Flea Control

Posts Tagged ‘flea remedies’

Deadly nightshade is natural - but would you give it to your pet?

Natural flea control is very popular. Just do a search on google and you can see how many different products are out there which claim to work against fleas. I’m sure that some of them do have some effect on fleas, but I doubt there is any natural flea control product that can compete with one of the veterinarian-only flea treatment products.

Why am I against natural flea control? Mainly because of the huge number of cases that I see at my vet clinic who use “natural flea control” but are still covered in fleas. On the other hand, the number of cases I see using a registered flea control product who are still having flea problems is almost non-existent. When they do have a problem, it is usually because they are not using the product properly, not because of any problems with the product.

But aren’t we poisoning our pets by using these products? You might be surprised to find that most of the registered flea control products have very wide safety margins. All of the major brands have several studies where animals have been given large doses of the product, and have shown little to no ill effects.

The same cannot be said for some natural products. For example, pennyroyal oil is known to be very toxic to dogs and cats when applied directly to the skin. And garlic, another common flea control agent, contains thiosulfate, which can damage the red blood cells and cause anaemia.

The other main reason to use a registered flea control product on your pet is because they actually work. One of the reasons that I recommend products like Frontline Plus, Comfortis, Advantage and Revolution is because all of the manufacturers of these products have published studies which prove the effectiveness of their products. The same cannot be said for natural flea control products, where anyone can make pretty much any claim they like without a lick of evidence to support it.

When it comes down to it, the choice is up to you. Do you want to use a synthetic product that actually kills fleas and prevents flea infestations, or would you rather use something natural, and  have something that has little or no effect on fleas but makes you feel good because it is “safer” for your pet?

To a flea free pet!

Dr. Simon

photo: BurningQuestion

Technorati Tags: control fleas, flea remedies, garlic, natural flea control, pennyroyal oil, thiosulfate

There is a staggering number of different flea shampoos out there that claim to be effective against fleas. And that is probably true – most of these shampoos will contain an active ingredient that is toxic to adult fleas, and so will kill the fleas on your pet. However, none of these products will last longer than a couple of days maximum. So unless you plan on bathing your pet every other day, you will need to use something else to help control the fleas.

The problem is that excessive bathing will reduce the efficiency of any top-spot product that you use. All of these products are bound to the oils in your pet’s skin. Bathing your pet removes these oils, and the flea control product along with it. This is especially true for shampoos not specifically designed for pets’ skin, or those with harsh chemicals. Some flea shampoos will fall into either one of these (or both) categories.

If you have bathed your pet with any shampoo, you need to wait for the coat to be dry before application, otherwise your flea control product will not work properly. Another big no-no is to bath your pet within 48 hours of application. Doing this will wash off a large amount of product.

When it comes down to it, flea shampoos are really unneccesary. If you use a high quality flea control product like one of the ones I recommend, then you shouldn’t really need to use a flea shampoo at all.

If you really feel the need to wash your pet for fleas, or if your pet has another reason that it needs regular bathing, try to do it less than once a week. Any more frequent than this, and you are probably reducing the efficiency of your chosen flea control product.

To a flea free pet!

Dr. Simon

photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/utahdarkhorse/3579825211/

Technorati Tags: flea remedies, flea shampoo, flea spray, flea treatments

Cats and fleas don’t mix well together. Despite being named after the cat, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) can cause your feline friend no end of grief. If your cat has ever had fleas before, you know how frustrating they can be for both you and your cat. If your cat hasn’t had fleas before, trust me: you don’t ever want them to have the experience.

So, now that we have established that your cat need protection from fleas, you need to decide how exactly you are going to do that. There many options: tablets, flea baths, flea collars, natural flea remedies, flea combs, top spots… the list goes on. However, despite all the numerous options out there, there is only a few that actually work.

Using a good quality top-spot flea control product is probably the easiest way to treat and prevent a flea problem. By good quality I don’t mean the permethrin-based products you can find at the supermarket. These can have serious side effects and can lead to tremoring and seizures. You need to use a product that has undergone extensive testing and has been proven to be safe and effective.

Advantage is one flea control product that fits the bill nicely. Advantage is a veterinarian-only flea medication that comes in a top-spot formula. All you need to do is apply the pre-measured dose from the pipette to the back of your cat’s neck once a month. Within 48 hours it spreads to cover your cat’s entire body through the oily layer of the skin, and will last for an entire month. This means you can spend less time worrying about fleas and enjoy more quality time with your kitty.

Fleas will stop biting within 3-5 minutes of coming in contact with your pet. Advantage kills by contact, meaning that fleas don’t need to bite your cat to be killed. This means that you cat will have less flea bites, which means less irritation and a happier cat.

The active ingredient in Advantage is imidacloprid, which has demonstrated to be very safe for use in dogs and cats. The most common side effect is excess salivation from licking the spot where the product has been applied. This is due to the bitter taste and not a direct tosxic problem from the Advantage. The wide margin of safety means you can use this product without worrying too much about the potential side effects.

If you are looking for a simple and effective solution for treating fleas on your cat, Advantage for cats should be on the top of your list.

Buy advantage for cats here.

To a flea free pet!

Simon

Photo: ven-

Technorati Tags: advantage, flea control, flea remedies, flea treatment