Getting a "Jump" on Fleas and Ticks

By Jordan Siegel, D.V.M.

With summer underway, flea and tick problems are at their peak. Pet owners can avoid headaches, as well as suffering for their pets, by taking a few simple precautions. Most pet owners are unaware that the adult fleas present on their dog or cat constitute only a small part of the total flea population in their pet's home environment. Treatment of the premises as well as the pet is essential, and preventative measures are necessary to prevent re-infestation of the animal.

A new three-step program is available to better equip pet owners with the knowledge and tools to eradicate fleas and ticks from their pet and from their home environment. Taking a comprehensive approach allows a pet owner to break the insect's life cycle and to quickly get the problem under control. Always carefully read and follow all label directions when using any flea and tick product.

The first step of the program involves providing your pet with immediate relief. Shampoos, powders, sprays, and sponge-on products containing an insecticide can very quickly kill any breeding, biting, adult fleas and ticks. Many of these fast-acting on-animal products may also contain an insect growth regulator that kills flea eggs to prevent infestation of your home and re-infestation of your pet.

In the second step of the program, pet owners should use ongoing protection and maintenance products that can continue to prevent a flea and tick infestation on the animal. These products include both topically applied liquids that usually last for one month, and flea and tick collars that typically last for several months. While products containing an insecticide will protect against adult fleas and ticks, those that also contain an insect growth regulator provide even greater protection against a future flea infestation.

The third step, which is often overlooked, is treating the home environment. Flea eggs, which are laid on the pet, fall off into the environment and hatch into larvae. These larvae then migrate down into your carpeting or furniture. The larvae then develop into pupae, the last stage of the flea life cycle before they emerge as adults. Treating the home environment is critical because even if all the adult fleas have been killed on the pet, there can be ten times more flea eggs in the environment. Premise control products include foggers, carpet and upholstery powders, pump and aerosol sprays, as well as yard sprays. Products containing an insecticide will kill adult fleas and ticks, and those that also contain an insect growth regulator will kill the many flea eggs and flea larvae that may be developing in your home.

In summary, pet owners should take the following measures to get a "jump" on flea and tick problems:

Flea Treatment and Prevention

• Use a comprehensive "three-step" approach to treat for fleas and prevent re-infestation: (1) provide immediate relief by killing existing adult fleas on your pet; (2) use a maintenance product on your pet to provide ongoing protection; and (3) use a premise control product to kill flea eggs, flea larvae, and adult fleas in and around your home.
  
  
• Regularly vacuum your carpets and upholstered furniture. Vacuuming stimulates fleas to emerge from their protective cocoons of the pupal stage, and also removes some eggs, larvae, and newly emerged adult fleas. Make sure to get in the crevices of couches and chairs. Seal the vacuum cleaner bag and place it outside in a covered garbage bin if you suspect that your home is already infested with fleas.
  
  
• Don't neglect to treat all the places where pets may frequent when using a home treatment product. In addition to treating all carpeted areas of the home, treating closets, furniture, window ledges, doormats, garages, cellars, basements, attics, crawl spaces, and yards may be necessary to control the infestation. If the problem is severe, repeating the treatment in two weeks may be necessary to completely control the infestation.
  
  
• Wash your pet's bedding, throw rugs, or towels in hot water and detergent, and change your cat's litter and wash the litter box in hot, soapy water to physically remove any flea eggs that may have been deposited there.
  
  
• Maintain your yard. Fleas usually develop in moist, shady areas outside. Therefore, clear any sun-blocking vegetation near the home, rake up leaves, and dispose of grass clippings on a regular basis.

Tick Treatment and Prevention

• Use a similar comprehensive "three-step" approach to treat for ticks and prevent re-infestation: (1) provide immediate relief by killing existing ticks on your pet; (2) use a maintenance product on your pet to provide ongoing protection; and (3) use a premise control product to kill ticks in your pet's environment.
  
  
• Mow grass regularly to keep it short, keep bushes and trees trimmed, and dispose of any yard waste promptly.
  
  
• Avoid the woods or tall grass areas that typically harbor ticks when walking your dog.
  
  
• If exposed to a tick-infested environment, examine your pet daily for ticks, especially around the head and inside the ears.
  
  
• Remove an attached tick with a tweezers as soon as it is discovered, because an infected tick can transmit disease within a relatively short period of time. Never try to burn the tick off or smother it as these methods are ineffective, and may harm your pet.

And finally, please consult your veterinarian for additional advice on flea and tick treatment and prevention recommendations.

Dr. Siegel serves as technical services veterinarian for Schaumburg, Illinois-based Zodiac, a division of Wellmark International. For more flea and tick tips, visit Zodiac's website at www.zodiacpet.com.