Fleas shouldn’t ruin your pet’s life

ACORN SERIES /// Pets, pests and predators



 

 

This is the first in a three-part series about critters big and small that can threaten your pet.

I’m asked all the time what I use for flea control. My cats are indoor only, but that doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes bring in a flea from outside.

I am not endorsing any products here, simply explaining what is available and how they work.

Many pet guardians have no idea what flea products do or what alternatives there are.

How can such a small insect be such a big problem?

They can cause you and your pet to itch, have hot spots, infections, anemia and a variety of other illnesses.

When the weather starts warming up, fleas hatch, multiply and bite. Most flea bites cause a little bump, but if your pet is allergic to a flea’s saliva it will cause the animal to scratch, which can produce swelling and welts on the skin.

Get ahead of the problem early. You can choose from a combination of treatments and products to prevent infestation and keep your pet from excessive scratching.

Topical flea products are widely available and most popular in liquid form. I only use ones recommended by my vet. You apply it between the shoulder blades of the pet. These products can treat existing infestations and help prevent future outbreaks.

Oral flea treatments are quick and effective. The medication travels through your pet’s bloodstream and to the skin’s surface, helping to kill biting fleas. Combination pill treatments also prevent heartworm disease and other intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. Flea collars are thin, flexible, adjustable plastic bands coated with a chemical meant to repel fleas and ticks. I never use a flea collar on a cat. Why? If a cat wears a collar it should always be a breakaway so they don’t hang themselves. Yes, that can happen. I’ve yet to see a flea collar manufacturer make a breakaway style.

Before I had a bagless vacuum cleaner I’d put a flea collar in the bag so that while I vacuumed the house the fleas and eggs were sucked in and killed.

Keeping your cats indoors protects them from predators and fleas. For dogs, flea collars are less invasive than drops or oral treatments but may not be as effective for an existing infestation.

Flea sprays are inexpensive and wash off easily when your dog gets wet. There are a variety of such products, and I am a fan of one that is herb-based (primarily rosemary).

Sprays are good for short-term exposure. You spray the product on from the neck to the tail. For the head and eye area you should use a small towel and be careful not to get the product into their eyes o r mouth. Flea shampoos are used like any other bath product; the chemicals and water drown the fleas.

To be effective the product needs to sit on the skin for several minutes before rinsing. In the case of cats and kittens you may instantly see the fleas run to the eyes, so be ready with a flea comb.

Garden pesticides get rid of the fleas in and around your yard. Products are sprayed on the patio, sidewalk and lawns, and need to be reapplied monthly. Treatment can be done with a hose sprayer or by a professional pest company.

There definitely are options that are safe around your vegetable gardens and wildlife, so be sure to do your research first. Be careful when choosing pesticides for the house or yard. Stay away from pyrethrins and permethrins if you have cats because if they walk on the poison then lick their paws it could kill them.

Never use dog products on cats or vice versa. Pest products are species-specific because they depend on the weight and age of your pet. Using a dog dose on a cat can be toxic and deadly.

In the next installment we’ll take a look at the problems posed by ticks, mites, bees and mosquitoes.

Berke is an animal advocate with more than 30 years of experience in rescue, care and adoption. Contact her via email at yvetteonpets@aol.com.