Pet Sense (Archives)
All Creatures Animal Hospital
1894 Ohio Pike 797-(PETS)
Fleas & Ticks
Flea Infestations are the most common parasite problem of dogs and cats in our area. It is estimated that American pet owners spend over 500 million dollars each year on flea products most of which do not work! During the past few years much research has centered on studying the life cycle of the species of fleas that attack dogs and cats in an effort to develop better flea control methods. There are over 2000 species of fleas, but few actually attack dogs and cats
Flea Facts
• 90% of life cycle is OFF pet.
• Fleas prefer blood of dogs and cats instead of people but will bite humans when starved
• Fleas have well-developed hind legs and are capable of jumping 16-36 inches.
• Fleas can survive freezing and can survive without a blood meal for up to 17 months.
• Female fleas may lay 500-5000 eggs during her lifetime.
• Best breeding conditions for fleas to multiply are 65° to 80°F.
• Fleas carry many diseases, such as Bubonic Plague, Tapeworms, and bacterial infections.
• Fleas cause many skin allergies, as well as anemia from sucking blood from its victim.
• Adult fleas live an average of 6 months to 1 year. Flea eggs are white, and hatch in about one week into a white larva that can mature into an adult flea in as little as 3 weeks.
• Fleas are very susceptible to dry weather conditions. Fleas are non-existent in some very dry areas of the United States.
Tick Facts
• Best control is cutting grass low, and a Preventic flea collar applied by April 1st.
• Dips will kill, but won’t prevent ticks from getting on your dog.
• Pull off when found on dog with tweezers, wash hands -- won’t damage skin (buried heads will work out by themselves).
• American dog ticks carry rocky mountain spotted fever in this area.
• Can also cause tick paralysis. Lyme disease is rarely seen in Clermont county.
• Frontline TopSpot or Spray is effective to control
All Creatures Flea & Tick Control Protocol
• Flea and tick prevention needs to be used starting in April and continuing through the first freeze in November. When fleas or ticks are present on a pet or in a household after the first freeze, pest control needs to be used year-round.
• Sentinel, a monthly tablet, is considered effective when pest exposure is minimal and/or there is only one pet in the household
• Program injections are effective for fleas in single cat households and indoor cats
• Revolution or Heartguard and Frontline used together are effective for outdoor cat parasitic control (fleas and heartworm preventative). Frontline also kills ticks.
Preventic Collars are one of the most effective protections against ticks. They must be used together with Frontline for fleas for outside dogs.
• We do not endorse over-the-counter flea and tick products. They can be unsafe and are ineffective.
• Ferrets and rabbits with fleas can be treated effectively also with Frontline spray.
Flea & Tick Preventatives
• Sentinel is a once a month pill for dogs. If a female flea bites a dog that is on Sentinel, it causes the flea’s eggs to be sterile. It also kills heartworms, hookworms, whipworms and roundworms.
• Revolution is a liquid that is placed between the animal’s shoulder blades once per month. It does not wash off. It also prevents heartworms, hookworms, and ear mites. It can be used on puppies, kittens, dogs, and cats. We use it mostly for outdoor cats.
• Frontline TopSpot is a liquid that is placed between the animal’s shoulder blades once per month. It also kills ticks. Fleas are killed in a matter of hours. It is gentle enough to be used on dogs, cats, puppies and kittens
• Frontline Spray is a spray bottle that is applied 1-2 pumps per pound of body weight for cats, dogs, ferrets, and rabbits. It is applied once per month and is very economical for multi-cat households.
• Capstar is a pill that is given to kill all the fleas on an animal within a few minutes. It is great for infested boarding, grooming, and surgery animals. It only works for 24 hours and must be followed by another type of flea prevention such as Frontline.
• Program Injectable is a 6 month injectable for cats. It is always administered at our office and does not require an office call. It inhibits flea egg development.
• Knockout is an excellent economy brand of flea spray. It is used on dogs ONLY.
• Knockout Premises Spray and Bomb are used on the whole house. It contains ingredients that control insect growth. It kills eggs and larvae in carpet and furniture.
• Mycodex, Sensicare, and Ovitrol are water based economy brands of flea spray that can be used on both dogs and cats
• FleaBusters is a treatment for carpet that continually kills fleas and flea eggs in the house
Ticks Carry more than Lyme Disease
Clermont county residents and their pets need to become aware of the most common tick-borne disease in our county. In fact Clermont County has the highest number of cases in Ohio of this disease. Have u guessed it yet? I am writing about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). RMSF is carried by the American Dog Tick, and infections are very common in Clermont counties tick season, between May 1st and July 31st. The tick will attach to pets or people and some will infect them with the RMSF microorganism. The symptoms usually appear 3-12 days after the tick contact, and include fever, headache, lethargy, inappetence, and a rash. If you suspect RMSF in either yourself or your pet, it is important to contact your physician or your veterinarian as soon as possible. Appropriate antibiotics must be given to help ensure a rapid recovery. This disease, along with any tick-borne disease, is best prevented by the following suggestions;
* While outdoors make frequent inspections for ticks around the ears, armpits, and groin on yourself, all pets, and children.
• Use tweezers and hemostats when removing ticks, and wash-up after doing so.
• Apply a good quality flea and tick topical or collar to your pet on a regular basis and prior to hikes in high grass.
• Avoid high grassy area for your pet and yourself.
• Cut your dogs yard on a regular basis
Getting To Know The Flea
To help improve your flea fighting skills, lets look at the flea and its lifecycle. Fleas are parasites that feed off their hosts blood and when a flea bites its victims skin it injects a minute amount of flea antigen. Pets vary in their reactions to flea antigen. In some pets the bite from one flea can trigger a skin rash. This can quickly escalate into an infection as the pet bites and scratches at its irritated skin. As if this weren’t enough, flea bites can also transmit tapeworms if swallowed by your itching dog.
If your dog has fleas, it will usually scratch and bite around its lower back and tail. Fleas are easiest seen along the underbelly where the fur is sparse. In general, then fall off the skin of the dog and land in the carpet. In 2-14 days, they hatch into larva that feed on feces (dried blood) of adult fleas.
Fleas are fittest and most reproductive at temps of 65 - 80’ and humidity at 70%. Dry weather, high altitudes, temps at 100’ or at 0’ are fatal to flea larvae. For most of the country this translates into a flea season from late spring through the first frost. However, if fleas become well in your carpets during the summer, their reproductive activities may continue indoors interrupted through the winter, and, if you live in the relatively wild temperatures of the west or south fleas can be a year round indoor/outdoor problems that merely peaks in the summer time.
Remember that the best time to begin fighting fleas is before the become a problem the best person to ask about flea control products is your veterinarian.
Now is probably a good time to repeat flea control recommendations, as almost everyone with a pet will have some flea problems sooner or later if they aren’t already. Many dogs and cats have at least a minor flea problem and a great number have major flea troubles.
Controlling fleas is a never-ending task. There is virtually a limitless supply of fleas from stray animals, wild animals, and your neighbor’s animals. Even if your pets have no fleas now it is a good idea to treat your yard at regular intervals during the warmer months to make sure that any fleas that do arrive in your yard are sure to meet with some insecticide and die. Yard sprays generally last one to two weeks, and granular insecticides will usually last one to two months, both dependent upon the amount of rain or watering and your frequency of lawn mowing. It is a good idea to mow the lawn and rake the clippings before treating the yard.
There are a number of good products for treating your house. The frequency of treatment will vary with the product used and how well you prepare the house for treatment. Please ask your veterinarian for specifics on house preparation. Remember to treat the car if your pet rides frequently, and treat any other place he visits.
If you choose to have your house and yard done by a professional exterminator, be sure they are treating for fleas and not just roaches or termites or some type of yard pest besides fleas. Most exterminators do an excellent job; just be careful that they are doing what you are paying for.
Treatment of pets for fleas is a widely misunderstood task. The frequency of repeating treatments is very important. Most of the sprays, powders, and shampoos have to be repeated every 1-2 days to be effective. Flea collars have never been much more than just a partial aid in flea control and they are certainly a poor choice in comparison to other products. Flea control tablets and pour-on insecticides are available from your veterinarian.
There is no scientific evidence that yeast tablets or garlic are of any value in flea control. Studies have been done and they can demonstrate no efficacy at all. Ultrasonic collars have received a similar grade when tested scientifically. Many people report that they work for a very short time, then lose their effectiveness.
There is no magic to flea control. You must treat all your animals, the house, the yard, and the rest of the pet’s environment.
Treat all areas regularly and keep treating even after you don’t see any more fleas and you will be able to get them under control. If you have any questions, ask your veterinarian for advice and reliable flea control products.
