Stop the Itching!

As the weather warms up, fleas and ticks will once again be looking for new homes among your pets. Why should you treat even if you’ve never had any problems?

Fleas can be picked up at the park, in the yard, or from contact with other animals. I even heard a story of an indoor cat that got fleas from a stray cat that was living under the house!

Fleas take 6 to 8 weeks to make themselves at home and it may take that long before you notice the excessive itching, biting, or dots of blood that mark a flea’s residence. By then, the fleas have laid eggs and have a whole new family living in your pet’s fur.

Even after the initial flea treatment, it may take a month or more to rid your pet of the larva and eggs that have buried themselves beneath the skin. That’s why products like Frontline recommend monthly treatments.

Besides spot treatments, other options are the flea collar, which works in the head and neck area, or shampoos and sprays, which are limited to a few days effectiveness. Most of these work on adult fleas only. Oral medication keeps flea eggs from hatching, but is ineffective on adult fleas.

Flea prevention also includes home and yard maintenance. Insect growth regulators sprayed in your yard can help keep flea numbers down. There are also sprays and powders for the home. Animal bedding, furniture, and carpets should be vacuumed or cleaned regularly.

Although providing for your pet’s comfort alone is a good reason to stave off a flea infestation, keep in mind that fleas like human flesh too. Although you won’t want to put flea collars on your kids, you will want to take the appropriate steps to create a hostile living environment for fleas.