Vital Animal News: August 17, 2025

1 Shot, No Fleas for 1 YEAR / Parasite Resistance / Inspiration in a Senior Dog / Rabies Masterclass / Free Misinformation Webinar and MORE

The miracles of modern medicine, unleashed; when parasites laugh at dewormers, a dental challenge and germaphobia, rabies freebie, and bovine roadblocks… Let’s dig in, shall we?

Fleas & ticks? UGH! No WAY!

You little buggers! Dang you! Leave Me!!

No one likes fleas or ticks. I get it, but so does Big Vet Pharma, and they really try their best to make life easier for you.

To whit, their latest offering: Bravecto QUANTUM! Ta ta ta DAAAA!

Yes, Merck has just unleashed a way to nuke the nasties for ONE WHOLE YEAR and keep you from having to do the nasty work yourself.

Vet Admin Only

You can now go to Dr. WhiteCoat, who’ll load a syringe up with an injectable pesticide, and ever so carefully put the goo under your dog’s skin (not approved for cats, I can only imagine why…).

Why vets only? Well, from the NADA (new animal drug application) that you can dig into here, there are reasons…

“Injection Site Risks: The product is an extended-release suspension that must be injected subcutaneously (under the skin) in a precise location (dorsoscapular region). Improper technique can cause:

• Local swelling, lumps, or granulomas

• Injection into muscle or blood vessels (which could alter drug release or cause adverse effects)

• Accidental self-injection (risk to humans) and…

Monitoring for Adverse Reactions: Vets are trained to recognize and manage potential adverse events, including rare but serious reactions like seizures, hypersensitivity, or persistent injection site reactions.

Professional Judgment: Only a veterinarian can determine if the product is appropriate for a specific dog, especially in cases of pre-existing health conditions, concurrent medications, or risk factors for neurologic events.”

Mode of Delivery

(Howzit get to the flea or tick, you might ask)

Great question, as it will really bring us back to where we need to be to consider a brand spanking new, promising (?) drug: Common sense.

Now I know, that’s getting less and less common as this age wears slowly on, but I pointed this out in my earlier post about plain old, everyday Bravecto:

The brag on that initial version was, with one tasty chewable treat, Sadie’s fleas start, you know, dying within two hours of Sadie eating it!

And, get this: those buggers keep on dying for 12 weeks!

One dose! Wowzers!

Until you start engaging your brain and realizing the vehicle that gets the poison to the flea or tick is… wait for it…

Sadie’s blood!

Nasty flea or tick takes a sip of that good red juice in Sadie’s veins, and wham! Poisoned dead.

Now, Do Pesticides Enhance Health?

Again, probably obvious to all but the marketers and the vets they’d hope to sell this to.

Long term pesticide exposure would be especially challenging to health, wouldn’t you think?

You’ll learn more if you dig into this drug’s NADA, linked above, but I did, so I’ll save you some eye crossing and headaches.

In House Safety Studies (What’s New?)

As with our last revelation on Merck’s newest rabies vaccine with self amplifying RNA in the last issue…

…the same insiders (Merck’s “Intervet”) did the safety studies, though these are somehow public. Again, here, if you’re up for it.

Key points I gleaned:

• These paralyze the insects (fleas) arachnids (ticks) via nervous system attack

• The hope is those little guys have nervous systems different enough from mammals (Sadie and you) that only the bad guys will be targeted. (Kinda like the hope that chemo will be so focused on the tumor cells that you’ll sail right through treatment unscathed.)

• Side effects, no surprise, are nervous system related:

  Neurological effects: Tremors, ataxia (loss of coordination), seizures, myoclonic jerks, muscle twitching, and transient neurological dysfunction have been reported, though these are considered rare. Dogs with pre-existing epilepsy may be at higher risk.”

And this class of drugs? Isoxazolines.

Nexgard is in this class, and the FDA stepped in on that one:

The FDA has issued alerts for all isoxazoline-class drugs, including Nexgard, due to reports of neurologic adverse reactions such as muscle tremors, ataxia (loss of coordination), and seizures in some dogs and cats—even those without a prior history of seizures.”

But, But: Convenience!

Merck would rather you just see this Instagram video:

thestyleinsider

A post shared by @thestyleinsider

Why, you can just get this convenient shot during the same vet visit to get your “annual vaccinations!”

Then you can just party like the influencer above and don’t worry your pretty little head over things like safety.

So, there you have it. Sold for its convenience, marketed as a time saver so you can just keep on playing with your dog, who’s busy killing fleas and ticks for a year, Bravecto Quantum!

I’m guessing you’ll not be so persuaded, but you may want to share this with friends.

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Meanwhile: Resistant Parasites

Photo by Drew Farwell on Unsplash

Texas A&M tells us bison herds in Texas are having parasite problems. Their worms have developed resistance to the dewormers that used to kill them.

Livestock have historically had issues with intestinal and stomach worms and their effects can span from “ill thrift” all the way to death if their numbers are high enough and animals are stressed.

This is yet another reminder for us that every killer formulation out there inevitably creates resistance in its target species.

Old news to some, but if not to you, here’s a gentle reminder from history.

Let’s start with the resistance dangerous to us…

Antibiotics and Superbugs

It turns out this goes way back to the invention of penicillin, with resistance documented since the 50’s.

And you likely now know that hospitals, where antibiotics are widely overused, are a risky place to visit, thanks to these superbugs, those resistant to multiple (or ALL) antibiotics.

Here’s an earlier take on the issue, which points out the (apparently not so) obvious cause:

After penicillin was whipped, methicillin was the bold new answer. For a while.

But maybe you’ve heard of MRSA?

That stands for “methicillin resistant Staph aureus” a bacteria which can kill its victims.

Oops.

A 100% man made plague, thanks to antibiotic misuse.

How Does Resistance Grow?

Here’s how it worked in the bison herds, and a similar mechanism is at play with bacteria, viruses, weeds, and yep, even heartworms.

“In every herd sampled, we found genetic mutations within the parasites’ DNA that are associated with drug resistance. — TAMU Article

In simple terms, think of a bell shaped curve.

You remember those from, what, biology class in high school?

It’s a population curve, most often, but it applies to many variables:

At one extreme (let’s say the tiny part on the left), you have the most susceptible to treatment. Those bacteria (or pests, weeds, etc) die off quickly and easily.

In the middle, it takes some time, but the bulk of that group will die off with the treatment as well.

But at the opposite small end?

Some small number are genetically resistant to the drug or pesticide/herbicide/what ever.

And therein lies the secret of resistance.

That group lives on, passing their genetic resistance on to future generations, until they become the “middle of the bell curve,” i.e the dominant life form.

Weeds, Now Resistant to RoundUp

Probably the most overused herbicide, glyphosate (RoundUp by Bayer) is found virtually everywhere, at least in the West.

Babies are born with a “body burden” that includes it.

It’s in our water, air, and soil. And in our guts, where it’s screwing up those valuable gut flora we depend on for health and immunity.

So, the next step?

More toxic, “stronger” solutions like the following:

What Can be Done?

Beef, bison, not all that different when it comes to parasites.

For those ranchers with a resistant parasite problem, Joel Salatin (smiling above) has a solution.

A bit more labor intensive than spraying another toxic bomb on the fields, but his fix is quite brilliant and follows Mom Nature’s laws.

Here’s a quick overview, with references for those who wish to go deeper:

Joel Salatin’s Natural Parasite Control—Key Takeaways

• Rotational Grazing: Move cattle daily to fresh pasture to break parasite cycles.

• Poultry Following Cattle: Chickens scratch through manure, eating parasite larvae and improving pasture health.

• Pasture Management: Avoid overstocking, use fecal testing, and time grazing for dry conditions to reduce parasite risk.

• Multi-Species Rotation: Rotate cattle and poultry (not sheep and goats together) to disrupt species-specific parasites.

• Genetic Selection: Remove animals that are repeatedly affected by parasites.

• Minimal Chemicals: Rely on ecological methods and animal health, using dewormers only when absolutely necessary.

Sources: Grainews, Michael Pollan, Resilience

We humans are wise when we use Nature as our guide and just plain hubristic and dumb when we think we can get away with slamming her.

She’s been at it long before we appeared on the scene.

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Vet’s Raw Food Fears

Photo by siamak poorjam on Unsplash

Last issue we covered the case of a dog who had some 22 teeth pulled and did amazingly well post-surgery with only a simple homeopathic remedy. No antibiotics. If you missed that, you can catch up here:

A followup inspirational exchange happened recently, as my dedicated health conscious reader Jennifer Ostero in Calgary brought up her recent quandary:

As a long time student of yours, I've got a question about feeding raw post dental surgery. My nearly 15 year old shiba inu had an intensive dental surgery a week ago, wherein he had 2 molars removed as well as a deep cleaning and treatment of his peri-oral disease. He was under anesthesia for an hour or so, and did really well coming out of it.

The board certified veterinary dentist prescribed him clindamycin for 5 days total, as well as Tylenol and onsior for an nsaid. In his nearly 15 years this is his first time being on an antibiotic. Due to the extensiveness of the surgery-bone removal, tooth removal, gums cut and peeled back, the vet said "no raw for 4 weeks".

Its been a week of canned food and me cooking steak and scrambled eggs for him and he’s totally had enough of the junk food. Last night we had to hold him back from raw food like a bull at a rodeo trying to get out of the chute. My question is. How long do we have to adhere to this "no raw food" bs when obviously its what he wants?”

Tough spot to be in, right?

I mean the “board certified” vet dentist is recommending this. (Even though, in the previous article I linked to in the last issue above, I showed board certified vet dentists saying the opposite…).

What would you do?

A bit more from Jennifer:

• She’s started probiotics

• She’s using homeopathy to aid healing

• He’s had “gross runny stools” since the antibiotics (!) and Jennifer is treating with a well known homeopathic for this

“He's been looking for his treats and we've been out on a few walks. I think he's doing better than most dogs considering his age!”

My response was simple, and based largely on how vital this senior was and what I knew my earlier dental experts had written.

Damn the germaphobes, he knows what's good for him!”

And, I added, if she wants to further boost his immune system, Motherboard would do that very well.

More Reasons to Trust Lars’ Innate Intelligence

I’m in my Happy Place! — Lars

Then, a thank you and that amazing pic of Lars, the wildly healthy senior who’d just been through the dental mill, and more confirmation that he’s likely to fare just fine returning to his much missed raw food.

Lars has been raw fed since he was 10 weeks old. Unfortunately I had him neutered at age 2.5 years-also the last time he ever had any vaccinations. I've been using homeopathy extensively for 12 years now-and continue to learn more about it.

Lars lives with a 7 year old vax free raw fed Belgian Malinois, and 3 bengal cats. 2 are from a natural breeder-raw fed vax free.”

That when my heart swelled with inspiration and I asked if I could share this with you.

This lucky guy has a dedicated owner who’s doing so much in her pack to foster vitality and natural disease resistance!

Who, seeing this guy and hearing the history of his natural rearing, would have any doubts about his susceptibility to “germs?”

As Goes Lars, So Can Yours!

And That’s a-What I Want for all of you!

Even if you’re just getting started, even if you’ve taken in an already damaged animal (typical of rescues, multiply vaccinated, neutered too early, dunned with pesticides, etc.) I want to inspire you with Lars’ story.

Even if you take a few of these steps and repeat them regularly and don’t give in to fear, you’ll see your own pack or pride members show you, in clear and obvious ways, that you’re doing them right!

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Rabies: Get Smart on This One

In case you’re late to the rabies party, we’re unwrapping some of the craziness of both the natural disease AND the disease homeopaths call “rabies vaccinosis.”

It’s all in my 4 part free Rabies Masterclass, and while Part 3 just opened this morning, it’s not to late to jump in and up your rabies game.

Here’s a bit of the feedback showing up in the comments of late:

This Rabies short course is my 1st series with you. I’ve learned so much already.Thank you. --Sheryl Baker

I had lost a few German Shepherds to vaccinosis…Approximately 10 years ago, I walked a 12 year old Shepherd into the woods here in New Hampshire. I was caught off guard by all of the inedible things he ingested, including tiny pine saplings. Now, I know why. The others I lost became fearful, stopped eating and drinking and became biters. These dogs stopped playing with other dogs they had grown up with the same day they had been vaccinated against rabies. I lost them all. -- Cynthia in Saving the Bite Victim lesson in Part One

If you want to join us, do so soon.

This free course goes back to the vault on Wednesday to make room for my deeper dive course called Rabies: Knowledge is Power.

Here’s where to enter: Free Rabies Masterclass Enrollment

(If you’ve already signed up, don’t click that link above. Look for my email announcing Part 3, newly opened, where we’ll have a valuable exercise in assessing your rabies risk)

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Free EO Webinar: Tonight

My friend and Austin colleague Dr. Janet Roark (The Essential Oil Vet) is holding a free LIVE webinar tonight (yep, Sunday the 17^th at 7 PM Central Time, 8 PM Eastern).

She will reveal the top 7 Mistakes Dog Owners Make that might accidentally be hurting their dog...AND how to avoid them!

There is a lot of misinformation out there about animal health so this will help you rise above it and be in the smart group.

And if you can’t make it tonight, just register anyway and you’ll get the replay. But hey, Live? I’m guessing the good doctor will be taking questions, so…

This is a Zoom training, so register by going to: Free EO Webinar (tonight!)

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Tasty Tip: Attitude!

I must have watched this video 8 or 10 times by now, and I share it with you in light of some comments coming in from the Rabies Masterclass.

Some had some strong feelings emerge as they learned more about how they’d been pushed into excessive vaccination and now realize the sickness they dealt with was caused by the vets they trusted.

One recent example:

All this has made me realize that many of my dogs over the decades were vaccine damaged! For instance my Doberman who had severe contact allergies that got progressively worse and then in 1995, 2 weeks after her annual shots, had a Von Willibrands (spelling?) crisis. Lost her 3 days later. Likely the jabs caused it! I had no idea then. I faithfully got her jabbed, thinking I was a good dog mom, protecting her. I was so ignorant! — R

My advice is always the same:

We all, myself included, did the best we knew to do at the time. And now we know better. Forgive yourself, pick yourself up, and move on, confident in your newfound knowledge that those who join your pack or pride next will be well served.

What’s more, those lives lost to your earlier genuine attempts to “be a good pet owner” will be honored by what they taught you and your next animals will most certainly benefit.

So, as you watch this video, pay close attention to the very first seconds, because that’s the key stage that sets the tone for the inspiration to follow.

Enjoy.

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Along the Natural Path

When you get days in a row of monsoon rains, low lying areas catch the brunt of it. That pool above used to be a crop field, and my little bike path/road was washed out recently, cobblestones and all. But, we’re dry again, and hot, so repairs are happening and fields reappearing.

And large animals seem to be attracted to dry roads…

Umm, excuse me, sir. Would you mind…?

Seriously, who’s going to tell this big guy to shove off? Car horns might work, more with cattle, less with buffalo.

“जिद्दी भैंस” translates literally as having the stubbornness of a buffalo, who are pretty unmoved by much of anything. Another version: “भैंस के आगे बीन बजाना”, playing a flute in front of a buffalo. What does she care??

Social animals, though, so road blocks in India are pretty common…

Hey, are there less flies out here? I think I’ll join you guys.

If it’s on a small road, well, it just matters way less…

The above is my fave bike route. I have to zoom along the busier road to get here, dodging traffic, cattle, and standing water, but it’s so worth it. Dense stands of bamboo alternating with wide open rice fields standing happily knee deep in water, and goat herds along the main street, looking forward to their next goat walk for some fresh browse.

I’m pretty recognizable as a white guy/foreigner, and a few of the friendly villagers call out “Radhey Radhey,” the divine name of God that they know I know and will respond to. Right back atcha, fellas. Radhey Radhey.

Where ever you find yourself on this amazing globe we all call home, and what ever animals are part of your world, remember: we’re all made of the same stuff, no matter the species or color or where we choose to take a stand.

And, we’re stronger together, so don’t let the clamoring voices of “them vs US” divide us. Keep an eye on Nature’s ways and get out in her greenery on the regular. Good for man and beast alike.

Until next time,

Will Falconer, DVM