Fleas are a very common parasite in our companion animals and because the flea life cycle is shorter in warmer weather we as vets tend to see more flea infestations in dogs, cats and rabbits during the warmer summer months. Adult female fleas can lay up to 50 eggs per day so a single flea can quickly turn in to a flea infestation. Fleas can be an unpleasant nuisance and they can sometimes feed on pet owners as well as pets. More significantly for any vets interested in dermatology however is the important role fleas play in many itchy skin diseases, either as the underling cause (flea allergic dermatitis is one of the most common allergies in dogs and cats) or as a trigger or flare factor in other allergic skin disease patients.

Very effective flea treatments have been available for a number of years now; most of these are available as “spot-on” preparations which can be applied to the skin at the back of the pet’s neck. In most cases this is very easy to do and very well tolerated by the pet. However in some individuals they become anxious when the owner or vet approaches them to apply these topical treatments and then it can become very difficult to treat these pets effectively. In addition to this topical treatments may be inappropriate for dogs that are bathed frequently or are regular swimmers.

A very effective new treatment has recently become available from Elanco. It is in the form of a palatable chewable tablet (almost all dogs and cats will simply eat it when offered as a treat). It is very rapidly effective, killing fleas within hours of administration, and it can be administered monthly for ongoing preventative control.
For more information on this new product you can look at http://www.comfortis.com or ask any of our staff in Botanic, Clontarf, Blanchardstown, Palmerstown or Santry vets about it.

We are increasingly seeing a number of cats with hyperthyroidism in all our hospitals in north Dublin.  They typically present as older cats who despite an increased appetite have been losing weight  and are hyperactive and restless. On examination they usually have a palpable swelling in the neck(goitre) and a much increased heart rate.

Fortunately the condition can be easily diagnosed and after a thorough clinical examination a blood sample is usually taken to confirm there are elevated thyroid hormone levels

A number of treatment options are now available to treat your cat should he or she develop the condition. The more usual are

1.Anti thyroid drugs may be used on a regular basis . 2.Surgical removal of the overactive thyroid gland. 3.Radioactive iodine treatment to kill the overactive cells. 4.Most recently a low iodine food has become available, the thyroid gland needs iodine to make thyroid hormone.

All are effective and with proper care and management your pet may regain the weight and have an excellent quality of life.

The vets in Anicare support a full ban on tail docking to be included in the upcoming Animal Health and Welfare Bill.

For more information see this excellent article on www.lovemypet,ie