Veterinary Medicine - November 2007 - (Page L11)

FLEA BITE FACTS Q&A products listed as dog-only products can be quite dangerous if used on cats. What percentage of patients with a dermatologic disorder are treated with topical therapeutics, such as shampoos? How does this affect the type of flea control that should be recommended? 8 quickly. Fleas and flea allergy can be effectively controlled in most situations using several available flea control agents. Control of the flea component of the allergic response may help keep the pet below its allergic response threshold. DeManuelle: The majority (about 85%) of my clients with dogs use a medicated shampoo. The frequency of bathing varies from three times weekly to monthly. Flea medication is adjusted as described previously. It is rare for my feline patients to be bathed, so altering flea medication for cats is not relevant. Ihrke: This is a difficult question to answer because I would use shampoo therapy more frequently in flea allergic dogs if shampooing did not diminish the efficacy of spot-on flea product formulations. We probably recommend shampoo therapy in 25% to 50% of our cases. If flea allergy were not a coexistent skin disease, we probably would use adjunctive shampoo therapy even more frequently than we do now. Griffin: The majority of dermatologic cases in dogs can benefit from routine bathing. This is again especially true in atopic dermatitis cases and dogs with secondary pyoderma or Malassezia dermatitis. In those cases, virtually all dogs benefit from bathing—the more the better (up to daily). Whether the dog is bathed depends on the pet’s disease, but it also depends on the owner’s willingness to incorporate this into a treatment plan. It also relates to what treatments are used and how effective they are with or without the bathing. Frequent bathing means topical flea products are applied more frequently or combinations of products are utilized, so biweekly therapy may be recommended. Blagburn: In the southeastern United States, flea allergy is often seen concurrently with atopic dermatitis and pyoderma (in more severe cases). Consequently, it is necessary to treat the atopic and infectious component of the dermatitis and to eliminate fleas. Dermatologists often refer to the pet’s allergic response threshold and state that severe skin allergies result from potential synergism between two or more environmental allergens in forcing the pet to its allergic response threshold more 9 What problems or issues do clients have complying with topical therapy recommendations? Dryden: As with many medications that have to be applied frequently and for prolonged periods of time, compliance is a major issue. Trying to get clients to administer topical products, oral medications, or shampoos frequently or for prolonged periods can be difficult because of the time commitment and the expense. In addition, when dealing with flea allergic pets, you also need to get pet owners to apply or administer flea products in a preventive manner, often year-round. Flea Trax I Most dogs with dermatoses can benefit from routine bathing, especially dogs with: • Atopic dermatitis • Secondary pyoderma • Malassezia dermatitis. 11

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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