| |
Indoor flea control · Outdoor flea control · When flea meds fail · Tick FAQ · Flea FAQ · Related articles
 |
|
Your pet was not born with fleas and ticks. Your pet picked up fleas and ticks from the environment, and it will pick them up again unless you take action. Because over 95% of the flea population exists as eggs, larvae, or pupae in carpet and grass, tackle fleas and ticks right in the carpet and grass.
|
Pets with flea allergies don't improve unless fleas are removed from the home and yard. When pets spend 90% of their time indoors, focus your flea-prevention efforts on the indoors, but include general outdoor flea and tick control.
What, where and how to clean to get rid of fleas and ticks:
- hard surfaces where dogs and cats sleep (window sills, televisions, refrigerator tops).
- tile and linoleum.
- carpeted areas and upholstery, including carpeted closets, under cushions and furniture. A vacuum with a beater bar removes 20% of the flea larvae and 50% of the flea eggs in the carpet. And vacuuming raises the carpet fibers so insecticides can penetrate. Don't put flea collars in vacuum bags because collars can release noxious fumes if heated. Steam clean if infestation is severe.
- bed linens and pet bedding. Dry with high heat, as materials tolerate. Hot water and a long cycle in a hot dryer kills fleas at any life stage, egg, larva, pupa, or adult.
What to use to get rid of fleas and ticks:
- Fogger: Virbac Knockout Room & Area Fogger
Foggers are popular and easy to use. Unfortunately, they do not reach deep in the carpet, under furniture, in closets, along baseboards, and under furniture cushions. Use one fogger for each room, and realize that fogger chemicals are distributed in a circle and do not penetrate corners. To spot treat corners and areas that foggers don't reach, use a powder. Virbac Knockout Room & Area Fogger will kill fleas, eggs, spiders, and roaches, but it is harmful to cats.
- Powder: Zodiac Carpet & Upholstery Powder or Boric Acid powder
Use powders on carpet, upholstery, and under cushions. Zodiac Fleatrol Carpet & Upholstery Powder will kill adult fleas, eggs, and ticks, but it is toxic to birds, fish, and bees.
- areas the pets spend most of their time
- under the furniture edges where flea larvae crawl
- areas the pet is denied access because they often have some access
- all carpeted areas
- upholstered furniture
- mattresses
To control a serious flea infestation, repeat treatment every 2-3 weeks for at least 6 weeks. Once the fleas are under control, maintenance requires treatment every 4-6 weeks thereafter.
At the same time you're treating the house and yard, use flea treatment such as Frontline or Advantage on the pet.
|
|
The immature flea, when protected by a cocoon, can survive over 4 months in carpet, so vacuum and treat the carpets thoroughly.
|
| Flea Products for the home |
| Product |
Main Ingredients |
Where to Use |
Use, Coverage & Application Frequency |
Benefit & Potential Harm |
| Virbac Knockout Room & Area Fogger |
Nylar (Pyripoxyfen)
Pyrethrin
Permethrin(Residual action insecticide & an Insect Growth Inhibitor) |
Indoor use |
Covers 6,000 cubic feet (27 ft X 27 ft X 8 ft ceiling)
Treat entire dwellingUse multiple units in home with more than one level |
Kills adult fleas, flea eggs, ticks, spiders, ants, roaches Not inactivated by sunlight Toxic to birds, fish, bees |
| Zodiac Carpet & Upholstery Powder |
Linalool
Piperonyl Butoxide
Pyrethrins
Nylar Pyripoxyfen)(Residual action insecticide & an Insect Growth Inhibitor) |
Indoor use |
Use on carpet, on upholstery, & under cushions |
Kills adult fleas, flea eggs, ticks Citrus scent Toxic to birds, fish, bees |
| Zodiac Carpet & Upholstery Spray |
(S)-methoprene, Permethrin (Residual action insecticide & an Insect Growth Inhibitor) |
Use in homes, garages, attics, apartments, and hotels Treat carpets, rugs, drapes and upholstered furniture |
Treat all synthetic fabrics and carpeting—caution with natural fibers, such as wool Treats up to 300 sq. ft. Retreat as necessary |
Kills adult fleas, ticks, roaches, ants, earwigs and silverfish |
| Zodiac Advanced Indoor Insect Spray |
(S)-methoprene, Permethrin, Phenothrin,
N-Octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide, Piperonyl butoxide(Residual action insecticide & an Insect Growth Inhibitor) |
Use in homes, garages, kennels |
Protects for up to 7 months |
Kills adult fleas, flea eggs, ticks,
cockroaches, antsToxic to birds, fish, bees |
|
The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians
|
|
|
|
| |
Scratching
Chewing
Head shaking
Gnawing
Little red skin bumps
|
|
| |
Pets with flea allergies don’t improve unless fleas are removed from the home and yard. |
|
| |
Pets living outdoors
Pets living in untreated areas |
|
| For Outside Flea Control: |
| For Topical Flea Control: |
|
|
