Fleas can be a major problem for pet owners. Not only are these tiny creatures a nuisance, they are also the cause of many diseases such as flea anemia, flea bite dermatitis, and tapeworm infestation. Therefore, strict flea control is a necessary step in the health care of many pets.

The eradication of fleas from our animals and our homes necessitates the use of products containing insecticides, either in the form of a mousses, spot-ons, oral suspensions, powders or spray mists. While there are many safe insecticide products available for use on pets, caution still must be observed. Pet owners should be extremely careful when using flea products on or around their animals. Products should ALWAYS be used strictly according to their label directions. There are several new products on the market that are only available from your veterinarian. Call your veterinarian to find out more.

The following are some guidelines for dog and cat owners to follow when choosing and applying a flea control product:

Never use insecticides on very young animals, pregnant or nursing pets, debilitated or elderly animals without consulting your veterinarian. With such pets, you may want to consider avoiding the use of insecticides directly on your pet. Instead, you could comb the fleas off the pet with a flea comb then submerge the captured fleas in a small container of soapy water. This would also be a good alternative for those pets who love being groomed but who violently refuse baths or the application of a spray.

Before using any product on your pet, read the label instructions completely. If you do not completely understand the instructions, you should contact the manufacturer or your veterinarian for clarification. Observe the species and age requirements listed on the label.

Never use a product labeled “for use on dogs only” on your cats. Cats react very differently than dogs to some insecticides. Some dog products can be deadly to cats, even in tiny amounts.

Use caution when using products that contain organophosphates in your house or on your cat. Cats seem to be sensitive to certain organophosphate insecticides. Currently, there are few flea products in the United States labeled for use on cats that contain organophosphates as an active ingredient. The few that can be used on cats contain a small concentration of organophosphate. However, many household sprays and products that are specifically labeled “for use on dogs only” are widely available. Again, never use “dog only” products on your cats!

Never use flea control products that contain permethrin on your cats, unless they are specifically labeled for use on cats. There are some products that are labeled for use on cats that contain small concentrations of permethrin, usually less than 0.1%. When used according to the label instructions, these can be used safely in cats.

Always use caution when using shampoos, sprays, topical spot-ons or mousse near your animal’s eyes, ears and genitalia. Accidental exposure could cause mild irritation to these sensitive tissues.

When using a fogger or a home premise spray, make sure to remove all pets from the house for the time period specified on the container. Food and water bowls should be removed from the area also. Allow time for the product to dry completely before returning your dogs or cats to your home. Open windows or use fans to “air out” the household before returning your pets to the treated area. Strong fumes can be irritating to your pet’s eyes and upper respiratory system.

If you are uncertain about the usage of any household product, contact the product’s manufacturer or your veterinarian to explain the directions before use of the product.

Insect growth regulators like lufenuron, methoprene, and pyriproxyfen can be used in combination or alone with flea control products. They can help break the flea life cycle by inhibiting flea maturation. Growth regulators have minimal adverse effects and can improve the efficacy when used in combination with adult flea insecticides. You should consult your veterinarian or pest control specialist for advice concerning proper use of these products.

Just because a product is labeled to be a “natural” product does not mean that the product is completely safe. Many such “natural” products can be harmful when used inappropriately on cats. For example, d-limonene and linalool are citrus extracts that are used as flea control agents. Though they are natural products, they still can cause harmful side effects if used improperly.

Observe your animal closely after using flea products. If your pet exhibits unusual behavior, or becomes depressed, weak, or uncoordinated, you should seek veterinary advice immediately.

Once again, ALWAYS read the label. This could save the life of your pet!

(Provided as a courtesy by Jill Richardson, DVM, ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-4ani-help.)

Information courtesy of The American Animal Hospital Association

• Each patient is given a Physical Examination and Pre-Operative Blood Screen before undergoing any surgical procedure.
• Intravenous catheters are placed in all patients undergoing surgical procedures. This enables comfortable access for administration of anesthetic agents and pain medications. It also provides and inlet for Intravenous fluid support during the procedure. Fluid support during anesthesia maintains blood pressure and assures your pet does not become dehydrated.
• Mars Hill Animal Hospital uses sevoflurane and isoflurane gas anesthesia. These anesthetics are more expensive but much safer than other drugs. This means that your pet will have a secured airway with the use of an endotracheal breathing tube, which is an important safety measure.
• Our operating room is equipped with electronic monitors, which monitor blood pressure, oxygen saturation in the blood, EKG, pulse rate, respiration rate, and temperature. We also have highly trained surgical technicians dedicated exclusively to monitoring your pet while under anesthesia.
• A heated circulating water blanket is used to maintain your pet’s body temperature during anesthesia. Post operatively a heating pad is also placed in your pet’s cage. This provides for a safer, quicker and smoother recovery.
• There are no regulations to prevent veterinary hospitals lowering costs by reusing needles and syringes, or using outdated suture material. At Mars Hill Animal Hospital we only use the highest quality suture material and surgical supplies. We never reuse needles or syringes.
• Pain Management is a high priority at our hospital. Scientific evidence proves that pets experience pain the same way we do. Proper pain control involves not only anesthesia, but also additional medications given for the sole purpose of relieving surgical and post-surgical pain.

Things to consider when comparing surgical facilities . . .

During a hyperbaric “dive” (named after the initial use of hyperbaric chambers as they were used by divers that had ascended too fast) fluids and tissues of the body receive an infusion of readily available oxygen. In fact, even cells and areas of the body with limited circulation become more saturated in oxygen. The effect is an increased uptake of oxygen in the blood, plasma, cerebral-spinal fluids, and tissues. In addition, the vasoconstrictive nature of hyperbaric therapy has an added effect of reducing inflammation and edema (the build-up of added fluid in tissues that decreases the ability for oxygen to diffuse into the cells).

Our hyperbaric oxygen chamber in use (photo above). It is available by owner request or by direct referral request (where veterinarians can refer their patients to us specifically for HBOT). There are no known contraindications other than an uncontrolled pneumothorax.. There are no other chambers in the local area and as far as known it is the only active chamber for pets in Georgia.
Uses of HBOT

Currently, there is an increase in the amount of research being conducted on hyperbaric medicine in modern practice. Published studies in leading journals, such as The New England Journal of Medicine and Critical Care Medicine document the use of HBOT for the treatment of such indications as sepsis, acute carbon monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene, air embolism, severe and infected wounds, bone infections, burns, ulcers and edema. But these established indications only begin to open the current chapter in the use of modern hyperbaric technology.

Uses of HBOT

There are studies now that indicate its effectiveness in neurological conditions published in leading journals such as Stroke and Journal of Neurology. We have had success in neurological conditions such as intervertebral disc herniation that left the dog paralyzed or in severe pain. We also most often combine this adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy with surgery and other medical therapies that are designed to decrease inflammation and spinal cord swelling, i.e., targeted pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, hypertonic saline and mannitol. In short, the indications of hyperbaric oxygen are continuing to expand so please ask us about its possibility for your pet if we do not ? Here is a brief partial list of conditions we commonly treat with HBOT:

• Severe wounds
• Postoperative skin flaps
• Wound infections
• Fractures especially those not healing well
• Fungal infections
• Head and spinal cord injuries
• Gastrointestinal infections
• GI foreign bodies (both before and after surgery)
• Pancreatitis
• Parvovirus
• Peritonitis
• Kidney infections
• Paralysis from disc ruptures
• Pain from disc protrusion
• Post operative swelling and pain
• Crush injuries
• Post resuscitation
• Pain palliation with cancer patients
• Smoke inhalation
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Burns
• Snake and spider bite