Fleas and Ticks

Fleas and ticks are more than mere nuisances. They cause distress in dogs and cats and, more important, they cause disease. On-again, off-again preventive programs are not the optimal way to safeguard the health of pets and their families.

By the time a pet owner notices fleas on a pet, the fleas have injected salivary proteins, transmitted infectious agents and begun laying eggs. Ticks can transmit disease agents to a dog or cat before the pests are found and removed. Reactive treatments are insufficient to prevent disease in pets and their owners.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) guidelines call for year-round, lifelong prevention of common external parasites, including fleas and ticks. The guidelines recommend using parasite control methods that consider the lifestyle and health of the pet, managing the pet’s environment, and preventing infestation to protect the health of the entire family.

Most insecticides effectively eliminate existing fleas from dogs and cats within 4 to 24 hours after application. While this helps relieve pet discomfort, reinfestation is common. Repeated applications often are necessary to bring the problem under control, and long-term control methods should be used to prevent reinfestation. Avoiding initial infestation altogether by placing pets on life-long prevention programs is the best option for pets and their owners.

Tick control is vital, since these bloodsucking parasites can transmit disease to pets and owners. Nearly a dozen tick species are encountered by U.S. dogs and cats. Most are potential disease carriers, transferring diseases as prevalent and concerning as Rocky Mountain spotted fever (Rickettsia rickettsii) and Lyme disease (caused by Borrelia burgdorferi). While not a perfect solution, disease transmission can be reduced by keeping pets on effective tick control programs and by vaccinating your dog for Lyme Disease.

Seasonal prevention is inadequate. While seasonal flea and tick control seems appropriate in many regions of the U.S., sporadic treatment makes it difficult to prevent initial infestations. Due to changing climatic conditions, flea and tick “seasonality” also is changing. Experience over the past 10 years shows every year has the potential to differ from the previous year. Determining start and stop dates for seasonally timed applications may be impossible, and geographic differences affect flea and tick prevalence and seasonality.

The best prevention for flea and tickborne disease is clear: year-round prevention of flea and tick infestation. Call us or visit our website at www.newhartfordanimalhospital.com for more information.

 

http://www.capcvet.org/expert-articles/the-case-for-year-round-flea-and-tick-control