Recently in flea control Category

New to us, anyway. 

We hate fleas.

Fortunately, pet owners now have all kinds of anti-flea products available to them that make fleas a much smaller problem than they once were.

I've been around long enough to remember those smelly aerosol sprays for flea control. It took two people, one holding the pet down and turning him over, to apply the treatments. And the people often wound up with just as much stinky spray on them as the pet did. Good riddance to that mess.

And before that, there were those entirely ineffective flea collars.

Thankfully, the science of keeping pets parasite-free has come a long way in the past couple decades.

Once keeping pets and their owners happy was seen as a potential profit-making venture, laboratories began working hard to develop more effective products. And they've succeeded. Program, Advantage, Frontline and a host of other products have made pet-owning households much happier places in the past 15 years.

There are concerns about some of the topical treatments -- some pets have adverse reactions to the products. You have to be careful not to use a formula designed for dogs on a cat, for example.

But here's my personal dilemma: I've been using Frontline top spot (not the Plus formula) on my two dogs for several years. I don't think I'd even seen a flea in most of that time.

Recently, though, I've noticed fleas returning before month's end. Cowboy's especially sensitive to fleas but both he and Tess are biting and scratching within three weeks after I've put the Frontline on them. Upon closer inspection, I see adult fleas on both dogs. A single dose of Frontline used to last us a good 6-8 weeks. And I often never had to treat them at all through the winter months, even here in California.

I'm wondering if adding an indoor-outdoor cat to the mix about a year ago could be part of the issue (I use Frontline for cats on Annie). But I also spotted a website that indicated some concerns back in 2007 that Frontline may have been losing its effectiveness.

On the advice of a friend in Idaho (who prefers natural remedies), I've recently started supplementing our flea-fighting strategy with food-grade diatomaceous earth sprinkled on bedding and in pets' coats. It's too early to tell if that's helping, but I'll most likely be consulting with my veterinarian soon to see what he recommends.

In doing a little research, I was amazed at the selection of products that are now available to consumers.

What's your experience been with flea control? What have you found to be the most effective & safest treatments to use?

I like Frontline because it treats ticks as well. But can pets develop a resistance to some of these formulas over time?

Talk to us.

The EPA tells consumers how to tell if that Advantage or Frontline they bought is the real deal -- or a fake.

I posted briefly  yesterday about the cute little orange cat and I wanted to thank you all so much for the helpful advice.

Here's the scoop on the new kitten (not mine): 

The feral kitten (3 months old) was found outside Daily Breeze colleague Sandy Mazza's apartment several days ago with his mom and his sibling. Despite a crusty pus that had almost sealed his little eyes shut, the little guy would approach Sandy, trying to play.

Sandy, an all-around animal lover (don't even get her started on the baby eagle Web cam that's the internet rage right now) took pity on him and threw caution to the wind, scooping him up and taking him in.

She tells me today that he's MUCH improved, he's loving the flea comb and is busy killing his new toy mice. He purrs constantly and the flea situation, for now, is mostly under control. He's entranced by the television set

Sandy took him to the vet Monday night after she'd spotted him lying in her driveway looking "ragged."

Aside from the fleas, a flu-like infection (he still doesn't have much of a voice) and ear mites, the vet said there did not appear to be anything life-threatening. So $200 later (welcome to the club, Sandy), home he came with her, stocked with medications and a followup appointment set for next week.

Here are the first of our "after" pics, he's looking SO much better (and check out the plush new cat bed from PetCo):

OK, South Bay Pets readers. We need your advice.

What's the best way to combat fleas on a 3-month-old (but sickly-recovering, weak) kitten? The topical drops would be too strong for now.

And how about treating a carpeted environment?

Fleabusters? Something else that's effective yet not too costly?

 

 

The poor kitty in question is shown below. ;(

We hope to have a robust 'after" picture in a short time!

  

 

Tracking back on our earlier post today on how risky some of the flea-fighting chemicals are, I found this post on Raise a Green Dog that discusses some safer alternatives.

Among the suggestions:

• Keep your dog on a good, holistic diet
• Check often for signs of fleas and ticks
• Use nematodes in the yard
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the yard
• Use cedar shavings in pet bedding

 

With flea season upon us, it's time to pull out the big guns.

Advantage? Frontline?

A new product guide aims to analyze chemicals in some of the leading brands to better help pet owners choose safe and effective flea control measures.

 The Natural Resources Defense Council specifically warned against the hazards of flea and tick collars as part of its "Green Paws" campaign to help consumers find the safest flea-control products that won't put pets or children at risk.

The report warned of dangerously high levels of two carcinogenic neurotoxins on pet fur after using ordinary flea collars. The NRDC has filed a lawsuit against companies including Petsmart, Petco and Sergeants and has asked for a government ban on the use of the chemicals in flea collars.

As for the popular "top-spot" treatments most of us use, Avantage topical contains Imidacloprid, which the NRDC says is toxic to the nervous system. The "Plus" formula has Pyriproxyfen which is considered safer.

Frontline topical contains Fipronil, a possible carcinogen that is toxic to the nervous system. The "Plus" brand contains Fipronil and S-Methoprene, judged to be a safer chemical.