You find
fleas on your pet and your house is infested.
STEP ONE: DON’T PANIC
Fleas spike between August and October in North
Carolina. We are already starting to see the early signs heavy infestations are
coming this year
STEP TWO: Start ALL your pets (especially indoor
only cats) on appropriate and effective flea preventive to be given ONCE a
month. As a note, we have super fleas in North Carolina. In our area most
fipronil-containing over-the-counter products do not work well (this is
Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Gold and Frontline Plus) but Frontline TRITAK
does work. Other effective products include Nexgard, Bravecto or Comfortis
tablets, Advantage, and Revolution.
STEP THREE: Treat your house and the yard! Why?
Fleas can live for several months in your house and yard, and flea eggs can
survive in your carpet, cushions, and drapes for years. Your pet isn’t the only
one at risk: People can get irritating flea bites too. Ridding your home of
these pests takes time and a concerted approach.
HERE’S
WHAT TO DO:
For the house:
The absolute most important is to vacuum everywhere every 2 to 3 days for 3
weeks. This rids the environment of adult fleas, larvae and eggs. Tape the
vacuum bag shut and dispose after every vacuum.
Or, you can use a room fogger but remember this cannot get under
furniture and it is not safe to have pets near this for several hours afterward
and during.
If your dog or cat spends time outdoors, be sure to wash the bedding (indoor
and outdoor) or discard old hay and wood chips, if you use it. Spray doghouses
and kennels with an indoor flea spray, and let all treated areas dry before you
let your pet outside.
For the yard: Use a professional, concentrated
yard sprays or sprinkle granules (such as Bayer Advanced with the active
ingredient of immidcloprid) for the yard, especially in sandy areas your dog
may lie. You can buy many that attach easily to the end of a garden hose for
application. It’s especially important to spray moist and shaded areas of your
yard. But be sure not to use any environmental treatments directly on your pet
Blog Post by Zoe Forward, DVM, DABVP (canine/feline)
Picture
credits:
Itchy cat: http://bit.ly/2aeySwb
Itchy
dog: http://bit.ly/2a3EFCy
Dog & Cat: istockphoto.com
