TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES 

Q: I'm a guide dog user and currently have a 70-pound Golden Retriever. I've heard that I shouldn't use flea products. What do you think? -- D.H., Quincy, IL
 
Q: The EPA no longer wants us to use flea and heartworm products, right? Why is that? What do you suggest? -- S.G., Orlando, FL.
 
Q: Why is the EPA concerned about using flea products? And if they are concerned about safety, shouldn't I be concerned? -- J.D., Fort Lauderdale, FL
 
A: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cautioned consumers about using flea and tick products with a statement posted on the EPA web site March 17. The statement begins, "Due to a significant increase in adverse incidents, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking a series of actions to increase the safety of spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control for cats and dogs."
 
First, let me make it absolutely clear - heartworm preventatives were not mentioned in the notice. (The EPA doesn't even oversee heartworm meds; that's the responsibility of the U.S Food and Drug Administration.)
 
The EPA is asking for improved labeling and instructions on packaging and will monitor flea and tick products more carefully. They may also restrict inert ingredients if it can be demonstrated that there's a definitive link to adverse incidents. However, the EPA is in no way suggesting consumers stop using flea and tick products. The EPA is not calling the products dangerous or pulling anything from the shelves.
 
I believe web sites and individuals who are calling these products "dangerous" are reckless, irresponsible and not qualified to make such statements.
 
The reality is that adverse reactions do occur. And as rare as such events are, if your pet has a bad reaction, statistics don't matter. I understand that. However, statistically, it's very unlikely anything will happen if you use products recommended by your vet and use them correctly. If you do nothing, fleas spread disease (and are downright gross) and tick diseases can even be deadly. Clearly, the benefits of using these products far outweigh any risks.
 
Essentially the products themselves haven't changed much in the past few years. So, then why are adverse reports to the EPA up? For starters, it's easier to report than it used to be. And any report at all is 'counted,' whether the report is legitimate or not. With tick diseases on the rise, more products are being sold, WHICH invariably leads to more adverse events.
 
Most of all, I believe there are more adverse events because people are making more innocent errors than ever before. For example, a product for large dogs used on small dogs is very dangerous. Also, over the past couple of years, more products are being sold online and over the counter rather than through veterinary offices. Please contact your vet for advice no matter where you ultimately buy a product - and the chances are far lower that anything will go wrong.
 
Q: Help! I'm a responsible pet owner. I have several animals and work hard to devote myself to each and every one of them daily. Along with other pets. I have two rabbits. Being a responsible owner, both my male rabbit and female rabbit each get playtime every day outside of their cages, but not together (I don't need baby bunnies).
 
Reaching maturity, the female is getting temperamental. I realize spay/neuter is a good idea and began to look into it, but it would cost $300 to $500 for each rabbit. I want the best for Shiloe and Shadow, but this price is insane. I don't want to have to sell a kidney to have my rabbits fixed. Do you have any ideas for doing this at a reasonable cost? -- D.H., Buffalo, NY
 
A: Is that how much a kidney goes for these days? Dr. Sheldon Rubin of Chicago notes, "Surgery requires anesthetic agents, and the appropriate use may be even trickier in rabbits than dogs or cats. You're also paying for the skills and time of the veterinary staff. Having said that, there are low-cost options in most major metropolitan areas. Often times, shelters also offer low cost spay/neuter surgery."
 
The cost of spay/neuter surgery probably should have been factored in when you purchased the rabbits. One argument for shelter adoption is that shelter pet usually are already altered. Some veterinary clinics (particularly if you have a good relationship with the vet) will allow you to pay out over time.
 
Your inclination to spay/neuter your rabbits is right on, and arguably an investment. Bunny behavior expert Marcia Froelke Coburn of the Red Door Animal Shelter in Chicago notes that over 80 percent of uterine cancer occurs in unspayed rabbits. By spaying your female, you greatly lessen the chances of that costly and life-shortening possibility. Altered rabbits also make better pets. And you'd no longer have to keep the bunnies apart.
 
Q: Our Jack Russell had an itch and the veterinarian prescribed prednisone. But I'm not sure that's the best answer long-term for J.R. Can you suggest a vitamin or food that might help? -- A.F., Tulsa, OK
 
"Well, what can help depends on what the problem is," begins Dr. Donald Ostwald of Wheat Ridge, CO. "Omega 3 and Omega 6 fish oils may help. Also, a food trial using a novel food (recommended by your vet)
 
for eight to 12 weeks, without over-the-counter snacks or other treats, might be a place to start. For sure, you're right, while prednisone can be used to lessen inflammation to make your dog for comfortable, it's not a long-term solution for an unidentified problem."
 
See your veterinarian to rule out mange, fleas, or other causes aside from allergies. You might also request a referral to a veterinary dermatologist.