Posts Tagged ‘flea treatment’
Flea treatment – 3 ways to find fleas
December 1st, 2009 | 
Author: 
Does your pet's fur look like this? Time to start flea treatment!
The reason that fleas are such a big problem in dogs and cats is that they are perfectly adapted to their hosts. Their entire life is dedicated to survival. Fleas have many adaptations which allow them to survive in adverse conditions: They lay massive amounts of eggs, their larvae hide under carpet and furniture, they can lay dormant for up to 6 months, and they are very adept at hiding themselves on your pet.
Because fleas are so adept at hiding themselves, it can be hard to detect a flea problem, especially if the numbers of fleas are low. Here are three ways you can tell if your pet has fleas:
- Look for fleasLooking for fleas on your pet is the most logical place to start when you are trying to check for a flea problem. One of the things that helps to find fleas is that they have favourite hangouts. The area over the base of the tail, around the collar, and over the back legs and belly are the most common places to find fleas. Make sure you are extra thorough when looking in these areas.
Using a flea comb will help you to find fleas. These fine-toothed combs are especially designed to catch fleas and will make flea detection a lot easierUnfortunately, fleas are very good at hiding. They are so good that we only find around 5-15% of the fleas on our pets. If your pet only has a few fleas, then there is a chance that you might not find them. So unfortunately, finding no fleas does not mean that there are none on your pet.
- Look for flea dirt If you can’t find fleas themselves, sometimes your can find other evidence. One of the most common ways to diagnose a flea problem is to look for flea dirt. This is the digested blood excreted by fleas after finishing their blood meal. It looks like little black specks of dirt (hence the name).
Wondering whether your pet has flea dirt or regular dirt? One of the easiest ways to figure out if the black spots you are seeing is flea dirt is to sprinkle a few specks on a moist paper towel. If it is flea dirt, the paper towel will dissolve the blood and turn red.The other way to check for flea dirt is to give your pet a bath. If they have a lot of flea dirt in their coat, this will stain the water a pale red colour.
- Flea bites. Another sign of a flea problem is flea bites. These look like tiny red dots, and will most easily be seen on your pet’s belly. Chances are that if there are enough fleas to cause visible flea bites that there will be enough to find by other methods, but some pets are quite sensitive and can react to the bites of only one or two fleas.If you have a really bad problem, fleas might get desperate enough to humans too! Humans are not a typical host of fleas, but if there is an overload of fleas in the environment you will find that a couple will mistake you for a dog or cat and have a nibble.
So, what do you do if you find fleas? Ignore them? Only if you want to be battling a major flea infestation in a few weeks. Every female flea is capable of laying up to 50 eggs per day. 10 fleas on your pet means 500 eggs being laid every day. Fleas can complete their life cycle in as little as 2 weeks. Your house can quickly become overrun with fleas if you aren’t careful.
If you are not using any flea control and you see any number of fleas, you need to start as soon as possible to reduce the chance of contaminating the environment with flea eggs.
If you are using flea control and you are seeing only a couple of fleas, don’t stress too much. Your pet may have picked up one or two fleas on a walk or from your garden. If you are using a good quality product these will be killed within 24 hours. If you are seeing more than a couple of fleas or your pet doesn’t go outside or walking, then you should talk to your veterinarian about possibly reasons why your flea control product isn’t working as well as it could.
To a flea free pet!
Simon
P.S. If you are looking for somewhere to buy flea control online then try Vet Products Direct
The reason that fleas are such a big problem in dogs and cats is that they are perfectly adapted to their hosts. Their entire life is dedicated to survival. Fleas have many adaptations which allow them to survive in adverse conditions: They lay massive amounts of eggs, their larvae hide under carpet and furniture, they can lay dormant for up to 6 months, and they are very adept at hiding themselves on your pet.
Because fleas are so adept at hiding themselves, it can be hard to detect a flea problem, especially if the numbers of fleas are low. Here are three ways you can tell if your pet has fleas:
Look for fleas
Looking for fleas on your pet is the most logical place to start when you are trying to check for a flea problem. One of the things that helps to find fleas is that they have favourite hangouts. The area over the base of the tail, around the collar, and over the back legs and belly are the most common places to find fleas. Make sure you are extra thorough when looking in these areas.Using a flea comb will help you to find fleas. These fine-toothed combs are especially designed to catch fleas and will make flea detection a lot easier.
Unfortunately, fleas are very good at hiding. They are so good that we only find around 5-15% of the fleas on our pets. If your pet only has a few fleas, then there is a chance that you might not find them. So unfortunately, finding no fleas does not mean that there are none on your pet.
Look for flea dirtIf you can’t find fleas themselves, sometimes your can find other evidence. One of the most common ways to diagnose a flea problem is to look for flea dirt. This is the digested blood excreted by fleas after finishing their blood meal. It looks like little black specks of dirt (hence the name).
Wondering whether your pet has flea dirt or regular dirt? One of the easiest ways to figure out if the black spots you are seeing is flea dirt is to sprinkle a few specks on a moist paper towel. If it is flea dirt, the paper towel will dissolve the blood and turn red.
The other way to check for flea dirt is to give your pet a bath. If they have a lot of flea dirt in their coat, this will stain the water a pale red colour.
Flea bites.Another sign of a flea problem is flea bites. These look like tiny red dots, and will most easily be seen on your pet’s belly. Chances are that if there are enough fleas to cause visible flea bites that there will be enough to find by other methods, but some pets are quite sensitive and can react to the bites of only one or two fleas.
If you have a really bad problem, fleas might get desperate enough to humans too! Humans are not a typical host of fleas, but if there is an overload of fleas in the environment you will find that a couple will mistake you for a dog or cat and have a nibble.
So, what do you do if you find fleas? Ignore them? Only if you want to be battling a major flea infestation in a few weeks. Every female flea is capable of laying up to 50 eggs per day. 10 fleas on your pet means 500 eggs being laid every day. Fleas can complete their life cycle in as little as 2 weeks. Your house can quickly become overrun with fleas if you aren’t careful.
If you are not using any flea control and you see any number of fleas, you need to start as soon as possible to reduce the chance of contaminating the environment with flea eggs.
If you are using flea control and you are seeing only a couple of fleas, don’t stress too much. Your pet may have picked up one or two fleas on a walk or from your garden. If you are using a good quality product these will be killed within 24 hours. If you are seeing more than a couple of fleas or your pet doesn’t go outside or walking, then you should talk to your veterinarian about possibly reasons why your flea control product isn’t working as well as it could.
To a flea free pet!
Simon
P.S. If you are looking for somewhere to buy flea control online then try Vet Products Direct
Posted in flea treatment | 
Tags: flea bites, flea control, flea dirt, flea problem, flea treatment | 
1 Comment »
Flea pills for flea treatment – what are the options?
Sometimes it is just not convenient to use a top spot medication for fleas. If your pet has sensitive skin or objects to the smell of the flea treatment medication, applying your pet’s monthly dose of flea product can become a very unpleasant experience. There are also problems with pets licking the flea control product and feeling sick, or if you are really unlucky you could find your dog stuck to a crate by a flea control product.
Luckily there are some flea control products available that come in tablet or pill form. There are four products which are available in pill form (only two for cats). This review will discuss the pros and cons of each treatment, and which pill might be suitable in which situation.
Capstar (Novartis)
How it works: Capstar is a short-acting adulticide. It will kill fleas in less than 3 hours. It works by binding to nerve receptors and causing flea paralysis and death.
What it is good for: Capstar is great for quickly reducing the flea burden on a pet. It works especially well when used in combination with a long-acting insect growth regulator such as Program or Sentinel Spectrum. This product can be used in dogs and cats.
Cons: Because it has no persistent activity, if you use it by itself you must give it frequently (daily to weekly depending on flea burden)
Comfortis (Elanco)
How it works: The active ingredient in Comfortis is spinosad. Spinosad kills adult fleas by activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the flea nervous system, causing an overload of the flea nervous system. The flea seizes to death.
What it is good for: Comfortis is great for pets who swim or are bathed frequently, as it doesn’t wash off. It is also good for pets who get reactions or dislike the smell of flea top spot medications.
Cons: About 1 in 10 animals will vomit after the first time you give them Comfortis. This reduces with subsequent dosing. One way to reduce this is to feed a small meal in conjunction with the tablets. This product is registered for use in dogs only.
Program (Novartis)
How it works: Program contains lufenuron, a flea development inhibitor. Lufenuron interferes with the production of chitin, the principal component of the insect exoskeleton. The compound is taken up by adult fleas when they bite treated pets. Eggs laid by these fleas will not hatch.
What it is good for: This product is great for preventing flea infestations when used on pets without fleas. This product can be used in dogs and cats.
Cons: Because it has no adulticide activity, if your pet has a lot of fleas, or if it picks up a large burden, it will not be effective. In cases like this it is best to use an adulticide as well, such as Capstar.
Sentinel Spectrum (Novartis)
How it works: Sentinel Spectrum contains lufenuron (the same as Program, see above for how it works. Sentinel also contains a hearworm preventative and will control intestinal worms (including tapeworm)
What it is good for: Sentinel is a great all-in-one product that covers all of the major parasites of fleas in the one tablet.
Cons: Again, because it contains no adulticide, if your pet already has fleas or picks up a large burden, it will not be effective. This product is registered for use in dogs only.
As you can see, your options for flea pills are varied. Choosing the right medication for the right situation is crucial to achieving a successful outcome. If you have any questions about flea control products, feel free to leave a comment below and I will try to help you.
To a flea free pet!
Simon
P.S. to get online flea medication at a great price try Vet Products Direct
Posted in flea treatment |
Tags: adulticide, capstar, comfortis, flea control, flea pills, flea tablets, flea treatment, program, sentinel spectrum |
4 Comments »
Flea control for puppies and kittens – which products can you use and when?
Flea control for puppies is very imporant as they are especially vulnerable
A flea problem in a puppy or kitten is a big problem. A high flea burden can cause a life-threatening anaemia from blood loss, and cause your pet to get seriously ill. So what do you do if you have a young puppy or kitten with fleas? The best thing to do is to apply a flea control product that is registered as safe for use before the flea burden gets too much. Here is a list of the most commonly used flea control products, and what age they are safe to use at.
Disclaimer: If your puppy or kitten has a large flea burden and is looking unwell, it needs to be seen by a veterinarian. If you have any concerns about your pet for any reason, a your local vet is the best person to talk to. Make sure that you are using the correct dose of medication, and that it is labeled for the correct species. Some dog flea control products are harmful to cats!
Advantage (Bayer)
- Active ingredient: Imidacloprid
- Effects: Causes paralysis and death of fleas.
- Safe to use: It is safe to use Advantage in puppies over 7 weeks of age and in kittens over 8 weeks of age. In unweaned puppies, treating the mother will provide some protection to the puppies.
Advantix (Bayer)
- Active ingredients: Imidacloprid and permethrin
- Effects: Causes paralysis and death of fleas. Kills and repels ticks, repels mosquitoes.
- Safe to use: Advantix is safe for puppies over 7 weeks of age. Advantix cannot be used in kittens.
Advocate (Bayer)
- Active ingredients: Imidacloprid and moxidectin
- Effects: Causes paralysis and death of fleas. Prevents heartworms and intestinal worms. Kills mites.
- Safe to use: Advocate is safe for use on puppies from 7 weeks of age and on kittens from 9 weeks of age.
Capstar (Novartis)
- Active ingredient: Nitenpyram
- Effects: Causes rapid death of fleas
- Safe to use: Capstar is safe for use on puppies and kittens from 4 weeks of age as long as they weight more than 1 kg
Comfortis (Elanco)
- Active ingredient: Spinosad
- Effects: Causes flea paralysis and death
- Safe to use: Comfortis is safe for use on puppies from 14 weeks of age. Comfortis is not registered for use in kittens.
Frontline plus (Merial)
- Active ingredient: Fipronil and s-methoprene
- Effects: Causes paralysis and death of fleas, kills ticks, ovicidal
- Safe to use: It is safe to treat puppies and kittens with FRONTLINE SPRAY from 2 days of age. Puppies and kittens can be treated with FRONTLINE PLUS from 8 weeks of age.
Revolution (Pfizer)
- Active ingredient: Selamectin
- Effects: Kills fleas, prevents feeding, prevents egg production. Also prevents heartworm infestations, treats mites. Also kills roundworms and hookworms in cats.
- Safe to use: It is safe to use revolution in puppies and kittens over 8 weeks of age.
Sentinel Spectrum (Novartis)
- Active ingredient: Lufenuron
- Effects: prevent flea infestations, prevent heartworm infection and control intestinal worms including tapeworm.
- Safe to use: Sentinel Spectrum is safe for use on puppies from 4 weeks of age. Sentinel spectrum is not resistered for use in kittens.
As you can see, all of the above flea control products are safe to use for young pets, but the age that they can be used does vary. For very young puppies and kittens, Frontline Plus spray is probably the best option. Once the puppies and kittens get a bit older, your choices widen. Different products will work best in different situations. If you can see fleas on your puppy or kitten, you need to start flea treatment now. If you are unsure of which to use, contact your local veterinarian for help or leave a comment and we will try to help you out.
To a Flea Free pet!
Simon Heikkila
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardstowey/ / CC BY 2.0
Posted in flea control, flea treatment |
Tags: advantage, advantix, advocate, capstar, comfortis, flea control, flea treatment, frontline plus, kitten flea control, puppy flea control, revolution, sentinel spectrum |
2 Comments »
Environmental flea control strategies
The moist sandy ground under this house would be a perfect habitat for flea eggs and larvae.
If your pet seems to keep getting fleas despite regular flea control, there is a good chance that you have a problem with fleas in your environment. If you have a heavy flea burden in and around your house, you will be fighting a losing battle. Anywhere that your pet has been, fleas will be! Here are a few strategies that will help you in your battle against fleas:
- Vacuum the house regularly
Mechanical cleaning (physically removing the fleas from the environment) is the mainstay of environmental flea control. Vacuuming the whole house (especially your pet’s favourite areas) will suck up the majority of the flea eggs, larvae and pupae in the environment. A vacuum with a motorised brush will be especially effective. To really get things under control, you need to vacuum at least twice weekly to pick up fleas before they have a chance to develop into adults. Make sure to dispose of your bag in the bin to prevent any flea escape. - Wash the pet’s bedding
To kill any eggs and larvae in your pet’s bedding, soak them in hot water for at least 10 minutes, then run them through the washing machine on the hot cycle. It’s probably best if you wash these separately to your regular wash. - Block off access to flea-friendly areas
Shaded, moist sandy areas are heaven for fleas. If your pet has a hangout in a garden, under the house or anywhere else similar, you will have a hard time getting rid of fleas because every time they lie down in their favourite spot they will get re-infested. Fencing off areas like these is the simplest way to avoid this problem. - Chemical measures (optional)
The above three measures should go a long way to reducing your environmental contamination. However, if you have a really severe problem, or a complicated problem, chemical treatment of your house and possibly garden may help get things under control. This is a complicated subject and worth its own post. For now I will just mention that there are chemical sprays and foggers available which can be of benefit if used correctly.
Posted in flea treatment |
Tags: environmental flea control, flea control, flea problem, flea treatment |
3 Comments »
Flea control product review: Advantage® flea treatment
If you are looking for a safe, effective monthly flea control product, then Advantage® flea treatment is an excellent choice.5 Reasons for flea control failure
- Using the wrong product
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to try to use the wrong product for the job. Some products are great for preventing a flea problem, but lack the right ingredients to treat one. For example, a product like Sentinel® Spectrum is a great preventative, but if you have a big flea problem you will need to use it in combination with Capstar™ until things are under control. Products like Frontline Plus®, Revolution, Advantage®, Comfortis™ and Advocate® are great for treating and preventing flea problems. - Using the right product the wrong way
If you are using one of the above products and are still having issues with fleas, then maybe you should check the instructions on the box of your chosen product. Some common mistakes: not applying often enough, missing treatments, bathing or swimming too soon after application, not applying to the skin. - Not treating long enough
Flea problems don’t start in a day, and unfortunately they also can’t be fixed in a day. If you have a lot of fleas in your environment then they will keep hatching and developing and jumping on your pet, possibly for months to come. Controlling fleas is rarely a case of a ‘quick fix’ and then forgetting about it. - Not treating other animals sharing the environment
Even if you only find a flea on one of your pets, I can almost guarantee you that your other pets will have fleas too. Treating only one pet means that the fleas just jump on one of the other animals in the environment and carry on their business. This seems to be true especially when you have a cat and a dog living together. Cats love to go for a wander around the neighbourhood, and on their jaunts they can quite easily pick up a flea or two. One or two fleas will almost inevitably lead to more, and soon your dog will be affected as well. - Forgetting about the environment
Flea control on the pet is only half the story. Because 95% of the fleas are in the environment in various life stages, any flea control strategy that ignores environmental treatment is bound to fail. Simple environmental treatment strategies like vacuuming your house twice weekly and washing your pets’ bedding in hot water will go a long way to help you get in control of your flea problem.
Posted in flea control |
Tags: advantage, advocate, flea control, flea control failure, flea proble, flea treatment, frontline plus, revolution, sentinel spectrum |
1 Comment »
Flea Control Product Review – Comfortis™ – These flea pills kill fleas fast
Posted in flea control |
Tags: flea control, flea pills, flea protection, flea treatment, killing fleas |
3 Comments »
Sharing flea control products between pets
Flea control for dogs
Flea control is an important part of owning a pet. Not only do fleas cause itching and irritation, they can also bite humans and even carry some potentially dangerous infections. Fleas are prolific breeders, with females averaging 37 eggs on average every day. With a lifecycle as short as 14 days, This means that any lapse in flea control can lead to an outbreak very quickly.
There is a confusing array of different options for flea control, with everyone trying to tell you that their product is the best. With products such as flea collars, flea shampoos, natural remedies, top spots and tablets, never mind all the different brands, it is hard to know which product is the best for your pet.
Unfortunately there is no one product that will be the best for every pet in every situation. If only it were that easy! Different products will be more suitable than others based on your lifestyle and environment. In this article I will take you through the three important factors which will help you decide which flea control product is the best for your pet:
- Flea control vs flea treatment
Your choice of flea product will depend on whether or not you have a flea infestation. If your dog is currently flea free, then you are really looking for what I call flea control (rather than flea treatment). This means you don’t necessarily need a product that will kill all stages of the flea life cycle. Something to control the growth of larval stages may be sufficient.If you are currently battling an army of fleas, then you need something a little higher powered. You need a flea treatment product that will kill adult fleas and also control the larval stages off the pet.
- Flea control vs total parasite control
Fleas aren’t the only parasite around to bother your pet. The two other parasites of significance are intestinal worms and heartworm. There are products available that will treat fleas + heartworm, or even fleas + heartworm + intestinal worms. These all-in-one solutions offer great convenience as you don’t need to try to remember to give 3 (or more!) different products. - Tablet vs. Top-spot
The two main methods of giving flea control products is as a top-spot (on the back of the neck) or a tablet. Both methods are easy to do, but if you have a fussy pet that really hates taking tablets, then a top-spot formulation may be easier for you.
As you can see, choosing the best flea control product for your pet is no easy task! However, if you consider these three main points then you are on the right path to making the best choice for your pet. Keep an eye out for new posts over the next few weeks as we go through each of your different flea control and flea treatment options.