You probably already know that dog’s don’t sweat in the same way humans do, the main way they regulate their temperature is by panting and this system works quite effectively until the thermometer starts to climb into the 90s. When high temperatures are combined with high humidity it can be doubly dangerous as this reduces the level of evaporation that keeps your dog cool. The combination of heat and humidity is referred to as the heat index; a temperature of 90 degrees coupled with 70 percent humidity creates a heat index of 105 degrees, a very uncomfortable situation for both you and your dog.

Bathing your dog is a great summertime cool off

Your dog’s body temperature is higher than yours (usually between 100 and 102.5 degrees) but when body temperature climbs above 106 the normal cooling mechanisms become overwhelmed. Like humans, dogs  can suffer from heat stroke, heat exhaustion and cramps all of which can be life threatening if not treated immediately.

High risk groups
• Puppies
• Older dogs (7 years and older for large breeds 14 years and older for smaller breeds)
• Overweight dogs
• Brachycephalic (flat faced) dogs such as bulldogs or pugs
• Large double-coated breeds like the chow chow
• Dogs bred for cold climates such as malamutes, huskies, American Eskimos and Newfoundlands

Sunburn
Most people think that because their dog is covered in fur sunburn is not an issue, this is not true, Dogs do not burn as easily as humans do which is a good thing however this means that if your dog does have a sunburn it is no small thing and you should take him to the vet immediately. You will know when your dog is starting to burn by the redness of the skin however the burn does not always appear red and may in fact turn the skin lighter. You can prevent sunburn by limiting your dog’s exposure to the sun, especially during the heat of the day but an even better way is by spraying with Flea the Scene an all natural insect spray which contains a natural sunscreen.

An ounce of prevention:

• Keep your dog inside in a cool, well ventilated area
• Exercise early in the morning or later at night when it’s cool
• Never leave your dog in the car ! Hundreds of dogs die every year in this country because there owners were only going to be gone for a moment
• If your dog is walking on hot concrete help heal cracked paws (and noses) with bowWow Butter balm a shea butter based balm that will soothe and protect.
• Make sure you provide plenty of water, an ice cube will not only help your dog keep cool but can be a source of amusement for you; just put one on a wooden floor in front of your dog and enjoy the fun
• Baby pools are a great way to help your dog cool off

With a little forthought and planning summer can be the best time to own a dog, just remember no matter how hot it may be outside your best friend always wears a fur coat.

By far, the most common cause of skin allergies and itching in dogs is fleas. These tiny insects survive on a diet of fresh blood, and their bite will make your dog nibble and scratch at his skin to try and ease the irritation. They’re not fussy; if there are a lot of fleas around, you’ll find they’re quite happy to feast on your blood, and you’ll start scratching too.

Although most dogs are bothered to some extent by fleas, some are actually allergic to them. When a flea bites, it injects saliva into your dog, and it is this saliva that causes a severe reaction in sensitive dogs.

Skin changes asssociated with flea allergy typically appears on your dog’s rump, along the top of his tail and down his hind legs. His skin will be red, and his scratching can actually break the skin, leading to infection and open sores. The infection is also itchy, and so the scratching continues.

Treating flea allergy takes effort.

Firstly, you need to treat the inflammation and infection in your dog’s skin. If his skin is particularly bad, you’ll need to visit your veterinarian. She will prescribe anti-itch medication such as corticosteroids or antihistamines to stop his scratching, and antibiotics if secondary bacterial infection is present.

Choose a shampoo carefully, as the wrong product has the potential to make his skin feel worse.  Comfy Dog shampoo contains colloidal oatmeal which has been approved by the FDA to relieve itchiness, and its gentle formulation won’t dry out or irritate his sensitive skin. After rinsing, follow up with Fur Butter conditioning treatment, which also contains oatmeal, as well as shea butter and all natural herbal extracts. His coat will feel soft and shiny, and smell great!

The second part of controlling flea allergy is to keep your dog flea free. Even though you don’t see fleas on his skin, that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. It doesn’t take many fleas to make an allergic dog itch.

Although you can use flea shampoos, they aren’t the best option for flea control. With sensitive skin, it’s better to use a soothing shampoo such as Comfy Dog to keep your dog’s skin in good condition, and rely on other methods for flea control.

There are a variety of products that are available for flea control, from monthly tablets to products that are applied to your dog’s skin once a month. Flea the Scene is an important part of any flea control regime. Peppermint oil and tea tree oil are effective natural insect repellents, and it is safe and gentle enough to use frequently on traumatized skin.

Keep in mind that the fleas you find on your dog’s body are only a tiny part of your problem. The majority of your fleas can be found in your environment,  in the form of eggs, pupae and larvae. To get the most effect out of any flea control program for your dog, you must stop fleas from breeding, and prevent these immature fleas growing into adults.

One option is to give your dog a tablet once a month which contains an insect growth regulator. This will break the flea lifecycle by interfering with its development within the egg and preventing eggs from developing into adult fleas. Another option is to use a chemical spray in your home or yard which contains a similar insect growth regulator.

If your dog has an allergy to fleas, you can’t be complacent. Keep him flea free with Flea the Scene, and control his itch with Comfy Dog shampoo and Fur Butter, and you’ll help to prevent him developing red, itchy infected skin. He’ll be a much happier dog.

Flea Control in the News

What’s a dog to do? The itching . The misery. The fleas! But there are so many options. Your dog can’t really tell you which one he prefers. How can you safely fight fleas?

Pyrethrins not so safe

The Environmental Protection Agency is taking a close look at all kinds of flea and tick control products. The EPA has been reviewing the safety of pyrethroid-based flea products for some time. They ordered some of these products to be phased out and insisted on new labeling for other products. Pyrethrins are the active ingredient in many over-the-counter flea and tick products. They affect the nervous system of the pests on your dog. They may not be as safe as previously thought.

Taking another look

Now there is news that the EPA is also taking a new look at spot-on pesticide treatments, sprays, collars and shampoos. This includes Frontline, Frontline Plus, Advantage, Revolution and other popular topical treatments. Frontline contains fipronil; Advantage contains imidacloprid; and Revolution contains selamectin.

These products have been thought to be safer than the flea control products containing pyrethrins. Topical flea products are generally applied between the shoulders or along the back, in an area where the dog can’t reach to lick the product off. These products are also either absorbed into the skin or into the hair follicles. Again, this means that the dog can’t lick the product off. The active ingredient continues to work for several weeks.

The new EPA notice indicated that they had seen a “recent sharp increase” in reported adverse reactions. Some of the reactions were mild skin irritations but there were also reports of seizures and deaths. One expert indicated that the EPA may be most concerned about less expensive topical flea treatments sold over-the-counter in retail stores and not with products such as Frontline and Advantage, which are usually sold through veterinarians.

This doesn’t mean that you should stop using Frontline and Advantage. If you live in an area where fleas are a serious problem you have to weigh the pros and cons of the various flea treatments, or of letting your dog go untreated for fleas. The chances of your dog having an adverse reaction to a topical flea treatment, especially Frontline, Advantage or another product sold by your vet, are still very small.

All-natural alternatives

If you live in an area where fleas aren’t bad you may want to try an all-natural approach to flea prevention. Try some of these alternatives:

• An herbal flea collar can help keep fleas away. Remember to wash your hands after handling it because it will likely contain herbs that you shouldn’t ingest.

• Flea the Scene contains natural ingredients that repel fleas and soothe the skin. It has emollients to moisturize the skin and sunscreen to provide some protection from the sun. This is perfect if you need something to protect your dog when you’re headed to the dog park or the beach. It’s safe for humans, too.

• Cedar mulch around your house and plants will help keep fleas away.

• Some people recommend adding garlic and brewer’s yeast to their pet’s diet. Other people think that garlic can contribute to problems with anemia in dogs. Use your best judgment.

• Add a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar to your dog’s water or food each day. Apple cider vinegar is good for all kinds of things and it helps the immune system, too. It seems to make the skin less inviting to fleas.

If you live in an area where fleas are bad each year you don’t have to give up using Frontline or Advantage. The EPA has not said that they are dangerous to use. But it never hurts to look for natural solutions when they will work instead.

Following a number of high profile deaths involving over the counter flea shampoos the EPA has begun a major review of the safety of these products.

Of course this all comes a little too late for owners who have watched their animals go into seizure and die after administering pyrethroid based flea treatments. A recent study by The Center For Public Integrity (1) puts the number of fatalities over the past five year at around 1600. That’s right one thousand six hundred! So many that the EPA has actually ordered some of these items to be phased out and insisted on new labeling restrictions on those left on the market. (2)

Some experts also suggest that over-the-counter flea and tick remedies pose a threat to human health.

The active ingredients in these products are pyrethroids, the synthetic version of a toxin derived from, of all things chrysanthemums. They are what’s known as "axonic" poisons and work by disrupting normal brain activity, essentially paralyzing the offending insect. They are very effective on fleas and ticks and have the added benefit of being gradually degraded by sunlight so they pose no lasting environmental dangers.

That’s the good news.

Unfortunately recent studies have also linked pyrethroids to autism in children and a disruption of normal hormone activity in sensitive people. Not to mention the aforementioned 1600 pet deaths.

I am not a Luddite and I know that there are very few things in life that come without a downside. I have said before that in areas with large flea and tick populations, some of which carry debilitating diseases, it would be irresponsible for owners not to protect their pets. For the vast number of pet owners the benefits of these products far outweigh the risks. However I do think that every owner needs to be fully informed when they are administering what is essentially poison to their best friend. Especially when there are other, lest toxic options.

A recent Humane Society report suggests a few alternatives; "You might want to consider several topical products (available through veterinarians) that are insecticides designed to have fewer toxic effects on the nervous systems of mammals: imidacloprid (found in Advantage®), fipronil (in Frontline®), and selamectin (in Revolution™)". These products  have the advantage of being applied to areas where most dogs can’t reach with their mouths and they are usually quite effective, however they do take time to work, come with bathing restrictions and have a limited useful life.

So what if you’re just going to the beach and want to protect your little guy (and yourself) from biting insects. Isn’t there a product you can use that is safe, gentle and effective. Well not surprisingly I would suggest Flea the Scene , an all natural, insect spray that you can use as often as needed. The formula works for up to 4 hours and employs a proprietary combination of natural ingredients that have been used for many years on horses. It is mildly waterproof, smells great is a great complement for Frontline and Advantage and best of all it’s perfectly safe even if your dog licks it off.

Finally, you might be tempted to use a human spray on your dog, the thinking being "Well if it’s safe enough for me then surely it’s fine for Fido"  Well stop for a moment and think; When was the last time you sprayed yourself with something and then licked it off?" (And no, any activity involving whipped cream doesn’t count) We both know that the minute you’ve finished spraying your dog will decide to check out the new flavoring you’ve added to his fur, and DEET (the active ingredient in many over the counter flea sprays) is not Good Eats.

As we move into spring and summer this is going to become an increasing problem, especially in the Southern States. Intelligent owners will do their homework and weigh the risks against the benefits. Here are a few of the recommendations from the EPA itself about choosing a flea and tick product
"When using any pesticide product, consumers should carefully read and follow label directions each time they use a product"  (3)

It’s good advice worth heeding.

References:

1. http://www.publicintegrity.org/articles/entry/1090/

2. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick-drops.htm

3. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick-drops.htm#consumers

Do Flea Treatments and Bathing Go Together?

You’ve just given Rex his monthly flea and tick treatment, and now he’s come in from the garden looking like he’s found the biggest and best mud pool in town. He may be overjoyed but you’re not. He needs a bath NOW! But will a bath wash away his flea treatment?

It’s a common question and given the expense of monthly applications of Frontline or Advantage, you don’t want to apply any more than is necessary. So what should you do?

According to the manufacturers’ instructions, you should wait for 48 hours after applying Frontline or Advantage before bathing your dog. The main ingredient in Frontline, fipronil, stores itself in the dog’s oil glands, reapplying itself constantly through the hair follicles. Meanwhile, Advantage’s main ingredient is imidacloprid, which coats the skin.

Although both claim to be waterproof, some dog owners have found that the treatments do seem to be less effective after bathing. Regular washing with medicated or flea shampoos can dry the skin, making flea treatments weaker and less likely to work. There’s also the problem that many commercial flea shampoos contain harsh chemicals. Do you really want to apply those on top of the regular monthly treatment? One alternative is to use a natural shampoo after flea treatment applications; a gentle shampoo (like Comfy Dog Oatmeal Shampoo) can help moisturize the skin while cleansing.

Or perhaps you want to consider a switch from chemical flea and tick treatments to something more earth friendly. Most natural products can be used on their own, or as a complement to Frontline and Advantage.

Some natural alternatives to try include:

• Garlic and brewer’s yeast tablets. Added to your dog’s food, or given as a daily treat, these are full of nutrients to help improve your dog’s skin and coat, plus you have the added bonus of repelling fleas and ticks. The scent of the garlic and yeast is secreted through the skin, keeping those pesky bugs away.
• Some essential oils are great at repelling fleas. Since essential oils can cause irritation when applied directly to the skin, I prefer to add a few dabs to my dog’s collar, or add a few drops to a small spray bottle of water and apply a few squirts over their coat. Cedar, lavender, citronella, and rosemary oils all work well and have helped keep my pets tick free.
• Flea the Scene offers the best of all things: essential oils that both repel fleas and soothe the skin, a range of emollients to moisturize the skin, and a sunscreen to offer protection from the rays. It can be used with or instead of a medical flea and tick application. What’s more, it’s safe for humans too so I can simply give us all a quick spray before we head off to the park. No bugs, no sunburn, and we all smell great!