Dermatology

Dermatology is the study of the skin. Many dogs and cats encounter skin problems in their years of life. Unfortunately, skin diseases can be very difficult to treat. The most common skin disease in our area is caused by fleas. Dogs and cats become very sensitive to the saliva and bite of the adult flea. There are numerous products on the market to control flea populations. Both of the following products do an excellent and SAFE job of flea control. It is important to note that flea control must be approached in two distinct phases for control to be complete, and therefore satisfying to you and your pet. Naturally, the adult flea must be killed, hopefully before it does much damage to the skin of your pet. This "adulticide" therapy (Advantage®) greatly reduces the number of live adult fleas in the environment and dramatically reduces the number available to bite the animal. However, no adulticide is 100% effective. If an adult flea is allowed to bite your animal and receive a blood meal (ouch!), then it is capable of reproducing by laying many little fleas eggs in the environment. The second component to flea control is a growth regulator (Program®). This ensures that any eggs laid by adult fleas never develop into new adult fleas. In short, this component keeps you from getting a flea "infestation" in your environment. With these two distinct components of therapy, the war on fleas has never been easier to win. If you use only one component, you might win a battle, but not the war; eventually the fleas will attack your pet again.