Prac-Tic For Dogs - Product Description

PRAC-TIC is a very effective spot-on dog flea and tick treatment for once-a-month administration. 

Indicated for:

• the prevention and treatment of flea & tick infestations
• can be used as part of a strategy to treat flea allergy dermatitis (FAD)
• Prac-tic kills 100% of fleas present on your dog within 24 hours
• thereafter it is effective against flea infestations for a minimum of 4 weeks
• kills ticks in 48 hours and also has a persistent effect against ticks for 4 weeks
• not for use in dogs younger than 8 weeks or less than 2 kg (4.5 lb) body weight
• Prac-tic Spot On is not for use in cats, kittens or rabbits

How it works:

Prac-tic For Dogs contains the active ingredient Pyriprole. When applied each ml of the product contains 125mg Pyriprole (a clear colourless solution). Pyriprole is a very effective insecticide and acaricide and the parasites are killed via contact rather than by ingesting the product (systemic exposure).

Once Prac-tic Flea Treatment has been topically administered, the active ingredient Pyriprole is quickly distributed in the dog’s hairy coat (within a day after application). It can then be found in the hair of the dog throughout the treatment period.

Dosage intructions:

The Prac-tic Novartis solution is effective in treating and preventing infestation with the following parasites:

Fleas:

• Ctenocephalides canis (Dog flea)
  
• Ctenocephalides felis (Cat flea - which is found on cats and dogs)

Ticks:

• Ixodes ricinus (Castor Bean Tick)
• Ixodes scapularis (Deer Tick)
  
• Dermacentor variabilis (American Dog Tick)
  
• Dermacentor reticulatus (Marsh Tick or Ornate Cow Tick)
• Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Brown Dog Tick)
  
• Amblyomma americanum (Lone Star Tick)

Prac-tic is recommended by vets worldwide as being the best spot-on treatment for getting rid of dog fleas & ticks:

• - Prac-tic Spot On is waterproof and even remains effective after dog shampooing or swimming
• - contains the new ingredient called Pyriprole
• - it's convenient & safe and easy to apply to your dog
• - Prac-tic Flea Treatment: kills 100% of fleas within 24 hours
• - Prac-tic For Dogs: prevents Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD)
• - gives monthly peace of mind, so get the Prac-tic Novartis flea and tick solution

How Prac-tic should be used:   
 

• Carefully remove a single applicator pipette from the package (best to use scissors).
• Hold the applicator pipette in an upright position, tapping the neck of the applicator to ensure that all the liquid runs down into the main part of the pipette.
• Next snap the top of the applicator off (along scored line).
• Now part the hairy coat of your dog between the shoulder blades until the skin is clearly visible.
• Lastly place the tip of the applicator pipette against your dog's skin and softly squeeze the applicator a few times. This can be done in one or two places on the exposed skin.  The entire contents of the applicator pipette should be used.
• For large dogs with body weights over 50 lbs (22 kg) or more, Prac-tic Spot On should be applied to a few (3-4) different spots on your dog's skin. This will reduce the chances of spillage (preventing parts of the liquid running off the dog's coat).

Tip:  For ongoing protection it is important to adhere to regular once-a-month applications,

Important precautions:

• Do not use Prac-tic Flea Treatment in dogs under 8 weeks old or dogs that weigh less than 4.5 lbs (2 kg).
• In case of a known allergy to the phenylpyrazole class of compounds this product should not be used.
• Prac-tic For Dogs should not be used on sick pets or convalescent animals.
• Use this product for dogs only. Not to be used in cats, as this could cause overdosing.
• Not to be used on rabbits.

PRAC-TIC is a spot-on application for external use only.

Take care to prevent contact with the eyes of your pet when applying this product.

Remember to apply the dose to an area on your dog where it cannot be licked off. Also ensure that pets don't lick each other after treatment.

Facts About Fleas   

Of the more than 2000 species of fleas known to man, only two are important when it comes to our pets. They are the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) and the dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). Interestingly, cat fleas will infest your dog just as much as your cat, so don’t be fooled by the name.

The main problem with fleas is the rate at which they breed, the female being able to lay 20-50 eggs daily (over 2000 in her lifetime). The eggs then fall off the animal and can be found all around you home in carpets, rugs, furniture, bedding, blankets and between the floorboards.

TIP:  That’s why an all-round approach is needed for complete flea control around your home. Rather than just treating your pet, you also need to treat the household environment.

So it’s advisable to combine an adulticide (kills adult fleas on your pet) like Capstar or Advantage with an insect growth regulator (destroys the flea life cycle) like Program. Some products like Frontline Plus, contain both an adulticide and a growth regulator.

Environmental cleaning, like regular vacuuming in your home, is also essential to suck up all the flea eggs, larvae and pupae that are present in your home. If your pets have contact with other infested animals or spend time outdoors then you need to treat them regularly against flea infestation.

Pet Health Problems Caused By Fleas

Pruritis is usually the first sign of an infestation. This is the biting or scratching you see as an animal reacts to being bitten by fleas. Pruritus is caused by a reaction to a flea’s saliva. Fleas release saliva into your pet’s skin while they feed and this stops blood from coagulating. Chemicals in the saliva cause an irritating reaction in your pet. 

Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) is a hypersensitivity reaction that some animals develop when bitten repeatedly by large numbers of fleas. It starts with red lumps or bumps around the bite marks which cause intense itching and causes the pet to scratch until the areas become raw and weeping. This is followed by infection in these skin areas, with yellow crusted sores and bare patches of hair loss.

Tapeworm Infestation can be caused in your dog by a particular species of tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) that uses fleas as an intermediate host in it's life cycle. Tapeworm eggs deposited by adult tapeworms in the environment are consumed by flea larvae that then become adult fleas. Your pet can ingest adult fleas that contain  tapeworm eggs and so the tapeworm parasite can be passed on to your pet (and to you as well).

Anemia (also known as parasitic anemia) can occur in pets that have heavy flea infestations, especially young animals. Fleas from the Ctenocephalides group can produce anemia in many animals including dogs, cats, goats, cattle & sheep. Anemia is the shortage of haemoglobin in the  red blood cells of your pet and leads to loss of appetite, fatigue, lethargy & listlessness in dogs and young pups.  Severe anemia can sometimes even cause the death of your dog.

Facts About Ticks   

Ticks are blood sucking ectoparasites that can carry diseases caused by agents like bacteria, viruses, protozoans and rickettsiae. Ticks fall into two families, the Ixodidae (Hard Ticks) and the Argasidae (Soft Ticks), and the Ixodidae pose the most important threat to our pets. More than 600 types of Hard Ticks exist but the most relevant ones for pet owners are:

• Ixodes ricinus (Sheep Tick or Castor Bean Tick), which is the most common Northern European tick and a carrier of both animal & human disease. 
• Ixodes scapularis (Deer Tick or  Blacklegged Tick )
• Ixodes hexagonus (Hedgehog Tick)
• Dermacentor variabilis (American Dog Tick)
• Dermacentor reticulatus (Marsh Tick or Cow tick)
• Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Brown Dog Tick)
• Amblyomma americanum (Lone Star Tick)

Tick Habitat

Hard Ticks find their hosts by climbing shrubs and blades of grass. They have strong front legs which they extend forward ready to grasp onto any passing host that might brush against them. They are alerted to the presence of nearby hosts by carbon dioxide or vibrations and heat in their close environment.

Hard ticks can be found in brushlands, as well as wooded, or weedy areas where animals or humans are nearby and they wait on vegetation until a host brushes against them. Once ticks have climbed onto your dog they insert their mouth parts deep into your pet’s skin and are very difficult to detach.

Pet Health Problems Caused By Ticks

Ticks are blood feeders and their bites do cause skin irritation to your pet, but most tick bites are painless and go unnoticed by your pet. More importantly, ticks can carry many diseases that are transmitted to their hosts after the ticks have bitten them, but symptoms may only start weeks after the tick has already fallen off your dog.

The most important illnesses passed on by ticks are:

Lyme disease  which is an inflammatory disorder caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacteria carried by ticks. It was first diagnosed in a place called Lyme, in Connecticut, USA. Tick bites take on the shape of a “bull’s eye lesion”, followed by lameness, tender & enlarged lymph nodes and fever.

Lyme disease is also a serious illness that can be passed on to humans by tick bites, causing severe tiredness, muscle pain & weakness, as well as joint pains and headache. Other symptoms include stomach ache, sleep disruption, central nervous system disturbances and the diagnostic “bull's eye rash”.

Ehrlichiosis is a disease of white blood cells transmitted via a tick bite by a bacterium known as rickettsiae. Dogs can develop fever, weight loss, anorexia, stiff limbs and muscles and bleeding problems. Humans all over the world develop this disease after tick bites and the symptoms are similar. It is also known as Tick Bite Fever or Rickettsiosis in some countries.

Babesiosis is caused by tick borne parasites called Babesia and is a disease of red blood cells. Dogs can display poor appetites, fever, fatigue, weakness, anemia and brown colored urine. If left untreated this illness can be fatal to your pet.

Checking For Ticks And Tick Prevention  

The physical examination of the skin and coat of your pet is the best way to identify a possible tick infestation. The tick can then removed by grasping it very close to the skin, preferably with a fine pair of forceps or some tweezers (see diagram on this page).

Remove the tick by using slow& steady pressure, taking care not to crush it or twist it, as this can cause the head to break off the body. If this occurs the head remains imbedded in your pet’s skin where is can cause an infected granuloma or abcess.

The best preventative measure against ticks is the regular use of good tick control products. Two such products that are recommended by veterinarians worldwide are K9 Advantix (called Advantix in some countries) and Prac-tic.