Flea Control Tips for Cats and Dogs

Fleas on dogs and cats! These small dark brown insects prefer temperatures of 65-80 degrees and humidity levels of 75-85 % -- so for some areas of the country they are more than just a "summer" problem.

The flea information presented here will focus on treatment for and prevention of fleas, which, let's face it, is just as important to the pet as it is to the pet's owner! How do you know if fleas are causing all that itching, fleas can be seen scurrying along the surface of the skin? Dark copper coloured and about the size of the head of a pin, fleas dislike light so looking for them within furry areas and on the pet's belly and inner thighs will provide your best chances of spotting them.

Look for "flea dirt", too. "Flea dirt" looks like dark specks of pepper scattered on the skin surface. If you see flea dirt, which is actually flea feces and is composed of digested blood, pick some off the pet and place on a wet paper towel. If after a few minutes the tiny specks spread out like a small blood stain, it's definitely flea dirt and your pet has fleas!

Understanding the Flea Life Cycle. In order to understand how and why treatment options work, we must first understand the flea's life cycle since the various modern treatment and prevention products work on different parts of this life cycle. There are several stages to its life cycle: egg, larva or caterpillar, pupa or cocoon, and adult. The length of time it takes to complete this cycle varies depending upon the environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and the availability of a nourishing host. The flea's host is a warm-blooded animal such as a dog or cat (or even humans!) However, the various flea stages are quite resistant to freezing temperatures. The adult female flea typically lives for several weeks on the pet. During this time period she will suck the animal's blood two to three times and lay twenty to thirty eggs each day. She may lay several hundred eggs over her life span. These eggs fall off of the pet into the yard, bedding, carpet, and wherever else the animal spends time. These eggs then proceed to develop where they have landed. Since they are about 1/12 the size of the adult, they can even develop in small cracks in the floor and between crevices in carpeting. The egg then hatches into larvae. These tiny worm-like larvae live among the carpet fibres, in cracks of the floor, and outside in the environment. They feed on organic matter, skin scales, and even the blood-rich adult flea feces.

The larvae grow, molt twice and then form a cocoon and pupate, waiting for the right time to hatch into an adult. These pupae are very resilient and are protected by their cocoon. They can survive quite a long time, waiting until environmental conditions and host availability are just right. Then they emerge from their cocoons when they detect heat, vibrations and exhaled carbon dioxide, all of which indicate that a host is nearby. The newly emerged adult flea can jump onto a nearby host immediately.

Under optimal conditions, the flea can complete its entire life cycle in just fourteen days. Just think of the tens of thousands of the little rascals that could result when conditions are optimal!

Knowing this life cycle allows us to understand why it has always been important to treat both the host animal and the indoor and outdoor environment in order to fully control flea numbers. Simply sprinkling some flea powder on your pet will not work; simply vacuuming the home vigorously will not work, simply placing a flea collar or using a flea topical on your pet will not work.

The key to eliminating fleas involves treating not just your environment surrounding your pet, but your pet itself too, to prevent a repeat infestation.

1. Begin by starting the process of treating the pet's environment. Treat carpets and furniture and all other soft surfaces with home flea sprays or flea powders. Wash the dog's bed and any soft fabric toys with colour-safe bleach. Use a mix of one part bleach to four parts water to clean your dog's kennel or crate. If the dog spends time in your bed, wash your sheets and bedspread as well.
2. Next, treat the dog with an over-the-counter flea shampoo to kill and eliminate the fleas and their eggs that are present on the pet's skin and coat. Be sure to follow the directions and treat the dog or cat's entire body. This will have to be performed for all pets in the household on the same day.
3. Immediately after the pet's bath, towel dry and apply a prescription flea preventative, like Frontline or Advantage spray or spot-on or Program tablets. (Note: Select a flea preventative that can be applied immediately after a bath or skip the bath and apply a preventative 48 hours before beginning this process. Some preventatives work best without bathing, as the oils on the skin and fur are used to distribute the medication.)
4. Next, vacuum the carpets and furniture to suck up any remaining fleas, larvae or eggs. Be sure to throw away the vacuum bag or empty the contents of the dust collection canister into a sealed plastic bag immediately at the conclusion of vacuuming.
5. In severe cases, the carpeting and furniture may need to be steam cleaned to completely eliminate fleas and larvae.
6. The entire house is now ready to be treated by Mostert Pest Control, your experienced local exterminating company.
7. Sixteen days after the initial treatment, wash or treat your dog and/or cat for a second time with a flea shampoo and/or spray. And again, treat the home and vacuum all carpets and furniture, along with washing all bedding and any soft fabric toys. Flea eradication won't be cheap, but what price will you put on living free from flea infestations?

P. Van Dijker
Mostert Pest Control Richards Bay