On our last program we discussed flea control in the yard and home. Today we will discuss options for flea control on pets, of which there are many, and some are much better than others. First, let’s cover the least effective methods. Bathing your pet with a flea shampoo kills only the adult fleas present and all flea protection is gone as soon as the shampoo is rinsed off the coat. If you remember from our last program, adult fleas are only 1% to 5% of the population, so bathing your pet takes care of only 1% to 5% of the fleas and has no residual effect. For bathing to be effective, the pet would require bathing every 1 to 2 days. Flea shampoo would dry the pet’s coat severely and lead to other skin problems. Adding a dip after the bath can help some, but still the residual effect last only a few days and some dips can be toxic.
Most sprays are also short lasting and kill only adult fleas. Flea collars are also ineffective as they only control a few inches around the collar and can cause allergic reactions on the pet.
More effective treatments that are available are the topical products applied on the pet’s back. These products last longer and continually kill adult fleas. However, all of these products are not the same and there are major differences in their effectiveness. The over the counter topical products that have various trade names are usually permethrin-based and must be very concentrated for effective flea control. Some also contain growth regulators to inhibit flea eggs.
Permethrin products should not be used on cats as they are very toxic and we see several toxicities every year when these products are applied to cats. Even cats lying next to dogs can become toxic. Also, these products are not waterproof so bathing or just swimming in a farm pond will wash them off the coat. Permethrin has been around for over 20 years and there is considerable documented resistance in many flea populations, and most of these products last closer to 2 weeks than the reported 4 weeks. Join us on our next program as we will talk about the more effective flea products that are available from your veterinarian.