This product emits a series of ultrasound pulses that are harmless and imperceptible to both humans and animals. During flea and tick season, attach it to the collar and have it worn continually, even indoors. It becomes fully effective in 24 hours after activation. Continuous wearing ensures 9-10 months of efficient protection against parasites.

Here in Miami Beach we have "super fleas," fleas that don't respond to topical flea and tick medications, neither over the counter nor prescription. The abundant feral cat population keeps these fleas strong. One tube of topical flea medication usually lasted about 24 hours before fleas re-infested my dogs, when those products are supposed to last a month. These fleas also don't respond to oral flea medications. I'd get about a day out of those as well. As you know, it's not safe to double and triple dose pets with these products--and the products are expensive. 

Last fall, I spent at least an hour a day, every day, picking fleas off my dogs, or bathing them daily with Dawn dishwashing detergent. I removed hundreds of fleas per month and was extremely frustrated. And itchy. I suffered many bites on my legs and arms. I spoke with all of my neighbors who have dogs, and they were all experiencing the same situation. I also found a tick on Pearl, which was distressing because of my past Lyme Disease infection. On top of all of this, Pearl was diagnosed with nasal cancer, so I was extremely hesitant to continue to give her topical or oral flea medications. 

​But I'm here to sing the praises of this product. Nine after simply clipping it to my dogs' collars, I have found no fleas or ticks on Pearl, and exactly two fleas on Jasmine. In this flea endemic area, that's a miracle. I used to pick 25 fleas off Jasmine every day. This product works. Jasmine has somehow unfortunately broken her first one, so I just ordered another. 
​

Also, I’m incredibly chemically sensitive, and it matters to me how I react to anything I’m putting onto my dogs, since I’m the one applying the product and snuggling them all day. I appreciate that Splash didn’t use a heavy hand in scenting their shampoos.

Splash was also a winner in the lather test. There has been a trend in the last few years with shampoos and soaps that don’t lather. I don’t know about you, but I like lather—it makes me feel as if I’m getting the dogs clean. 

Splash also passes the doggy odor test. I have bathed my dogs once a week for a month with both of the Splash shampoos, and my dogs have no doggy odor whatsoever. Neither of my dogs currently have skin issues, but I believe that using Splash as a preventative will go a long way toward keeping the dogs in good condition. Also, the orange label bottle, Splash Plus, contains salicylic acid, which is known to kill fleas, ticks, and other parasites. For me, that’s definitely part of the “plus” in this product’s name. 

Finally, I LOVE that Splash Shampoos are made in the USA. That’s a big deal for me, especially with pet products.

All in all, I really like this product and intend to continue using it. I’m giving Splash Shampoos from TopVET a huge paw’s up!

Check out Splash Shampoo on Facebook and Twitter.

From the Splash Shampoo Website:

Clinically and Dermatologist tested for use on sensitive skin, Splash reduces itching and inflammation on your pets!

Our unique cleansing properties provide equivalent or superior results to prescription cleaners, with less frequent application. 

Splash is formulated to cleanse the skin to:

• Remove allergens like pollen, dead skin, dander, mites and more.

  
• Remove scales and oils to get coverage and absorption with medication.

  
• Reduce odor, allowing the owner to see, feel and smell the difference with competing products.
  
• Potentially improve antibiotic effectiveness due to more effective cleanliness of skin prior to application.
  

Product Highlights:

• Effective combination of agents to remove oils, dirt and debris that can cause allergic reactions, irritation and odor.

  
• Conditioners to avoid dryness.

  
• Agents to clean effectively and to reduce odor.

  
• Agents to remove bacteria and other microbes.

  
• Controls growth of microbes and to reduce inflammation and irritation.

  
• Effective removal of oils, dirt and debris that can cause allergic reactions/ irritation.

Can good dental care make your dog live longer? I recently had a veterinarian tell me that my mutt, Pearl, has pretty bad teeth. This doesn’t surprise me, since three of her five years on earth have been spent slightly neglected due to my bout with Lyme Disease, when I was too sick to tend to the finer details of life. Now that I’m healthy again, I’m focusing on getting my dogs back into top physical shape, and part of that includes their dental care.

I caught up with my friend, California veterinarian Dr. Patrick Mahaney, to ask him a few questions about canine dental care. 

NKP: How much time can you potentially add to a dog's life by paying attention to his dental hygiene? Any anecdotes?

PM: It's hard to say how much time you can potentially add to a dog’s life by regularly providing home dental care. As some dogs never have any attention paid to their periodontal health and live well into their senior years, it's not as though the dedication to regular dental care will definitively result in longevity. Yet, there's a higher likelihood that the internal organs (heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, etc.) will stay healthier when an owner provides periodontal care to his canine companion. 

NKP: What illnesses can a dog get if his dental hygiene is ignored? 

PM: When a dog’s dental hygiene is ignored, a variety of ailments can develop inside the mouth including gingivitis (gum inflammation), gingival recession (receding of the gums away from the diseased tooth), periodontal ligament damage (which weakens the attachment of the tooth to the socket in the alveolar bone), bad breath (from bacterial proliferation), and even oral cavity bleeding. The internal organs, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and others can also be negatively impacted when dental hygiene is ignored.

NKP: How can people best take care of their dog's dental needs? 

PM: People can best take care of their dogs dental disease by scheduling an examination with their veterinarian. Based on the dog’s current degree of periodontal disease, the most appropriate plan for cleaning can be recommended.

The most thorough type of cleaning occurs under anesthesia, as the veterinarian is able to scale under the gumline, take x-rays (an important means of assessing what occurs under the gumline that is invisible to the eye), and even extract any disease teeth.

If a dog’s mouth is a relatively clean slate, then daily rushing with a soft bristle brush with a pet-appropriate tooth product (gel, liquid, paste, etc.) is very doable means of preventing periodontal disease.

Not making the time to provide your dog with regular dental care actually amounts to neglect, as periodontal disease is completely preventable and has potentially life-threatening consequences when allowed to develop and progress.


Catch up with Dr. Patrick Mahaney and his dog, Cardiff, on Facebook and Twitter!