Flea Control
By Marlene Smith-Schalkwijk DVM

Here on the “Wet-Coast” fleas can be a major problem. Fleas reproduce rapidly, each flea laying 40 eggs a day. These flea eggs are often deposited in the house where they are glued to the carpet or in cracks and crevasses. In our temperate climate they can also survive our mild and moist winters outside. In the fall the flea will hitch a ride on the pet, laying their eggs indoors. Once the heat is turned on in the house, the LARVAE IN THE EGGS may think spring has arrived and they hatch by the thousands, infesting the pet during the months of October to December. In the spring they hatch outside creating another infestation until the fall; we have a flea problem all year around.

Flea eggs may survive for years patiently waiting for a host to arrive; live fleas can survive for 30 days or longer without a meal! Coming home from a holiday when pets have been absent for a while, can lead to an awakening of hundreds of fleas all at once, happily greeting the family when they enter the house!

Many dogs and cats have multiple allergies and fleas most certainly may contribute to that allergy and make it worse! Year around flea control is a must in every household with a pet. The worse problem is a flea infestation in the house. Prevention is the best cure!

Daily brushing of the pet and daily vacuuming the entire house goes a long way to prevent flea eggs from establishing. The daily brushing and combing will also keep the pet owner aware if there are any flea eggs or flea dirt on the pet. Flea dirt is easy to recognize as brown and crumbly, often comma shaped pieces of dirt, which color red when water is applied to it. Drop your combing results on a piece of white damp paper and the rust brown spots will tell you if your pet has dirt or flea droppings in their coat!

Chemical Flea Control:
There are several ways the battle with fleas can be fought.

Topical products:
Advantage, Advantix, Advantage Multi and Revolution are sold by veterinary clinics. Zodiac is sold at pet stores. We do not recommend that you purchase flea products at pet stores as problems have been seen with the use of over the counter pet store products.

The products sold at veterinary clinics are generally safe and will kill fleas within 12 hours. Make sure you use cat products for cats, as some of the dog products are unsafe for use on cats. Please check with your veterinarian what a safe product is to use on your pet.

Regarding the safe use of these products:
People as well as animals can be chemical sensitive. In these individuals topical products may cause a range of problems ranging from headache, skin reactions, seizures to immune disorders. We do not recommend these individuals use spot-on flea control products.

Also take care where the product is applied and follow instructions carefully. In cats, with their grooming habits, make sure it is applied well away from the reach of their tongue!

Use plastic gloves when applying the product to the pet and avoid any contact with the applied/sticky area on your pet for at least 24 hours after application. This is especially important for chemical sensitive individuals and children, as these products can be absorbed through the human skin.

Oral products:
Program is a once a month oral product which inhibits the reproduction of the flea like a flea birth control pill! It does not affect the adult flea, but any eggs laid, will not hatch. The flea must bite the animal and ingest Program to be effective. If the animal does not have any fleas, it does not seem to be justifiable to give this product to the pet. There is also an injectable form of Program available which will last for 6 months, however more sensitivity reactions seem to occur with the injectable form then the oral form of Program.

Capstar is also an oral product. It works for 24 hours killing the fleas on the animal but does not offer any longer protection. It kills the fleas by paralyzing their nervous system, while leaving the nervous system of the host intact.

Treating the environment:
There are several chemical house sprays available aimed at killing the fleas with longer or shorter residual effect and egg killing capacities. Siphotrol can be purchased at veterinary clinics and can be used to spray the house; make sure all little cracks and crevasses are being covered! It kills fleas on contact and prevents eggs from hatching. More potent products with longer residual time are applied by pesticide agencies only. These products are very effective. They are not suitable for individuals with chemical sensitivities or those who do not wish to use chemicals in their own or someone else’s environment.

Non-chemical Flea Control:
-House flea control starts with daily or twice daily vacuuming the entire house.
-Borax powder sprinkled on the floor and furniture once a month, then swept up or vacuumed dehydrates the flea eggs. It is not as effective as the chemical, but it may help.
-An herbal flea mist can be made (or purchased) using 10 drops of eucalyptus, peppermint, citrus and lavender essential oil in 500 ml of water. Lightly misting the dog once a day helps to repel fleas. It does NOT kill the fleas and this mixture should NOT be used on cats, which are sensitive to eucalyptus.
- Diatomaceous earth rubbed into the dog (not cats!) coats.
Flea bath or a citrus-based bath/shampoo is also helpful to remove flea eggs and fleas mechanically; but it does not leave a lasting residue for future fleas. Again do not use on cats or rabbits. Not to be used around birds or fish, remove these animals from the area.

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