Fleas are a problem in warm humid areas, particularly in high density living. Generally they start again in the middle of Spring here in Perth. It can be frustrating when you use a flea product, but you can still get fleas. The reason is the life cycle of the flea. *You will find an infestation if you have just moved into a new house/rental. That has had untreated pets and or/environment.
If we step back and think about them, fleas are fascinating parasites. They are also very successful at what they do, which of course makes them difficult to control. It would be nice to think we could just put a monthly flea product on our pet then forget about it, but environmental treatment is also important. If you are after a more natural approach we will also give a few recommendations of what will and won’t work for your pet.
I have treated my furry friends but I still see fleas. Why?
Most flea products will kill adult fleas and stop them laying more eggs. Only 5% of the flea population actually lives on your pet, so if you are seeing 5 fleas, it means that there is another 95 fleas living in the environment. The tiny eggs, larvae or pupae live in the environment, commonly concentrated around bedding, sandy areas your pet lays in, resting areas. This means there are usually plenty of new fleas to replace those fleas on your pet that are being killed by your flea product. In addition, many products take hours or days to kill each single flea, so you can still see up to 20 fleas on your pet even though the product is working.
HOW DOES THE FLEA LIFE CYCLE WORK?
After a flea jumps onto your furbaby, the flea starts feeding on blood and laying eggs. A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day, so you can imagine how many eggs can be produced, laid, and hatched in a small space of time. Being on time with flea medication is very important in combating further infestations. A walk in a park or a visit by another untreated BFF of your pet, one flea jumps and 50 eggs laid. It is that easy.
The eggs fall off your pet and hatch within 1-10 days (quicker if it is warm and humid). The hatched larvae move somewhere dark (usually downwards into gaps between floorboards, in soil, under mulch, deep in carpet or bedding or under furniture), where they feed on organic material (including flea faeces). After 5-11 days the larvae pupate, forming a sticky cocoon around themselves which protects them and makes them difficult to target with vacuuming or a flea bomb. After 7-10 days the fleas will hatch in response to vibrations, carbon dioxide or heat and go searching for a blood meal. If there is no stimulation to hatch, these fully developed fleas can stay in their cocoons for years.*Which is why in some cases you can move into a vacant property and have a big flea emergence all at once.
In warm humid conditions the flea cycle is very fast, and the whole thing is completed within 2 weeks. It slows down or stops altogether with dry, cold or very hot weather.
DO FLEAS HARM?
Flea saliva allergies are very common in dogs and cats. FAD- Flea Allergy Dermatitis. These unfortunate pets tend to scratch and chew, particularly around the base of the tail and often develop quite nasty hot spots or skin infections. FAD should be treated by a Veterinarian.
TYPES OF FLEA PRODUCTS
Flea shampoos and powders are very ineffective and a waste of time and money. The effects only last for as long as the substance stays in the coat, so one or a few days is all you get. Unfortunately flea control really is one of those things where you get what you pay for. Some topical or oral flea products can be expensive, but if you use them properly and throughout the year, combined with good environmental control, you will avoid the hassle and expense of employing a professional pest exterminator and costly veterinary bills from skin problems.
As mentioned previously, flea products for the most part don’t work instantly. The only repellent-style products available are Pyrethrim-based such as Permoxin and these are very toxic to cats. For all other products (Frontline Plus, Advantage, Advocate, Advantix, Comfortis and Revolution) the fleas must either bite your pet to ingest the toxin or absorb the toxin from contact with your pet’s skin, so you can see how a flea allergic pet will often have a problem if there are large numbers of newly emerged fleas in the environment. For these cats, the aim is to reduce environmental flea numbers AND treat your cat.
Products with Nitenpyram (like Capstar) have a faster speed of kill, than most top-spot products so if you are seeing large numbers of adult fleas on your pet, give them a Capstar tablet. It can be used in conjunction with all other flea products, but the effects only last for 24 hours, so it is impractical to use it as your sole form of flea treatment. The newest flea product out is called Comfortis. This monthly flea tablet starts working within hours, so it is the fastest acting monthly flea treatment currently available.
FREQUENT BATHING
Frontline Plus is stored in the sebaceous (oily) glands in the skin, so frequent bathing or swimming (more than weekly) can strip it from the skin and mean it is less effective. It is very important not to apply it just after a bath, and you cannot bathe your cat for 48 hour after using it. Frontline Plus has the advantage that the toxin used is not absorbed significantly by your cat, so if you are reluctant to use toxins in your pet, perhaps Frontline Plus is a good compromise.
HOW TO TREAT THE ENVIRONMENT-INSIDE
First look at where your pet spends most of his time. Target this area in particular. Use a flea bomb inside the house to get rid of those eggs and larvae, this bomb will keep working for up to 9 months..
If you are not keen to flea bomb, consider frequent vacuuming every 3 days. Also vacuum before the flea bomb and remember that those larvae are motile, so you will need to vacuum under furniture. Pay particular attention to pet sleeping areas. You will not necessarily vacuum up the fleas unless you have an industrial strength vacuum, as the flea cocoons are sticky, but vibrations of the vacuum will stimulate the fleas to emerge from their cocoons, and it is these cocoons that protect the pupae.
PET BEDDING
Make sure any pet beds can be washed in their entirety on a hot cycle in the washing machine (over 60ºC for more than 10 minutes). Dry the bed in the sun, or in a dryer on high heat.
KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER
If we step back and think about them, fleas are fascinating parasites. They are also very successful at what they do, which of course makes them difficult to control. It would be nice to think we could just put a monthly flea product on our pet then forget about it, but environmental treatment is also important. If you are after a more natural approach we will also give a few recommendations of what will and won’t work for your pet.
I have treated my furry friends but I still see fleas. Why?
Most flea products will kill adult fleas and stop them laying more eggs. Only 5% of the flea population actually lives on your pet, so if you are seeing 5 fleas, it means that there is another 95 fleas living in the environment. The tiny eggs, larvae or pupae live in the environment, commonly concentrated around bedding, sandy areas your pet lays in, resting areas. This means there are usually plenty of new fleas to replace those fleas on your pet that are being killed by your flea product. In addition, many products take hours or days to kill each single flea, so you can still see up to 20 fleas on your pet even though the product is working.
HOW DOES THE FLEA LIFE CYCLE WORK?
After a flea jumps onto your furbaby, the flea starts feeding on blood and laying eggs. A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day, so you can imagine how many eggs can be produced, laid, and hatched in a small space of time. Being on time with flea medication is very important in combating further infestations. A walk in a park or a visit by another untreated BFF of your pet, one flea jumps and 50 eggs laid. It is that easy.
The eggs fall off your pet and hatch within 1-10 days (quicker if it is warm and humid). The hatched larvae move somewhere dark (usually downwards into gaps between floorboards, in soil, under mulch, deep in carpet or bedding or under furniture), where they feed on organic material (including flea faeces). After 5-11 days the larvae pupate, forming a sticky cocoon around themselves which protects them and makes them difficult to target with vacuuming or a flea bomb. After 7-10 days the fleas will hatch in response to vibrations, carbon dioxide or heat and go searching for a blood meal. If there is no stimulation to hatch, these fully developed fleas can stay in their cocoons for years.*Which is why in some cases you can move into a vacant property and have a big flea emergence all at once.
In warm humid conditions the flea cycle is very fast, and the whole thing is completed within 2 weeks. It slows down or stops altogether with dry, cold or very hot weather.
DO FLEAS HARM?
Flea saliva allergies are very common in dogs and cats. FAD- Flea Allergy Dermatitis. These unfortunate pets tend to scratch and chew, particularly around the base of the tail and often develop quite nasty hot spots or skin infections. FAD should be treated by a Veterinarian.
TYPES OF FLEA PRODUCTS
Flea shampoos and powders are very ineffective and a waste of time and money. The effects only last for as long as the substance stays in the coat, so one or a few days is all you get. Unfortunately flea control really is one of those things where you get what you pay for. Some topical or oral flea products can be expensive, but if you use them properly and throughout the year, combined with good environmental control, you will avoid the hassle and expense of employing a professional pest exterminator and costly veterinary bills from skin problems.
As mentioned previously, flea products for the most part don’t work instantly. The only repellent-style products available are Pyrethrim-based such as Permoxin and these are very toxic to cats. For all other products (Frontline Plus, Advantage, Advocate, Advantix, Comfortis and Revolution) the fleas must either bite your pet to ingest the toxin or absorb the toxin from contact with your pet’s skin, so you can see how a flea allergic pet will often have a problem if there are large numbers of newly emerged fleas in the environment. For these cats, the aim is to reduce environmental flea numbers AND treat your cat.
Products with Nitenpyram (like Capstar) have a faster speed of kill, than most top-spot products so if you are seeing large numbers of adult fleas on your pet, give them a Capstar tablet. It can be used in conjunction with all other flea products, but the effects only last for 24 hours, so it is impractical to use it as your sole form of flea treatment. The newest flea product out is called Comfortis. This monthly flea tablet starts working within hours, so it is the fastest acting monthly flea treatment currently available.
FREQUENT BATHING
Frontline Plus is stored in the sebaceous (oily) glands in the skin, so frequent bathing or swimming (more than weekly) can strip it from the skin and mean it is less effective. It is very important not to apply it just after a bath, and you cannot bathe your cat for 48 hour after using it. Frontline Plus has the advantage that the toxin used is not absorbed significantly by your cat, so if you are reluctant to use toxins in your pet, perhaps Frontline Plus is a good compromise.
HOW TO TREAT THE ENVIRONMENT-INSIDE
First look at where your pet spends most of his time. Target this area in particular. Use a flea bomb inside the house to get rid of those eggs and larvae, this bomb will keep working for up to 9 months..
If you are not keen to flea bomb, consider frequent vacuuming every 3 days. Also vacuum before the flea bomb and remember that those larvae are motile, so you will need to vacuum under furniture. Pay particular attention to pet sleeping areas. You will not necessarily vacuum up the fleas unless you have an industrial strength vacuum, as the flea cocoons are sticky, but vibrations of the vacuum will stimulate the fleas to emerge from their cocoons, and it is these cocoons that protect the pupae.
PET BEDDING
Make sure any pet beds can be washed in their entirety on a hot cycle in the washing machine (over 60ºC for more than 10 minutes). Dry the bed in the sun, or in a dryer on high heat.
KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Flea medication can seems like it is not working because nothing kills fleas instantly
- Treat the environment with flea bombs and regular vacuuming
- Wash pet beds weekly on a hot cycle
- Keep lawns short and yards swept
- If you bathe your pet more than weekly flea products may not work
- Treat all pets, even those free-roaming cats if you can!
