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Description
Most everyone knows what a flea looks like. What a lot of people don't know are the
number of problems fleas can cause for your pets. Moist skin infections (hot spots),
skin allergy, poor hair quality, tapeworms infestations, and constant itching are
just a few. Fleas will also annoy humans in heavily infested households as well.
There are even some fleas that attach themselves in a semi-permanent manner to the
eyelids of dogs. Historically the few ways to control ticks were only with petrochemical
insecticides, carpet drying agents, and hormonal juvenoids (kills only larvae). Flea
collars, sprays, flea bombs, and topical insecticides were but a few defenses.
Control
A few years ago, oral and injectable flea agents captured control over fleas. A single
shot would last a year in a cat and monthly preventative kept the fleas to a minimum
on dogs. Unfortunately, this product, Program, required the fleas to bite the pet
in order for it to work. Furthermore, it didn't kill adult fleas but rather prevented
the eggs from hatching. Currently a handful of products are available to apply topically
to our pets to kill adult fleas. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages.
One product, Revolution®, is also used for other parasites such as heartworm
but fails to kill the more common intestinal worms and thus is not carried by our
hospital.
Advantage®
Our findings with this product are based on experience and don't necessarily reflect
the labeling claims supplied with the package. Advantage® seems to kill fleas
within about 8 hours, usually before the flea bites the pet. It does not kill ticks.
It washes off easily with a shampoo and bathing; this can be both beneficial and
detrimental. It appears to be very safe for use in the home and is reportedly not
absorbed into your pet's system. The cost per month is around $8-10 depending on
size.
Frontline®
Our findings with this product are based on experience and don't necessarily reflect
the labeling claims supplied with the package. Frontline® seems to kill fleas
in about 24 hours, oftentimes fleas will bite the pet before they die which does
little to control flea allergy. However, Frontline® also kills ticks, some skin
mites, ear mites and many other insects. It washes off, but since it resides in the
oils of the skin, it is rapidly returned to the skin, even after bathing. It appears
to be safe but anecdotal reports claim it may rarely cause a rash in some people.
The cost per month is around $12-14 depending on size.
In short, if you require a waterproof product, tick control or are concerned about
mites, select Frontline®. For flea or skin allergic pets, cost effectiveness,
and safety, use Advantage®. |
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