Veterinary Medicine - November 2007 - (Page L10)

FLEA BITE FACTS Q&A Flea Trax I Water immersion and bathing with shampoos can affect both the efficacy and residual activity of all topical flea control products. selamectin, which is topical but then systemically absorbed, is again at least partly effective from being secreted with the sebum, which bathing temporarily decreases. Therefore, the decision relates to how important the flea control is and what the owners are willing to do. Generally if flea control is critical, then bathing may have to be somewhat limited, at least until some degree of flea control has been achieved and fleas are not in the dog’s immediate environment, especially if it’s an indoor pet. If the home environment is not the main source of fleas but outside areas are (e.g., trips to the park or beach and long walks), then those areas should be avoided during flea season while frequent bathing is being utilized. Systemic flea products may still offer benefit if the mechanism is not secretion in the skin lipids. Topical flea products may still have good efficacy when bathing is limited to once or twice weekly at most and the flea products are applied at biweekly intervals. Blagburn: In my opinion, frequent water immersion and bathing with shampoos have the potential to affect both the efficacy and residual activity of all topical flea control products. The interplay between topical therapy (e.g., shampoos or rinses) and topical flea control is real and will likely require adjustment of one or both to maintain control of both fleas and dermatitis. Adjusting the frequency of use of both flea control agents and topical therapeutic agents to achieve a compromise in product performance may require some trial and error. More frequent application of flea control products (if product labels allow it) can compensate for moderate use of other topical therapies. Successful balance of product use will vary from pet to pet and will be affected by the severity of disease, type of flea products used, and other kinds of necessary therapies. In some situations, using systemic flea control products while using other dermatologic therapies can be a viable option. DeManuelle: If a patient requires aggressive shampoo therapy (i.e., twice weekly or greater), I use oral flea control (e.g., nitenpyram) or a permethrin-based flea spray with an insect growth regulator on dogs after each bath. If the shampoo therapy is weekly or biweekly, I usually increase the topical flea medication used monthly to weekly or biweekly, depending on flea exposure and the type of shampoo used. Ihrke: An additional problem is that clients often attempt to substitute over-the-counter topical spot-on products for the veterinarydispensed products. The prime advertisement thrust of these products is that they are just as good as the veterinary products but less expensive. These over-the-counter products do tend to be less expensive but are markedly less effective and less safe for the animal and owner. This is especially a problem with cats because over-the-counter “In some situations, using systemic flea control products while using other dermatologic therapies can be a viable option.” —Dr. Byron Blagburn 10

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - November 2007

Veterinary Medicine - November 2007 Contents Leading Off The Veterinary Medicine Interview: Dr. Lila Miller Clinical Exposures Idea Exchange A Challenging Case: Uveitis and Secondary Glaucoma in a Cat Is it Immune-Mediated Neutropenia? Pimobendan Treatment in Dogs with Congestive Heart Failure CE Form Product Preview Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller Special Supplement by Lilly: Flea Bite Facts Q&A

Veterinary Medicine - November 2007

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