You're Infested!

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. 

  

   You can use a professional service to treat your house and yard. Or, if you have a lot of carpeted areas, try using Borax (boric acid laundry detergent)- sprinkle over carpet and work into fibers with a broom. Leave down for 24 hours and then vacuum up. This is safe for people, kids and pets to walk on while it is sitting.

     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