Along with the warm weather comes flea season! To help keep our clients informed, here is a list
of our most frequently asked questions about fleas.
How can my pet get fleas?
There are a number of different ways your pet can get fleas:
·
From a dog or cat your pet associates with that
has a flea infestation
· From an environment frequently exposed to wild
animals such as squirrels, rabbits, raccoons and skunks
· From a previously infested environment. Flea pupae can lay dormant in environments
for weeks before emerging as adult fleas ready to infest
· From facilities that offer services which
require boarding and have recently housed an animal infested with fleas such as
kennels or grooming facilities
How can I confirm my pet has fleas?
Fleas are most commonly found
around the base of your pet’s tail but not exclusively. You can try parting
your pet’s fur to see if you notice fleas moving around on your pet’s
skin. You may also be able to see small dark
flecks that look like pepper which is flea dirt. You can try transferring some flecks on to a
white piece of paper and then wetting your finger tip before applying pressure
to the fleck and moving it across the paper.
If it leaves a red streak, it is flea dirt. Of course if you are suspicious of fleas and
would like us to check your pet for you, we would be more than happy to!
Won’t my pet be itchy if they have fleas?
Not always! Only animals with flea allergy dermatitis react
to being bitten by a flea. Some animals are
diagnosed with a flea infestation without showing any sign of discomfort.
How do I treat fleas?
The treatment Dr. Dunn
recommends for fleas is a topical (meaning it is applied directly to the skin)
medicine called Advantage. This solution
is applied between the shoulder blades and absorbed through your pet’s
skin. Advantage kills 98-100% of the
adult fleas on your pet within 24 hours of the first application. Dr. Dunn recommends two treatments for two
consecutive months to kill the adult fleas on your pet and to interrupt the
life cycle of any eggs that have been laid in the fur.
Do I need to treat my house?
Yes! This is a very important step. As mentioned earlier, flea pupae can lay
dormant in cracks and crevices in your house and emerge as adult fleas ready to
infest your pet. The rooms and furniture
that your pet has access to as well as their bedding needs to be thoroughly
cleaned and treated with a spray called Siphotrol. This product kills fleas in all life stages
and has residual properties as well which will ensure no future infestations
related to this episode if used properly.
How can I prevent fleas?
We provide a number of different
options for prevention when it comes to fleas.
All flea prevention is given from June until November:
·
Advantage – topical ointment applied once a
month that prevents all life stages of a flea
· Sentinel – heartworm and flea prevention in the
form of a chewable tablet. The tablet is
administered once a month with a full meal
· Revolution – heartworm and flea prevention that
is applied topically once a month
· Nexgard – flea and tick prevention in the form
of a chewable tablet which is given monthly
We hope this article was helpful, please let us know if you have any
further questions, we would be more than happy to answer them!
-Jennifer
