Helpful Pet Meds for your Ailing Animals

People love their pets and want only the best for them when they are sick. To get an idea of how many pet lovers there are, recent surveys found that 71.1 million households in the United States (63 percent) have a pet living with them. In the United Kingdom, about a quarter of households owns a pet. There is no doubt that the most popular pets are cats and dogs. More households have dogs than cats, but when there are cats in the house, most surveys conclude that the number of cats exceeds that of dogs. Either way, responsible pet owners will do all they can to keep their pets healthy, whether it’s an issue of their pet’s bone or joint problems, protection from fleas or ticks, preventing heartworm or improving their skin and coat. Bone and Joint One of the best ways to control bone and joint problems is with anti-inflammatory, like Deramaxx (deracoxib) chewable tablets. This is a Coxib-Class nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for dogs only. It will relieve pain and inflammation after orthopedic surgery. Or, if your dog suffers from chronic pain and lameness, Deramaxx can treat osteoarthritis. Another option is Etodolac, an oral NSAID that reduces pain and inflammation due to osteoarthritis. You can give your dog this medicine with our without food. If the medication is going to help, you will see improvement in a few days.rnCats are also prone to bone and joint problems. If your beloved feline is not moving freely and without pain, consider Arthogen for cats. This is an oral glucosamine chondroitin supplement that helps treat osteoarthritis. It can also help treat cats with FLUTD, a feline lower urinary tract disease. While Arthogen for cats is available over the counter, you should contact your veterinarian before you give your cat any medication or supplement. Please note, it may take weeks before you see any improvement in your cat’s movement. Flea and Tick If you want to protect your dog from fleas and ticks, try one of the front-runners in pet medication: Frontline Plus. This is a fast and effective treatment to control fleas, ticks and chewing lice on dogs and puppies. Frontline Plus will prevent infestations, kill fleas, flea eggs and flea larva,; and keep flea eggs and larvae from maturing. Frontline Plus also kills deer ticks, which can carry Lyme disease, and even helps control sarcoptic mange infestations. Once applied, Frontline Plus will act quickly and it will not wash off with water. There is also a Frontline Plus for cats, offering spot treatment when your feline is afflicted with fleas, ticks and chewing lice. It can be used on kittens at least eight weeks old. If you would prefer to use a flea and tick collar, as opposed to a topical medication, consider the Vet-Kem Breakaway Plus Flea and Tick Collar for cats. One problem with collars is that your beloved pet could actually get caught on a fixed object. While going over a fence, the cat’s collar could get caught, leading to unthinkable endings. The Vet-Kem Breakaway collar lets the cat free himself if the collar catches on something. While wearing the collar, your cat is protected from fleas for up to eight months and from ticks for up to six months. Heartworm One of the biggest enemies of dogs and cats are heartworms. To fight this infestation, try Heartgard Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel) chewables for dogs. Ivermectin is an intestinal de-wormer and it also prevents heartworm. If you are looking to protect your cat from heartworms, you might want to try Revolution (selamectin) for cats. rnAdminister Revolution once a month to protect your cat from fleas and heartworm disease. It will also help control hookworms, roundworms and ear mites. Revolution contains selamectin, a topical agent that will kill parasites in cats. In addition to killing adult fleas and preventing flea eggs from hatching, Revolution will help prevent heartworm disease and control ear mite infestations. It can also be used to treat and control sarcoptic mange, intestinal hookworms and roundworms in cats. Skin or Coat As your dog or cat ages, certain easily treatable skin conditions can develop. For example, cyclosporine capsules and suspension can help treat atopic dermatitis in dogs. One brand name of this suspension is Atopica. Another treatment for both dogs and cats is Ketoconazole, an antifungal agent used to treat fungal infections like ringworm, bone, lung and central nervous system infections. If your pet is prone to a sensitive stomach, give this medication with a fatty meal to reduce the possibility of stomach upset. It is available as a tablet or in various topical solutions. If you love your pet, you are definitely not alone. That means that a pet pharmaceutical company has probably come along to provide some treatment for your pet. Find the right medications for your pets now.