Flea Circus

Our office has been inundated with calls about fleas and indeed it has been a bad year for them. The first thing any pest control company will tell you about fleas is that IT TAKES 21 DAYS TO KILL FLEAS AFTER YOU TREAT FOR THEM! This is true throughout the industry because even if all the fleas were killed today, in 21 days their eggs will hatch. When we treat for fleas, in 21 days when the flea eggs hatch the treatment will kill them off as well.

That brings us to the second thing any pest control will tell you about fleas: YOU MUST TREAT YOUR DOGS OR CATS WITH A VETERINARY-APPROVED FLEA TREATMENT! This means Advantage or Frontline or whatever your vet suggests. Please be sure to get the treatment from reputable dealers such as your vet, pet shops, or 1800PETMEDS.com.

There are a lot of knock-offs on the market and some dealers may have them and they are expired so beware of getting them just anywhere. The real treatments have little bottles usually filled with Fipronil or a chemical that is totally safe for dogs or cats, and must be administered monthly.

We know this can be an expense but it is a necessary one. It can range from $10-20 a month for the treatment and they usually come in 4-month dose packages. (Always follow the rules and instructions on the packages). These should be administered during the warm months of the year (May-August) and possibly September and October if a flea problem persists.

Treatments need to be given to all dogs or cats in the household (the doses vary according to the pet’s weight). We know this can be pricey and it is tempting to go with the cheaper brands such as Hertz or just using a flea collars or flea dips but THESE WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF A FLEA PROBLEM!

The Hertz have even been proven to cause brain damage in some animals and simply don’t work and the flea dips and collars do not provide ongoing protection so don’t waste your money. (There is a PET BLOOD DONOR program that is run through IVAC that offers a 40% discount on flea medications along with many other benefits for other services such as free annual check-ups. For more information about this pet saving program, please call 1-800-551-4879).

Even the flea pills given by a vet may not be the answer. One pill is designed like a flea dip. The animal takes the pill and the fleas die instantly but when the animal reenters the flea infested area again, there is no ongoing protection and the animal continues to get fleas.

Be sure to ask questions when buying flea pills from the vet and make sure it is one that provides ongoing protection and is re-administered when needed.

• When our exterminators come to treat the property for fleas, it is best to treat the cats or dogs before or at the same time.
• We also ask that food items, toys, and clothes be stored and floor areas cleaned and accessible.
• Birds will need to be removed during treatment and fish tanks need to be covered with water-pumps turned off.
• Reentry time varies by property but can usually be up to 1-3 hours after the treatment. Your exterminator will let you know when it is safe to reenter the property and when the treatment will be mostly odorless and completely safe for you and your pets.
• Again, please allow 21 days due to the nature of the flea life-cycle for complete treatment and prevent further infestations by treating your animals monthly.

We hope to take the hassle out of having fleas and seek to work one-on-one with our clients to find the most effective and timely solution to eliminating fleas. Call us today with all questions or concerns. Don’t let fleas turn your life into a circus -please say no to fleas!