With spring comes warmer weather and more outdoor activities to enjoy with our dogs. Unfortunately, we can also expect more fleas and ticks. This is the time to remember the three “Ps” of flea and tick control:

1. Pets – Preventing and treating fleas on your dog.
2. Premise – Control of fleas in your environment.
3. Persistence – Continuous treatment of your home and pet.

Pets

• Don’t wait until you see fleas or ticks to treat your pet. Adult fleas on your dog account for only 5% of the total flea population, so take preventive steps.
• Treat all of your pets so they don’t infect each other. The same species of flea infects cats, dogs, rabbits and other small animals.
• Flea and tick control products fall within two categories: topical and oral.

Topical Products – “Spot-on” products, flea shampoos, sprays, dips, powders and collars are all topical. Spot-on products are liquid treatments that are effective for at least a month. Flea shampoos, sprays, dips, powders and collars either kill fleas on contact or have a residual effect lasting from a few days to a few weeks.

Oral Products – Oral products are mostly used to prevent heartworm, but some also have an active ingredient that prevents flea growth.

Premise

• For effective flea control, treat your home and yard as well as your dog.
• It’s a myth that fleas jump off dogs to lay their eggs. Flea eggs are laid in a dog’s coat then fall onto carpets, bedding and other areas. In fact, about 70% of flea eggs will fall off a dog within the first eight hours.
• Wash dog bedding and area rugs weekly and vacuum carpets often.
• Products to kill fleas indoors include powders, carpet sprays, aerosols and foggers.
• Use yard sprays to reduce the flea population outdoors. In severe cases, you might need a pest control service.

Persistence

• It’s not unusual to see an initial improvement, only to have a rebound three weeks later. This is why persistence is the key.
• Become familiar with the flea life cycle, which can last from two weeks to several months.
• Keep your pet on a lifelong flea control program. It’ll make the lives of your dog and your family more enjoyable.

Start your flea and tick control program with a visit to Pet Supermarket. A full range of products is at your disposal year round for indoor and outdoor treatment.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 11th, 2011 at 7:03 pm and is filed under Dog Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.