HOW DO I KNOW IF MY PET HAS FLEAS?
Often you will see the fleas moving on your pet. Above the base of the tail and the abdomen are places that fleas can often be seen. Because cats groom so fastidiously, you may not see fleas on a cat. Flea feces, which look like grains of pepper, may be the only sign you see of fleas. Flea feces are the byproducts of the digestion of the blood fleas feed on and will turn red when you put water on them.
A FEW FLEAS CAN'T HURT MY PET CAN THEY?
They can not only hurt your pet, but they pose a risk to you, too. A heavy load of fleas, especially on very young, small or debilitated animals can cause anemia which can be life threatening. Fleas transmit tapeworms to dogs and cats. Exposure to fleas can cause flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) which can start a cycle of intense itching, hair loss and skin infection which can last for several weeks. Fleas can also transmit disease to humans through their bites.
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT PRODUCT TO USE ON MY PET?
There are several very good products for flea control. By looking at your pet’s lifestyle and environment, we can help you choose the best product for your pet. Some of the considerations are: Does your pet have FAD, are there cats in your household, does your pet have tick exposure risks, does your pet swim frequently, is your pet bathed frequently?
CAN I USE THE SAME PRODUCT ON BOTH MY DOG AND MY CAT?
NO!!! Products made for use on dogs should NEVER be used on cats. Some of these products contain ingredients that are fatal to cats. For that reason, if there are cats in a household with dogs, we will recommend products that are safe for both cats and dogs.
AREN'T FLEA PRODUCTS ALL THE SAME SO CAN'T I PURCHASE THEM ANYWHERE?
There are many different active ingredients used for flea prevention. Many, if not most of the over the counter flea products use pyrethrin based compounds for flea control. These compounds have been around for many years and fleas have built up resistance to them. There are newer compounds that are much more effective. You should look for flea preventives that contain selamectin, fipronil, spinosad, nitenpyram or metaflumizone. These compounds can be found in either topical or oral preventives. The products we dispense also have guarantees backed by the manufacturer. If the products are used according to the instructions, and your pet has a continuing flea problem, the manufacturer will provide further products at no charge to you to treat the fleas. We also will help you determine the product that best fits the individual needs of your pet(s).
HOW LONG DOES A FLEA LIVE?
A flea can live on your pet for 120 days. Within 24 hours of mating on your pet, the female begins laying 40 to 50 eggs per day on your pet. In as little as 21 days, an egg develops to an adult. The development to adult can also take several months. So, one pair of mating fleas will create an infestation that can take several months to eradicate.
MY DOG NEVER LEAVES ITS OWN YARD AND IS NEVER AROUND OTHER DOGS, HOW CAN THERE BE A FLEA PROBLEM?
The cat flea, the most common flea of both dogs and cats, also can be found on raccoons, opossums and foxes. These animals are very common even in the city. The eggs that they lay in your yard develop into adults that quickly seek out your dog as their host. Even if your dog is around other dogs that have fleas, fleas do not directly go from dog to dog. The fleas your dog has are from the flea eggs that have dropped off other animals into your dog’s environment.
HOW CAN MY INDOOR CAT HAVE FLEAS EVEN IF I HAVE NO OTHER PETS?
People coming into the home can introduce fleas in a couple of different ways. If there are eggs, larvae or pupae in your yard, they may be brought into the house by you. There they will complete their life cycle to adulthood and then get onto your cat. If adult fleas get on you in your yard because you are the only animal available, they will move to your cat instead because humans are not very suitable hosts for fleas.
WHY TREAT ALL PETS IN HOUSEHOLD WHEN ONLY ONE HAS FLEAS?
All pets are suitable hosts for fleas. The fleas do not directly move from animal to animal, but the eggs that drop off the one pet that has fleas will develop into adults that get on the first available pet. If all animals are not treated, all will soon become hosts to adult fleas who continue to lay eggs that fall off into the environment.
I USE A FLEA COLLAR. ISN'T THAT GOOD ENOUGH?
Flea collars are not very effective. In fact, veterinary dermatologists suggest that the box the collar comes in is more effective. Use the box to smash the fleas.
ARE FLEA BOMBS/FOGGERS GOOD FOR ERADICATING FLEAS IN MY HOUSE?
They are okay up to a point. Flea larvae hide in dark sheltered places which foggers usually won’t reach. Flea pupae in their cocoons are not affected by insecticides. The best options are to either spot treat the areas where larvae are most likely to be found or to have a professional exterminator treat the premises. The treatments will need to be repeated in most cases because the pupae will still continue their development into adults.
CAN'T I JUST USE FLEA SHAMPOO AND/OR DIPS?
These products are very good for killing the existing fleas on your pet but have little to no residual effects. So, as adult fleas emerge in the pet’s environment your pet will continue to pick up new fleas.
I AM USING A MONTLY PRODUCT YOU DISPENSED BUT I AM STILL SEEING FLEAS ON MY PET?
These products will not kill all fleas immediately. In some cases it can take up to 12 hours. Even though the existing fleas on your pet are killed, there are still fleas in different phases of development that will get onto your pet. If these new fleas do live long enough to produce eggs, the eggs will not develop any further due to the Insect Growth Regulator in the product. Until all existing eggs, larvae and pupae in your pet’s environment are eradicated, you will still see newly emerged fleas on your pet.
WHY DO I NEED TO TREAT YEAR ROUND?
Because fleas are hardy pests. In different phases of the lifecycle, the flea can remain dormant for extended periods of time waiting for the optimum time to emerge. Our weather is unpredictable which can be very beneficial for flea survival. Fleas can over winter in sheltered areas outdoors and indoors. Also, the flea life cycle can last several months depending on different conditions so your pet continues to be vulnerable for months after the first fleas are seen. It is easier to prevent fleas from living on your pet that trying to eradicate them from your pet and the environment.
I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION WITH MY PET OR MOVED INTO A HOME THAT HAS BEEN VACANT, WHY ARE THERE FLEARS JUMPING ON ME WHEN I WALKED IN THE HOUSE?
Flea eggs that were already present in the home have continued their development into pupae. They have been waiting for environmental cues to emerge as adults. When cues, such as, vibrations, thermal changes, or increased carbon dioxide (in the breath we or our pets exhale) are sensed by the pupae, the adult flea emerges. Also, adult fleas that are in the environment can remain dormant waiting for the same cues. So, even in an environment that has not had pets for a while, fleas can be ready and waiting for the first host to come along.
