Products can keep your pets parasite-free

Advertiser Staff

The parasites that harm Hawai'i's pets are always in season. Since the late 1990s, veterinarians have been able to prescribe products that keep cats and dogs free of the "big three": fleas, ticks and heartworms.

Patch tested positive for heartworms and was successfully treated. He's shown here with Shannon McDavid, 6, who sent her tooth fairy money to the society to help protect other animals. "I hope all the animals will find loving homes," she wrote. Hawaiian Human Society

Drugs with active ingredients such as imidacloprid, fipronil, selamectin and lufenuron are better known by their brand names, including Frontline¨, Advantage¨, Program¨, Revolution¨, and Sentinel¨. Available only through veterinarians, they come in the form of pills or topical spot applications administered monthly or as recommended by your veterinarian. They work by interrupting the life cycle of the flea, making it impossible for the pests to reproduce.

Tick, tick, tick

Ticks may be an even bigger threat than fleas to your pet's health, responsible for anemia, dermatosis, tick paralysis and serious tick-borne diseases, such as ehrlichia. Some flea products such as Frontline also kill ticks; if you have seen ticks on your pet your veterinarian may prescribe one product that kills both. Groom your pet frequently checking especially paw pads and ears, vacuum the carpet often and keep your yard trimmed.

Heartworms on the increase

Heartworm disease (dirofilariasis) is a serious and potentially fatal disease transmitted by the bite of a mosquito. The disease is aptly named: The worms are found in the hearts of infected dogs, and in nearby large blood vessels. The female worm is 6 to 14 inches long and / inch wide; the male is about half that. One dog may have as many as 300 worms, which clog the blood vessels and interfere with valve action.

Dogs should be checked annually for heartworm. Some new-generation products such as Revolution and Program combine flea control with heartworm protection. Though heartworm disease is rare in cats, it does occur; some veterinarians may recommend a heartworm preventative for felines who spend time outdoors.

A word of caution

The Humane Society of the United States warns against products that contain chemicals called organophosphate insecticides (OPs) and carbamates, both of which have been linked to brain damage, endocrine system problems and some cancers. Even with normal use, organophosphate products can pose a serious health risk.

Among nonprescription products that contain OPs and carbamates: Alco, Americare, Beaphar, Double Duty, Ford's, Freedom Five, Happy Jack, Hartz, Hopkins, Kill-Ko, Protection, Rabon, Riverdale, Sergeant's, Unicorn, Vet-Kem, Victory and Zema. Consult your veterinarian.