PREVENTION KIT AGAINST CANIN LEISHMANIASIS
EXPLANATORY NOTE! As previously indicated, this kind of PomPomDog posts regarding health and nutrition, are written after having consulted several specialized texts and having read different opinions. However, in case of any doubt or problem, ask ALWAYS your veterinarian.
Recently we went to the vet with our Pomeranian Colette for her annual vaccines (heptavalent, anti-rabies and kennel cough), and as we already are in spring in Spain we also bought all the necessary medicines to prevent Colette from catching leishmaniasis.
But before telling you what products make up the ‘Prevention kit against canine leishmaniasis’, we are going to explain to you in a simple way what this serious disease consists in and which are its main symptoms.
Canine leishmaniasis is a disease caused by a parasite called Leishmaniainfantum, which is transmitted by a small fly called phlebotome. Infection occurs when a phlebotome carrying leishmaniasis bites the dog. So, it is important to understand that a person can’t contract leishmaniasis through his infected dog, neither a healthy dog can contract this disease through an infected dog. The guilty is always the fly! 🙁
Some of its earliest and most noticeable symptoms are hair loss and peeling skin, unusual nails growth, the formation of ulcers in ears and legs, and blood in urine and in nasal mucosae.
Other serious symptoms include lymph nodes inflammation, anemia, kidney failure, liver and spleen inflammation, fever, muscle atrophy, arthritis, vasculitis, weight loss and fatigue.
Leishmaniasis prevalence worldwide is very high, and in particular in Spain, since our Mediterranean climate favors the presence of phlebotomes during the warmer months, that’s why prevention is essential, even if it doesn’t guarantee 100% protection, it is guaranteed in a high level thanks to the combination of different methods.
Colette’s prevention kit against canine leishmaniasis
- External antiparasitic pipette: it is important that it repels not only fleas and ticks, but also, in this case, phlebotomes. We use, among others, ‘Avantix’ pipettes.
- Application time: Every 4 weeks.
- Instructions: Apply in the back of the dog, where he/she doesn’t reach to scratch himself/herself, making a line in the hair and putting the product all along.
- Price: 4 pipettes ‘Avantix’ for dogs up to 4 kilos for about 20 € – 25 €.
- Antiparasitic collar: here, without any doubt, the most famous in the market and the one we use is ‘Excalibor’, which works by releasing deltamethrin on the dog’s skin without any harm or strange smells, and it is also waterproof.
- Application time: Even if it protects up to 6 months against ticks and up to 4 months against fleas, we use it about 3 months. That is why we bought two collars and like this we cover the period from April to September.
- Instructions:
- When taking out of the box, clean the collar’s external dust with a paper serviette.
- The smallest collar size in the market is 48 centimeters long, huge for our little poms’ necks, so cut it with scissors and place it on your dog, leaving two fingers space between neck and collar.
- Finally, don’t forget to clean the collar with a wet cloth at least once a month.
- Price: ‘Excalibor’ collar of 48 centimeters for about 17 € – 22 €.
- Syrup: We use ‘Leisguard’ which is based on an active ingredient called domperidone. It stimulates the immune cellular response.
- Application time: It is given daily during 1 month, resting for 3 months and taking it again 1 month more.
- For moderate-risked areas of leishmaniasis, start between May-June and repeat it between September-October.
- For high-risked areas of leishmaniasis, use this pattern 3 times: start in May-June, then between September-October and finally a pattern of rescue in February.
- Instructions: Shake the syrup and take the recommended dosage with the syringe, which is minimal in Pomeranian dogs because it is based on its weight.
- Price: ‘Leisguard’ syrup for about 15 €.
- Application time: It is given daily during 1 month, resting for 3 months and taking it again 1 month more.
We can’t miss to mention that, just as with other diseases, one of the prevention methods would be the leishmaniasis vaccine. However our vet didn’t recommend it for the dangerous side effects on small dogs as Colette.
In short, pipette, collar and syrup are the treatments that we give simultaneously to Colette to protect her against this serious disease, which can even be mortal if not treated and healed on time.
And you, what is your experience with this disease? What products are in your Pomeranian’s kit to fight against leishmaniasis?
We are looking forward for your questions and answers in the comments of this post. Thank you very much!
Mi Nico que era un cruce de Coker pese a usar el mismo kit que tu Colette contrajo la Leishmaniosis con la que lucho durante 10 años a través de los cuales tuvo varias recaidas y que fue finalmente la causa de su muerte.Es una enfermedad horrible donde los tratamientos dejan ultradebiles a los perros y es un dolor verlos luchar sin descanso Actualmente tengo un cruce de Chihuahua de 3,5 kilos a la que le he administrado la vacuna por miedo a la dichosa enfermedad. El collar scalibur en perrros tan pequeños suele tener reacciones alergicas motivo por el cual tras dos semanas se lo he tenido que retirar a Luna al estar la zona del cuello inflamada, llena de pupas y sufrir hiperactividad por la toxicidad del collar. Por consejo veterinario voy a utilizar con ella además de la vacuna que no le ha dado ningún tipo de reacción más allá de estar pochita un día las pipetas triple acción de frontline, en febrero usaré el jarabe lishguard y durante los meses de calor probaré con el collar seresto a ver que tal le va. Yo sí que intentaría vacunar a vuestra perra. Ya he sufrido esta terrible enfermedad pese a poner todas las medidas que poneis vosotros y os aseguro que la vacuna es el mayor avance que hay puesto que su eficacia ronda el setenta y tantos porciento.
¡Hola Laura!
Lo primero de todo decirte que sentimos mucho la muerte de tu Nico.
Nosotros hemos tenido conocimiento de reacciones adversas muy graves pero justamente por administrar la vacuna de la leishmaniosis a perros tan pequeños. Incluso nuestro veterinario de confianza nos la desaconsejó, por lo que seguiremos administrándole el kit de pipeta + collar + jarabe.
Entendemos que, desgraciadamente, ningún tratamiento es infalible al 100 % y que cada perrito y su sistema inmunológico es diferente.
En cualquier caso, nosotros, y seguramente otros lectores, agradecemos que nos hayas compartido tu experiencia y tus consejos.
¡Muchas gracias por leernos y escribirnos!
Feliz día para ti & Luna ^_^
Hay una errata, las pipetas deben colocarse cada 3 o 4 semanas, no meses.
¡Hola Mariana!
Tenías razón, había una errata y ya está corregida. Muchísimas gracias por advertírnoslo y por leernos ^_^ ¡Feliz día!