Dr. Page: Lice, various species of mites (including ear mites and "walking dandruff"), fleas and ticks are common external parasites that can be found to infest kennels. If you find any of these parasites on puppies then you know that the adults are infested also. Puppies get these parasites from the mother dog. These pests can be quite bothersome and can build up in the kennel especially during the winter months.

There are several products that can be used to treat you kennel. Many of the available products require a lot of labor to apply to the dogs and/or may be quite expensive. Also, some of these products (dips) have a potential to be toxic to the kennel personnel applying them.

One product that many kennels use to control lice and the other external parasites is the topical "pour on" cattle formulation of Ivermectin. This is an extra label usage of the product. It has been proven to be safe for all breeds of dogs, it's effective, economical and easy to apply.

The proper dosage is 1cc per 14 to 22 pounds of body weight. For small breeds it can be diluted with Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). The formula for puppies is 1 part Ivermectin mixed with 5 parts alcohol. This mixture is applied at the rates of 6 drops (3/10cc) per pound of body weight.

Ivermectin should be applied down the back directly against the skin of the pet. It should be applied against the grain of the hair starting at the base of the tail and applied toward the head. It should be applied every 14 days for 3 to 4 treatments to give complete control of the parasites. It is safe to use on pregnant dogs and young puppies.

Puppies should be treated starting at 3 weeks of age and treated every 2 weeks. The pregnant bitch should be treated as she is placed in the whelping kennel and treated every 2 weeks while nursing. For complete control of these external parasites all dogs in the kennel should be treated using the schedule.