Treating Pets For Fleas

No matter how hard you try to prevent it, fleas are bound to find a way onto your pet especially in the spring and summer months when activity peaks. There are many different treatment methods which you can use to help eliminate and prevent these unwanted pests once and for all. You will need to treat your home, the pet’s environment and the pet itself in order to locate and eliminate the eggs, larvae and adult fleas which may be hiding around your home and on your pet.

One of the most popular fleas treatment methods which can help to prevent and eliminate fleas are once a month topical treatments such as Frontline. These are applied at the base of the cat or dogs neck on the skin and applied in a downward motion towards the shoulder blades. Some of the active ingredients which are known to kill fleas and ticks are Fipronil, permethrin and pyrethrin which have the ability to work for up to thirty days in between treatment. Another method for flea treatment and control are oral medications which contain IGR’s. These once a month oral medications have the ability to halt the life cycle of fleas by preventing the eggs from hatching if a flea finds its way onto your pet. Although it will not kill adult fleas, it will sterilize them and prevent the new fleas from hatching.

     Another common treatment option which can help to eliminate fleas and their eggs is flea and tick sprays which come in either an aerosol or spray pump variety. These products typically contain both a pesticide and an insect growth regulator which will kill the adult fleas as well as prevent the flea larvae and eggs from growing and developing into adult fleas by halting their life cycle. Flea dips are another popular flea treatment method that will provide an allover flea treatment for pets. You simply need to emerge the animal into the flea dip being careful not to get the substance into the animals, eyes or ears as it can cause problems if contact with the eyes or ears occurs.

     Shampooing your pet is a simple method for treating fleas and can be done with either simple dish soap and water or flea and tick shampoo. However, keep in mind that shampooing your pet is not going to eliminate the eggs and will only be able to kill off the live adult fleas which are currently on your pet. If you are going to use flea shampoo, it is essential that you combine this treatment with another product which contains an IGR which will also eliminate the eggs and prevent the life cycle of the fleas from continuing. 
Another common treatment method for pets is a fleacollar; however, if you choose this method of treatment it is imperative that you follow the directions precisely. The collar must be snugly placed on the animals’ neck and any excess will need to be removed so that the pet does not chew on this product and ingest the chemicals contained within.