Fleas

Flea Life Cycle Life cycle=90 days Therefore… it will take 3 months of proper preventatives to eliminate a current infestation. The female flea lays eggs on a live pet that then fall off into the environment. These eggs will hatch and the flea undergoes several life stages before becoming an adult and look for a host. (This whole cycle can take 30-40days) There is a stage of adults called the pre-emerged adult in the cocoon that can stay dormant for 30 weeks before getting on a host.

Diseases Transmitted Tapeworms Flea Allergy Dermatitis Murine Typhus Cat Scratch Disease- Bartonella hensele (cats are not symptomatic- transmitted to people) Plague-Yersinia pestis

Treatment Step #1: Get pet on a proper preventative monthly Step #2: Ensure ALL pets in the household are on preventative Step #3: Hire a good exterminator to treat the yard

Flea “Myths” “I have never seen fleas so I do not need flea prevention.” “My pets are indoors only. I don’t need flea prevention.” Fleas are often brought indoors on our clothing and shoes and can easily get in the house. “Once I treat my pet and the fleas go away my work is done.” This is one of the biggest mistakes an owner can make. The fleas will be back. Flea preventatives need to be used year round. “I read that feeding my pet garlic will prevent fleas and mosquitos. Garlic is toxic to dogs and cats. “Flea products are toxic.” All flea products offered and that are appropriately applied have been extensively tested and approved by the FDA to be safe for your pet. Products that advertise a “natural” method of prevention are false advertising and not effective

But what about our medicated flea baths? Flea baths are nice to remove any current live fleas on the pet or removing lingering flea dirt. This only accounts for <2% of the fleas in the environment and will not come close to solving flea issues. Get the pet on a preventative year round!

Why preventatives “fail” 1. Bathing the pet directly before or after applying topical preventatives 2.Letting doses lapse- or pet is vomiting up meds when owner not looking 3.Not treating all pets in the household 4.Using subpar preventatives OTC 5.Not giving it enough time—remember 90 days! 6.We cannot always control the environment! Feral cats and wild animals walk through our yards dropping fleas daily and constantly re dosing the yard with new fleas “I see fleas on my pet, it means my preventative is not working!” Have you been giving this routinely for at least three months? An occasional flea may occur, as long as they are not living on the pet and dying off quickly then the preventative is working

Preventatives- Canine Prescription Only Trifexis Oral, Heartworm and flea prevention Not for patients with seizure history Advantage Multi Topical, Heartworm and flea prevention Non-prescription Comfortis Oral, Fleas only Not for patients with seizure history Activyl Topical, Fleas only Capstar Oral, Fleas only- temporary and lasts only 24 hours. Nexgard Oral, Fleas and Ticks only Not for patients with seizure history

Preventatives- Feline Prescription Only Revolution Topical, Heartworm and flea prevention Advantage Multi Topical, Heartworm and flea prevention Non-prescription Activyl Topical, Fleas only Capstar Oral, Fleas only- temporary and lasts only 24 hours.

Drugs in Westbury Pharmacy PreventativeDrugRouteSpeciesTreatmentsCautions Triheart Ivermectin, Pyrantel Oral- tabletDogHeartworm; hookworms, roundworms Heartgard Ivermectin, pyrantel Oral- chewDog, CatHeartworm; hookworms, roundworms Trifexis Spinosad, Milbemycin oxime Oral- tabletDogHeartworm; hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, Fleas Caution in seizure patients Revolution SelamectinTopicalCatHeartworm, Fleas, ear mites, controls ticks in dogs and intestinal parasites in cats. Advantage Multi Imidacloprid, Moxidectin TopicalDog, CatHeartworms, fleas, intestinal parasites and ear mites in cats. Comfortis SpinosadOral- tabletDog, CatFleasCaution in seizure patients Activyl InoxacarbTopicalDog, CatFleas Nexgard AfoxolanerOral- chewDogFleas and some ticksCaution in seizure patients Scalibor collar DeltamethrincollarDogTicksToxic to Cats