Michael Dryden, DVM, PhD, has studied flea infestations in a number of Florida homes, where the heat and humidity create the perfect conditions for snowbirds ... and blood-feeding ectoparasites. Spending time in those infested homes has reinforced a concept that veterinarians know—but many pet owners do not.

“Fleas don’t care how much money you’ve got,” Dr. Dryden told attendees at a recent Fetch dvm360 conference. “They don’t care if you’re in a gated community. All they care about is if there’s someone with blood in that house.”

Dr. Dryden, who has recently retired from a career of teaching and research at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, has been known as “Dr. Flea” (as well as “Dr. Tick”) over the years due to his expertise with ectoparasites that feed on companion animals. A major research focus for his lab has been analyzing residual speed of kill for various parasite prevention compounds. And speed of kill is everything when it comes to eliminating an infestation.

“By the time a pet owner notices fleas, immature stages have been developing in the home for one to two months,” he told veterinary professionals during his lecture. “If a cat has fleas, those fleas are laying eggs, and they’re rolling off like ping pong balls into the carpet and the cracks between the sofa cushions. This biomass of immature flea stages provides an ongoing source of new adult fleas that will continually reinfest pets.”

That means modern flea control is all about preventing reproduction, or “breaking the life cycle at the host level,” according to Dr. Dryden. And this requires residual speed of kill—zapping fleas quickly after they’ve been acquired from the biomass. “If I kill fleas fast enough, they can’t lay an egg, and this prevents reproduction,” Dr. Dryden said. “If I don’t, the infestation rolls on.”

Every flea control product has a natural period of decay, or half-life, that affects its residual speed of kill. When the concentration in or on an animal drops low enough, the speed of kill is too slow to prevent fleas from laying eggs before they die. This is what Dr. Dryden calls the “reproductive break point.” Research has shown that the earliest of the modern flea control products (those introduced in the mid-1990s) have a reproductive break point prior to 30 days. Manufacturers have added insect growth regulators to enhance efficacy throughout the application period, but heavy infestations can still take months to resolve.

“In ‘redline’ homes, fleas tend to get worse before they get better,” Dr. Dryden explained. Eggs laid before treatment started continue to emerge as pet activity stimulates their development. Eventually traditional products do wipe out the infestation, but in the meantime pet owners often think they’re not working. And they have to be convinced to stay the course and not switch from product to product. It can be an uphill battle, especially when pet owners grow increasingly frustrated.

But all of this has changed with the introduction of the isoxazoline class of flea and tick control products, Dr. Dryden said. These include afoxolaner (NexGard—Boehringer Ingelheim), luralaner (Bravecto—Merck), sarolaner (Simparica—Zoetis) and lotilaner (Credelio—Elanco).

“The residual speed of kill in the isoxazolines is stunning,” he said. “Their ability to wipe fleas out is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. These fleas aren’t laying eggs, and we’re driving populations to extinction in these homes.”

Dr. Dryden explained that these products are so effective in part because they provide systemic coverage—even the formulations that are applied topically. Because of the way they work, there is no part of the animal where the compound is less effective due to uneven distribution or diminishing concentration.

“With isoxazolines, the reproductive break point occurs after the date of the next application or administration,” Dr. Dryden said. “There are absolutely no eggs on these animals.”

Dr. Dryden discussed the implications for patients with flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), which can remain a problem for affected pets as the biomass gets wiped out in an infested home. The classic working hypothosis for FAD, he said, is that a single flea bite will produce a clinical reaction in a hypersensitive animal.

“If this is accurate, flea products must kill all fleas before they can bite and feed in order to manage FAD; therefore systemically active adulticides cannot manage FAD because fleas have to bite and feed to be killed,” he said.

Does that mean isoxazolines, which work systemically, are ineffective at preventing FAD?

In a word, no. The reality is that they are highly effective.

“The classic single flea-bite hypothesis is not correct,” Dr. Dryden said. “FAD is not like anaphylaxis. It’s more similar to atopy; it’s an additive threshold disease. More exposure means more clinical sings, and every animal is different in terms of where its threshold is.”

Once again, effectiveness comes down to speed of kill. “Speed of kill prevents enough allergen from being injected into an animal to cause symptoms,” Dr. Dryden said. “Wiping the fleas out rapidly diminishes pruritus scores rapidly.”

In a study of fluralaner and afoxolaner, dogs with FAD had nearly normal pruritus scores within two weeks of administration. Plus, “their skin disease as assessed by a dermatologist improved 80% in two months,” Dr. Dryden said. “Lotilaner and sarolaner were similar—the dogs were normal at two months.”

The bottom line is that it’s possible to both prevent reproduction and manage flea disease with rapid speed-of-kill products, and no products on the market have higher speed of kill than the isoxazolines.

Articles

Dr. Michael Dryden discusses what it takes to eliminate flea infestations—and why residual speed of kill is what matters most. 

Fleas: How to conquer these blood-feeding, egg-laying machines

The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and guavaVet have launched a new web platform that utilizes Google’s search engine, enabling users to search for job opportunities in the veterinary industry in an unprecedented way. This feature enhances the NAVC Retriever app, a tool designed for the veterinary community that pairs individuals with hiring practices to create uniquely suited matches. The app looks at different criteria—including location, species, skills and experience—to ensure the match is suitable for both the hiring manager and applicant. The new web platform reinforces the app and enhances the user experience, allowing them to browse through all available jobs in the veterinary field. Using Google’s search engine, job seekers will be able to search through opportunities across the industry that interest them before they turn to the NAVC Retriever app for the matching process.

Profivex is a clinical strength probiotic supplement for dogs and cats with five strains and 5 billion colony-forming units per serving. It is formulated in a raw and unprocessed form to yield the highest potency and viability. It also contains two prebiotics, including fructooligosaccharides and sweet potato. The all-natural sweet potato in Profivex adds a beneficial amount of fiber and nutrients to further support the digestive tract. Profivex is indicated for the prevention of diarrhea, gas, intestinal upset and other digestive problems. It comes in a great-tasting pork liver soft chew treat or as a powder. Profivex is made in the United States with all-natural ingredients.

Element UF is a two-in-one automated solution for analyzing urine and feces in minutes. The analyzer was developed by Heska to prepare, automate and image feces and urine to find important cells, crystals, casts and parasites, including roundworm, hookworm, tapeworm, whipworm, 

 and more, in a fast and sanitary “load-and-go” approach. The unit is designed to provide instant results without the mess.

 from AAHA Press is a trusted and comprehensive resource for understanding trends in veterinary salary packages. This book contains statistics and expert context to help veterinary professionals at all stages of their career, whether building a practice team, embarking on a job search or entering the profession. Using information from more than 600 practices across the country, this updated ninth edition includes detailed demographic breakdowns of average salaries and wages for every member of the practice team; information on a variety of benefits, including paid time off, annual CE allowances, health insurance, veterinary services, retirement plans, bonuses and more; methods of calculating and compensating veterinary staff on production; and new data on industry turnover, nonmonetary incentives and use of performance evaluations.

Covetrus, an animal-health technology company, has launched Covetrus Script Assist, a new way for veterinarians to leverage practice management system information to proactively prescribe preventive medications for patients with past or upcoming appointments. Covetrus Script Assist leverages machine learning and practice management records to identify gaps in medical care, particularly in areas like preventive medications. Once a prescription is “created,” the veterinarian or delegate has minimal steps in order to get a prescription to the client for fulfillment on their storefront. The system allows for more informed compliance monitoring—the ability to quickly prescribe preventives will drive practices closer to compliance and help keep their patients healthy. All Covetrus prescription management customers have access to the Script Assist application and may opt in to use it.

Here’s our regular rundown of new and notable veterinary products.

dvm360 product report: Job search platform, probiotic, urine-fecal unit and more

Telling your veterinary clients that their pet is overweight is no easy task. In fact, Alex German, BVSc, PhD, DECVIM-CA, SFHEA, MRCVS, professor of small animal medicine at the University of Liverpool, says talking about obesity is a 

“I think that’s the number one challenge that veterinarians face," Professor German told dvm360 at this year’s Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX), held this week in Orlando, Fla. "The biggest problem: We don’t talk about it,” he said. So, the first step is mustering the courage to discuss it.

Not sure how to get the conversation started? Professor German offers these tips:

Avoid blaming the owner, and "park your prejudices ... at the door."

Avoid toxic terms like “fat” and “obese.”

Talk about body condition scores with the owner instead of talking about “obesity."

For more tips from Prof. German about discussing overweight pets with clients, watch the video below.

Videos

A pet obesity expert shares tips and strategies on how to best approach this potentially uncomfortable topic. (Hint: Don't use the "f" word.)

VMX 2020—Stop telling your veterinary clients their pet is fat

American Humane has announced that nominations are now open for its seventh annual Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Nurse Awards, presented by Zoetis. Pet owners and animal lovers are invited to visit 

 before April 2 to nominate veterinary professionals who are dedicated to improving the lives of animals and promoting the human-animal bond.

The winning veterinarian and veterinary nurse will travel to Los Angeles to be honored as part of the 10th annual 

 gala in September, which will air on the Hallmark Channel this fall.

Professionals from all fields of veterinary medicine are eligible for entry, including those who work in research, emergency services, shelters and large- and exotic-animal settings, along with companion animals. Five finalists will be selected in each category by a panel of judges consisting of veterinary professionals, celebrities, and animal care professionals. Beginning June 11, the public will be invited to vote online for their favorite veterinarian and veterinary nurse.

“Zoetis is honored to support America’s veterinary community, and the American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Nurse Awards are our way of thanking these tireless individuals,” says Tara Bidgood, DVM, PhD, DACVCP, executive director of Zoetis Petcare Veterinary Professional Services, in a release from American Humane. “Veterinarians and veterinary nurses are leading the effort to keep America’s animals happy and healthy, and they deserve recognition.”

Key dates for the 2020 American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Nurse Awards contest are:

To nominate a veterinarian or veterinary nurse between now and April 2, and for complete contest rules, visit 

The Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Nurse Award winners will be featured on the  Hallmark Channel in the fall.

American Humane calls for veterinary hero nominations

The winners of the fourth annual Vetty Awards—honoring the best advertising, design, digital, experiential and public relations campaigns in animal health—were revealed this week at the North American Veterinary Community’s Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX).

NAVC introduced the awards in 2017 to “recognize and reward the marketing excellence that helps fuel the rapidly growing industry,” according to a 

The competition is open to products and services available through veterinarians or that support the veterinary community, including pharmaceuticals, pet foods, diagnostic equipment, professional associations, pet advocate organizations and more.

 NexGard (afoxolaner) Lyme Awareness Campaign from Boehringer Ingelheim and Shepherd

VeggieDent Zen Tartar Control Chews for Dogs

 from Virbac Corporation and Archer Malmo

Animal Emergency & Specialty Center Cardiology Campaign

 from Animal Emergency & Specialty Center and Innovetive Petcare

At its VMX show this month, the North American Veterinary Community awarded the best advertising, design, digital, experiential and PR campaigns in animal health. See any favorites?

VMX 2020—NAVC awards best veterinary ads

One cat is gaining the hearts of many, not because of her cute looks, but rather her intimidating cold demeanor and her no-nonsense personality.

 posted an ad on Facebook introducing Perdita, who they referred to as the “world’s worst cat”.

According to the Facebook post, Perdita likes “staring into your soul until you feel as if you may never be cheerful again, the song Cat Scratch Fever, the movie Pet Cemetery (Church is her hero), jump scares (her specialty), lurking in dark corners, being queen of her domicile, fooling shelter staff into thinking she's sick (vet agrees...she's just a jerk)”

The shelter also shared Perdita's dislikes which include, the color pink, kittens, dogs, children, the Dixie Chicks, Disney movies, Christmas and she’s not a hugger. So basically you can call her the feline grinch, but she still wants to be loved too.

“She's single and ready to be socially awkward with a socially awkward human who understands personal space,” the post says.

If you or one of clients is looking to adopt, you can find out more about Perdita 

Find out why this sassy black and white cat is gaining popularity