For many pet owners, fleas and ticks pose a double threat of both annoyance and a very real danger to both their pets and themselves. In many parts of the country, ticks can carry diseases which can damage your long term health, or even potentially threaten your life.
Fortunately, many of the best products for flea control are quite effective for killing ticks as well. Frontline Plus, for instance, will kill ticks within 48 hours of application. That's twice as long as it takes to kill fleas, but still quite quick.
Frontline will also kill the ticks responsible for Lyme disease, an important feature if you live in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent.
While Advantage does not kill or repel ticks, Bayer does make a related product called K9 Advantix which is a similar monthly treatment for dogs that will kill fleas, ticks and mosquitoes.
Like Advantage, K9 Advantix comes in small vials for various sized dogs, and is applied between the shoulder blades. This product should not be used on cats, however, since felines are unable to metabolize the active ingredients.
Another topical treatment for use against both fleas and ticks is Revolution, made by Pfizer. As an added bonus, Revolution also provides protection against heartworms, which are a serious long-term health risk for dogs. As with Frontline and Advantix, Revolution is applied topically to the animal's back once a month.
If your dog is only exposed to ticks from time to time, you might just consider a medicated collar, such as those made by Virbac. These collars contain Amitraz, which is released slowly, and spreads through the animal's coat, causing ticks to become paralyzed and then fall off and die.
Another option for dogs that are exposed to ticks less frequently is a medicated tick shampoo. In this case, you dog can be bathed only after possible exposure to ticks, such as after a hike in the woods. Exposure to possible toxins is reduced, and only used when necessary.
Whichever product you decide on for flea and tick control, please be aware that ticks can carry diseases, such as Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, which can potentially be quite dangerous. Consult your veterinarian if you're concerned about your pet's exposure to fleas and ticks.
getting rid of fleas
One of the most important parts of effective flea control is getting rid of the fleas in your home at the same time you get rid of fleas on your pet. Doing one without the other is pointless, as you'll just see your pet and home re-infested. One of the most common places to find fleas, eggs and larva is in carpets.
The most effective and cheap carpet flea treatments is vacuuming. Vacuuming daily will suck up adult fleas, and also destroy eggs and larva. Try putting some diatomaceous earth, borax, or a flea collar in the vacuum cleaner bag beforehand. This will help kill live fleas that wind up in the bag, and prevent them from escaping back into your home.
First, any throw rugs or carpets that can be washed should be. The same goes for any pet bedding, upholstery, or pillows. Anything that can be effectively washed in your washing machine should be washed in hot water and detergent. This is one of the best ways to kill fleas at all stages of the life cycle.
Using pesticides on your carpet can be effective, but may leave a toxic residue you don't want. Other ways to treat your carpet is with a non-toxic substance that will scratch the fleas exoskeleton and cause dehydration. Diatomaceous earth, Borax and salt will all achieve this purpose.
If you have a particularly nasty infestation, and you want to try using insecticides, make sure you use one that also contains an insect growth regulator. Both the Knockout and Adams brands contain both.
Steam cleaning, either by a professional service, or with a home steam cleaner, is also very effective. Basically, you want to get the carpet as clean as possible. Once that's done, try to vacuum at least every other day, if not every day. Pay particular attention to the areas your pet frequents, and under chairs and sofas.
Don't forget to put something in the vacuum cleaner bag to kill the fleas and eggs that you vacuum up. Flea collars are effective, as are diatomaceous earth, borax and salt.
One of the best commercial remedies for fleas in your carpets you can find is called RX for Fleas Plus made by Flea Busters. This is a borate based powder which is sprinkled on your carpets, and kills fleas on contact and not with chemical insecticides.
As such, it's non-toxic and harmless to pets. This powder, combined with regular vacuuming and cleaning as described above is probably going to be one of the most effective programs you can undertake against fleas.
Vacuuming itself is about the best free method you can use to eliminate fleas in your home. Vacuuming will not only suck up adult fleas, but also breaks up pupa and prevents them from growing to adults.
Be sure to dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag properly by sealing it in a plastic bag before putting it in the trash. Keep to your program of regular vacuuming, and treating your pet for fleas, and you should be well on your way to being rid of your infestation.
But, please keep in mind that ultimately it's consistency that will lead to success. Don't stop after a week or two because the fleas seem to be gone. If you've had a bad infestation, keep at your program long past the time you think you're all done. This is the best way to ensure you're rid of the fleas for good.
