Around the first of the month, it is time for Moose and Lally to get their heartworm and flea and tick preventatives. The routine is much the same every time: they both love chowing down on the chewy heartworm preventative. Moose tolerates getting the liquid flea and tick medication on his back; Lally hates it. She tries to run away, she grumbles and meeps at me, but in the end, she suffers through it.
This month, we tried switching from Frontline to a different flea and tick preventative. As far as I can tell, it works as well. (The vet also switched us to a different-but-equal version of Heartguard.)
The only problem is Lally’s sensitive skin. There must be something in this new medication that doesn’t agree with her, because she’s gone and chewed a hotspot onto her back near where the liquid was applied.
My poor baby girl! She already has enough allergy problems — she’s allergic to plastic and has a terrible time with spring and fall allergies. Now this. Her suffering is definitely not worth the few bucks I saved with the new medication.
I’m treating the hotspot with medication from the vet: a liquid that will help dry up the open wound. I’ve also trimmed some of the hair away from the hotspot so it won’t get in the way or tickle her or bring bacteria into the wound. This is the same thing we did the last time she had a hotspot (on her neck).
Moose, on the other hand, isn’t bothered by the switch. But he also doesn’t have the allergy problems Lally does! Looks like we’re switching back to Frontline for next month. (I noticed that Petco.com is having an online-only sale on Frontline and other flea and tick medications this week, too. Good timing!)