Canine ehrlichiosis is cause for considerable alarm for the millions of dog owners around the country.

The arrival of Ehrlichia in Australia has been devastating for some remote dog communities. However, there is no reason to panic, and prevention is easy.

Here I’m going to help Australian dog owners to understand the risks, and know how to easily prevent it.

What Is Ehrlichiosis?

Ehrlichiosis is the disease caused by a tiny bacterial blood parasite called Ehrlichia canis. It’s spread by the bite of a tick, and specifically Rhipicephalus sanguineus the Brown Dog Tick.

It causes some or all of the following signs:

• Fever and lethargy
• Swollen glands
• Discharge from the eyes and nose
• Fluid swelling of the legs and genitals
• Bleeding excessively (seen as red patches on the skin & gums, blood noses or cloudy eyes)

Death is possible in severe cases.

The Spread Of Ehrlichia In Australia

Until recently, Australia was thought to be the only continent whose dogs were free of the disease. Then, in 2020, it was found in sick dogs in the Kimberley, and then more widely across Western Australia, the Northern Territory plus a single case in far north SA. Currently there have been in excess of 300 cases and dog numbers in some remote communities are reported to have dropped by one third.

The map shows the approximate locations of positive reports. It also shows where the tick that carries it is found. As you can see, there’s a lot of Australia where the disease could still spread.

In response, governments have instigated control programs and are preventing the movement of dogs from known areas. Currently the chance of a dog getting ehrlichiosis is still very low. However, everyone who lives in these areas or travels to them should be aware of the risk.

Prevention Of Ehrlichiosis

The risk of your dog catching ehrlichiosis is closely related to two things:

1. The chance of being bitten by a Brown Dog Tick
2. The chance of that tick carrying Ehrlichia canis

Therefore, tick control measures are very important for dogs wherever ticks are found in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and far northern South Australia. There is less concern in Queensland, but most dogs east of the dividing range will still need to take paralysis tick treatments.

Movement Of Dogs

If you are travelling, avoid taking your dog into known infested areas unless absolutely necessary. Once you do, keep an eye on state government regulations before leaving the area or crossing state lines as the situation is likely to change rapidly.

For example, If you plan on moving your dog into southern WA from the shires of Broome, Derby-West Kimberley, Halls Creek and Wyndham-East Kimberley, you now must:

• Email animalbiosecurity@dpird.wa.gov.au with your details (name, address, email, phone number), your dogs’ details (name, age, sex, breed, microchip number), product and date of tick treatment and details of destination for the dog (you can also fill in and email a dog movement notification form)
• Ensure that all dogs being moved are healthy
• Apply one of the tick treatments mentioned on this page during the seven days before moving your dog
• Keep a record of the tick treatment for six months after the movement
• Contact the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 if your dog becomes unwell following movement

Prevention Of Brown Dog Tick Attachment

In Brown Dog Tick areas, follow these precautions:

• Avoid areas where free ranging dogs are seen to congregate
• Keep grass short in dog yards and avoid walking in overgrown places
• Get a pest controller if ticks are found in your yard
• Check dogs daily for ticks; read how here
• Use good tick control products
• Contact local vets for more information; ticks also transmit Babesia and Anaplasma

Brown Dog Tick Control In Dogs

The prevention of ehrlichiosis requires a different strategy to tick paralysis. Whereas in tick paralysis, it’s OK if a tick attaches as long as it dies quickly, in ehrlichiosis, we don’t want the tick to attach at all.

Therefore, we use surface insecticides that can act before the tick begins to feed. Currently, there are four available in Australia:

1. Advantix spot on
2. Seresto collars
3. Preventic collars
4. Kiltix collars

Of these, I recommend the first two, as they have been experimentally shown to prevent the transmission of Ehrlichia canis to dogs (references below). However, we don’t stop with these alone.

The cornerstones of good tick paralysis prevention are the new tablets like Simparica, NexGard and Bravecto. Their outstanding efficacy and safety means that they should be used as a second line of defence. The fact that they work better for paralysis ticks shows that once the tick attaches, these are the products of choice.

I hope you can now see that preventing ehrlichiosis is not difficult for the average dog owner. But finally, let me say one last thing: if your dog gets it, doxycycline is a simple and cheap treatment. Just so long as it’s started straight away, recovery is all-but guaranteed.

Have something to add? Comments (if open) will appear within 24 hours.
By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here.

References

Note: the distribution map for Rhipicephalus sanguineus was constructed from the first reference, with the addition of recent reports from northern South Australia. The Ehrlichia incidence reports were compiled from state government sources (I have not included a Northern Goldfields report due to vagueness about its location).

Chandra, S., Ma, G. C., Burleigh, A., Brown, G., Norris, J. M., Ward, M. P., … & Šlapeta, J. (2020). The brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu Roberts, 1965 across Australia: Morphological and molecular identification of R. sanguineus sl tropical lineage. Ticks and tick-borne diseases, 11(1), 101305

Dantas-Torres, F., Capelli, G., Giannelli, A., Ramos, R. A. N., Lia, R. P., Cantacessi, C., … & Otranto, D. (2013). Efficacy of an imidacloprid/flumethrin collar against fleas, ticks and tick-borne pathogens in dogs. Parasites & vectors, 6(1), 1-8

Fourie, J. J., Luus, H. G., Stanneck, D., & Jongejan, F. (2013). The efficacy of Advantix® to prevent transmission of Ehrlichia canis to dogs by Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. Parasite, 20

Jongejan, F., Crafford, D., Erasmus, H., Fourie, J. J., & Schunack, B. (2016). Comparative efficacy of oral administrated afoxolaner (NexGard) and fluralaner (Bravecto) with topically applied permethrin/imidacloprid (Advantix®) against transmission of Ehrlichia canis by infected Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks to dogs. Parasites & vectors, 9(1), 1-14.

Stanneck, D., & Fourie, J. J. (2013). Imidacloprid 10%/flumethrin 4.5% collars (Seresto®, Bayer) successfully prevent long-term transmission of Ehrlichia canis by infected Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks to dogs. Parasitology Research, 112, 21-32

This is an opinion piece, not a regular clinic article. I have been seeing itchy dogs for nearly 30 years and have yet to see one who cannot be helped. Here I’m going to boil down all the conflicting advice into my simple step by step approach.

First, let’s define what makes an itchy dog.

Signs Of Pruritus In Dogs

The sensation of itchiness on its own (called pruritus) only causes the skin to look pinker than normal. That would be as far as it went if it wasn’t for two unavoidable consequences:

1. Dogs are unable to resist the temptation to bite, scratch or lick at an itch
2. Dog skin quickly gets secondary infections with opportunistic yeasts or Staph

It’s these two effects that really create the typical appearance of an itchy dog. This could be any of the following:

• Ear infections
• Licking the feet and chewing at the paws
• Red-brown saliva staining in the coat
• Hotspots and skin infections
• Hair loss and a doggy smell
• Thickened or black skin

8 Steps To Stop A Dog Scratching

The following is my approach towards a more comfortable dog, and could be your pathway too. Each is a trial: we keep what works, and keep going until everybody’s happy. Some steps are for you alone, others are in partnership with your vet.

When I do this in my clinic I will often change the order or overlap the steps depending on the situation. Your vet is likely to do this a whole different way, and that’s fine too.

Step 1: Eliminate Secondary Infections

Stopping a dog from itching, scratching or biting is impossible if there’s any secondary infection or if they are in a vicious cycle of repeated damage. Therefore, you need to see a vet straight away if there are signs of the following:

• Broken, moist or greasy skin
• Crusts or scabs
• Red bumps, pimples or rings
• Smelly or mucky ears

Then come back to this list!

Step 2: Parasite Control

Let me be blunt. There is no place for “my dog is scratching but he doesn’t have fleas“. Not in an age of excellent, affordable flea control. Especially not when mange mites can be eliminated in the same step.

Allergic dogs carry fleas in numbers that are too low to detect, and you’ll never see mites. Therefore, whether you believe in it or not, please, please start out by using a good parasite prevention. Think of it like an insurance policy.

I personally only use one of:

• Simparica
• NexGard
• Credelio
• Bravecto

You can view a larger list of registered dog flea products here. These products can be game-changers for itchy dogs.

Step 3: Shampoo

Never underestimate the effect of bathing done properly. The myths about bathing dogs too often are outdated and based on bad shampoo choices. Every dog should get the opportunity to see if bathing can help.

Bathing will work if it can remove the offending allergen or irritant without disturbing the skin’s barrier function. I ask owners to use soap-free shampoos like Aloveen at least once a week, but preferably twice. For yeast I will use Malaseb.

Dogs prone to ear infections often benefit from a flush with the right ear cleanser afterwards.

Then there are the moisturisers. Each good shampoo company has a matching conditioner or spot-on treatment. These aren’t always necessary, but definitely worth trying.

Step 4: Food (Part I)

I’ve discussed before the reasons why food is over-hyped in itchy dogs, but it still plays an important role, twice.

Here and now, we want to try food as a form of medicine. So I ask you to use a diet specifically formulated to reduce itch in dogs. These are not quite elimination diets. Three examples are:

• Royal Canin Skintopic
• Hills Sensitive Skin
• Hill’s Prescription Diet Derm Complete

Skin foods work by containing all the known nutritional supplements that can help reduce itch in dogs. They are not spectacular, ever, but they always help a bit.

If you don’t want to change the diet, then at a minimum add fish oil to the diet at a rate of one gram per 4.5kg bodyweight. Stop immediately if it causes tummy upsets.

Step 5: Corticosteroid Trial

After all this is done (and still being done) I will sometimes try a short course of prednisolone. You can read more about the approach here, but what I’m looking for is that third of dogs who will tolerate its side effects while achieving relief of symptoms.

Here I’m getting controversial, and in fact I skipped this step with my own Jack Russell. However, if you can get it to work, prednisolone is a far, far cheaper option than what is to follow.

Another way of using corticosteroids is via creams, lotions, sprays and ointments. These often cause more harm than good due to dogs licking them off, but they can be helpful for small areas.

Step 6: Food (Part II)

A lack of response to prednisolone at regular doses pushes food allergy higher up the list, enough to justify the next step. Now we perform a strict elimination diet. These are not for the half-hearted as you’ll see at the link.

I am very tired of seeing poor dog owners who’ve been told at the beginning that their dogs have a food allergy (usually wrong) and then put on a different food (that almost never works). I often only learn of this six months later after they’ve given up.

There is a widespread lack of understanding about what constitutes an effective food trial. Just changing brands it is certainly not. It’s an eight-week highly controlled diet with very limited chances of success. That’s why it’s this far down the list: important to rule out, but not high priority.

Step 7: Cytopoint or Apoquel

At this point, we’re out of simple options, and the problem looks like it’s here to stay. Only five years ago, such dogs had only Atopica, but now we have two more effective choices:

• Apoquel is a tablet that suppresses a range of inflammatory cytokines involved in inflammation
• Cytopoint is a monoclonal antibody injection that binds to interleukin-31 and prevents it initiating inflammation

These drugs are generally well-tolerated and extremely effective. I find that both work best if they are started early in the course of dermatitis, before secondary skin changes develop. The disadvantage of both is price; indications of each can be found at the links.

Step 8: Referral

If all the treatments we’ve tried so far haven’t given enough relief, now is the time for a veterinary specialist dermatologist. Hopefully you’re lucky enough to have one nearby. Here in Adelaide we can arrange referral to one of two vets who deal exclusively in skin problems.

Of course. this step doesn’t have to be last. At any stage you can ask for referral, and we will happily provide it. However, my own approach is to pick all the low-hanging fruit I can before sending you away.

Costs only go up, which means this isn’t for everyone. But it’s usually worth at least just taking the first appointment to see if there’s anything simple that’s been missed.

Other Options

These 8-steps are a very individual approach. Not unconventional, just my personal take on a complex problem. Here are some other treatments you’ll also get advised:

• Antihistamines are often added early in the process. I don’t think they work very well, but I can’t criticise the attempt. We’re all trying our best.
• Natural remedies are heavily promoted online. You are welcome of course to try them but we see very little effect.

A Plug For Insurance

I once heard from a pet insurance company that their number one payable condition is dermatitis, and I’m not surprised. But if your dog already has symptoms, it’s too late to get them covered. This is what we call the pre-existing condition exclusion.

Therefore, if you’re the owner of a young, healthy dog, do consider pet insurance. I can think of no better example of its effectiveness than all the dogs with atopic dermatitis. If your dog is unlucky enough to get it, then insurance means being able to take all these steps without hesitation.

Even if this isn’t an option, and funds are limited, a way can usually be found to make your dog comfortable again. So don’t suffer in silence!

Related: The Causes Of Atopy In Dogs | A List Of Dog Skin Medications

Have something to add? Comments (if open) will appear within 24 hours.
By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here. The information provided here is not intended to be used as a substitute for going to the vet. If your pet is unwell, please seek veterinary attention.

• Aloe vera
• Apple cider vinegar
• Calendula
• Chamomile
• Coconut oil
• Garlic
• Grapefruit seed extract
• Homeopathy
• Oil of oregano
• Mullein
• Witch hazel
• Yoghurt

The reason there is so much interest in home remedies is simple: dog ear infections can be extremely frustrating. They are common, they keep coming back and they can get very expensive. That’s without even mentioning the discomfort they bring to dogs.

I’m here to tell you that you can stop ear infections. But it’s never easy.

Later I’ll tell you my favourite natural remedy. But before choosing any treatment, natural or otherwise, you must understand two things:

1. The real reason most dogs get ear infections
2. The number one reason they keep coming back

Only then can we get a treatment to work properly.

1. Why Dogs Get Ear Infections

Look at this list from Dogs Naturally Magazine called “Why Does My Dog Get Ear Infections?”

1. Diet (not natural enough)
2. Anatomic (long ear flaps)
3. Lifestyle (also not natural enough)
4. Excessive Ear Cleaning
5. Weakened Immune System (mainly food again)
6. Other Chronic Disease (e.g. hypothyroidism or autoimmune disease)

While they are welcome to their opinion, vets will look at this list and say “it’s missing the big one”. Before I get to that, let’s quickly cover these other causes.

Food

DNM say: Dry diets feed the natural yeast in your dog’s body. This causes the yeast to grow larger colonies in the gut … leading to inflammation. That’s why you’ll often see signs of food allergies or intolerances if you feed kibble.

I say: Although possible, food is a rare cause of skin and ear problems. The two ways this could happen are via a food allergy, or if essential nutrients such as oils are lacking in the original diet. There is no evidence for anything else.

Anatomic

Everyone’s heard that dogs with floppy ears get more ear infections. That’s certainly what DNM say.

I say: There is some truth in it, but we need to also explain why so many dogs with floppy ears don’t get ear infections. Pendulous ear flaps may increase the risk, but on their own they don’t cause the problem. Clearly there’s more to it.

Lifestyle is entirely opinion-based, and I’ll say no more.

Excessive ear cleaning is certainly a real cause, but very uncommon. I never advise cleaning of normal ears, and only start cleaning after a problem is recognised. Then I monitor its effects closely so it’s only beneficial.

In other words, follow your vet’s advice and this should never happen.

A weakened immune system as a cause is once again an opinion that cannot be tested.

Other chronic diseases can certainly cause ear infections, but these are rare. Read my page on hypothyroidism in dogs and you’ll see my frustration at the over-diagnosis of this condition. As for auto-immune diseases, they’re even rarer, but here DNM come tantalisingly close to a better answer. Not autoimmune, but immune-mediated…

Causes Of Ear Infections, According To Vets

The number one reason why a dog gets an ear infection is skin disease, especially atopic dermatitis. This is an allergic skin disease that only gets more common as the years go by. Dogs who have their atopy brought under control can expect to suffer from far fewer or even no more ear infections.

Number two is a foreign body, especially a grass seed. This is mostly in spring and summer, and should only affect one ear. DNM say that you can remove them with tweezers, which is very rarely true, or to try a homeopathic remedy, which needs some explaining. Surely the most natural thing is to take it out.

Number three is ear mites, but this is almost exclusively in young puppies or neglected adults. DNM advise applying mineral oil, olive oil or essential oils to the ear canal. Not only is this hazardous (see below), it also requires a firm diagnosis, quite a bit of optimism, and a wilful disregard of the safe ways to eliminate ear mites.

To any of these causes, a floppy ear, a hairy ear canal, excessive wax or a frequent swimmer will make it a little harder to manage. With rare exceptions, these factors won’t cause an infection on their own.

One thing both Dogs Naturally and I can agree on is that ear infections are always secondary to something else. Instead of catching a nasty bug, an ear infection results from a common bug taking advantage of an abnormal situation.

2. Why Infections Keep Coming Back

Ear infections recur for two reasons. The first should already be obvious: a failure to properly identify and fix the underlying cause. I think we’ve covered this enough but you can read more about the treatment of skin diseases here.

However, it’s the second one that I see most often: a failure to properly resolve the last ear infection.

Just look at the dog ear diagram. It’s impossible to see the part of the ear canal where most infections are worst. This is why it’s very hard to treat a dog’s ear infection entirely at home.

Any treatment, no matter how well-chosen or targeted, must completely eliminate the infection right up to the ear drum. Yet you cannot tell this without a vet scoping the ear.

I am in the position of having more people wanting to bring their dogs to me than I have the time to see them. But I will always insist on a recheck appointment. I don’t do it to make more money- in fact, I’d make more by seeing someone else. I do it because it’s the only way.

Natural Remedies For Ear Infections

So with that said, let’s return to the original question: which natural remedies are effective and when can they be used? From wide experience watching them in practice, I only see one: apple cider vinegar in a 50:50 mix with cooled boiled water can be used for mild yeast infections.

But please don’t do it without reading this first:

1. Yeast is only one type of ear infection. Vinegar will cause bacterial ear infections to get much worse.
2. Ear drum rupture is not uncommon in ear infections. Once it happens, anything you put in the ear (and especially vinegar) can permanently damage the hearing and balance.
3. Vinegar is acidic, and very painful on any broken skin. What looks mild at the top is often severe at the bottom and dogs rarely show the pain they’re feeling.

So I don’t see a way to avoid getting a vet to take a look first, to assess the severity, check the ear drum and determine the type of infection. Don’t be too disappointed if your vet thinks that it’s too severe for a natural remedy to work. These can still be great for longer-term prevention afterwards.

You can also use the opportunity to get the vet to take a look at your whole dog. A single ear infection may be ‘just one of those things’ but it’s more likely they’ll see a bigger picture. Also addressing this gives you one more way to prevent your dog’s future discomfort.

You might also be interested in: The evidence for treating ear infections with cleaners | How to clean a dog’s ears

Have something to add? Comments (if open) will appear within 24 hours.
By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here.

Information from dogsnaturallymagazine.com/5-home-remedies-for-dog-ear-infection accessed 10 April, 2020.

Click here to find out more about paralysis ticks and whether you need tick prevention. However, the best way to know if you live in a tick area is to ask your local vet!

I travelled to just such a tick area. In 2020 I asked each person at Acacia Avenue Dog Park in Newcastle which tick treatment they were using. Here are their answers:

I was struck by several things:

• Despite me not prompting, nearly everyone had excellent awareness. Most were able to instantly answer with an appropriate product name.
• Only one person was deliberately not using paralysis tick prevention (an elderly man who thought it was a vet conspiracy).
• Two people said ‘my vet does everything’. This also means their dogs aren’t on prevention as you have to do it yourself.

And the winner is…

NexGard & NexGard Spectra

More than half of the dog owners who are using tick prevention are choosing one of the two versions of NexGard. The difference between them is that ‘Spectra’ also covers heartworm and some intestinal worms.

Why it’s so popular is easy to see. I visited the local vet who recommend NexGard. Since they started using it, cases of tick paralysis in their clinic have dropped from 2-3 per week to 2-3 per year.

I suspect that NexGard is most popular because it was the first of the modern isoxazoline tablets to hit the Australian market. But does that make it the best???

What About Bravecto, Simparica & Credelio?

Bravecto, Simparica & Credelio are the other isoxazolines. The truth is that these are at least equally effective at preventing ticks. So why aren’t they as popular?

Bravecto had a giant scare campaign that seriously dented its success around the world. You can read about it here, and you might agree it was a little unfair.

Simparica is the next newest and has never broken through like the others. It’s the one I use for my dogs but it was probably too late to ever be the market leader.

Credelio had only just been released at the time of this survey.

So the summary is this: if you use Simparica, Bravecto, NexGard or Credelio your dog is probably on the most effective tick treatment you can buy. While never guaranteed, the protection should be as good as it gets.

However, you should also know about the known side effects of isoxazolines.

And The Other Treatments?

I do not recommend any of the others. Here’s why:

Advantix is an older-style spot-on which needs to be used every 2 weeks for tick control. It’s starting to show its age.

Seresto is a collar impregnated with similar insecticides to the ones in Advantix. I admit to being heavily biased against this delivery method.

Frontline was the first registered tick prevention but never worked well, even when used every 2 weeks. I’m glad no-one mentioned it. Similarly, Preventic and Kiltix collars are available, but rarely used.

Additionally, these topical treatments are considered less environmentally friendly than tablet options. You will find very different advice in my article on ehrlichiosis and Brown Dog Ticks, where some of these treatments have a greater role.

All in all, I was very impressed by the level of engagement of Newcastle dog owners with this important threat. I went expecting people to be all over the place and instead found a bunch of informed and committed dog owners. I’m guessing you’ll be just the same!

Related: A Comparison Of Dog Flea, Tick & Heartworm Treatments

Have something to add? Comments (if open) will appear within 24 hours.
By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here.

You know a normal leg when you see one, but it’s harder to notice when it’s not. Scaly leg in chickens often goes unrecognised in flocks until it either gets bad, or you end up at the vet for another reason.

Signs Of Scaly Leg

Scaly leg is caused by a microscopic mite that burrows in the outer layer of the skin. It causes rough, hard whitish crusts and spurs on the feet and legs. Darker areas are the result of the skin cracking and bleeding. The normal shiny scales are typically completely absent.

The Cnemidocoptes mite also affects Budgies, where it causes a crumbly honeycomb appearance to the bill, and canaries, causing long spurs on the legs.

How Chickens Catch Scaly Mite

Most chickens get scaly mite from new introductions to the flock. Therefore you should always check the legs of each new chicken carefully.

However, it’s also possible for wild birds to transmit the mite. This is yet another reason to do everything you can to exclude birds from your chickens’ feeding and roosting areas.

I am personally dubious about stories of the mite coming in on inanimate objects like bedding. My personal view is that cases where the mite suddenly appears in a closed flock are best explained by a subclinical infection of the mite, just like we see with Guinea Pigs.

Treatment Of Scaly Mite

There are many folk remedies you can read online for scaly mite. Most of these rely on the regular application of something that asphyxiates the mites such as petroleum jelly. Another alternative is dipping the feet and legs in surgical spirit weekly.

My view is that these treatments do not completely eradicate the infestation. The symptoms certainly improve, but there seem to always be a few mites that survive.

In my experience, scaly mite is best treated with ivermectin. However, this drug is not approved for chickens, and it is uncertain how long after treatment that eggs may be safely eaten.

In Australia Injectable ivermectin is only available in forms for cattle and sheep, and should only be administered by a vet. There are three reasons why:

• The strength of livestock medicines makes overdosage extremely likely
• Ivermectin is a drug with legal restrictions on its sale & storage
• Withholding periods need to be followed closely

The last point is perhaps the biggest disadvantage of using any systemic medications on chickens. Ivermectin is fat-soluble, and will accumulate in egg yolks, which take around 30 days to form. Therefore, to be safe, we routinely double this as the withholding period.

Eggs from chickens treated with ivermectin should not be eaten for two months. Therefore you may want to time the treatment to coincide with a broody period. However, most chickens can’t wait that long.

Treatment Protocol & Success

Ivermectin can be given either orally, on the skin, or as an injection. Personally, I only use it as an injection, and so will you!

Once you see how easy it is to give a chicken an injection, you’ll wonder why you did it any other way. Injections are quick, precise, accurate and effective. With a fine insulin needle, they’re also probably less stressful than other ways to medicate.

I suspect that my bias towards injections is why I have never experienced a treatment failure. A course of ivermectin injections will also treat lice, and worms other than tapeworm.

Every chicken must be treated simultaneously to eradicate the mites. Due to a legal requirement to only treat animals ‘under our care’, you will need to bring in all the chickens for the first visit. Only a single consultation fee is charged if there are no other problems.

We will show you how to give the first dose, and even get you to do one. Then we are happy to supply the following doses to be given at home. However most people prefer us to give each course, and that’s OK too.

Three doses of ivermectin are given at exactly 14 day intervals. The second and third doses are to kill newly hatched mite eggs before they lay eggs of their own.

Lastly, it’s a great idea to do a major spring clean of the coop, run and yard, paying special attention to roosting areas. In theory this isn’t necessary, but you have to do it sometime, so why not now. Muck out the old litter, and scrub or pressure hose roosts, walls and flooring.

Within a few weeks, the crusts and scabs start falling off. After a few months you’ll have those lovely shiny legs back again.

Have something to add? Comments (if open) will appear within 24 hours.
By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here. The information provided here is not intended to be used as a substitute for going to the vet. If your pet is unwell, please seek veterinary attention.

Signs include:

• Itching and scratching
• Biting at the fur
• Hair loss and alopecia
• Crusts and scabs
• Bleeding sores

Most skin conditions of rats look the same. Therefore, the best thing to do is rule out the common causes as best you can. Unfortunately, there will be some rats that fail to respond to any treatments.

Barbering

Barbering is where one rat excessively grooms either themself or others. Causes include stress, overcrowding or incompatible social groups.

Clues to barbering are the general absence of skin lesions such as scabs and sores. The hair may be cropped short in just one area or over the whole body, but the skin should be intact underneath.

Treatment may involve trial separation via a mesh divider or reducing overcrowding. If that is not possible, try increasing the available space via extra suspended beds or tunnels.

Mites & Lice

Parasites are extremely common in groups of rats and quite easy to eliminate. Ask your vet to give three injections of ivermectin 14 days apart to all the rats, not just those with symptoms.

Lice in particular are large enough to be seen as mobile dark brown spots in the coat. I’ve arrowed one in the picture of a rat with lice. Below is the culprit: Polyplax serrata, known (no joke) as the house mouse louse!

Most will charge just one visit fee for all the rats. It’s a good idea to clean all the cage furniture and bedding during the treatment but it’s probably not essential. Then you wait and see if the treatment works.

Additionally, it has been reported that a single drop from Revolution® Puppy & Kitten every 14 days can be effective. However, this is off-label and must be cleared by your vet. Sprays and powders are not recommended.

Allergy

All vets who work with rats suspect that allergy is quite common. Culprits may include certain litter types, disinfectants and cleaners, or foods.

You can read here about the principles behind an elimination diet, but in rats we usually just use brown rice. Although this isn’t balanced for the long term, it will be OK for the 8 week trial period. Other allergens can also only be identified by a process of elimination.

Treatments that may help an allergic rat will include:

• Skin-friendly shampoo and conditioner (I use Dermcare Aloveen)
• Fish oil in the diet (3g/kg/day has been shown to be effective- that equates to almost a whole 1g capsule for a large rat so it’s best to start with a lower dose)
• Prednisolone drops from your vet (this is a little risky so it’s a last resort)

Ringworm

Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin. It’s theoretically as likely in a rat as a cat or dog, but in practice seems rare. A clue will be skin lesions appearing on an in-contact human member of the household.

Your vet can suggest skin rinses or creams if ringworm is suspected. Be careful using anything medicinal on the surface of rat to avoid excessive and toxic doses either being absorbed or ingested.

Nutrition

Poor nutrition is known to cause skin problems in other species and is often suspected in rats. If this concerns you, call your rat vet or knowledgeable pet store for good diet advice.

Genetics

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By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here. The information provided here is not intended to be used as a substitute for going to the vet. If your pet is unwell, please seek veterinary attention.

Most of the discussion so far has been from the USA, but Australians have a unique perspective on this. The drugs we’re talking about are the best chance we’ve ever had to end the greatest fear of many pet owners: tick paralysis.

Tick paralysis? If like me, you live outside a tick area this might surprise you.

What Is Tick Paralysis?

Ticks are tiny bloodsucking parasites known to spread many blood-borne infections. Tick paralysis is caused by a toxin from the saliva of only certain species of Australian ticks. The map shows where they are found.

Click here to learn how to recognise the signs of tick paralysis in dogs & cats.

Tick prevention options are found at our review of flea and tick treatments for dogs. However, it’s not as simple as it looks. The products that rely on being put on the outside of the animal (Frontline®, Advantix® and Seresto®) aren’t thought by most vets to be reliable enough, and are easily disturbed by bathing.

It’s the newer tablet-based Isoxazoline products that are the real game changers. Currently, these are Nexgard®, Bravecto® and Simparica®, and Credelio®. The regular use of these products is thought to give nearly 100% protection against ticks, although checking is still recommended.

But what, I hear you ask, about the side effects?

Simparica, Bravecto, NexGard & Seizures

Seizures in dogs are common, but it does appear that the risk increases when using Nexgard, Bravecto and Simparica. The only question is by how much. This is where life gets complicated.

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued the following public notice:

• Isoxazoline products have been associated with neurologic adverse reactions, including muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizures in some dogs and cats
• Although most dogs and cats haven’t had neurologic adverse reactions, seizures may occur in animals without a prior history
• The FDA considers products in the isoxazoline class to be safe and effective for dogs and cats but is providing this information so that pet owners and veterinarians can take it into consideration when choosing flea and tick products for their pets

Personally, I have seen one dog develop intermittent twitches for two weeks after the second dose, and a puppy have a seizure after a first dose. Both dogs had other significant health issues, but I suspect the isoxazoline was at least partly responsible.

So when do we use these drugs? There are two groups of dogs to consider:

Dogs In Paralysis Tick Areas

For dogs with no history of seizures: use. The risk and consequences of tick paralysis are much higher than the risk of side effects. Other alternative drugs are likely to offer poorer protection.

For dogs with a history of seizures: consider carefully. Simparica, NexGard, Bravecto & Credelio may not increase the number of seizures, but the risk is real. Whether you use it will depend on how likely it is that your dog will get a tick and your confidence in other methods of prevention.

You can find the other methods listed in our page on canine ehrlichiosis. They generally work by preventing ticks attaching, and while less effective, are a lot better than nothing.

Dogs Not In Paralysis Tick Areas

For dogs with no history of seizures: consider carefully. Here you are using isoxazolines for the prevention of fleas and mites only. Personally, I consider it to be so far ahead of the rest that the low risk of seizures is easily justified by better results. I use it on both my dogs but you are welcome to do otherwise.

For dogs with a history of seizures: don’t use. Other products exist which can give nearly the same results. An exception might be for dogs with demodex mites, for which there is no good alternative to isoxazolines.

If a dog does have a seizure while on these drugs, it does not appear to be a disaster. These dogs are likely to be the ones who were always prone to seizures, and should go back to having none or very few once the medication is stopped.

The Cause vs Correlation Issue

We will never know how many of the dogs reported to have twitching or seizures would have started having them regardless. This is hard to say to an owner placed in such a situation, and of course I can never be certain. For a view of a similar debate with a different issue, visit our page called Does Bravecto Kill Dogs?

But the reality is that all drugs do have side effects. Vets are often guilty of not talking about them just because it’s such a can of worms. Without wanting to sound complacent, the reality is that everything has a potential downside. It’s up to vets and manufacturers to supply the information so you can make the best informed decision for your dog.

If you live in a tick area, or travel to one, please use these products if you can. Used correctly, they save countless lives. Vets in tick paralysis areas are seeing a big reduction in the number of cases being treated now that the oral treatments have arrived. That’s fewer prolonged stays in vet hospitals and fewer deaths.

Related: Treatment Of Seizures In Dogs | Causes Of Tremors & Twitching

Valuable advice was provided by Dr Jakki Yeomans, a vet working in a paralysis tick area.

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By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here.

The first myth is that it’s always mites. Guinea pigs actually get three common skin problems.

Causes Of Hair Loss

• Mites
• Lice
• Ringworm

Of the three, lice are the least serious. They cause obvious flaking and dandruff, but less itch or hair loss. They can (just) be seen with the naked eye.

Ringworm is a fungal infection that causes extensive hair loss, but is also less itchy and a lot rarer. Of the three causes, only ringworm can cause serious infections in people. I’ve seen some terrible cases, so if you start getting sores too, it’s time to see a doctor!

Hair loss in older females can also be caused by a hormonal imbalance due to ovarian cysts. Then there’s the normal hairless patch behind their ears that often gets confused with mites. In both cases, the affected skin appears smooth and healthy.

What Mites Look Like

Guinea pig mites (Trixacarus caviae) are very similar to the human scabies mite. They are microscopic, and burrow in the skin. Signs of early mite problems include:

1. Itching & scratching
2. Biting the body
3. Hair loss
4. Scaly or crusty skin

Then, if the problem isn’t treated, the damaged skin begins to break open. This leads to bleeding sores, twitching, weight loss and seizures in severe cases. Death can even ensue if enough of the skin has been damaged.

Where Mites Come From

There’s a persistent myth that mites come from hay, straw or bedding. The idea came about to explain why mites seem to come out of nowhere. The truth is that mites are spread by healthy carriers.

Most of the cases I see start after a new guinea pig is introduced. Then one or another of the existing cavies starts scratching. It’s also possible for a hidden infestation to break out during times of illness or stress. A good example of this is pregnancy.

How To Treat Mites In Guinea Pigs

Sprays and lotions are a waste of time and money in my opinion. Unless the drug gets in the bloodstream it doesn’t seem to get all of the mites.

The mainstay of treatment is a systemic anti-parasite drug. Here in Australia we use ivermectin as an injection, which also works well for lice. Two doses are given 10 to 14 days apart; the first kills the adult mites, the second kills the hatched eggs before they lay eggs of their own.

It’s important to treat every guinea pig, whether affected or not. If you are taking one pig to the vet, it’s therefore best to take them all. Most vets will charge just one visit fee to do the lot.

What I never do is ask owners to clean, sterilise or throw away cages and bedding. I completely reject the idea that the mites can live far from guinea pigs. I have treated thousands of cavies without ever having a treatment failure. All I ask is a regular spring clean and change the litter.

So if you suspect mites, don’t despair. Since the development of ivermectin, parasitic diseases are the best sorts of skin problem to have: curable ones! So see your vet and it’ll be sorted in no time.

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By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here. The information provided here is not intended to be used as a substitute for going to the vet. If your pet is unwell, please seek veterinary attention.

1. Ask advice
2. Research it yourself

An amazing number of dog owners using option 2 will buy Sentinel Spectrum. One look at our chart of the flea and heartworm treatments for dogs and you’ll see why. It does ‘everything’.

Is it really as good as it looks? I’ll let you decide. In the process, you’re going to learn a whole lot about choosing the best product for your dog.

But I must warn you: this isn’t going to be fair. There’s a reason behind everything I say, but you’re getting my personal opinions.

What Is Sentinel Spectrum?

Sentinel Spectrum is a once-a-month flavoured tablet that prevents heartworm, fleas and intestinal worms in dogs. It is the most complete single product for these three groups of parasites. That’s why it’s deservedly popular. I like it too.

But…

Once you understand it you might, like me, think there are better solutions. It’s a case of ‘jack of all trades, master of none’. Let’s look at each of the things it does, and a few extra it doesn’t.

Sentinel’s Flea Control

Sentinel contains lufenuron, an insect growth regulator. It kills fleas in the egg by blocking their growth. That’s great for safety. Being the only non-insecticidal product for dogs is certainly an excellent drawcard.

However, not killing fleas isn’t always compatible with an active lifestyle. Your dog will undoubtedly pick up ‘travellers’ on the street, at the park, and even in your yard from stray cats. These fleas will live long, happy lives. So if you’re into flea welfare, Sentinel is the best. Personally, that’s not a group I’ll be joining anytime soon.

My Flea Control Choice

Modern treatments in the isoxazoline class are very safe and extremely fast in removing fleas. Like Sentinel, they’re also tablets so you don’t have any messy drug and solvent on the coat.

There are three. Simparica is my clear winner. I have seen no evidence of it being out-performed anywhere. Just yesterday I saw a dog that lives in the hills who has always had mite problems no matter what was used. Until this year, that is, thanks to Simparica. One very happy dog (and owner).

Bravecto has taken a lot of heat for suspected adverse reactions in dogs, which I think is unfair (even Simparica has had a side effect scare). However, it’s still wise to avoid longer-acting products if you can use shorter-acting products effectively.

Nexgard I have no strong opinion of. Towards the end of the month, it’s a bit slower to kill fleas and ticks than Simparica.

Hang on, did I just mention mites and ticks? That needs an explanation.

Is Sentinel a Mite & Tick Treatment?

No. Companies aren’t great at telling you what their products don’t cover. Here’s a list of the common mites and ticks of Aussie dogs, which is very similar to other countries.

• Ear mites
• Demodex mites
• Sarcoptic (mange) mites
• Paralysis tick (not present in Adelaide)
• Brown dog tick

The paralysis tick deserves a special mention. At one time, half of the patients in some vet hospitals in the eastern states had tick paralysis. It kills without treatment and is very expensive to manage.

Now a series of products capable of preventing tick paralysis properly have changed this picture forever. Today, most veterinary practices on the east coast would see fewer tick paralysis cases in a year that they formerly saw in a week. Those products are, once again, Simparica, Nexgard, Bravecto.

Why anyone living in a tick-prone area wouldn’t use these is a mystery to me. Even in boring old Adelaide, they will prevent all the mites in the list above, plus prevent paralysis ticks when travelling. Ear mites and Demodex are particularly common in puppies.

Sentinel’s Heartworm Control

Sentinel will kill heartworm larvae for one month after they are deposited by mosquitos. That’s the same as most heartworm preventatives on the market. Safe and effective.

However, if you read my history of heartworm in Adelaide you’ll see how we never had good control using monthly treatments alone. It’s not that they don’t work, it’s that we keep forgetting to give them. Me included. I used to remember it at 3 am and then forget it the next day.

My Heartworm Control Choice

That’s why we recommend that most dogs receive the annual ProHeart injection, containing moxidectin. It doesn’t cost much more and works for 12 months after each dose in adults.

Hang on, I hear you say, didn’t you just tell me that shorter-acting is better than long-acting? Yes, that’s still true, and I certainly support the reliable use of any monthly treatment. The three reasons I think this is an exception are:

1. Moxidectin is incredibly safe
2. The dose is low due to heartworm larvae being especially sensitive
3. Existing monthly treatments don’t work for most dog owners

Sentinel’s Intestinal Worm Control

Sentinel kills all the common intestinal worms in Adelaide dogs, including tapeworm. That makes it unique among heartworm treatments in 2018.

My concerns here are minor and easily ignored. I just don’t like worming dogs more than we need to. It’s a theoretical concern and there’s nothing to back up what I say. Except…

Studies in humans have shown the interesting link between allergy and being free of worms (reference below). It seems like the immune system needs something to keep it busy. In other words, it may be better that we pick up the odd worm than never have them at all.

My Worm Control Choice

Existing recommendations to give a worming tablet every 3 months probably achieve a good balance. The life cycle for most worms is around two weeks. Dogs are likely to pick up worms at the park but never get enough to harm them.

When Sentinel Is Great

So now that I’ve picked on poor Sentinel Spectrum, let’s give it the chance to defend itself. It does a good job of heartworm and intestinal worm control if used correctly. It’s perfectly fine for fleas if dogs aren’t too social. Those fleas that are picked up won’t breed in the house.

It has one other distinct advantage that should not be ignored: price. For what it does, it stands out as the cheapest option. In a world where dog health depends on an owners’ financial state, this is also important.

So if you’ve chosen Sentinel, don’t feel that there’s anything wrong with that. I picked it as an example but I could have done the same with most products. But I hope you can see how a tailored approach designed by your vet can be better.

Further Reading

Natural flea remedies | Australian flea & heartworm treatments

Feary J, Britton J, Leonardi-Bee J. Atopy and current intestinal parasite
infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Allergy.
2011;66:569-578.

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By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here.

First, let me clearly say this: all the good flea controls for cats are proven to be safe, and I happily recommend them. Any concerns I have are only about me worrying too much.

The Panda Story

It all started when I noticed that the Red Panda were dying from one disease above all others: squamous cell carcinoma, or SCC.

You probably know SCC as one of the skin cancers caused by sun exposure. That’s true in dogs as well as people but it only tells part of the story. SCC occurs wherever the body lining is exposed to chronic irritation or damage. Here is what I found when I did a literature search to investigate the panda deaths:

• An old study showing urban cats had a higher rate of oral SCC than rural cats
• SCC of the throat and oesophagus occuring in smokers
• A high SCC rate in certain regions of China suspected to be associated with diet, and so on

In other words, it’s a cancer with strong links to the environment. I’ve also seen two dogs from the same house die within six months from stomach SCC. We suspect it was due to mould contamination of their food.

The Link With Cats

I’ll explain later why I think the Pandas were dying, but first, here’s why this knowledge changed my views on cats. It made me realise something: an animal that grooms is uniquely vulnerable to toxin exposure.

A grooming animal is like a pollution sentinel, collecting everything in their surroundings and then ingesting it. In the natural world, this may actually enhance the immune system. However, in our world, there are many hazards. This is nowhere more true than in large-scale oil spills, where many animals die from poisoning. However, it’s true on a smaller scale everywhere.

I’ve always noted the irony: a client rings us to say they’ve accidentally spilled oil or solvent on their cat. “Quick, get some dishwashing liquid and wash it off before they lick it,” we say. “Oh, it was flea control? That’s OK then.”

Are Topical Treatments Harmful?

When used correctly, modern spot-on flea controls should be safe and I’m not here to create a scare story. I just don’t like putting anything on a cat’s coat that they will later ingest. Here’s a typical flea control warning:

Take care to avoid the product coming into contact with the eyes or mouth of the animal. Ingestion by the recipient or in-contact animals should be prevented.
The liquid vehicle … may damage or discolour certain surfaces and fabrics e.g. polished floorboards, leather.

This leads to every cat owner’s question after they’ve used a flea control: “how on earth do you stop them licking it after it’s applied?” No matter how high you put it on the neck, most cats get some in their mouth. My previous Devon Rex would froth at the mouth after any of these were used. Even if they don’t, once it spreads they microdose themselves over the next month through grooming.

The same applies for ointments or transdermal medication. For example, last week I saw a cat being treated with antifungal cream. Not only was the cream getting licked off, but the skin problem was actually worsening due to all the extra licking. I changed the treatment from topical to systemic. At least that way I can control how much drug the cat is getting and don’t have to worry about ‘self-trauma’.

Why I Only Use Revolution

So finally to the point. Revolution is just one of many good flea treatments for cats. However, there is a difference between Revolution and every other decent spot-on flea control I know: its solvent is an alcohol and its active ingredient is absorbed through the skin. Once applied, the solvent will usually evaporate well within two hours.

The good news is that you only need to keep them away from it for a short time and then it’s gone. I must say at this point that I receive no payment from its makers or indeed from any flea control manufacturers. I just have an obsession with nothing staying on a cat’s coat.

The bad news is how much cats hate alcohols on their skin. The cold feeling and the vapour will have your cat rocket off to sulk for most of the day. Or at least until dinner time.

Treating Cats In Tick Areas

Here in Adelaide we don’t have the threat of paralysis ticks. If your cat goes out in a paralysis tick area, I would use Revolution® Plus instead. It contains an extra active ingredient that could save a life.

The Pandas, Again

So why were the Red Panda getting SCC? It could have just been coincidence but three out of the last 6 deaths didn’t seem like chance. I came up with two theories:

1. They could have been exposed to an airborne toxin by grooming their coats
2. The could have been ingesting a carcinogen with their bamboo

Both were possible, but number two seemed more likely. Bamboo at the time was obtained by public donation from plants mainly used as screening near roads. In Adelaide’s dry climate they were likely to be contaminated by vehicle emissions. The bamboo leaves themselves were also seen to often have a black fungal growth.

We made a simple change: hose down the bamboo before feeding. Nowadays the zoo grow their own, which is even better. We’ll never know if it was necessary, just the same way I’ll never know if my flea control thoughts have any credibility. But when there’s a simple workaround, why not do it?

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By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here.