Very visual handbook aimed at veterinary professionals and dealing with everything related to fleas and ticks, focusing particularly on clinical issues in dogs and cats. The first part is entirely dedicated to fleas (including their identification, life cycle, clinical signs derived from flea infestation, flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), and prevention and control measures, among others). The second part describes thoroughly everything that involves ticks infestation (including species identification and their geographic distribution, feeding behaviour, the biting process, diseases transmitted by ticks, prevention and control measures, etc.).

Authors:

Dunbar Gram, DVM, DACVD, MRCVS

Dr. Gram is Service Chief and Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine. He received his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University in Connecticut and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with high honors from Auburn University. He completed an internship at the University of Illinois and a residency in dermatology at North Carolina State University. He has taught dermatology at The University of Edinburgh, The University of Prince Edward Island and North Carolina State University.

Jeanmarie Short, LVT, DVM

Jeanmarie Short was a licensed veterinary technician before graduating from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a one year rotating internship in emergency and internal medicine. After three years in general small animal practice, she completed a residency in dermatology at Animal Allergy and Dermatology in Virginia Beach, VA. Her interests are in endocrine and allergic diseases.

Table of Contents:

1. FLEAS 

       Introduction

       General flea anatomy

       Flea life cycle

       On-host component of life cycle

       Environmental component of the life cycle

       Control measures

       Prioritizing aspects of flea control products/programs

       Determining the goals of a flea control program

       Pathology associated with fleas

       Anemia

       Tapeworms

       Pruritus

       Dermatitis

       Potential flea-transmitted diseases

       References

2. TICKS 

       Introduction

      General tick anatomy

      Hard ticks

      Tick feeding

      Tick life cycle

      Hard tick life cycle

      Species identification

      Rhipicephalus spp.

      Dermacentor spp.

      Ixodes spp.

      Haemaphysalis longicornis

      Otobius megnini

      Tick removal

      Prevention

      References