Pet Flea Control

Killing the adult cat and dog fleas on your pet will make your pet more comfortable and stop eggs from being laid. 

For the best results, use one of the newer generation pet flea control products introduced since the mid-1990s. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation. Some people are convinced fleas have become resistant. Although that’s not true, some strains of fleas are a little hardier and take longer to kill. 

Unfortunately, there is also the possibility of receiving a counterfeit product if you buy it in the store or online. These products won’t work like they are supposed to and may actually cause problems. Inspect packages carefully. You can find information to help you.

There are other products out there, but they use older chemicals, often a pyrethroid. They don’t work as well because cat and dog fleas do have a resistance to them. Permethrin (one type of pyrethroid) is toxic to cats and is often, but not always,  in dog-only products. Use extreme caution if you are purchasing over the counter cat flea treatment products.  Buying veterinary approved only products for cats is much safer!  To make sure you are killing as many fleas as possible, get the better products. They will probably be more expensive, but worth it. Otherwise, you may be battling cat or dog fleas for months on end as they keep making babies. 

Treat every pet in the house. If you treat only pets that go outside, the fleas will gladly go to the one that stays in. Too often fleas aren’t controlled because people don’t bother to treat the indoor cat! Also consider that animal visitors may be bringing in fleas. 

Read dog and cat flea treatment product labels carefully and completely. Learn what it does, how to apply it, and when it needs to be repeated. Make sure it’s safe for cats if you plan to use it on your kitty.

Make sure you are using the pet flea control product correctly. Products won’t work if you are getting the fur wet instead of applying it to the skin. Ask your vet to show you the proper way to apply it. It’s also not a good idea to buy a larger size product and split it between smaller pets because you won’t know if they are getting the correct amount.

If you bathe your pet or he goes swimming, a topical product may not be lasting as long as it should. An oral product might be a better choice.

Repeat it as often as the label says you should.  Don’t try to get a few more days out of it. Otherwise, cat and dog fleas are surviving to make babies and keep the process going.

Some non-chemical products may have some effectiveness, but there is usually no research to help you.

Studies have shown that vitamin B1 (thiamine) and brewer’s yeast are not effective at all. There is no evidence that garlic helps and garlic is toxic. Even in low doses over time, it may cause problems. Play it safe and avoid it.

There are many herbal flea products, often with essential oils. A study looking at reactions to natural products found they can cause problems. Of the cases in the study, three pets died or were euthanized because of it. Cats are especially sensitive to pet flea control products. Be aware that natural products aren’t completely safe.

Unfortunately, most are not very effective either, in this case, conventional treatments are best.  There are so many products on the market today that are veterinary approved, and come in different forms like topicals, collars, and orals, so finding one that fits your needs shouldn’t be too difficult.  Ask your vet for recommendations for dog and cat flea treatment medications since they are familiar with your pet’s individual lifestyle and your area.  Fleas pose a true health menace, and it’s important to keep them under control.

Borate has been used in homes with some success. It needs to get down deep into carpets to work well.  Diatomaceous earth as it contains silica that has been shown to cause lung disease in people. 

Ultrasonic devices don’t work. Flea traps don’t work well. These are devices that have a light bulb over a pan of soapy water or a sticky pad (be sure your pet can’t get into it!). The best ones use a special green light that blinks occasionally to simulate the shadow of a passing host. They may catch some fleas, but they won’t control an infestation. With any of these products, as with the conventional ones, read labels very carefully.