First of all I am NOT a vet! I have gathered this information from websites and talking to my vet, who ha reviewed this article. PLEASE seek out medical advice and do your own research to ensure your pets are covered against fleas Safely!
Topical Products
Since Frontline and Advantage require the pet to come into contact with the product to kill them, it is MY BELIEF that there is a maximum number of fleas it will kill. That is why there are some people who see fleas again in two weeks versus and entire month. If the infestation is SEVERE it will take more of the topical solution to kill them.
Think about it for a minute. Every flea that comes into contact with the product HAS to soak some of it up and when they fall off or wash off the animal it goes with them. Therefore it is not on the animal any longer to work on the fleas that remain. With veterinary consultation, it may be possible to reapply the topicals more frequently. Usually within a month or so they find the frequency with which they have to apply the product diminishes greatly, and they are back on the manufacturers suggested schedule.
I also encourage them to get their dog groomed prior to application so that there will be fewer adult fleas the product must try to kill.
It is important for those battling fleas to understand that the entire life cycle must be broken in order to remove the pest from their environment.
We as groomers only deal with the problem of the ADULT flea which by some estimates is only 1% of the flea problem with the remainder being in the pupa or larvae stage.
Adult fleas can live for as long as one year, prefer temperatures from 75-90 degrees, and a single female flea can produce as many as 1000 eggs in her lifetime, averaging 30 a day!
It is no wonder that they are such a hard bug to kill!
Educating the consumer to the fact that the fleas live in their homes and yards not just on the pet that we are treating is KEY to the treatment of infestations.
Some of the topical flea products, like Frontline, Advantage and Revolution actually kill the larva and pupa stages of the fleas as well as the adults. They act as a topical CONTACT killer and kill the different stages of flea life before they grow into adult fleas and lay eggs. Many companies claim that you do not have to treat your home and yard if you use their product, but I recommend it is done anyway to speed up the process of infestation elimination! These products are approved now for sale at pet stores, feed stores and grooming salons, where before they were only available through a licensed veterinarian.
Oral Medications
Program actually sterilizes the fleas preventing them from reproducing. There is also some research that suggests it is an effective fungal fighter in the cases of ringworm and yeast. It is a TRUE Insect Growth Regulator. It does not kill fleas, it simply prevents them from reproducing. ONLY by using it in conjunction with other products will the pet owner see results. This medication is sold by itself and in conjustion with Heartworm medications as well.
Capstar only kills the adult fleas present on the dog at the time the pill is administered, but together with a topical can be the difference between failure and success in breaking the cycle of the flea. It begins working in just a half hour to kill ALL the adult fleas on the pet.
Now there is a new product out called COMFORTIS (and Trifexis is the same medication with Heartworm Prevention built in). This is the Holy Grail of flea killers we have available at this time. It is an FDA approved pill for the control of fleas. This has been the best and most significant development in the elimination of fleas in my lifetime. It is safe, effective and since it kills fleas FAST they do not have a chance to reproduce eliminating the need for premise treatment or yard sprays.
I reccomend it to every client in my salon and use it on my own dogs. You can learn more at Comfortis
Dogs with a seizure disorder or liver function problems may not be good candidates for this medication. You musst comsult your vet beforeusing this product a it for sale ONLY at veterinarian offices.
Any of the Hartz, Sargents, Bio-Spot, Zodiac or any other product found at department stores or pet supply houses that IS NOT FOR SALE at a vet clininc needs to ba avoided at all cost. They donot work, and in many cases, can make the pet sick or even in some cases cause death. Here are some links to articles written recently on the subject for you to make your own decision. Hartz Kills
Whatever you choose to use, discuss it with your veterinarian and remember that all animals in the household, inside and outside need to be treated for effective control.
