Everyone that owns a dog or cat is familiar with the incessant itching and itching that accompanies a flea infestation. Anyone who has ever had Grant Valkaria Squirrel Removal to remove an engorged tick knows how unpleasant a task this is. But fleas and ticks do more than just cause distress. In addition to the hair loss, scabs, and skin discomforts that accompany flea and tick infestations, there is the frightening and real risk of disease spread. Ticks carry organisms that cause diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease, along with the several other potentially fatal illnesses. Animals that are allergic to flea bites can endure distress for months from a single bite and tick bites can become infected. And the worst part is that for each one of these nasty parasites that you see in your pet, there are hundreds more in the environment. Simply removing the fleas and ticks on your pet doesn’t eliminate them from your house and yard.
Mosquitoes are an additional problem. Although they don’t live and reproduce in your property, they quickly multiply in still water anytime the weather warms up. The tire swing in your garden or the empty planter on your porch may comprise thousands of mosquito larvae. Mosquito bites hurt, can cause allergic reactions, and may become infected. But most importantly, they could spread heart worm disease, West Nile disease, and other life-threatening infections to our pets.
There are ways to deal with these parasites. There is no perfect control, but by educating yourself regarding all of the available products, and employing the ideal product for your particular situation, you can cut the chances that your pet will be infested with fleas or become a meal for ticks. When choosing an insect-control product, it’s crucial to analyze the period of the flea, tick, and mosquito season in your area, the severity of the problem, the type of external parasites involved, the species, age, and health of the pet, and any chemical sensitivities in the household. Many men and women realize that they should treat the yard and the house, as well as the pets, to attain adequate control.
When reading product labels, start looking for the active ingredients, the species and age of animal which the product is meant to be used for, the types of parasites killed, and whether the item contains an adulticide, an insect growth regulator, or both.
Traditional methods of flea control for pets have included flea shampoos, dips, powders, combs, and sprays. Although effective, these products often only kill the adult parasites and have minimum residual activity. So, new fleas or ticks may re-infest your pet in a matter of days. Conventional methods may also be time consuming and often messy. The labels must be read carefully to assure the best use of the products. Never use a flea, tick, or mosquito merchandise for a cat unless the label specifically states that it is safe for cats. Many dog products are extremely dangerous for cats.
Newer products operate quickly to kill the parasites. Rapid control on the pet can be achieved with Capstar. This is a tablet that is given orally and kills the fleas within a matter of hours. It only lasts one day, but is great at fast removing heavy flea infestations. It’s easier to use, more effective, and safer than shampooing your pet to kill ticks and fleas. It begins to work within 30 minutes and eliminates over 90% of the fleas on cats in 6 hours and on dogs in 4 hours. It is safe in pregnant and nursing animals, and may be used on dogs and cats 4 weeks old and older that weigh at least two pounds. It has no side effects and no contraindications and may be used daily, if necessary.
Other new products kill fleas immediately and continue killing them a few weeks. These include topical, spot-on products that are used monthly. They’re applied to the pet’s skin according to the label instructions. These spot-on products may all look similar, but they do contain unique ingredients. . It is extremely important to read the whole label to be certain you’re using the right product for your pet’s needs. A few of the products kill ticks, some kill and repel ticks, and a few kill or discourage mosquitoes. Some contain IGR’s. It is important to understand that more potent products may have an increased risk of unwanted side effects.
It may be confusing to compare the various spot-on insecticide products. The decision is made by balancing safety, efficacy, duration, addition of an insect growth regulator, and whether the product can be used on cats or dogs. Bear in mind that individual pets may respond to any given insecticide product. If a negative reaction does occur, the product should not be used again. Switching to another product may solve the issue, in that different individual animals do respond differently to the varying insecticides. Let us take a look at the most common spot-on insecticide products for your pets.
Benefit is made by Bayer. The product comprises one insecticide, imidacloprimid: It can be used on dogs over 7 weeks old and cats over 8 weeks old. One of the fastest-working products, it kills 98-100% of the fleas on the pet within 12 hours and eliminates new fleas within 2 hours. It lasts up to 4 months. It has no repellent and can’t kill ticks or mosquitoes. It does not contain an IGR and cannot kill eggs, but it will kill larvae in a pet’s bedding when the creatures contacts a pet. It has a very good safety record. It’s effective in the face of bathrooms, swimming, and sunlight. Advantage kills fleas faster than other spot-ons and is extremely safe, so it’s a excellent product if fleas are the only issue with your pets and when security is a significant concern. It’s especially great for indoor pets. It should not be reapplied at less than 1 month intervals.
K9 Advantix is also made by Bayer. This product contains imidacloprimid (found in Edge), plus a second insecticide, permethrin. The next insecticide makes this product more palatable and potentially increases the risk of side effects in pets. This product cannot be used on cats; it is only to be used on dogs. It may prevent and kill fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes on dogs 7 weeks of age or older. Like Advantage, it lasts up to 4 weeks, kills 98-100% of fleas within 12 hours, and is not affected by swimming or bathing. It also kills flea larvae. It takes approximately two weeks to kill ticks. It shouldn’t be reapplied at less than one month intervals.
Frontline Topspot is manufactured by Merial and contains the insecticide, fipronil. It may be used on dogs and cats 8 weeks of age or over. Frontline for dogs and cats will kill 100 percent of their pet’s fleas within 18 hours and ticks within 48 hours of application. It kills ticks for up to a month, and fleas for up to 6 weeks on cats and 12 weeks on dogs. If both fleas and ticks are a problem, it needs to be applied monthly. It is approved for breeding, pregnant, and lactating dogs to control fleas, ticks, and also to help in the control of sarcoptic mange mites. It is not affected by swimming or bathing. It shouldn’t be implemented at less than 1 month intervals.
Frontline Plus can be manufactured by Merial. It’s licensed for dogs and cats over 8 weeks old. Like Frontline, it controls fleas, ticks, and lice, and aids in treatment of sarcoptic mange mites on dogs. It kills ticks for up to one month on cats and dogs, and fleas for up to six months on cats and 12 weeks. Due to the additional IGR, it has been demonstrated to kill flea eggs and larvae for up to six months to the cat product and 12 weeks for the dog product. This provides a more rapid reduction in fleas in the house and environment that Frontline Topspot. If both fleas and ticks are a problem, it needs to be applied monthly. It is not affected by swimming or bathing. It should not be implemented at less than one month intervals.
Bio-Spot for Dogs is made by Farnam Corporation and contains permethrin (found in K9 Advantix) along with an insect growth regulator, pyriproxyfen. . It repels and kills mosquitoes for up to 4 months, but it isn’t a heartworm preventative medication. It is for use only on dogs over 12 weeks old. . It can’t be used on cats. It controls over 92 % of fleas within 24 hours of use. It’s relatively stable in water or bathing, but it listed as being able to be reapplied if removed by shampoos. It’s not removed by mild shampoos. It is usually applied at 4 week intervals.
It can be used on cats 5 pounds and over. It kills fleas for up to one month, deer ticks for up to a month, and flea eggs and larvae for up to three months. Additionally, it repels mosquitoes for up to a month. This item is made to be used on cats only.
Revolution is made by Pfizer. It contains the insecticide, selamectin. A prescription is required for this product. It may be used on dogs six weeks of age and over and cats eight weeks of age and over. It’s different indications for cats and dogs. For dogs, it kills adult fleas and prevents eggs from hatching for one month. It helps control and prevent heartworm disease, ear mites, and sarcoptic mange, and kills ticks for one month. For cats, it kills adult fleas for one month, prevents flea eggs from hatching for one month, prevents heartworm disease, kills ear mites, kills roundworms, and kills hookworms. It’s typically used at monthly intervals unless another use is recommended by the prescribing veterinarian. It’s absorbed systemically and won’t be removed with bathing or swimming.
Program is an oral product for dogs and marketed as a tablet for dogs and a suspension for cats. This product comprises the insect growth regulator, lufenuron. This product prevents flea eggs from hatching and larval forms of germs from maturing. It effectively sterilizes any biting fleas. It doesn’t kill adult fleas, but is capable of removing flea populations in the environment. Since only 2% of the flea population is in the mature form, the product works to get rid of the fleas in the house and yard. It must be administered in conjunction with food. Lufenuron is also found in the heartworm preventive medication, Sentinel. The Program pill is tagged for dogs and in addition, can be utilised in cats that are 7-15 lbs and over 6 weeks of age. The feline suspension may be used for cats that weigh more or less than this range. Program is a great product if fleas only intermittently irritate your pets and you would like to make sure that biting fleas do not add hundreds or thousands of eggs to your surroundings.
The flea and tick-killing spot-ons have dramatically enhanced our successes at controlling these parasites. Thus, if your environment is filled with aging and biting fleas, it may take several months to acquire control in the event you only use a spot-on and do not treat the environment. Many options are available for environmental management. Products for the yard and house include sprays, powders, and foggers, such as Adams’s Room Foggers with Sykillstop, Lawn and Kennel Spray, and Inverted Carpet and Premise Spray. These products will help eliminate adult fleas, and people with insect growth regulators will decrease eggs and larvae.
Your selection of flea control product will vary depending upon the needs of your pet and you. For example, a dog that’s quite allergic to flea bites needs a product that repels fleas and kills them, not just one with an IGR. An elderly, toy dog that spends 98% of its time at the house may do fine with only an IGR, such as Program, or a product which only kills fleas, such as Advantage. A stray pet that is coming into your home and has fleas may be treated using a product such as Capstar and a spot-on product, or bathed with a flea and tick shampoo, then be treated in the next few days using a spot-on item. A cat or dog with ticks may require a product such as Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Plus or the proper Bio Spot. Any pet that has side effects from a product should be bathed with a shampoo that will remove oils from the coat rather than be treated with the item again.
It is important to read all labels to properly select and use the products that best match your pets’ needs. Simply use products according to the label instructions. Don’t use partial doses, do not give dog products to cats, and don’t overdose the pet. Misuse of these insecticide products can significantly boost the chances of side effects. Insect Growth Regulators raise control without significantly increasing side effects, so pick these when it is sensible to do so. By picking the item that best controls the parasites and matches your pet’s age, health, and weight reduction, you can remove the pests which are bothering your pet and limit side effects. With numerous flea and tick products available, there is no reason for any pet to suffer from such parasites.
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