Fleas and ticks can make your pet’s life miserable. Everyone that owns a dog or cat is familiar with the incessant itching and scratching that accompanies a flea infestation. Anyone that has ever had to remove an engorged tick knows how unpleasant a task this can be. But fleas and ticks do more than just cause discomfort. In addition to the hair loss, scabs, and skin irritations that accompany flea and tick infestations, there is the real and frightening risk of disease spread. Fleas can cause anemia, and transmit the plague and tapeworms. Ticks carry organisms that cause diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease, along with the several other potentially fatal illnesses. Animals that are allergic to flea bites can suffer torment for weeks from one single bite and tick bites can become infected. And the worst part is that for every one of these nasty parasites that you see on your pet, there are hundreds more in the environment. Simply removing the fleas and ticks on your pet does not eliminate them from your house and yard.
Pest Control Services for Mosquitoes East Meadow are an additional problem. Although they do not live and reproduce in your house, they rapidly multiply in still water anytime the weather warms up. The tire swing in your backyard or the empty planter on your porch may contain thousands of mosquito larvae. Mosquito bites hurt, can cause allergic reactions, and can become infected. But most importantly, they can 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 the available products, and using the best product for your particular situation, you can reduce the chances that your pet will be infested with fleas or become a meal for ticks. Some of the flea and tick products repel mosquitoes, as well. When choosing an insect-control product, it is important to examine the length 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 people find that they need to treat the yard and the house, as well as the pets, to achieve adequate control.
When reading product labels, look for the active ingredients, the species and age of animal that the product is intended to be used for, the types of parasites killed, and whether or not the product includes an adulticide, an insect growth regulator, or both. Adulticides are insecticides that kill adult insects; insect growth regulators are insecticides that help to reduce fleas in the environment by preventing eggs from hatching and larvae from molting. The insect growth regulators (IGR’s) are of vital importance to reduce fleas in the environment and eliminate them before they have a chance to jump on your pet. They are a simple, easy method of flea population control and an excellent addition to flea products that kill fleas on your pet.
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 little or no residual activity. So, new ticks or fleas can re-infest your pet in a matter of days. Traditional methods are also 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 product for a cat unless the label specifically states that it is safe for cats. Many dog products are very dangerous for cats.
Newer products work quickly to kill the parasites. Rapid control on the pet can be achieved with Capstar. This is a tablet that is given by mouth and kills the fleas within a matter of hours. It only lasts one day, but is great at rapidly removing heavy flea infestations. It is easier to use, more effective, and safer than shampooing the pet to kill fleas and ticks. It starts 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 can be used on cats and dogs 4 weeks of age and older that weigh at least 2 pounds. It has no side effects and no contraindications and can be used daily, if needed.
Other new products kill fleas quickly and keep on killing them several weeks. These include topical, spot-on products that are used monthly. They are applied to the pet’s skin according to the label directions. These spot-on products may all look similar, but they do contain different ingredients.. It is very important to read the entire label to make sure that you are using the correct product for your pet’s needs. Some products are only safe for dogs, some work faster than others, some last longer than others, some are rinsed off with bathing, and some kill only fleas. Some of the products kill ticks, some repel and kill ticks, and some discourage or kill mosquitoes. Some contain IGR’s. It is important to understand that more potent products may have an increased risk of unwanted side effects. The product label will explain how the product works, what parasites are controlled, which animals it should be used on, and the proper dose of the product