Fleas and Ticks
Controlling These Vicious, Disease
Carrying Parasites:
As Texans, and because of our climate, we have long experience with
fleas and ticks. Some believe they have become expert in
controlling these ubiquitous parasites, but over confidence and
long acquaintance do not yield safety for any appreciable length of
time. Fleas and ticks have survived all challenges for
hundreds of millions of years. One new treatment discovered
in a laboratory today will not halt their populations for
long. Constant vigilance and ongoing care of our pets are
required to protect them from harm.
Fleas spread illness to
humans, too. In the 14th century, bubonic plague, more
commonly known in history as the Black Death, and carried by fleas
on rats, spread across Asia, Europe and Great Britain with such
virulence that the course of human history changed forever!
It is estimated that the Black Death killed one third of the
population of Europe!
Ticks (seen below) also spread infections among pets and
humans. There are over 800 species of ticks in the world and
about 100 of them are capable of carrying transmissible
diseases. Ticks are the most important arthropod (insect) in
the transmission of diseases to domestic animals, and run a close
second to mosquitoes in arthropod-borne human diseases. Ticks
transmit a greater variety of infectious agents (bacteria, viruses,
protozoans) than any other type of arthropod. Some of the
diseases transmitted by ticks are: Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Colorado Tick Fever,
Tularemia and Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever.
Important points in
understanding of the life cycles of fleas and ticks
are:
- Fleas and ticks go through many stages in their life cycles
including egg, immature larval forms and adult forms.
- These different life cycle stages can be found at times both on
your pet and/or in the environment, i.e. carpet, furniture, beds
and back yards.
- 3. Immature forms that infest your house can lie "dormant" for
days, weeks, months and possibly years, awaiting the proper
combination of temperature, humidity, and vibration from passing
animals to stimulate those immature forms to continue their
maturation into adults. This is why attempts at flea and tick
control sometimes seem to fail.
- 4. The two keys to flea and tick control are effectively
interrupting their life cycle and persistence.
Over the years we have used insecticidal baths, dips, powders,
household insecticidal bombs and collars with varying degrees of
success. Recently, within the last 10 years, new products
have been developed that are extremely effective and very
safe. These products are very easy to use and remain
effective for long periods of time.
Major Flea and Tick
Control Products:
- PROGRAM: a once-a-month pill that prevents
flea eggs from hatching. Producing sterility in fleas, it
does not kill adults and it is not effective against ticks.
It was the initial breakthrough in flea control and has now been
largely supplanted by newer, better products.
- ADVANTIX (dogs) and ADVANTAGE
(cats): non-systemic topical medications. A few
drops are applied once monthly to a small area on the skin
between the shoulder blades. It is very effective against
adult fleas. It has no effect on immature fleas or
ticks.
- FRONTLINE: a small volume topical agent that
is applied once monthly to a small area of the skin between the
shoulder blades on most animals. It is not absorbed
systemically but is absorbed into the oil glands of the skin.
It is very effective against adult fleas, and it is also very
effective against four species of ticks, including the tick that
carries Lyme Disease. Heavy populations of ticks are better
controlled with the spray-on form of Frontline used exactly as the
manufacturer recommends.
- REVOLUTION: a small volume topical agent that
is applied to a small area of the skin once monthly. This
product is absorbed systemically. It is very effective
against adult fleas and some ticks but it is not effective against
the tick that causes Lyme disease. It also is effective in
preventing heartworm disease.
Important
Flea and Tick Control Information for Texans!
All regions of Texas can have large flea and tick
populations. Pets in Waco and McLennan County, in
certain years depending on weather conditions, experience
devastating infestations of both of these vicious parasites.
Advantix and Frontline are the best two product for
use for the control of flea and tick infestations in dogs. It
is provided as a topical liquid (Advantix) or in spray-on form
(Frontline).
- In cats, Revolution or Advantage are superior products,
depending upon your pet's needs. Revolution has the advantage
of controlling heartworms, too.
- Use of Advantix in most dogs along with Revolution
in the smallest dogs and Advantage and Revolution in
cats plus persistence are the major keys in flea and tick
control in Texas! If you do not use the proper product as
recommended and as frequently as suggested, flea and tick control
will not be effective.
- There are many products on the market which are sold
over-the-counter at grocery stores and pharmacies that "claim" to
do as good a job as the above mentioned products. Experience
has proven these claims untrue. Over-the-counter flea and
tick products do not control parasites as well, and often, their
use on pets cause skin reactions and, on occasion, even more severe
responses.
Contact your veterinarian for information on the
preferred product for use on your pet.
