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It's Flea Season
Again. Are You Ready for Battle?
click here for a printable
version
Every year you watch
helplessly as fleas torment your pet and drive you crazy. Besides being
downright annoying, the pesky insects can do plenty of harm to your pet.
They can cause allergies, skin infections, anemia, and even tapeworm
infestations.
Feel like giving up? Feel like
dousing your pet with every pesticidal shampoo, dip, spray, powder, or
collar on the shelf? Don't do either. Instead, try this safe, effective
flea-control regimen.
Know Your Opponent
Fleas can vary their egg-to-adult life cycle anywhere from 18 days to 20
months, depending on how hot and humid it is. They may also spend as
little as 10% of their lives on your pet. Put the two together, and
you'll realize that soon after you rid your pet of fleas, more of the
little pests will hop onto its fur and you'll be back to square one. The
solution? Treat the home as well as the animal.
Clean Your Quarters
Begin with a thorough cleaning, which will eliminate most of the eggs
and adult fleas lurking in your home. Wash all pet bedding in hot, soapy
water. Mop hard floors. Vacuum everywhere--carpets, upholstery, drapes,
corners, crevices. Seal the vacuum cleaner bag immediately in a plastic
bag. Once you start, don't let up or you'll lose ground! Vacuum and
clean once a week until you begin to see results. Then you can do it
less frequently.
Commission New Weaponry
If you have a heavy infestation, apply an environmental insecticide
after vacuuming. You can use a fogger "bomb," but a pump spray is better
for all but extreme infestations, since it will allow you to apply
insecticide only where your pet sleeps and plays. Don't apply it to your
pet! Products that kill developing fleas (called insect growth
regulators) are the safest and most effective--look for the word "methoprene"
on the label. Follow directions to see how often you can apply it.
Liberate Your Pet
On the same day you first vacuum and clean, shampoo your pet with a
non-medicated product or mildly medicated "flea" shampoo to rid the pet
of fleas. After that, use a flea comb (available in most pet supply
stores) on a daily basis. Dip it in a dish of soapy water after each
stroke to drown the fleas. Shampoo the animal periodically according to
labeling instructions, and keep grooming daily with the flea comb.
You'll quickly begin to see results.
Add More Weaponry
For most infestations, the cleaning/shampoo/flea comb system is all
you'll need to achieve flea control. If your problem is severe (or if
you can't shampoo your cat without a major fight), you can add other
non-pesticidal alternatives to your program. Many pet owners swear by
brewer's yeast (added to the pet's food in small dosages), or prefer to
rub diluted oils or herbal powders into the animal's fur. If you decide
to use a pesticide, products containing "pyrethrums" are the safest.
Consult your veterinarian about prescription flea medications such as
Advantage, Frontline or Revolution.
Heed These Warnings
If they are misused, pesticides can sicken or kill your pet. If you feel
you must use a pesticidal product, whether it's a shampoo, dip, spray,
powder, or collar, ALWAYS read the label and follow directions. NEVER
use pesticides (including flea collars) on kittens and puppies or old,
sick, pregnant, or heartworm-infected animals. And as a rule of thumb,
use only one pesticide at a time on your pet.
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Lewis Clark Animal Shelter
