Flea Control and Treatment

 

Damson House Veterinary Clinic

 

 There are many different flea treatments on the market of which many are of limited value. Flea powders and shampoos are not very effective or long-lasting. Flea collars are generally of limited use. We therefore recommend using one of the following:

To treat a pet with fleas: FRONTLINE Pump Spray protects against fleas for up to 3 months in dogs and 2 months in cats following a single application. It may be used in puppies from 2 days old and kittens from 7 weeks of age. FRONTLINE Spot-On This is applied to the back of your pet's neck and spreads over the skin. It protects dogs from fleas for up to 2 months and cats for up to 1 month with a single application. It may be used from 10 weeks of age. FRONTLINE also protects your pet from ticks. ADVANTAGE Drop-On preparation is also applied to the back of your pet's neck and spreads over the skin. It protects against fleas for up to 1 month following a single application. STRONGHOLD is another drop-on which is applied monthly. It is absorbed through the skin. As well as treating fleas, it also kills mange mites, roundworms and earmites.

To prevent a flea infestation on your pet and in your house: PROGRAM does not kill adult fleas, instead it makes them sterile, so that by treating all the animals in the household, the flea population dies out. It is an extremely safe and effective long-term way of controlling fleas which is given by mouth once a month or cats can be injected every 6 months at the surgery. It is advisable to use FRONTLINE or ADVANTAGE as well as PROGRAM initially when you first start using PROGRAM if you have seen any fleas. Treatment with PROGRAM should be started before the start of the flea season in February and continued for at least 6 months each year.

Around the house, we recommend using INDOREX SPRAY which lasts for up to 12 months following application. This spray stops all stages of the flea's life cycle and so stops eggs from hatching into adult fleas. When treating the house, we recommend first using a vacuum cleaner everywhere, especially around the edges of the rooms (even in rooms which the animal doesn't enter as you can carry eggs around on your feet). THROW AWAY or burn the hooverbag. Wash any bedding, both the pet's and your own if the animal sleeps on your bed. Then spray the carpet in every room especially around the skirting boards and remember to treat any soft furnishings on which the animals are allowed. NB INDOREX SPRAY is dangerous to fish so cover any fishtanks and turn off any airpumps before using it. If you have any questions about fleas or flea treatments, please ask - any of the staff will be happy to advise you.  

 

Damson House Veterinary Clinic

82 Damson Lane,

Solihull,

West Midlands.

B92 9JP

Tel.  0121 711 3775