Quarterly Newsletter |
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Spring 2003 |
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FLEAS: HOW DO I PREVENT FLEA INFESTATIONS?In terms of attacking fleas, there are in effect three different flea populations to consider. The ambient population, including those fleas surviving outdoors and those on other pets with which your pet may come into contact. There is the home population, living in your immediate household, and the pet population, those fleas currently on your pet for the purpose of obtaining a meal. It is very difficult, if not impossible, for you to control the ambient flea population. The scope is just too huge for any one person to get a good handle on it. If you have someone come to your house regularly to spray for other pests, you may consider having them add fleas to the list of critters they The remaining two populations are going to be much easier for you to manage. There are many new medications on the market that you can apply directly to your pet. Frontline, Advantage and Revolution are three topical medications that usually last for about a month. When the flea comes in contact with the medication as it jumps onto the pet for a meal, it is paralyzed, and dies a short time later because it is unable to feed. We have effectively removed the flea from the environment without giving it the opportunity to bite the pet, curtailing the chance that a FAD pet will experience an allergic reaction. These medications are an excellent tool if you are dealing with a small flea population. However, if the flea population is large, you may need to take some more aggressive measures to rid your household of fleas. Remember that at any given time, flea eggs account for approximately 50% of the flea population. The remainder is made up of the larva, pupae and adults. If you are using a topical flea preventive, it is important for you to reapply it as directed to kill any new adults that may hatch out at a later time. You will also need to treat the house itself to help reduce the population. There are a variety of items available to treat your house, as well as professional services. If you decide to use these products, please remember to read the label directions completely and to follow them. They may require that you and your pets vacate the house for a period of time. If you do treat the house, give it a good vacuuming before you do so. The heat and vibration from the vacuum will stimulate pupated adults to emerge from their protective shells, making them vulnerable to the pesticides. MY PET IS ITCHING, BUT I'M NOT SEEING ANY FLEAS.Fleas live in the environment, not on the pet. They jump on the pet to feed and then jump off again. Also, fleas are very small and very fast. If you are dealing with a small flea population, it can be very difficult to spot them. However, as mentioned, in sensitive pets, one bite is enough to cause an allergic episode. If your veterinarian suspects FAD, give one of the topical pesticides a chance to work and see if the situation improves. Using a very fine toothed comb (sometimes called a flea comb), run through the hair on your pet's stomach and the area at the base of the tail, then shake the comb out over a damp white paper towel. Flea dirt is the feces of the flea and consists of leftover dried blood. When dampened, it will show a reddish color against the white towel. You may also find flea dirt in your pet's bedding. Using a flea comb on your pet may also uncover some flea eggs that have not fallen off, but they are very small and hard to see with the naked eye. Shaking the comb out over a dark background and using a magnifying glass may help you spot this evidence. |
control, but this is about the extent of control you may have in the great outdoors.
Also remember that your other pets, like birds and reptiles can be especially sensitive to pesticides, even if they are not used in that pet's immediate area.
