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Fleas, Ticks and Heartworm in Phoenix

With the arrival of spring to the valley comes the renewed need to protect our pets from parasites. As dry as the climate in Phoenix is, there are still those hardy creatures that insist on trying to make a living by feeding on our dogs and cats. The three biggest offenders are fleas, ticks, and heartworms. While heartworms never used to be a problem in Phoenix, we are seeing more and more cases every year and they now should be considered a real threat year round. Since the climate in Phoenix is so warm, and we rarely get a good hard frost, all the following parasite control measures ideally should be used all year round.

Heartworms are spaghetti sized, white worms that preferr to live in the vessels of the lungs and hearts of dogs. This worm produces offspring called microfilaria which circulate in the bloodstream of an affected dog. When a common mosquito takes a blood meal from this affected dog, these microfilaria pass into the mosquitos body and go through a maturation stage. When this same mosquito then goes to the next healthy dog for a second blood meal, the newly matured microfilaria pass into the healthy dog and set up residence in its heart and lungs. These worms can grow to be quite long and some infected dogs have been found to be carrying hundreds of these worms at one time.

Prevention of heartworm is directed at killing the microfilaria in the circulating blood. The once a month pill or meat chew given to a dog kills these microfilaria and prevents them from being spread to other dogs by mosquitos. It is for this reason that all dogs must be tested for adult heartworms before being started on preventative. In the past it was rare to find a dog that tested positive for heartworm disease. Today valley veterinarians are finding several cases a year and the numbers are increasing. All dogs in Phoenix should be on heartworm preventative all year round and "Heartguard" is a good brand to use.

A brief note on heartworms in cats. Heartworm disease in cats was not know to exist until recently. Most heartworms prefer to live inside dogs, but as more research is being done, some cases of feline heartworm has been documented. While there is now a preventative medication for heartworm in cats, in the Phoenix area, this is still a very rare occurance and monthly preventative is not recommended at this time.

Treatment for heartworm disease consists of a drug which is designed to kill the adults that are living in the vessels of an affected dog. This treatment consists of two injections 24 hours apart and can cause many side effects. Depending on how many adults worms are living in an affected dog the side effects can include heart failure, trouble breathing, vomiting, soreness and even death. The bottom line for dealing with heartworm disease is that the prevention is a million times easier on the dog than the treatment.

Ticks are another big problem for pets in Phoenix all year round. While most ticks prefer dogs for their blood meal, some cats also have problems with ticks. Aside from causing skin infections, and possibly anemia if the animal is infested; ticks can also transmit other serious diseases. The most common disease transmitted by ticks in Phoenix is called Ehrliciosis or Tick Fever. Tick Fever is caused by a microscopic oranism that is transmitted to a dog while a tick is taking a blood meal. This organism can cause many different signs of illness including nose bleeds, lameness, trouble breathing, bruising, depression and fever. This disease is treated with an antibiotic and usually has a positive outcome.

Two easy ways to prevent ticks from attaching to your dog is by using either a "Preventic Collar", or a product called "Frontline". Preventic collars contain a safe chemical called amitraz which acts to prevent ticks from taking a blood meal, and killing them if they do attach to the dog. Frontline is an oily liquid which is deposited on the skin directly between the shoulder blades. This also acts as a tick repellant and will kill any ticks that do attach. Frontline has the added advantage of also killing any fleas as well on your pet. Preventic collars can only be used on dogs, while Frontline is available for dog and cats. Both these products are only available by prescription from your veterinarian.

Fleas are much less of a problem for the pets in the Phoenix area, but they can be a real problem for cats that go outdoors. Fleas only spend 10% of their time feeding on the pet and can mostly be found in the pets environment. Fleas can cause intense itching, skin infections, and can also transmit tapeworms. To prevent a flea infestation a product like "Frontline" can be used which will repell and kill feeding fleas. It is equally if not more important to treat the envionment with flea sprays, flea bombs, vacuming and cleaning all bedding the animal has come into contact with.

The best products to use on your pet for parasite prevention can be found at your veterinarians office. While there are less expensive options found at supermarkets and pet stores, these products usually do not have the level of safety and backround research to make them as effective as prescription products. Your veterinarian can help you decide which product is the correct one to use for your pet and will help you to decide if and when to use parasite prevention.

Article written by Dr. Maren Troum, April 9, 2002