Flea Control
TAKING AIM ON
FLEAS
Fleas are a severe problem to our pets. They cause flea allergy in many dogs and cats, a skin disease that causes intense itching, hair loss, and broken skin. Fleas can also carry and transmit tapeworms, most often seen as small rice-like worms.
Fleas are a hardy and prolific insect, and sometimes can seem to be impossible to control, but with knowledge of our enemy and a complete flea control plan, we can very effectively minimize our flea problems.
THE FLEA LIFE CYCLE
Fleas have a flexible life cycle that allows them to survive in both good and bad times. Fleas can go from egg to larvae to pupa to adult in as little as two weeks, in favorable conditions. A female flea may lay over 1,000 eggs during her lifetime. Further, only one of the four life cycle stages, the adult, actually lives on our pets.
The adult stage accounts for only 5% of total fleas in an area, the other 95% live away from the host. So it is clear, in order to control fleas, we must control fleas in the area surrounding our pets (the house and yard) as well as those fleas on our pet.
Once adult fleas find a host, they stay with them. They feed, and reproduce on their host. The eggs laid on the host fall off and spread wherever the pet goes, starting the life cycle again.
NEW CONTROL CONCEPTS
In the last few years, several excellent new products have become available, making flea control a much more manageable undertaking. These new products offer control of fleas on the pet as well as in the environment. The following is a short description of the most promising products.
Advantage™ and Frontline®
Advantage and Frontline are two newer products which provide an effective and safe method of killing adult fleas on cats and dogs. Both products are topical liquids which kill fleas on contact before the flea bites the pet.
Advantage and Frontline Topspotâ are liquid products dispensed in tubes sized by body weight of the patient and by species (cat or dog). The products are applied to the skin over the back of the pet in one or more locations according to pet size. Both products are labeled to be reapplied monthly and do not easily wash off the pet.
Fleas do not need to bite the pet to be killed and thus these products are a good choice for pets with allergies to fleas. Fleas are killed before they can feed and reproduce, halting the life cycle. Both products have a wide safety margin, and can used be on dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens.
Frontline is available as a pump spray product, in addition to Topspot. Frontline spray and Topspot are also labeled for tick control. We often recommend the spray product for field and hunting dogs and dogs who frequently swim. In our experience, the spray on product provides better tick control and is more water resistant.
The spray formula is labeled for application every 1 to 3 months in dogs and every month for cats.
Frontline and Advantage are effective as preventatives or as treatments for an existing flea infestation.
Program® and Sentinel®
In 1995, Program, a once a month oral medication for flea control was introduced. Program comes in flavored tablets for dogs and cats and as a liquid that may be mixed in food for cats. In 1998 Sentinel® was introduced. Sentinel is a product for dogs only, which combines the same oral flea medication in Program® with a monthly heartworm preventive medication.
Program and Sentinel do not kill adult fleas, but breaks the flea life cycle by preventing egg hatch and development of larvae (the maggot-like stage). Program and Sentinel work when the female flea bites a treated pet and swallows the active ingredient. This ingredient passes into her eggs and prevents proper development and hatching. Program and Sentinel can also affect flea larvae already present. These larvae feed on waste from the adult fleas. When adult fleas are feeding from treated pets, the ingredient in their stool keeps the larvae from developing further and they die.
In homes with multiple pets, all animals must be on Program or Sentinel, or the product will be ineffective.
In our experience, Program is more effective as a preventative medication, before fleas are actively reproducing in the pet's environment. If fleas are already established, it may take several weeks for Program or Sentinel to reduce adult flea counts. In these situations, Program or Sentinel may need to be combined with area control in the house and yard, or with the topical products mentioned above to more quickly control flea infestation.
It is a safe product that is easy to use. We do not recommend Program or Sentinel alone for pets with flea allergy since the flea must bite the pet for Program or Sentinel to work, and this will aggravate the flea allergy. Program or Sentinel may also be less effective in areas where other pets or wildlife are a continuing source of flea infestation for the treated pets.
Revolution™
In the fall of 1999, Revolution was introduced for the control of fleas. In addition, the product is labeled to prevent heartworm disease and ear mites in dogs and cats. In dogs the product is also labeled for sarcoptic mange. In cats the product is labeled for round and hookworms as well.
Revolution is dispensed in tubes and applied to the pet’s skin in one spot. Unlike other topical medications noted above, Revolution is absorbed through the pet’s skin and distributed by the bloodstream various parts of the pet’s body. The drug is distributed by the blood to the oil glands of the pet’s body, and from here to the skin.
Tests have shown that Revolution kills adult fleas and prevents flea eggs from hatching. Bathing has been shown to have little effect on the product’s effectiveness
CONTROL OF FLEAS IN THE HOME
Use of the newer flea control products mentioned above may make home treatment unnecessary. However, if you have a pre-existing flea problem in your home, you may need to treat your home for fleas. Excellent cleaning, along with at least yearly steam cleaning of carpeting can help reduce numbers of flea eggs in the home. In cases where fleas are already established in the home, we would also recommend treating the inside of the home with a good flea control product.
There are two general types of flea control products for use in the home, insecticides, and growth inhibitors. Insecticides kill adult fleas and larval stages, but are not effective against eggs and pupal forms. Most flea insecticide products now available contain either natural or synthetic pyrethrins, derivatives of the chrysanthemum plant, and are quite safe to people and pets. Hormonal growth inhibitors are flea specific agents that keep immature forms of fleas from becoming adults, but do not kill adult or larval stages. Growth inhibitors are effective for longer periods of time than insecticides.
The ideal formulations for flea control contain a mixture of a good insecticide, and a growth inhibitor to control all stages of fleas for long periods. A good example is Siphotrol Plus by Vet Kem.
Flea products are usually applied to the home in one of two forms, foggers or sprays. Foggers have the benefit of quick flea kill and fairly easy application. After the home is cleaned and vacuumed well, foggers are placed in several areas so that the aerosol will penetrate all areas of the home. All family members and pets must leave the home for at least two hours. Aquarium pumps must be turned off and tanks covered until house is aired. Foggers disperse insecticide in circular patterns around the dispenser, and may miss corners of the rooms, closets, and under furniture. These areas may need touch up with a hand sprayer.
Sprays are more time consuming to apply than foggers, but have the benefit of direct application to problem areas, as well as less scatter of insecticide to unwanted areas such as table surfaces. Problems can occur if the product is not sprayed widely enough to cover all areas of infestation.
If you have questions regarding home treatment for fleas, please ask a doctor or staff member to help you choose the best alternative for you.
CONTROL OF FLEAS IN THE YARD
If you have an existing flea infestation, you may need to take steps to control fleas in your yard area. We would recommend that, in addition to regular yard care, you mow, rake, bag clippings and debris, and treat your yard with a good, safe, insecticide. Twin Maples carries a good concentrate you may use with pump sprayers or hose attachments. Use any pesticides carefully according to label directions.
Many of our clients have found periodic application of yard treatments to be beneficial in preventing flea infestations, especially in neighborhoods with heavy pet or wildlife populations.
Spring is the appropriate time of year to start preventive care outside.
OTHER FLEA CONTROL PRODUCTS
There are literally hundreds of flea control products available. The fact that there are so many different products underscores the fact that there is no one, best product for everyone. For best results you should consult with your veterinarian to determine which product is best suited for your pet.
Shampoos and Dips
Bathing your pet with the appropriate product can be an important part of managing your pet's skin and coat. However, flea shampoos are not an effective method of long term flea control. While some products provide a very effective quick flea kill, shampoos generally lose their ability to kill fleas when they are rinsed off. Please consult with our staff for an appropriate product for bathing your pet.
In the past, dips were an important part of flea control. With the advent of Frontline® and Advantage™, however, dips are used far less frequently. Both Frontline® and Advantage™ provide a longer, more reliable period of flea control than dips. Today, we use specialized dips such as Mitaban® for control of mange mites, but rarely recommend insecticidal dips for flea control.
Powders, Foams, and Flea Collars
Powders, and flea foams can provide short term flea kills, but do not provide the level of protection of the products mentioned previously.
Over the counter flea collars are notoriously ineffective, especially in pets over fifteen pounds. We have had success with Ovitrol Egg collars in controlling flea infestations in some homes. This collar works similarly to Program® in that it does not kill adult fleas on the pet, but prevents their eggs from hatching. We don't recommend this collar for households with existing flea problems.
Preventic® collars are effective for control of ticks on dogs, but have no effect on fleas.
MULTIPLE PET HOUSEHOLDS
Regardless of the methods you use to fight fleas, if you have more than one pet, you must treat all pets for fleas, or your pets will quickly reinfest each other and the house and yard. Even if one pet does not appear to be infested, it is very important to treat all pets.
If you are treating both cats and dogs, please be certain that you are using products safe for both dogs and cats. Some products are very dangerous or fatal to our feline friends.
WHAT ARE FLEA ALLERGIES?
Many pets develop a true allergy to the fleas' saliva, which is deposited under the pet's skin when the flea bites. This is why some pets itch and scratch so much more than others when infested with fleas. These pets often lick and scratch so aggressively that they pull out hair and create raw, infected sores, especially over the rear end and rear leg areas. Flea allergies must be treated with appropriate medication by your pet's doctor. Topical medications are generally not effective alone.
IN SUMMARY
As you have probably already surmised, preventing or treating fleas in your home involves developing a proper plan most suited to your individual situation.
There are many excellent new products available that are very effective in controlling fleas when used properly.
The doctors and staff at Twin Maples Veterinary Hospital will be happy to help you formulate a prevention or treatment plan that will be most effective for your pet. Please don't hesitate to ask for our help.
