Flea Control |
| Q: With the warm, wet weather I have noticed a drastic increase in the number of fleas on my dogs and cat. Over-the-counter flea medications and collars don't seem to be doing the trick. What can you recommend for flea control that works? A: This is a very frequently asked question in my practice. I am happy to tell you that today flea control is easy, effective and much less expensive than in years past! We have two different products available. For bad flea infestations I recommend Advantage which is a new generation spot-on medication. Advantage is guaranteed to kill all of the fleas on the animal within 12 hours and will continue killing for about 30 days. This medication affects the nervous system of the flea and is completely safe for the animal. There is no need for spraying the house and yard as fleas in the environment will soon jump on the animal for a meal. When they do, they will be dead within hours! Don't confuse this prescription medication with over-the-counter spot-on's which are using pesticides from 15 years ago. Today's fleas are resistant to these inferior products. Secondly, for those of you who don't yet have a flea problem but simply want to avoid one, there is Program. For dogs this medication is available in combination with heartworm prevention and is called Sentinel. It is a once a month pill that is also very safe. Program acts to sterilize the fleas, not kill them. The sterilized flea will be unable to multiply and will soon die. In cats Program is available in an injection which is given every 6 months. |
