Where did they come from?
- contact with other dogs/cats, new pets with fleas, visiting pets
- moving to a new home, dry & dusty weather followed by rain
Fleas live where your pets lie, sleep and spend most of their time.
What happens?
- Fleas are blood suckers and irritate your pet when they inject saliva as they feed (your pet becomes allergic to the saliva injected)
- Not all pets will have the same sensitivity; some pets will appear unaffected by fleas, some cats will very effectively groom and you will not see the fleas, just the evidence of skin irritation
- Skin irritation will be followed by skin infection most commonly on the lower back with possibly hair loss, pets will appear agitated and turn suddenly
- Skin infection and irritation may need vet attention and treatment with antibiotics and cortisone to settle severely infected and irritated skin
What do we recommend?
- Our experience is that you will often need to use more than one product
- Treat your pet with an “on pet” adulticide ( kills adult fleas)
- We recommend 2 weekly spraying with Frontline Spray or 2 to 4 weekly application of Revolution, Advocate, Advantage, Advocate (spot ons)
- Also use an adulticide tablet which when given will reach blood levels in your pet after being given and any fleas sucking blood from your pet will be killed. This offers a fast knock down of fleas and quick relief.
- Products: Capstar tablets given daily to all animals for 7 days then once weekly for 4 to 8 weeks to all animals (available for dogs and cats)
- Comfortis monthly tablets new in 2009 and seems very effective but is only registered in dogs. Use capstar in cats.
- As adult fleas are only 5% of the problem; the other 95% are in the form of eggs larvae & pupae where your pet spends most of their time. Growth regulators control this part of the infestation in addition to above adulticides.
- Growth regulators are a monthly tablet for dogs or a 6 monthly injection for cats. These products take longer to work & so need the above adulticides to kill the fleas fast. Growth regulators work by stopping fleas producing a shell on their body (same as termite baits).
- This may appear a more expensive option but is usually cheaper than a professional Pest Service visit to your home
- Products: Sentinel for dogs (also does heartworm and intestinal worms) Program for cats (a 6 monthly injection).
- It is important that all pets are treated with growth regulators if you choose this option.
- Regular cleaning of your pet’s sleeping area and vacuuming indoors
Remember!
- Any area where your pet sleeps lies or spends time will be possibly infested
- All in contact animals are part of the problem, even if they appear unaffected
- You will likely need to treat all animals for 4 to 8 weeks and then maintain regular maintenance control measures to avoid a recurrence.
Please ask one of our staff if you need any further help or advice.
By Albany Creek Veterinary Surgery
Last updated on 12 September 2019
