Flea & Tick Seasons in the US (Click to Enlarge)

With spring on the way, all of us pet owners have one particular item on our agenda – flea control.  Of course, if you live in a more flea friendly climate where it is warm and humid, you have probably been worrying about fleas all year.  We empathize with your pain, and for those of us new to the flea infestation fear, here are a few things you should know about fleas and your pets.

Fleas are tiny bloodsucking parasites that hide particularly well in thick-coated (or double coated) animals.  In fact if you’ve seen a flea on your pet, chances are there are a multitude you have yet to encounter.  Fleas at minimum cause itchy irritation bites and annoyance for your pets and family, but they have the potential to do much more.  They are the leading cause of skin disease in dogs and cats, and some animals incur allergic reactions from fleabites through contact with flea saliva.  Furthermore, fleas can transmit bacteria through their bites, and have been known to transfer diseases such as the bubonic plague and tapeworm.  As with any insect or pest, it is best to reduce the risk that they will infect your pet and your home, and many preventive measures can be taken to reduce your risk for flea infestation.

First and foremost, proper sanitation of your home and yard will go a long way in flea prevention.  Keep your house cleaned and vacuumed, and consider using Flea Stoppers on your rugs and carpeting.  The effects last up to a year and should prevent eggs and larva from ever growing.  Mow your lawn frequently to keep the grass short, and consider using insect growth regulators (IGRs) on your grass and in non-carpeted areas of your home.  IGRs that are Nylar based (ie Archer and Flea Fix) will work on your lawn for about a month, and last 3 to 6 months when used indoors.  IGRs that are Methoprene (ie Precor products) or Hydroprene (ie Gentrol products) based are only effective indoors and can last for about 3 to 7 months.

Treating the flea environment is definitely important, but most important is providing your pet with proper flea prevention products early on.  You have your choice of flea sprays, topical flea treatments, and flea shampoos for your pet.  Since you are starting early, you can use products that are less toxic and focus on killing fleas in their larval and egg stages, when they are most vulnerable.  Topical flea treatments are great because you only need to apply them once a month and they work even if your pet gets wet or weathered.  Frontline Plus and Advantage are examples of effective topical flea treatments that are EPA certified for use on your dog or cat.  If you have a dog, you may want to consider using K9 Advantix, as it kills not only fleas but also ticks and mosquitoes.  This product is made specifically for dogs and should never be used on cats.  It has an active ingredient (Permethrin) that is highly toxic to cats.

But what should you do if you have already found fleas on your pet?  Prepare to control fleas in all stages of their life cycle, which takes them a mere 20 to 40 days to go through.  Adult flea females can lay eggs within three days of maturity and may lay up to 2000 eggs in their lifetime!  Thus you need to act fast and consider utilizing products that will contain your particular flea situation.  Shampoos may work for mild infestations, but heavy ones will require much more.  There are products that kill fleas in different stages of their life cycle, as well as products that prevent fleas from growing and reproducing normally. Again, Frontline Plus, Advantage, and K9 Advantix are great topical flea treatments that can be applied even after fleas have been spotted, and they go to work killing fleas immediately after application.  When considering what products to use, make sure the chemicals cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream, and hence will only be toxic to fleas and not to you or your pet.

Fleas are nuisances that bring disease and disturbance to your home.  Pets, strays, or wild animals can bring them in, but if you are prepared, many of the headaches of flea infestations can be avoided.  Even if you do encounter an issue with fleas, do not fear.  The multitude of flea products on the market almost guarantees success when battling these tiny pests.  Just keep in mind your particular needs for flea control, and remember to treat your pet as well as your home and yard.  And when in doubt, always consider consulting your veterinarian for suggestions.  The key to preparing your pet for the upcoming flea season is in having the proper knowledge and appropriate flea products to protect your pet.

Tags: advantage, cats, dogs, epa, fleas, frontline, k9 advantix, pet meds, ticks

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 at 11:43 am and is filed under Flea & Ticks, Prevention, Treatment Methods. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.