Tell Us What You Think

Turns out there's a lot of ick in tick and in flea, worm, and whatever a screwworm fly is doing, which is frankly worse than the name suggests.

Dr. Angie and JoJo recorded this episode six weeks before New World Screwworm was confirmed in dogs in the US, but it seems more timely now than ever. In this episode they cover the parasites they see in practice, where pets pick them up, and why parasite prevention looks completely different depending on where you live. It's equal parts educational and "ew" — JoJo's favorite word in this episode! There is also a story about a microbiology professor's personal tapeworm that arrives without warning and cannot be unseen.

🎓 Dr. Angie's full course — A Holistic Approach to the Creepy Crawlers — goes much deeper on prevention and treatment for every major parasite. Free at boulderholisticvet.com with code TRUTHTAILS

Key Takeaways

1. Location determines your prevention strategy. What works in dry, high-altitude Colorado may be completely inadequate on the coasts or in the South where humidity and bug populations are year-round.
2. New World Screwworm is now confirmed in US dogs. This episode was recorded before it crossed the border. It's caused by a fly larva, not a worm, and it's a serious emerging threat.
3. Heartworm comes from mosquitoes not contact with other dogs. No mosquitoes means no heartworm transmission. Skipping prevention in winter in low-risk areas doesn't make you a bad pet parent.
4. NexGard doesn't repel ticks it kills them after they bite. Your dog can still bring ticks into your home on NexGard. It prevents disease transmission, not tick hitchhiking.
5. Tea tree oil undiluted is toxic to pets, especially cats. Products containing it are typically heavily diluted, but that doesn't mean tea tree oil itself is safe to use at home without care.
6. Fleas lead to tapeworms. If your pet hunts or catches small animals, tapeworm exposure is likely. You'll recognize them as rice-like segments in their stool.
7. Mites come in two types — contagious (sarcoptic mange) and the kind dogs already carry in their skin (demodex).
8. Lice are species-specific and intensely itchy.
9. The Creepy Crawlers course at boulderholisticvet.com covers all of this in depth.
10. Even holistic vets on the coasts are recommending pharmaceuticals for flea and tick prevention where natural options simply can't keep up with year-round bug pressure.
11. Bravecto's one-year injectable — Dr. Angie's position is wait-and-see. Useful in high-tick regions, but she won't use it in Boulder where tick season is short.

Soundbites

Essential oils are always a little risky with cats. I'm not a huge fan of them for cats. — Dr. Angie

I am neurotypical and very type A and I can still forget heartworm prevention. — JoJo

This is the number one reason people visit our website according to our Google Analytics — to find out how to holistically prevent parasites. — JoJo

20 years ago when I first started practicing in the front range, I hardly ever saw any bugs, ever. And now I see more because global warming. — Dr. Angie

This is why we should fund science. Just gonna say that. — Dr. Angie

You're going to know if your pet has tapeworms, most likely. It looks like little rice in their stool. That moves. — JoJo

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