FLEA CONTROL

Understanding the flea's life cycle is vital to understanding how to control them. The flea has four life stages: adult, egg, larvae, and pupae (or cocoons). Adult fleas account for a very small percentage of the flea population. The majority is eggs and larval stages. The adult flea lives its entire life on the pet, ingesting blood, breeding, and laying eggs. The eggs fall off the pet and land in the environment. Within weeks, the eggs become larvae. Flea larvae like dark, moist places, such as deep in carpet fibers, and can crawl up to three feet before making their cocoons. Cocoons can remain in the environment for up to a year, waiting until conditions are perfect to emerge into new adult fleas.

We have chosen the most effective and safest flea products to recommend. Prevention and control are the ultimate goals. No two flea situations are the same, so it is necessary to be able to customize flea control products to your pet's individual needs. Several new products have come on the scene in the last few years that have transformed flea control methods.

Program is available as a monthly chewable tablet for dogs and as an injection for cats that lasts for six months. It is systemic medication that sterilizes adult fleas, breaking the cycle of reinfestation in your home. Program is perfect for prevention.

Frontline Plus is the medication of choice for prevention and treatment. Frontline Plus kills adult fleas and their eggs. It is formulated as drops to put on the skin on the back of your pet's neck. This topical treatment works through the oils on your pet's coat. The flea need not bite you pet for the treatment to be effective. We recommend using Frontline Plus monthly for cats, every other month for dogs. Frontline Plus is also labeled for treatment of Flea Allergy Dermatitis.

Revolution is topical drops, used also on the skin of the back of the neck. Revolution is used monthly to prevent Heartworm Disease, kill adult fleas, and kill flea eggs. In dogs, it is also labeled for tick control, ear mite control, and mange treatment. In cats, it can also be used for intestinal worms and ear mite control. We recommend that adult dogs (over six months of age) be blood tested for heartworms before starting treatment. Revolution can be used on puppies and kittens as young as six weeks old.

A flea eradication program is not complete without environmental control, including springtime (May or June) pretreatment of your home and frequent vacuuming. The house spray we recommend remains active for seven months to continuously kill eggs and larvae in the environment. It is important to spray all areas of the home where your pet goes, concentrating on pet bedding and dark, moist areas, such as under furniture.

The war against fleas can be won. We are happy to help you customize a program that best fits your individual flea situation.