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Flea Prevention and Control
Tick Control
Our Recommendations to Prevent
Flea Infestation and Control Fleas and Ticks
for dogs and puppies as well as
cats and kittens
Administer Program or Sentinel,
the oral, monthly flea preventative. These should be given year round or at least begin in
early Spring.
If you see fleas or ticks apply Frontline Spray
or Top Spot to the skin of your pet. Frontline and Top
Spot kill fleas and ticks fast, in less than 24 hours. They will continue killing
fleas for up to 3 months and ticks for at least one month with each application.
See page three if you are interested in more details
about the flea life cycle and how it may impact your flea treatment plan.
How Do These Products Work?
Program (lufenuron) is a chitin
inhibitor. Program stops the development of flea eggs and larvae. Program
breaks the flea life cycle. When fleas get on your pet, Program keeps those
fleas from reproducing. Because the fleas can’t reproduce an infestation of your home
is avoided.
Frontline and Top Spot
(fipronil) kill adult fleas and ticks. When fleas infest your pet , they bite your pet
causing itching and scratching. When ticks bite your pet and attach to the skin they can
transmit diseases, like Lyme’s disease. By quickly killing adult fleas and ticks Frontline
and Top Spot reduce flea allergy skin problems and also help reduce
the spread of tick borne diseases.
Flea Control and Prevention
Revolutionized
Recent research and new products have revolutionized
the way we deal with fleas. The way we treat dog and cat flea problems will never be the
same again!!!!!! The good news… the new products are safer for your pet and the
environment than the old products.
The LIFE CYCLE
Ctenocephalides felis (the cat flea) is now the
predominant flea species associated with cats and dogs in the United States.
ADULTS
Cat fleas spend virtually their entire life on the dog
or cat. They will initiate feeding and breeding within 8 hours of finding a dog or cat.
They will only leave the dog or cat to jump on another dog or cat. Treatment point:
treatment must be directed at the dog or cat.
EGGS
Within 24-36 hours the flea will begin laying eggs.
Peak egg production occurs within 4 to 8 days of feeding and an adult cat flea can produce
up to 40 to 50 eggs per day at it's peak. Reproduction can continue for up to 100 days. Treatment
point: We must have flea treatment that is effective immediately and maintains it’s
effectiveness for as long as possible.
LARVAE
After the eggs hatch, the tiny larval forms of the
flea live in our homes. Their instinct is to crawl toward gravity. Thus they go into the
cracks in hardwood floors and deep into carpeting. Treatment point: In these places
they are almost entirely protected from exposure to insecticides and growth regulators we
apply to our environment.
PUPAE
In this stage the larvae spins a cocoon around itself
and becomes a pupa. Ninety-plus percent of the pupa emerge within a couple of weeks. A
small portion delay emergence until up to 50 weeks. Treatment point: It is very
difficult to kill pupa in the environment and delayed emergence produces re-infestation at
almost anytime.
PRE-ADULT
When the pre-adult emerges it goes away from gravity
and orients toward light. When the light changes or something walks by, the flea jumps. Treatment
point: The pre-adult does not stay on the floor or carpeting long enough to be killed by
insecticides sprayed on these surfaces.
WINTER SURVIVAL
Why has the flea continued to survive in cold northern
climates where it is not supposed to? First fleas are living on wild dogs, cats, opossums
and raccoons during the winter. Secondly, immature forms of the flea can live in tiny
protected areas out-of -doors during the winter. Treatment point: Preventative measures
should continue all year round.
The Virtually Parasite-Free Dog
Yes. It is possible to have your dog virtually
parasite-free. When you administer SENTINEL
monthly to your dog you control Heartworms, Hookworms, Whipworms, Roundworms and fleas. If
you augment this therapy with an adult flea killer, like Top Spot, applied every one to
three months, you virtually eliminate all parasites on your dog. Sentinel is PROGRAM (flea control) and INTERCEPTOR
(Heartworm, Hookworm, Roundworm and Whipworm control) combined in one pill.
The Foundation of Your Flea
Control Program or Sentinel
Our goal at Kirkwood Animal Hospital is to inform our
clients of the best ways to help pets live longer and healthier lives. PROGRAM, now contained in Sentinel in now considered the best foundation
for effective flea control . Traditionally insecticides have provided the foundation of
most flea control programs. Insecticides are no longer considered the foundation of a good
flea control program for three reasons:
All parasites, including fleas, have the
ability to form resistance to insecticides over time. Eventually insecticides will not
kill fleas well and we continually contaminate the environment.
Insecticides have protection gaps. A
single female flea can lay 2,000 eggs in her short lifetime. If the female flea is on a
dog or cat treated with Program her eggs will not develop. Program removes
protection gaps, prevents a reinfestation, and minimizes the need for insecticides.
When Program is used as the
foundation of your flea control, insecticides can usually be avoided until adult fleas are
seen in large numbers. We avoid applying insecticides to our animals, and therefore avoid
possible contamination to ourselves and the environment.
If You Need an Insecticide,
FRONTLINE TOP SPOT,
Has You Covered
Frontline/Top Spot
is guaranteed to eliminate fleas and keep them from coming back.
Guaranteed to kill ticks that transmit serious
diseases.
Guaranteed gentle enough for puppies and kittens.
Guaranteed 100% effective, even after shampooing.
Guarantee is by Merial company
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