Mild Winter + Southern Climate + Your Pet + FLEAS

Welcome to 2016! A new year has begun and warm weather barely took a holiday during the winter. This means that the flea population which has been languishing in high numbers is poised to explode with fury as the year rolls into summer. The question is: are you going to wait until you notice a problem, or will you take steps now to fight the surge?  

Consider the Facts

Adult fleas land on the host and feed. Each flea can lay 40-50 eggs every day. The eggs roll off and hatch into larvae in 3-5 days. If the environment is warm and humid, more larvae survive and the problem is worse. If it's cool and dry, the cycle slows and the problem persists longer. Then come the pupae (cocoons) and the newly hatched fleas. At the point you become aware of fleas, the cycle has been churning for up to two months, and your environment is full of hatching and developing fleas. You repeatedly apply insecticides to your pet, even for 2-3 months, and the fleas keep coming. This is because the environment continues to harbor all of the life stages, collectively known as the flea biomass. In order to truly address flea control, the biomass must also be considered and a multi-pronged approach utilized.

But first, a few more ways that fleas get into your house and yard

Pets and Hitchhikers: Fleas can get into your house on socks and other clothing and from your pet, visiting pets, and their bedding. The home is where the flea becomes King! Most of the flea life stages exist in your pet's favorite places (beds, couches, carpet, baseboards, etc.)
Pets, wildlife, and feral cats can be a source of fleas outdoors. Flea larvae love cool, shady areas (e.g., under porches) and mulched areas.
So, in most cases, it is important to treat your house and yard as well as your pet. Diligent house cleaning and vacuuming and indoor/outdoor sprays complete the flea eradication picture along with treatment of all pets.

Comparison of Flea Control Products for the Pet

The most important factors when choosing a flea eradication product are safety and residual killing speed. After dosing, residual killing power tends to decline over time. Remember that it takes only 24-48 hours for a flea to lay eggs. Since larvae will continue to emerge over the next 1-2 months, the product needs to eliminate the biomass within 12-24 hours (the reproductive breaking point) in order to prevent re-infestation.

             

Monthly Topicals: These vary in their ability to achieve and maintain a good killing speed over time. Therefore, some topicals may prove ineffective and/or may need to be repeated more frequently than every 30 days.

            

Monthly Tablets/Chews: These tend to be superior to topicals in terms of the speed and completeness of flea kill. Examples are Comfortis, Nexgard, and Bravecto. There is some evidence that the monthly products may run out of killing effectiveness before 30 days. Bravecto, the newest oral product, is unique in that it has quick killing capability, lasts 12 weeks, and is thus the most capable in eradicating the flea biomass.

You don't have to sing this song!

Take Home Message: EVEN IF YOU DO EVERYTHING RIGHT, IT CAN STILL TAKE UP TO 3 OR 4 MONTHS TO ELIMINATE YOUR FLEA POPULATION (BIOMASS) AND YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE NEW FLEAS HATCHING UP UNTIL THEN.

It takes patience, diligence, and excellent flea control products to win the war on fleas. If your flea control has not been consistent year round, then you may have some catching up to do. The sooner you start, the better.

You CAN make the summer of 2016 Flea Control manageable!