Hello blog readers. I hope you all had a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend.

Here’s a link to yesterday’s Happy Wag column about flea and tick prevention.  Researching this subject reminded me of high school chemistry. Rather I should say how much I disliked high school chemistry.

But it is good to know what those ingredients are in those little squirt tubes or beefy flavored pills and what each one does in the act of vaporizing biting bugs that dare to attach themselves to your pets.

I did get two emails from readers who were not happy with the column.

One reader objects to the cruel practices of animal testing involved in the development of the products.  That topic was really outside of the scope of this article, which was to meant to explain what each of the major brands — that most of my readers told me they use — offers in the way of protection.

Still, I completely respect the efforts of those who want to end unnecessary and cruel animal product testing, and no offense was intended in this column.  As I said, it was written as a guide to consumers based on what most readers said they use.

Another reader wanted to let me know that K9 Advantix’s active ingredient, imidacloprid,  was recommended by her vet as a more effective way to kill ticks than Frontline’s active ingredient, fipronil.  She mentioned that a friend’s dog, who was treated with Frontline, was infected with Lyme disease, typically transmitted from tick bites.

She clearly has done exactly what she should do — she had a discussion with her vet and chose the product best suited for her needs and her environment. The reason I choose fipronil (and we may switch to the generic)  for my pets is that K9 Advantix also contains permethrin, which was mentioned in the article as being toxic to cats. My dogs and cats don’t cuddle, but they do share the same furniture and I just don’t want that danger to my kitty.

The point was not to endorse one product over another (although I wanted to be clear what I chose and why for full disclosure) but to make pet parents aware of the choices and encourage a conversation with their veterinarian.

Let me know what you think and what your vet recommends for your pet.