Fleas and Flea Medication

Why isn’t it enough to kill adult fleas? Why should I try to prevent them?
Adult fleas are only 1-5%% of the flea population. It’s the adult fleas that do bloodsucking damage and spread tapeworms, so it’s important to eliminate them; but at least 95% of the flea population exists as eggs, larvae, and pupae that hide in carpets and yards.

Only one of my dogs has fleas. Why did the vet tell me to treat all my pets, even the cats?
Treating all pets (and the environment) ensures the removal of smoldering flea reservoirs. You may have noticed your pet has a flea problem because it has flea allergies and scratches incessantly. Other pets can have fleas but if they are not allergic to them, they won’t scratch obsessively. It’s easy to assume that pets who aren’t scratching don’t have fleas, but that’s not always so.

To remove the fleas from asymptomatic pets, treat all pets whether they are scratching or not.

Can I put dog flea medication on my cat?
No. Cats are not small dogs. Use cat medications on cats. Cats are much more sensitive to drugs than dogs are, and some flea treatments will kill them. Because the surface area of the cat is proportionately different than that of a dog—a cat requires a different level of preventative. Medications are formulated based on size and physiology so cat medications are the best and safest products to use for cats. The single biggest cause of all non-medicinal poisoning is using the wrong products on cats.

If you treat your dog with a permethrin-containing medication, allow the medication to dry before reuniting the dog and cat.

Why is my topical flea medication not working?
There are 3 reasons a topical doesn’t appear to work: application procedure, the pet’s skin, the flea reservoir (environment and untreated pets).
1. Application: Be sure the applicator touches the skin and the product is not spread through the hair where it cannot be absorbed. Do not rub in the product. Keep your fingers away from the applicator tip so that the pet, and not you, receives the full dose. Squeeze the tube entirely empty. For cats, apply medication to the base of the skull rather than between shoulder blades where some flexible cats can lick off the medication.
2. Skin health: Be sure the skin is soft, flexible, and healthy. If it is dry, thick, and unhealthy, the medication will not be carried through the skin as it should. If necessary supplement your pet with Omega 3 fatty acids to improve skin and coat health.
3. Flea reservoir: Remove fleas from the house and yard. Treat all pets in the household, even those that are not scratching because fleas don’t cause all pets to scratch. Limit your pet’s exposure to wildlife and stray pets. Great efforts bring great rewards.

Why are there 8 categories of products just to kill fleas and ticks: shampoos, dips, sprays, powders, foggers, combs, topical and oral medications?
From the number of categories of products, you can tell how serious the flea and tick problem is. For most pet parents, topical or oral medications used monthly are the most convenient.

When flea prevention efforts haven’t been sufficient, dips, powders, foggers, sprays and shampoos are necessary. These products kill adult fleas immediately. Some also contain Insect Growth Regulators that prevent larva and egg development.

Flea combs and shampoos are excellent products to use on geriatric pets and those that have lost enough blood to fleas to be anemic. Combs and shampoos are also useful for young puppies and kittens with immature nervous systems. Or, prevent puppies and kittens from ever having fleas by treating the mother and the whelping area before they arrive.

Can I use two flea medications at the same time?
Generally, it is unwise to combine two flea medications because pets are healthier with limited chemical exposure. When it is necessary to use more than one product on a pet, it’s because there is a problem with environmental control measures inside and outside the home.

Do not use two topical medications at the same time, such as Frontline and Advantage. It is possible to use an oral Insect Growth Regulator medication with a topical medication. For example, with a cat, give oral Program and apply Advantage or Frontline topically. For a dog, give oral Sentinel and apply Frontline or Advantage topically.

It is always better to control fleas in the environment than to put chemicals on pets to control them.