Total Flea Control

by Zippy Cooper
Copyright© 1997-2006 Zippy (Joyce) Cooper

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A major key to a healthy, nicely coated dog is the complete elimination of fleas in the dog's environment. In addition to being a major irritant to your pet, causing the pet to bite and scratch its coat, fleas are the cause of an intestinal parasite called tapeworms.

While not an extremely dangerous parasite, tapeworms do rob your pet of vital nutrients, eventually causing anemia. In the meantime, your pet's coat becomes dull and dry.

Thus, for your dog to maintain a beautiful shiny, long, and soft coat, fleas must be eliminated.

Flea control is not a complicated process, but you must be persistent. Fleas do not live on your dog. The flea lives in surrounding areas such as yards, bedding, carpets, and woodwork. The flea merely hops onto your dog for a meal, then hops off to lay eggs. The flea's life cycle is only ten days to two weeks, so a newly hatched flea quickly matures.

With this information in mind, you can see that it is necessary to kill fleas in all areas at the same time, repeating the process every ten days to two weeks to kill newly hatched fleas until you no longer see fleas on your dog.

The following steps are simple but effective. These steps should allow you to rid your pet area and home of fleas.

Place your dog in an outside area or preferably a run.
Spray your entire home or apartment with an effective flea spray. Make certain you clean, treat or eliminate used bedding.

Very effective chemicals can be obtained from your favorite pet shop, Walmart, etc..

Follow the manufacturer's directions.

Once you have completed the above steps, immediately bathe you dog with flea shampoo and then dip the dog.

Effective products, available from your Veterinarian or pet shop are:

Shampoo - Mycodex with Carboral, Bio Groom with Pyrethium, or Adams Flea & Tick.
Dip - Dermaton, Paramite or Adams.

While your pet dries in his "Flea Free" area indoors, spray all grassy areas, runs, shrubs, walls, etc. where the pet is likely to visit.

Spray all areas from the ground to a height of four feet, especially walls (indoor and outdoor). Ensure all areas are saturated (utilizing the manufacturers recommended dosage). All foliage should be treated on both sides.
Two very effective products are available: Allow the area to completely dry prior to allowing pets outside.

Malathion
Diazinon

The following table is for interim flea control and is based upon Inspection of your pet to determine the extent of infestation (Number Found)

N u F m o b u e n r d	I D n e f g e r s e t e	B a t h e	D i p	S p r a y	T r e a t	A C l h t e e m r i n c a a t l e s
Under 6	Mild	Yes	Yes	No	2 Weeks	No
6 to 12	Mod	Yes	Yes	Yes	1 Week	No
Over 12	Heavy	Yes	Yes	Yes	1 Week	Yes

An Ounce of Prevention.....

Getting rid of fleas is work! Prevention is much easier and cheaper. Your and your pets comfort is vastly improved (yes, fleas will bite humans, too).

Begin spraying your yard in mid-March with a product containing Precor or a growth inhibitor. Begin spraying earlier if your climate is warm prior to March. Spray monthly unless you find fleas on your dog. If fleas are found, begin total treatment as previously described.

Products are available from your Veterinarian that prevent flea eggs from developing or will kill fleas when the flea bites your dog. Program (product name) is a pill given monthly to your dog. Front Line (product name) is a liquid spray to be applied to your dog monthly. These products should be used in conjunction with the Total Flea Control Steps previously recommended.

Hopefully, these tips will enable you and your pet to enjoy a FLEA FREE home! If you have any further recommendations on any subject covered here, please e-mail Zippy at (lenlearspringers@mindspring.com).

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