The cat flea which is the most common type
of flea found on cats and dogs and within our homes and yards has shown that
they are adaptable and able to develop a resistance to certain pesticides over
time making them extremely hard to get rid of and effectively control. Because
of this, many of the pesticides which used to work at killing adult fleas have
since lost their efficiency; the current ingredients found in medications and
treatments are used to sterilize the adult fleas so that their eggs are not
able to hatch into larvae and turn into adult fleas. By doing this the adult
fleas which are able to find their way onto pets and into homes are not able to
reproduce and cause an infestation. By disrupting the life cycle the adult
fleas will be able to lay eggs; however these eggs will never be able to hatch
into a larvae and progress through the life cycle to become new adult fleas.
Because of the huge expense which pet
owners pay out annually which is one billion dollars in the United States alone,
it is easy to see why these pests are able to develop a resistance to the most
commonly used pesticides over time. In the past, the primary treatment for cat
fleas was the use of pesticides which are applied directly to the effected
animal as a way to kill of the live adult fleas; however, these pesticides are
unable to stop the life cycle of the cat flea which was then able to hatch and
start a whole new cycle of flea infestation. However, over the past 10 years
these tiny pests have learned to adapt and develop a resistance to many of the
common pesticides which were once thought to be an effective treatment option.
One active
ingredient which was commonly used in flea treatments in the past which is now
virtually ineffective at killing fleas and disrupting the life cycle is
permethrin. Although this was once a great ingredient in many pesticides which
were aimed at controlling the infestation of cat fleas in pets and homes; fleas
have since become resistant to this ingredient and now show little to no signs
of dying off when treated with this pesticide.
Now that more studies have been done pertaining to the life cycle of
common species of fleas such as the cat flea, it is now known that it is more
effective to disrupt the lifecycle which allows fleas to multiply at such a
swift rate.
Nowadays, the best method for controlling
the infestation of fleas within your home or yard is to use a combination of
products which effectively kill the adult fleas, cause sterilization of the
eggs which disrupt the life cycle and also treat indoor and outdoor areas
simultaneously. By combining different methods of flea control, the likelihood
of successfully combating a flea infestation and preventing it from getting
worse it to take action right away before these tiny pests are able to multiply
in large numbers and quickly overtake carpets, furnishings, bedding and outdoor
areas as well as find a home on your pets where they can cause a variety of
health conditions to occur.
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