Report reveals top 10 heartworm cities in the U.S.February 13, 2019Cincinnati, Ohio, and Stockton, Calif., have topped the list of heartworm infested cities in the U.S. for January.
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Tick TalkJanuary 15, 2019In recent decades, notable changes in the distribution and abundance of tick populations have occurred across North America.
Study shows increase of Lyme disease in dogsDecember 28, 2018Lyme disease in dogs has become increasingly common in the Northeast and has moved into U.S. regions not historically considered endemic.
Dangerous superbugs found in pork across multiple countriesDecember 21, 2018World Animal Protection (WAP) tested pork from the shelves of supermarkets in Australia, Brazil, Spain, and Thailand, finding ‘superbugs’ in three of the four countries.
Deworming debateDecember 19, 2018Hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms, roundworms, and heartworms. They are intestinal and circulatory parasites no one wishes to encounter. Yet, they’ve squirmed their way into too many pets to continue practicing status quo programs.
New Jersey hospital warns pet owners following Leptospirosis outbreakOctober 29, 2018New Jersey’s NorthStar VETS emergency and specialty hospital has issued a warning for local pet owners following an increase in the number of Leptospirosis cases treated at the hospital and other clinics in the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania areas.
American Heartworm Society releases 2018 Canine Heartworm GuidelinesSeptember 17, 2018 The American Heartworm Society (AHS) has released 2018 Canine Heartworm Guidelines, which focus on reducing heartworm transmission, clarifying testing recommendations, and avoiding shortcuts in treatment. The 2018 guidelines reflect the following updates to the AHS' recommendations: Prevention Given the highly preventable nature of heartworms, prevention practices are the cornerstone of any practice's heartworm management program, said Chris Rehm, DVM, president of the AHS. "Unfortunately, the latest AHS survey found that incidence has been trending up rather than down, with the number of infected dogs per clinic rising by 21 percent in the U.S. and its territories between 2013 and 2016." Environmental and climatic changes, as well as the relocation of microfilaremic dogs and the expansion of microfilaremic wild canid territories are considered to be contributing factors to both incidence numbers and the spread of heartworms to areas once considered nonendemic, according to the AHS. "For these reasons, we continue to stress the importance of year-round administration of macrocyclic lactone preventives, along with practical steps to reduce mosquito exposure, such as eliminating standing water on the property and keeping pets indoors during peak mosquito times," said Dr. Rehm. "Year-round prevention is the single most important step …
Strategies for equine dewormingSeptember 14, 2018Horse owners and veterinarians have focused on control of equine internal parasites using chemical deworming strategies for decades, especially with the advent of readily available, easily administered oral paste deworming agents. However, due at least in part to rather constant deworming, parasite resistance to deworming agents is now recognized as a significant problem. Thus, it is increasingly important veterinarians work with their clients to develop effective deworming strategies.
FDA approves NexGard expanded label claimsAugust 22, 2018Merial, part of Boehringer Ingelheim, received approval from the U.S Food and Drug Administration to expand the label claims for NexGard (afoxolaner). The flea and tick control product is now approved to prevent Borrelia burgdorferi infections as a direct result of it killing Ixodes scapularis vector ticks, commonly called black-legged, or deer, ticks. NexGard is the first and only flea and tick product to receive FDA approval for preventing infections that cause Lyme disease by killing the vector ticks, the company stated. The approval comes just as veterinarians and pet owners in many parts of the country are being warned about the potential of an increased number of Lyme disease cases in 2018. The FDA approval is based on two well-controlled laboratory studies that showed that NexGard effectively prevented the transmission of B. burgdorfei infections after dogs were infested with wild-caught I. scapularis ticks 28 days after treatment with NexGard, said the manufacturer. "Both studies measured the transmission of B. burgdorferi to dogs after exposure to infected ticks," said Zach Mills, DVM, head of US Pet Veterinary Professional Services. "All dogs treated with NexGard tested negative for B. burgdorferi infection, demonstrating that transmission was prevented as a direct result …
Heartgard producer launches feline parasiticideJuly 16, 2018A new monthly heartworm disease prevention product for cats has been announced by Boehringer Ingelheim. Applied topically, Centragard (eprinomectin and praziquantel transdermal solution) can also treat and control hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms.
