Flea Season

By Roxanne Willems Snopek

Flea season is about to bust wide open, and if your pet isn't on appropriate flea control yet, it's time to start.

Fleas are second only to cockroaches as the most successful insect on earth, and for good reason. Their short life cycle, prodigious reproductive rate and environmental requirements make them a persistent problem in temperate climates. Mild winters and hot, humid summers create an almost perfect environment for hatching.

Scant information about fleas, in spite of their significance, and about their biology was available before 1980. In the last two decades, however, research has exploded, uncovering new and dramatically different ways of controlling these pesky and persistent insects.

The development of insect growth regulators is a breakthrough in this fight. More effective, convenient and safer than insecticides, they work best when started early and used consistently on all pets in the home.

Dr. Michael Dryden, associate professor of Veterinary Parasitology at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University, says pet owners must realize that flea control can be a lengthy process and requires commitment to a long-term regimen to prevent fleas from returning.

If your pets haven't got fleas yet, your best bet for prevention is Program. Program controls fleas by sterilizing flea eggs, BUT it does NOT kill adult fleas nor prevent already viable eggs from hatching. Available in once-a-month tablet for dogs, once-a-month oral suspension for cats, or six-month injection for cats, Program has quickly become the most popular flea control solution available.

If your pets are suffering from fleas, Advantage topical solution quickly eliminates existing fleas and prevents reinfestation for up to one month.

Many veterinarians recommend a combination of Program and Advantage for best results.

Article courtesy of Suite101.com.