Ask a Vet!
Ask a Vet!
Our online veterinarian, WWWiz, Vet.,
gives you helpful tips on pet care.
11/11/96 Q: My sister's whippet has been prescribed Program for flea control, but it seems that every time the dose is given the dog breaks out in a rash and patches of hair fall out. I had heard something about this medication causing adverse reactions in some dogs. Could this be what's happening to Benjy? The poor animal looks like someone has let moths loose on him. Your comments would be most welcome.
A: If you think your dog is having an adverse reaction to any medication, discontinue the drug and consult your veterinarian. You or your veterinarian should contact Ciba-Giegy (manufacturer of Program) and ask if they have encountered this problem. An alternative to Program would be Advantage. Advantage is topical product that kills fleas instantly. I would also consult your veterinarian for an exam to make sure your dog doesn't have some other kind of skin problem. Good luck!
How to Get the Right Dosage of Advantage
10/31/96 Q: I have read in an Advantage booklet that I need to take my cat to a vet for a check-up in order to have the correct dose prescribed. I have also gone to our vet and the nurse said we could just purchase Advantage right over the counter from the clinic. I'm worried about the information. Which should I do? Our cat has to have a check-up in February for her rabies shot. Should I just wait it out? We flea comb her every day and just can't get rid of the fleas. She is a two-year-old indoor Persian cat and I want to do what is best for her.
A: I believe that what you read in the Advantage booklet was a recommendation, not a requirement. All you need in order to have the "correct dose prescribed" is your pet's current body weight. The veterinarian does not need to examine your pet. Advantage is actually an over-the-counter product and does not require a prescription. It is used topically and is a very safe product that you can feel comfortable starting to use now. Good luck!
Does Program Shorten Pet Life Span?
10/31/96 Q: A friend of mine told me that Program for flea control shortens the life span of the animal receiving it. Is this true? I wanted to try it on my cats, but I certainly don't want to hurt them.
A: I am not aware of Program's having any effect on the life span of the animal receiving it. An alternative to giving your cats Program, which is an oral treatment, would be to use Advantage, which is a topical treatment and not absorbed. Please consult your veterinarian regarding their opinion. Good luck!
Q:7/29/96 We have a 19-month-old basset hound, Barney, who became seriously ill shortly after taking his first dose of lufenuron and being bathed in Mycodex.
Symptoms included vomiting, eye mucous, lethargy, diarrhea, trembling, no appetite, abdominal pain, and irritability. The preliminary diagnosis was Addison's, although emergency conditions led to an immediate treatment with prednisone, Florinef, cephalexin, and cimetidine, so we have been unable to run the definitive (ACTH) test for Addison's.
It has been two weeks since the symptoms began and one week since the treatments began. Barney no longer takes the antibiotic and Tagamet, and his vet has decreased the prednisone. Barney is doing much better, although he tires more easily than normal and he is developing the eye mucous problem again.
Any chance that we should be taking a closer look at Program and Mycodex as a cause of the illness (e.g., organophosphate toxicity?) instead of simply assuming that the problem is Addison's?
Thanks!
A:Program (lufenuron), to the best of my understanding, is not an organophosphate. Therefore, the likelihood of a toxic reaction with the Mycodex is minimal.
Addison's disease seems more likely, due to the signs and response to treatment you described. Were any laboratory tests done at the time of Barney's illness?
Good luck with your treatment of Barney. Please let me know the outcome.
Q:6/26/96 Hello, Dr. Greenwood. I am looking for an objective opinion. I am a responsible pet owner - two bichons, Sugar & Spice. I watch their diet, exercise them, have the vaccine dates highlighted in my calendar, check their skin, eyes, teeth regularly for anything abnormal, have the Avid chip implanted, get their teeth cleaned, love them constantly, and even have insurance for them - $120+/yr each. I want to put them on Inceptor and the Program, and see that I can get them for $8 & $26 respectively for a six-month supply from mail-order catalogs (with a vet’s prescription), compared to $23 & $45 one vet wanted me to pay to get them from him. (I also needed Genotocin Durafilm, which I could have gotten for $5, and my vet charged me $21!!). If I, as a responsible pet owner, am going to bring my pet to a vet for all the regular (and non-regular) services, are there any who are willing to give us pet owners a break by letting us take advantage of mail-order prescriptions, since we need their okay anyway? Your thoughts would be very much appreciated.
A: Yes, there are some veterinarians who would be willing to write a prescription for a mail-order catalog if the circumstances are right. First, I would see no problem in writing a prescription for Interceptor, as long as the pet is heartworm tested annually. I would also see no problem with writing a prescription for Program as long as the pet is seen by the veterinarian at least once a year. Other medications would depend on the specific circumstances under which the pet requires the medication. For instance, is the pet chronically on this medication, and has the problem been definitively diagnosed? Also, is the pet seeing the veterinarian on a regular basis for the problem, or is the owner assuming that it is "the same old problem"? An example is the eye medication you are requesting. That particular medication contains a cortisone derivative. If used in an injured eye (e.g., scratched or ulcerated) this eye medication could actually worsen the situation. You should consult with your veterinarian and explain your desire to order various medications from a catalog, and find out what his/her concerns are regarding the issue. Also, another thing to consider is that some mail-order catalogs require that you order the medications in large quantities. You should check this out as well.
Q:I am aware of the two new products on the market using lufenuron and imidacloprid, respectively. I am aware of the method of action of these products.
Can you advise on the relative safety and efficacy of these products, and whether or not they may be used jointly?
Thanks.
A: The two products you are referring to are "Program" (lufenuron, given orally) and "Advantage" (imidacloprid, used topically).
Lufenuron (Program) works by breaking the flea life cycle via the inhibiting of egg development; results (i.e., a decrease in flea population) usually take two to three months to see. It is currently available through your veterinarian.
Imidacloprid (Advantage) works by breaking the flea life cycle via the killing of adult fleas. It kills 98-100% of existing fleas in 24 hours and prevents reinfestation for up to four weeks. It is not currently approved in California, but should be approved by July or August of 1996.
Both lufenuron and imidacloprid have been shown to be very safe (even when using multiple times the recommended doses) and have no contraindications. However, I personally would not use either compound on pregnant animals. In fact, to be on the safe side, I prefer using no medications on pregnant animals, unless absolutely necessary.
Both lufenuron and imidacloprid may be used together.
Q: I have a new house and my dog does not have fleas. If I take my dog for a walk every day, how do I keep my dog and house free of fleas?
A: You should attack the problem from three directions: the pet, the house and the yard. Pet - Good flea shampoos, dips and sprays for your dog are available through your vet. House - I recommend Fleabusters or Flea X. These are companies that manufacture a borax-and-salt type of powder which is applied to your carpet, and kills fleas by essentially dehydrating them. It is guaranteed to kill fleas for a year, and comes with a money-back guarantee. Yard - Your vet or nursery can recommend the best, most current lawn and garden sprays.
Q: What is this "flea pill" I keep hearing about? Will it keep fleas off my dog?
A: The pill you are asking about is called Program. It is a once-a-month flea control tablet (liquid for cats). When a flea bites a Program-treated dog or cat, the flea swallows the active ingredient in Program (lufenuron). This ingredient passes into the flea's eggs and prevents the eggs from hatching, thus breaking the flea life cycle. All dogs and cats in the household should be given Program in order for it to be completely effective. It is also very safe and can be given to pregnant dogs/cats, and puppies/kittens as young as six weeks.
Consult your veterinarian for further details.