Heads up for pet owners: Flea season heating up

Summerhas officially arrived, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture is offeringadvice to pet owners who can take several steps themselves in providingrelief from fleas.

An array ofpesticide products on the marketare among the tools that can be used to effectively control fleas, butthey come with the usual caution of needing to be handled properly.

Ifoccasional high temperatures this spring are any indication, summer might beblazing hot, which often exacerbates the skin irritation of pets that comeswith flea bites. If that happens, pet owners will need tobe ready for action.

The first order of business is to verify the issue.

“Make sureyour pet has a flea problem,” says Rose Kachadoorian, entomologist with theOregon Department of Agriculture’s Pesticides Program. “They may bescratching themselves, but it could be a foodallergy or pollen. Work withyour veterinarian to establish whether the problem is caused byfleas.”

If theanswer is yes, pet owners can improve the conditions that lead toflea infestations. Prevention tactics are usually best started in thespring. However, there is still plenty that pet owners can do now.Athorough cleaning and vacuuming of the house– especially where petssleep– is a good start.

“I wouldvacuum my house at least every other day, if not every day, to suckup fleas and their eggs,” says Kachadoorian. “Also wash the pet’s beddingonce a week with hot, soapy water.”

The mostfastidious cleaning job in the world might not be enough if yourpet already has fleas. Persistence in cleaning and early treatment is thekey.

There area number of adult flea control products available on the market,including spot-on topical products that are usually applied monthly. Someof the spot-on products also contain growth regulators thatinhibitthe development of immature flea life stages.

Pets can also be giventablets orally containing these insect growth regulators. Flea collars andultrasonic devices have had limited success, accordingtoKachadoorian. Again, a conversation with your veterinarian is animportant step to take.

“Most ofthese products usually work very well,” says Kachadoorian. “They are somuch more effective than the old days of putting a dust or spray onthe animal or giving them a flea bath.”

Remember: Most of these products are considered to be pesticides. Care and caution isrequired to use these flea control products because, if used incorrectly, thepet could have a bad reaction.

“You needto read that pesticide label very carefully and make sure you applythe product properly as instructed by the label,” says Kachadoorian. “Thelabel instructions are not part of some marketing gimmick,but are there toprotect animals and ensure that fleas are safely killed.”

For example,a product’s label may say that it is to be used only on dogs. Some activeingredients in products are not toxic to dogs but may be lethal to cats; anexample would be permethrin.

Productlabels also provide instructions on the appropriate age and weight of theanimal being treated.

“There havebeen instances of people trying to save money by purchasing aproduct meant for a Great Dane– a large animal– and then splitting thatproduct up to treat smaller animals,” says Kachadoorian.”Often, thedosage isn’t right and pets can develop medical problems or worse.”

Useflea combs to pick up fleas, flea eggs, and ticks on puppies and kittens thatare too young for flea and tick products. Younger animalsand smaller breedscan be particularly sensitive to insecticides.

Ifyour pet experiences a bad reaction from a spot-on product, immediately bathethe pet with mild soap, rinse with large amounts of water, and call yourveterinarian. Ask your vet to report the reaction throughthe NationalPesticide Information Center’s Veterinary Pesticide Incident Reporting Portalat < http://npic.orst.edu >, or call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 .

The USEnvironmental Protection Agency, which has responsibility forpesticide label language, has changed several labels in recent years tomake the instructions more clear to users. Specifically, some labelswerenot explicit in designating which products should be used on dogs andwhich ones should be used on cats. Now, for some products, there is actuallya display of the appropriate animal and weight range right onthe package.

Pet ownersalways have the option of using the services of a pest control company tocontrol a flea problem in the house or yard. A good number of them arevery reputable, others are not. What should the petowner look for inselecting a professional to do the job?

“I wouldcall up a company and find out what they are suggesting first,”says Kachadoorian. “If they say they will come in and just spray theinside of your house or your yard and that should take care oftheproblem, I would call somebody else, because it is far morecomplicated than that.”

Kachadoorian sayshomeowners should be told by the pest company to vacuum, wash thebedding, and treat the animal before the company ever comes out. Thosecompanies that recommend an outdoortreatment as the ultimatesolution may be offering services you don’t need or that won’t be mosteffective.

“Check withODA to see if the company is properly licensed,” says Kachadoorian.”I would also find out how long they have been in the business. Do somereading on flea control before you even call them.Then start askingthem questions. If you end up knowing more than they do, call somebodyelse.”

For thosewho want to take flea matters into their own hands, Kachadoorianemphasizes the importance of taking a holistic approach.

“Keep checkingyour pet, vacuum a lot, launder the bedding. If you need to use aflea control product, use it in conjunction with all of these otherpractices. And definitely work with your veterinarian on productselection.Vets are great resources for the treatment of fleas.”

Good judgmentand measured action will bode well for both you and your pet the rest ofthe summer.