Remember: the advice on this page is given by experts. However, it is only meant to point you in the right direction. There is no substitute for taking your pet along to see a good Vet
Wayne Hockenhull, aged 38, is SOS's celebrity vet! Wayne has worked in many parts of the UK before moving to Spain two years ago with his wife and two small daughters to enjoy a better quality of life. Wayne used to appear on Channel 4's Big Breakfast in the Keith Chegwin animal spot. He enjoys helping local animal charities, and will put the spotlight on an animal topic each month in Wayne's World, as well as answering email enquiries. It should be a fascinating insight into the life of a Vet.
Wayne can be contacted on 652 302 985 or 662 627 028
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June's Advice: Wayne says:
"We are now in peak season for the sand fly which is the culprit for transmitting the parasite leishmania . Despite claims from different companies there is still no proven cure for leishmania and treatment is more of a control. Unfortunately many dogs can die from this parasite.
I prefer the Scalibor collar – make sure you keep cleaning them regularly as dust and dirt can reduce their effectiveness . There is really only December and January when we don't see the sand fly and remember the Malaga area has the highest number of cases.
Some clients ask me if a dog has leishmania should they bother with a collar. The answer is yes, more so than ever because without a collar these dogs can act as a reservoir for the sand fly to pick up the parasite and then transmit to another dog .
Also remember scalibor is organophosphate and if using any other product with them, for example as extra protection against fleas, then you have to use a non organophosphate product like Frontline, Advantage, or Advocate.
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Leishmaniasis
Some More Information
This is a severe, and sometimes fatal, disease spread from dog to dog by sandfly bites. It is prevalent here in Spain. Dogs can be bitten up to 100 times an hour during the sandfly season, which runs from May to September, and bites are most likely to occur around dusk and dawn. Symptoms include fever, hair loss (particularly around ears and muzzle), weight loss, skin sores and poor nails.
An infected sandfly will bite a dog, usually on the ears or muzzle, and deposit a parasite under the skin, causing a lesion called a chancre. The parasite attacks the dog's cells, damaging the immune system and other body systems, leading to serous disorders including skin disease, anaemia, arthritis, eye problems and kidney disease.
This is one of the biggest problems faced by SOS - the disease is no longer a certain death sentence and we pay for treatment for our infected animals. But prevention is better than treatment. Please buy your dog a Scalibor collar - scientific studies show that it will protect your dog from well over 90 per cent of sandfly bites for more than 6 months, and it protects against ticks as well. And do try to keep animals indoors between dusk and dawn. Remember: sandflies do NOT live on beaches, they live near you!
Other useful links to pet problems and advice
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