Fleas are more than just an itchy annoyance; they pose genuine health threats to animals and humans alike. Flea bites can cause dermatitis and other skin reactions, and if your pet scratches the affected skin obsessively he may also get a bacterial infection. Fleas can also spread life-threatening diseases, including bubonic plague. Here are some tips from Beattie Animal Hospital for keeping fleas off your pet:
Home prevention – Regular bathing and grooming with medicated baths can help keep fleas from making a home in your pet’s hair. We can prescribe the right topical applications and advise you on how to use them safely. We advise against using over-the-counter preventatives, though, because some of them can be unsafe for your pet. Treating your home with boric acid can take care of fleas hiding in your home environment.
Veterinary prevention – Our veterinarian offers monthly flea-prevention programs to prevent flea problems from occurring. The most common flea products for cats are Advantage and Revolution and for dogs, Revolution, Advantage, Sentinel and Comfortis. Some preventatives, including the feline product Revolution, also provide heartworm protection.
Treatment – Flea infestations call for treatment from a veterinarian to remove the infestation safely and effectively. Multiple products may be needed to kill fleas at different stages of development. Capstar can kill the fleas infesting your pet almost immediately. But it exits the body after a couple of days, so you must still treat your home environment to and start using monthly preventatives to prevent recurrences.
Does Your Burlington Pet Have Fleas?
If your pet has already started scratching and biting at a flea infestation, bring him to our office. Our veterinarian can prescribe medicated baths and other treatments to remove and kill the fleas, after which we can put your pet in preventative medications to help keep future attacks at bay.
What was the worst flea infestation you ever had to deal with? Tell us your story!