestions would be gratefully received!
    Deborah, Castro Valley, CA
  • Answer: Zithromax does come in  250 and 500 mg tablets. The usual dosage is 7.5 mg per pound (15 mg/kg) orally so for an average sized cat the dose would be a quarter to a third of a tablet. You can ask your vet to write a prescription and your local pharmacy should be able to supply this medication. Removing the teeth will reduce many of the symptoms of gingivitis caused by this disease however you will require antibiotics to eliminate the condition completely. You should also have a really effective flea treatment regime underway as fleas can re-infect cats with the disease after treatment.
    Regards
    Dr Mark, Bvsc

 

  • Question: My dog stays inside and he is shedding alot. is there anything to help with this. Thanks
    Lynne, Clarendon North Carolina
  • Answer: There is nothing really effective that you can give a dog to stop them shedding. All dogs shed, though some dogs shed more than others and inside dogs tend to shed all year round rather than at certain times of the year such as the change of the season at the end of winter. The best thing to help with shedding is regular brushing and grooming.  The more you comb or brush out the less there is to fall out all over the house.
    Regards
    Dr Mark, Bvsc

 

  • Question: How can you tell if your dog has ear mites?
    K. Woods, Georgia
  • Answer: Ear mites are a small external parasite that lives in the ear canals. The usual signs seen are is shaking of the ears and scratching of the ears. This is due to svere itchiness caused by these mites.  Affected ears usually have brown or black, crusty debris in the ear canals. Ear mites can be treated using an insecticidal ear drop such as the Ear canker drops or Ilium ear drops, or a topical spot on treatment such as Revolution, which also controls fleas and heartworms.

 

  • Question: In your honest opinion, which works best to control fleas and ticks on dogs? The Frontline Plus or the K9Advantage? Also what is the best way to keep fleas and ticks out of your yard and home?
    Karen, Azle, TX
  • Answer: I would lean towards the K9 Advantix however some pet owners have very good success with the Frontline Plus. K9 Advantix is best avoided if you also have cats who are in close proximity to your dogs as this product is extremely toxic to cats. It is almost impossible to keep fleas and ticks out of a yard with sprays. The best thing you can do is keep the shrubbery short and have the yard fenced to keep wildlife and wandering animals from entering your yard.
     
  • Question: My mother has a Rat Terrier who is 16 years old. He is having some difficulty with control of his back legs. Is there any supplement that would help?
    Pamela, Sutton, NE
  • Answer: The most common cause of difficulty in older dogs in the back legs, is arthritis that develops in the hips and other joints. There are a number of supplements that help with this problem. These are supplements which contain glucosamine and chondroitin such as Sasha’s blend powder and Glucosamine tablets. These supplements have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, stimulate healthy joint function, protects cartilage and stimulate healthy joint fluid production. Most dogs show a noticeable improvement on these products.
     
  • Question: What medicines are good to treat lice on cats
    Michael, Virginia
  • Answer: Most of the better topical ‘spot on’ type products such as Frontline Plus, Advocate/ Advantage Multi for Cats and Revolution will control lice in cats, however only Frontline Plus is actually registered for chewing lice in cats.
    .
  • Question: I purchaced revololution and heartgaurd.i was actually wanting something for heartworm  fleas and ticks.i noticed revolution was a topical heartworm med. after it arrived, which i like, my dog is horrible trying to get a pill down.is there something all in one? also with whip worms, topical?i just need the heartworm,fleas,ticks in oklahoma and whipworms,what is it i need to buy with the ease of topical if possible.otherwise just the best items to cover these. thank you for your site
    Becky, OK
  • Answer: Unfortunately there is no one perfect product that covers all that you need.
    Advocate (Advantage Multi) - is a new multi-purpose product that combines imidacloprid (as found in Advantage) with moxidectin so it kills fleas, as well as prevents heartworm, hookworm, roundworm and whipworm in dogs a with monthly application – however it has no real effect against ticks.
    Revolution – also has a multiple action. It is easy to use, controls ticks as well as fleas, heartworm and some intestinal worms – but not whipworm.
    You could use Revolution but still need to give a separate wormer to cover the whipworm, such as Drontal, Canex or Popantel every 3 months.

    K9 Advantix – is easy to use, controls ticks as well as fleas. Also repels mosquitoes so is very good for dogs in high mosquito areas. If you were to use Advantix you will still need to give the Heartgard Plus to cover Heartworm and a separate wormer to cover the whipworm, such as Drontal, Canex or Popantel every 3 months
    Regards
    Dr Mark, BVsc

 

 

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