Fleas!  The mere mention of the word is enough to make you want to scratch.  Of all the dermatological problems pets are susceptible to, one of the most common and most agonizing - for your and your pet - is fleas.  Flea infestations can cause your pet to continually scratch, bite and in some cases have a severe allergic reaction.

Fleas are wingless insects that require regular meals of blood.  But they are not host specific so many different species of flea can infect cats and dogs, sheep, cattle goats, rodents and even humans.  The most common being the 'cat flea' (Ctenocephalides felis) which is found on both dogs and cats.

Controlling fleas.

It takes only a few initial fleas on a pet to eventually produce a large number of fleas which become intolerable.  For example, an initial infestation of four (4) fleas on a pet can result in about 400 adults and 2,500 immature fleas within three (3) months (assuming 95% mortality during a flea's life cycle).  The flea problem then multiplies when the large number of immature fleas develop in the pet's environment.

Flea control includes the elimination of adult fleas on your pet and the fleas in the environment.  Because the majority of the flea's life cycle occurs in the environment, the major effort for flea control is best directed at the premises.

In some cases it may be necessary to obtain the services of a professional pet control operator to spray in and around your premises.  Foggers can also be used for household treatment and need to contain both a fast action adulticide (eg: permethrin) and an insect growth regulator (eg: fenoxycard) to prevent the pre-adult stages from developing.

Regular vacuum cleaning will remove flea eggs and immature forms.  Special attention should be given to cracks and corners.  Your pet's bedding should also be laundered regularly and its kennel kept dry and well ventilated.  At the same time you treat your pet's environment, it's necessary to treat the adult fleas on your pet.  There are many rinses, shampoos, powders, collars, and oral products to choose from.