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Top Flea and Tick Medications

Spring is finally under way much to the delight of many people and their pets.  Unfortunately, for pets, spring also means the beginning of another season of fleas and ticks. The pain and incessant itching that result from the biting and feeding of these pests on animals can make your pets sick and miserable. Hitchhiking fleas and ticks can fall off of your pets’ fur and onto your furniture, bedding, and carpets before beginning to attack your family.

A single female flea lays more than 500 eggs in her lifetime. Flea larvae mature to adulthood within a couple of weeks and are ready to lay even more eggs on your pet, in your home, and outside in the yard, becoming potentially harmful to your loved ones. Many veterinarians recommend getting a jumpstart on protecting your pets and family from emerging flea and tick populations. Preventative and treatment measures may be necessary all year in locations that always have mild temperatures.

Fleas and ticks are difficult to eradicate once their populations are well established. The most effective means for ridding them for months at a time is to take a three-pronged approach of treating your pets, home, and yard with flea and tick solutions. Many solutions can kill fleas and ticks at every life stage. It is not enough to treat just your dog or cat, prevention is also necessary. A flea or tick can hitch a ride on a treated pet without biting them, and make their way into your home to feed on your family. You also want to kill the eggs so that they cannot mature into adults and continue multiplying. Treating your yard to kill fleas and ticks, including their eggs, and to repel neighboring ones from moving in, sets up a strong barrier of defense against pests. Treating your pets and home offers further protection from disease-carrying fleas and ticks that can affect everyone.

You have several treatment options for controlling pests that hibernate on your pets including flea and tick collars, shampoos, sprays, topical solutions applied directly to pet’s skin, and even medications in pill form. Be sure to read a products label carefully before using it on your pet, and consult with your pet’s veterinarian about a product first. Certain flea and tick products are made specifically for use on dogs and can be harmful when used on cats. There are a few products that are safe for use on dogs and cats, and come in handy if you have both animals in your home. If you have a puppy or kitten, it is important to check with your veterinarian to make sure that the medication you have chosen will not be harmful to them due to their age. Many medications are recommended for pets ages 3 months or older. Refer to the product’s usage label to make sure it is safe for your pet.

Below are some preventative medications and tactics for your dogs against those annoying pests.

• The Preventic® Tick Collar for Dogs: Works to kill ticks on your dog and repels new ones from attaching and feeding on them for up to five months.

• The PowerBand™ Flea and Tick Collar: Works to kill flea eggs, young and adult fleas, and ticks for up to five months of protection for dogs.

• EctoKyl® CA Shampoo: Works fast killing fleas and ticks on dogs, while also conditioning their coat.

•Adams™ Flea Shampoo: Goes to work immediately killing fleas, ticks, and even lice on your dog.

•Ecto-Soothe® 3X Shampoo: Kills fleas fast while also soothing skin irritated by fleabites.

•FRONTLINE® Spray Treatment for Dogs & Cats: A spray that acts quickly to kill fleas and ticks on dogs and cats that are 2 months or older.

•Virbac® Long-Acting Knockout:  Kills fleas and ticks on your dog and works to protect them from pests for up to three months.

•Advantage® for Puppies and Dogs: A topical solution applied directly to dogs’ skin once monthly for month-long protection from fleas and ticks.

•Revolution® for Dogs: A topical that kills adult fleas and prevents flea eggs from maturing.

•Vet-Kem® Siphotrol® X-Tend™: Patio and Yard Fogger that helps you control fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes in your outdoor areas.

Below are some preventative medications against those annoying pests for cats and your home.

•Capstar® Tablets: Tablets that can be given to both dogs and cats that kills fleas fast. These flavored tablets are often easier to give your cat using the shampoo or sprays on them.

•Advantage Multi for Cats RX: A topical solution for treating fleas and ticks on cats.

• Adams™ Flea Shampoo:  Kills fleas, ticks, and lice, while cleaning and deodorizing the coat on cats whose temperaments are agreeable to baths.

•Mycodex® Environmental™ Aerosol Household Spray: Kills adult fleas, eggs and larvae inside the home, for unbeatable long-lasting protection from these pests.

•Virbac® Yard Spray Concentrate: Kills fleas and ticks in your yard and repels future infestations for several months.

Although there are a few brands of cat flea and tick collars available, collars typically are not recommended for most cats due to the high risk of choking and hanging. Opt for using another method to take care of your lively cat.

About the Author

Rachel Jackson is a freelance writer who often writes about topics pertaining to the care of pets and health options for pets such as pet meds.

Best way to jumpstart a vegan lifestyle?

Hello! I visited www.goveg.com and saw a video on how animals are "processed" for meat, and was really sick and sad about it. So I am going vegetarian for 30 days to try it out. Hopefully it lasts longer. I am also really excited about the health improvements that could come with it. I just worry about finding protein sources and having a varied diet. Do you have any good recommendations on resources for getting started with this huge lifestyle change?
Thanks Joe. I can tell you might not be a veg. I agree some people act "Crazy". I don't think I can eat meat eagain after seeing inside slaughterhouses, but, if I go from eating it a few times a week to a few times a year, it helps. So I agree with you!

Make sure you learn everything you can about vegetarian nutrition and getting proper nutrients.
Know how many portions of whatever you need daily (look up vegetarian food pyramid) Make sure you get enough vitamins know what your daily allowance should be. Other protein sources are tempeh, Seitan, (both are best marinated to absorb flavors) and you could try tofu when you get more experience with vegetarian cooking.

I'd suggest this reading this book as a starting point:

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Gu…

It's also just a good basic introduction to becoming vegetarian and later a vegan whether you do it gradually or in a matter of weeks. It's been out a while so it's cheap to buy. Don't stop with this book there are many other more in depth ones.

This review from Amazon covers it:
"I bought this book a year ago when I was thinking about becoming a vegetarian. A year later I'm still a ovo-lacto vegetarian (the book goes over the differences), and about to cut out all egg products. I've also lost all the weight I've gained since high school (18 pounds) just from nixing the meat.
This is the first book I bought on being vegetarian (I am pescatarian at this point) and it has proved to be invaluable. I don't think I could have stuck with the change in diet if I had not read this book.
Ms. Wolfe does a great job covering everything you could want to know about going vegetarian, or just eating healthier! Knowing what to expect from my body as far as cravings and how to continue to get enough protein were incredibly helpful.
There is also a great chapter about eating out!
I would strongly recommend this to anyone who wants to go vegetarian or just cut back on meat. The book is easy to read and follow- perfect for anyone!"

Recipezaar is one website that has thousands of vegetarian and vegan recipes. If you type in vegan you will get tons of them. There are many other sites out there. Vegan blogs tend to have some of the best recipes.

If you liked wings here's one to get you started with Tempeh

Buffalo Tempeh "Wangs"
I found this recipe on the internet, made a few modifications, threw it in the oven, and crossed my fingers.
Let me tell you - delicious. No, seriously. They’re delicious. Now I’m not getting crazy and saying meat eaters are going to eat this and instantly convert, but it’s seriously tasty. The texture is different, but good different. The panko crumbs on the outside really give it a crunchy texture, and there’s nothing a little wing sauce can’t make tasty. Although the directions look lengthy, it really doesn’t take more than 35-40 minutes to have these on the table. If you haven’t tried tempeh, let this be your first recipe. And if you have, then you’d be crazy for not trying this recipe. Now it’s your turn to give it the old college try.

•1 (8 oz) pkg tempeh
•⅓ c soy milk
•⅓ c flour
•½ tsp salt
•1 tsp thyme leaves
•1 tsp paprika
•½ tsp garlic powder
•Freshly ground pepper to taste
•1 cup Italian seasoninged panko crumbs ( I used plain Panko it was fine do use Panko it makes them crispy)
•Wing Sauce
•½ c Louisiana-style hot sauce
•2 tbsp butter
•1 tbsp ketchup
•Bring 4 cups of water to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, remove tempeh from package. Slice into 8 strips. (If you are a first time tempheh eater and have texture issues, I recommend slicing into 10-12 strips) Once water is boiling, lower heat to medium high, add tempeh, and boil for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water.
•Set out 3 bowls. In one, pour in soy milk. In the second, combine flour and seasonings. In third bowl, add panko crumbs. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
•Place each strip in milk. Coat in flour mixture, then briefly re-dip into milk. Toss with panko crumbs, coating well. Set on slightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tempeh strips. Once all are coated and on baking sheet, lightly spray all “wings” with cooking spray. Place into oven and bake for 10 minutes. Flip “wings” over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
•While they are baking, place wing sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Cover with Saran wrap and heat in microwave on medium high setting for a minute and a half. Remove from heat and whisk ingredients together.
•When wings are finished baking, toss with sauce. Serve immediately.

My notes: I made this last night. Prep ahead: I'd suggest marinating the tempeh in shallow dish for a minimum of a day in a watered down smoky BBQ sauce with a little garlic powder and celery salt or juice added and 1/2 tablespoon of tamari. After slicing Steam the tempeh for 7 minutes and then put in marinade. Boiling tempeh in my opinion makes it to soft.
I did tempeh triangles slice into a square then triangle 2 x. You don't want big chunks. I had some that were a little chunky and we found them too be to thick texture wise. My husband eats all meat and he loved this and was making suggestions for other sauces. If you don't like spicey

Berkeley Calendar
Black Repetory Group — A show to benefit the ARTSPARK Festival, 4 p.m. March 14, $20, Black Repetory Theater, 3201 Adeline St., for tickets call 510-915-4313.

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