Flea & tick season is here and one of the questions I got this week was, How do I protect my dog against ticks during my vacation?

The pet owner wants to do this naturally and avoid toxic chemicals or the Lyme Disease vaccination.

This is a question about ticks, which is slightly off topic, but since I figure others have the same question, I thought I would share my answer here.

Fighting ticks is more about prevention and is tricky because of the risk if your pet is bit by a tick carrying the disease. So, since prevention is key, you’ll have to do a lot to make sure that you work hard and remain vigilant to prevent ticks from getting onto your pet and biting it.

First, keep your pet out of the brush since this is one of the biggest things you can do to prevent tick acquisition. Ticks usually get onto animals via vegetation. They can be in the low lying growth or on bushes.

When you have been outside, be sure to IMMEDIATELY check your pet over after a walk. Take the time to comb through the fur using a flea comb. Check the head, back of the ears and neck, and extremities first. If you find a tick has lodged in, use a tick remover and pull straight out–no twisting. But if you get on this quickly, this action should help keep your pet tick free.

As far as other aids, repellents are a good part of any aresenal. Natural products such as Neem, which you are already using, should work well. Check the Twitter stream (@FleaControlBook) for tips and product recommendations.

You might not know about the pet Lyme Disease immunity formula called PetAlive TF-Defense. Combine that with the use of a pet specific citronella spray as a topical repellent and/or a repellent tag such as AniBio Tick Clip .

Perhaps you already use a natural collar option? If so, soak in some of the essential oils know to repel fleas/ticks.

Good luck and let me know how you fare. If you find any other tips, feel free to share and thanks for asking!

The CDC tick page shares some useful resources.

Photo Credits: Coastlander,

Plus, different seasonal patterns and changes in the global temperatures make this less true than before.

The fact is that although fleas don’t usually cycle and cold temperatures, they can live inside and survive through the colder months.

Also, if you have specific animals that are carriers of fleas (wildlife such as opossums, raccoons, rats, squirrels, birds, etc) and enter your property–chances are that you may experience a problem.

Fleas can be a problem in more temperate zones all year long and in warm tropical climates.

So don’t stop your efforts to eradicate fleas simply because the season is changing.

Flea infestations can be such a pain since once your pet picks one up, it can cause a chain reaction so that you home, yard and other pets quickly become infested with fleas.

So, take a moment or two and comment below–include our favorite product or “secrets.”

Don’t forget that if you are having a flea infestation, the Flea Control Secrets ebook has a lot of tips, hints, and links to the safer flea control products.

Skudo (Italian for “shield”) is a flea and tick repellent device that uses no poisons, chemicals, potions, lotions, powders, or liquids.

Marketed as the Skudo Flea Repeller, this item has been clinically tested.

First by Professor Genchi (Parasitology, 1992) at the University of Milan, Italy and then by Dr. Giselle Zoccal Mingoti (Veterinary Medicine, 2002) at the State University Paolista in St Paul, Brazil. (View one report here.)

To use this item you just simply attach it to your pet’s collar.

In the best conditions it may work to up to one year.

The Skudo flea & tick repellent tag emits a range of ultrasonic sounds which are intolerable to fleas and ticks.

It repels them from your pet and its surroundings and is safe for humans and pets.

After you attach the device noticeable results can be seen within two weeks of continued use.

Although you can attach it to your pet’s collar, you can also use this device on beds, kennels and similar areas.

It can be used safely in conjunction with other flea treatments for comprehensive flea control.

You can find the distributors on the Skudo company website–and the good news is that they also have a human version of the flea product!

This video seems to take an artistic look at the flea which is a different view point from those of us who are pet owners!

In this video, you can see that the dog is uncomfortable after the application of a spot-on flea treatment product.

Since there are so many other flea remedy options available, I’d be more inclined to find something else that does not create distress in the pet.

However, most people are not aware of the toxicity problems that launched the EPA investigation into spot-on flea treatment products.

You can learn more in Flea Control Secrets and from other posts here on this blog. Just take a few minutes to look around.

Above: Rosemary as a garden and yard flea repellent.

Every year people find the face flea infestations–even if they do not have a pet.

Part of the problem is that the best flea habitats are shady areas where there is debris, grasses, shrubs, vines and weeds.

Fleas only seek out a host when they need a blood meal to breed and lay eggs.

Some areas have more fleas because the neighborhood pet population is higher and more concentrated than in others.

When those critters roam, the flea eggs and fleas are deposited along the way.

Other hosts include raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, rats, mice, birds and other creatures that help fleas to flourish.

One of the problems with yard fleas is that the tendency to want to use pesticides is very toxic to the environment and the animals in it.

Food grade diatomaceous earth works but it also kills other insects so parasitic nematodes is another option.

The tiny parasites feed upon fleas and flea larvae and do little or no harm to other creatures–plus they are available at nurseries and garden supply outlets.

However, another good strategy is to become less flea friendly by removing any debris, cutting back weeds and shrubbery, trimming trees and by keeping the grass mowed so it is short.

Fleas don’t like the sunshine and trimming everything so the sun can penetrate is a great strategy.

Another popular strategy is to use a small amount of dish soap in a yard sprayer. Saturating the ground with this mixture breaks down the protective coating and they drown.

Some folks also like to add repellent chips in the flower beds or actually plant flea repellent plants.

Examples could include eucalyptus leaves and cedar chips and plants such pennyroyal and rosemary can help.

As always, remember that you need to use the Triangle of Successful Flea Control in order to tackle your issue AND be sure to repeat all efforts every two weeks for at least eight weeks.

Photo Credit: de Paula FJ

I thought you might be interested in this fun video comparing a dog flea versus a cat flea in relation to just how far they can jump.

It never ceases to amaze me what scientific studies arise over the years but this might be useful as some point when it comes to dog flea treatment or cat flea treatment.

It is not a joke.

The study actually won an award in biology!

Marie-Christine Cadiergues, Christel Joubert, and Michel Franc of Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Toulouse, France made the discovery that the fleas that live on a dog can jump higher than the fleas that live on a cat and it was published back in 2000.

Want to find it? Try A Comparison of Jump Performances of the Dog Flea, Ctenocephalides canis (Curtis, 1826) and the Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouche, 1835), M.C. Cadiergues, C. Joubert, and M. Franc, Veterinary Parasitology, vol. 92, no. 3, October 1, 2000, pp. 239-41.

Just how this study will prove useful is hard to say but it is interesting.

If you are having trouble controlling fleas, you might benefit from Feal Control Secrets, a book on flea medication & flea side effects.

One of the nice things about this age of going green is that there are new products coming out that are less topic options than in the past.

Shoo Tags is one of these products that made a hit at one of the big pet industry shows.

However, I did not find any scientific studies to support the claims although I did came across some discussions of how they don’t work for some people.

The shelf life of inactivated tags is two years and once on the pet, they are supposed to last up to four months.

Shoo! TAGS work by using frequencies embedded in the magnetic strip that are supposed to be similar to the Schumann Wave and not like harmful radio frequencies.

The specific insects targeted by the tags do not like those energetics. (The manufacturers state that Shoo!TAG products do not interfere with radio frequencies or radio collars.)

Once on the pet (or human) it takes time for the energy field to extend the pest barrier frequencies into the energy field of the being wearing the tag.

During testing the manufacturers found that activation can take up to 36 hours.

They also found that animals that have weaker energy fields (those who are on or have recently taken steroid drugs, that have recently undergone surgery, or who are older) do not respond well to the product.

One of the misunderstood aspects of this product is that it does not kill the pests but simply slows them down and gets them to leave the pet’s energy field.

The tag frequency can be effected if they rub against other metal tags or become bent, scratched or damaged.

In addition, the company states that there could also be a problem if there are nearby fault lines, cell phone towers and large doses of pesticides.

The company states also that green products typically have around a 75% effective rate and so although ShooTAGS is a nice option is can only be part of an entire flea control program.

There is a lot of talk about natural flea control these days but people are a bit confused about it.

Natural flea control doesn’t indicate that something is not toxic, only that it is made from natural ingredients.

Pyrethrins for instance, they are derived from a flower. In particular the Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium which is harvested around the world but particularly from Africa.

It is estimated that Kenya produces as much as 70% of the world’s supply of pyrethrins.

But even though the flea control product is made from a natural ingredient, an overdose can result in a toxic reaction in pets.

Adverse reactions include drooling, lethargy, muscle tremors, vomiting, seizures and even death.

One of the reasons it is important to do your research on flea control products and flea medications is because a lot of bad advice is floating around in cyberspace–and even in casual conversations.

There are six different pyrethrins (pyrethrin I & II, cinevin I & II, and jasmolin I & II) but they are not specifically identified on the packaging of the products made from them–only as “pyrethrins.”

Always make sure to follow the directions on the packages of any flea medications you use. Also make sure you use the flea medication made specifically for the type of animal you have.

Dog products should only be used on dogs and cat products should only be used on cats.

Avoid breaking up a larger dose between animals since the wrong dosage could be toxic to you pet.

One of the most asked questions is, “What is the best flea treatment?”

The answer can vary greatly depending on who you talk to but the real question should be, “What is the best flea treatment for my pet and my household?”

For instance, in my area most people do not need to use flea control unless they head out on a trip or have company that arrives with a flea infested pet.

Because we live in the high altitude with arid conditions and temperatures that don’t allow a flea population to take hold and cycle, our biggest issues are from visitors with pets or from ticks.

A bath in non-toxic oatmeal shampoo (with suds left to sit for 10-15 minutes) is enough to thwart any fleas that might have been brought up to the area.

If you live in an area where feral animals invade your yard or strays visit often–your chances of a flea infestation can increase drastically.

Recently a reader wrote in about an infestation cycle at the beach.

Her problem was that rats were bringing fleas into the home where they multiplied and plagued both pets and humans.

So where you live is part of the consideration in coming up with a good solutions because beach living is certainly a bigger problem than where I live and regions vary as to what types of flea products you can obtain.

The other consideration concerns how much money you want to invest in products or services AND how much toxicity you are willing to bring into your home or yard.

Some products work better than others but the true secret is that you need to use the Triangle of Successful Flea Control to tackle the issue.

This means treating the animal, interior area of the home, and the surrounding exterior areas at the same time.

Both the interior and exterior areas have to be treated at least every two weeks until you get the problem under control and then regularly after that to get rid of fleas for good.

Although some areas allegedly report a decrease in flea populations, I highly doubt that is the case. With more sophisticated options for treating fleas I think it is just that people are not encountering the same high level of problems as has been the case in the past and they are not calling in pest control people but treating it themselves or with services that provide less toxic options.

Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you don’t fall for the “best flea treatment is…” message.

My answer to the question is this, “The best flea treatment is the one that works for you, eliminates fleas from your pet and your home safely, and that fits into your budget.”

We all have our favorites so take the time to talk to your veterinarian or pet care professional to see what they recommend.

Don’t forget that you can read Flea Control Secrets for help in sorting out the vast selection of products on the market (both natural and proprietary) and to learn about all the different options available to you and your pet.

Photo Credit: Pfala

The person owns three thick coated dogs and said that he cannot get the Frontline Plus drops delivered to the hair follicles at the base of the skin by the shoulder blades.

So instead, he put the drops on their chest near the stomach and wondered how it would be distributed.

He was fortunate that the dogs did not lick it off but wondered if it was okay to apply it near the stomach or belly of a pet.

So, my response to this first part of the question is this do not take a risk of applying your flea treatment product to pets except as directed.

If you are having issues with application get some help from a groomer or a veterinarian.

I’ve never met a dog with a coat so thick that application was impossible.

You could use some clips to hold the dog hair to the side to apply it or even clip a small are shorter if you want to use the spot-on products.

The big issue with not following the instructions of spot-on products is that many animals have experienced illness or death from improper application.

In multiple animal households, you also must monitor the pets to make sure that they do not ingest the product by licking one another.

(I would encourage you to check out the flea control kits in the sidebar as less toxic options.)

Excerpt from Flea Control Secrets eBook:

Frontline Plus combines an antiparasitic agent with an insect growth regulator in a topical formula that kills the eggs, larva, adult fleas, chewing lice, and all stages of ticks.

Merial’s Frontline Plus combines both Fipronil and Methoprene.

Frontline (Fipronil) kills fleas AND ticks for up to a month and affects the spinal cord and brain of the ecto-parasites.

Topical application is done on the skin between the pet�s shoulder blades so it wicks back over the pet’s body.

Fipronil remains effective after swimming and bathing. Even so, water immersion should be avoided until 48 hours after application.

The next challenge of his issue is the outdoor flea problem since there are feral animals (squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, birds) that enter the large property which is fenced in.

Flea season runs from April through October or until the temperatures drop (along with the humidity) so ongoing efforts need to be maintained.

At the moment the household is using Spectracide granules and then waited two months before doing a second application. This time the product used was Ortho granules but the time lag in between works against you.

The issue this household faces is that when you begin flea control efforts, you must be diligent in those efforts and treat the outside, inside, and the animal all at the same time.

Also, fleas are very hardy insects so make sure the products being used work specifically for fleas.

Personally, for outdoor products I prefer to use natural, less toxic methods that are more environmentally friendly.�You can also use a yard sprayer to help with better disbursement.

Remember to also adapt your efforts to reflect the natural flea cycle. So this means treating the outside areas more frequently and making sure bedding and interior areas are also treated at the same time would be ideal.

You’ll need to treat more frequently than has been done–daily vacuuming and more frequently application of flea treatment products (for the interior and exterior areas)–every two weeks for eight weeks at least.

I was glad to hear that the family is going to be using diatomaceous earth and nematodes but again, make sure that you cycle the treatment at least every two weeks for the time being.

There are deterrents that can be used to discourage the entrance of feral animals but the consistency of treatment should work without investing in animal deterrents.

Recently, the pet owner purchased Capstar tablets and gave it to two of the three dogs.

This is a great option and many people use it in conjunction with a topic flea control but don’t combine it with another oral product unless specifically directed to do so by your veterinarian.

Excerpt from Flea Control Secrets eBook:

Capstar (Nitenpyram) is an oral treatment that kills adult fleas by interfering with nerve transmission in the flea.

Studies reported more than 90% effectiveness against adult fleas within four to six hours depending on the species.

Unfortunately Capstar does not kill immature fleas, larvae, or eggs so it is necessary to combine its use with an Insect Growth Regulator.

It is also possible to use less toxic food grade ditomaceous dust on pets–although it can be a bit drying.

Although much of the flea control products can be purchased without going to a veterinarian, I would encourage a veterinary visit for confirmation on the choices being made AND because the animals are likely to have internal parasites as a result of a flea infestation.

I am glad you have watched the videos and are doing all you can do to solve the flea infestation issue.

Remember, once you get a flea infestation it is important to remain diligent in your efforts to get it under control and manage it.

Since you did not mention interior treatments so I’d suggest Flea Busters RX and also trying some Parasite Dust.

I would also recommend reviewing the Flea Control Secrets videos on Seven Flea Control Strategies and the Triangle of Successful Flea Control and if you have not purchased the Flea Control Secrets eBook–you’ll find a whole lot more information to help you get rid of fleas.

Thanks for your question and let me know how it goes.

One of the reasons I wrote Flea Control Secrets was because of increased issues and reactions. Take a few minutes to spend some time in the archives to learn more.

Also, try exploring the natural flea control products listed on this website as safer, less toxic options.

Commercial product manufacturers would do well to pay attention to the latest green pet trend and adopt some different (and safer) models of pest control.

A study by researchers from Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Georgia suggests that a balanced mix of insects and fungi in organic fields provides for both better pest control and larger plants than in conventional agriculture. The study, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and published in the July 1 edition of the journal Nature, shows that organic farming practices lead to many equally-common beneficial species, and that this reduces pest problems.

This study adds to the body of scientific literature considering the benefits of organic agriculture, which includes a paper published by the Rodale Institute in 2003, describing how an organic system produces better yields of corn and soybeans under severe drought conditions and gives better environmental stability under flood conditions through lower runoff risks and greater water retention capabilities in the soil. This helps to balance inaccurate, industry-funded studies which only confuse consumers.

Prior to major commercialization we did use better methods of pest control and this trend is better for the environment and everyone in it.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see major changes in a lot of the pesticide use as people begin to understand just how bad they are for humans and animals.

Recently I learned of the pest control that occurs without application to the human skin (mosquitoes) and was thrilled.

Take a look at the flea control kits in the sidebar and once you visit the site be sure to also look for the pest tag for pets–great options for your pets.

For more information check out the Beyond Pesticides organics page.

It is critical to avoid giving a dog product to a cat and a cat product to a dog. If you haven’t heard about the many issues under investigation by the EPA–part of the problem is thought to be the misuse of products by pet owners by applying flea control products to the wrong species or overdosing due to inaccurate weight estimation. (Best to err on the side of caution.)

The Program flea medication is given once a month.

Lufenuron is administered orally for dogs but cats can receive a pill, liquid suspension, or injection. Program sterilizes the females and so interrupts the flea life cycle.

Eggs cease to hatch within seven days after this product is ingested but adult flea bites can still cause irritation and other complications.

Until the effects take effect, additional flea control methods need to be implemented to reduce the existing flea population.

Some caution is necessary when using this product but Program is considered one of the better products on the market.

Program and most of the best home flea remedies and flea control medications are outlined in Flea Control Secrets.

Ya think?

I wrote about this in the eBook Flea Control Secrets and anticipated the results last fall at the latest.

Today it was announced that there will be an increased scrutiny of flea treatment products, specifically spot-on treatments.

The spot-on flea treatment product investigation results were introduced on March 17, 2010 when the EPA conducted an online flea treatment webinar to discuss their findings from the investigation that I mentioned last year and have been waiting for.

The investigation was sparked by reports of injury and deaths occurring from over the counter flea and tick products.

The agency is inviting public comment about how to implement their new measures. You can view the Federal Register notice announcing the opening of docket number EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0229.

Take a moment to voice your concerns and opinions now.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and Canada�s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) collaborated on this study.

The results found dermal, gastrointestinal and neurological reactions were the most commonly reported complications.

What disturbed me was that the initial posting (listed in Flea Control Secrets) was removed from the EPA website.

Was it pressure from manufacturers of these products?

In addition to looking at the REPORTED incidents involving cats and dogs, and at both the active and inert ingredients, and finally evaluated product labeling.

Some of the problems involved inconsistent reports on adverse reactions and information reported by pet owners.

Also, incidents that weren’t included in the EPA’s evaluation were those from products without EPA registration numbers, those that were vague, and those that were not able to be identified as a specific pesticides or drugs because a combination meant that a reaction couldn’t be definitively tied to a specific product.

In addition, incidents that involving multiple animals were not included because many of these could not be accurately identified.

So, in the great, vague, non-committal way the government seems to be operating these days, the EPA stated that their evaluation indicated that additional restrictions should be applied to these products.

Uh, we knew that already.

Ultimately, the public comment period is vital since, there are a variety of ideas they will implement�such as different packaging, clearer warnings, etc.

It is not clear if restrictions will apply to over-the-counter products, prescription products or both.

Findings included:

• Small breed dogs were affected more often than medium and large breed dogs.
• Dogs affected over three years of age were significant.
• Younger cats affected were significant.
• Products containing cyphenothrin and permethrin stood out.
• Dosage ranges are currently too broad and may need refinement.

I find it interesting that blame is being passed on to the consumer once again since the EPA emphasized the importance of following the manufacturer�s directions carefully, suggesting that misapplication may have be a major contributor to incidents, and that the misuse of dog products on cats or splitting a tube between animals was a concern.

Unrevealed information includes inert ingredients (unlisted and often proprietary additives) which are indicated as an important factor in adverse reactions.

You can find a list of the flea treatment product/manufacturer by number here.

The analysis was done with percentages to omit any bias based on sales and differences in product popularity and use differences.

Meaning, that a popular product may show more incidents versus a less popular product.

How do you feel about that?

Many people want to see all the numbers of incidents, ingredients, etc.

However, the EPA noted that deaths and adverse incidents were reported for all the products included in the study.

Flea Treatment Safety Steps YOU Can Take

• Consult your veterinarian before using any product.
• Do not purchase flea treatment products from suspect suppliers (such as online) as counterfeit flea treatment is a problem.
• Read the manufacturer�s instructions and entire label (follow the directions as detailed).
• Pay attention to warnings and use caution on weak, elderly, sick, pregnant, or nursing pets.
• Follow age restrictions.
• Weigh your pet before application and follow weight restrictions on package–and err on the low side.
• Follow species specific practices. Only use a dog product on a dog and a cat product on a cat.
• Keep the package and record the dates and times you treat your pet. Lot numbers and product data is vital if your pet has an adverse reaction.
• Use a flea treatment product on a pet when you are going to be present so you can watch your pet and identify an adverse reaction quickly if it happens.
• Call your veterinarian immediately if your pet has symptoms of an adverse reaction.
• You can also call an emergency clinic or the Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

EPA Flea Control Product Investigation Links

• Original Press Release
• Listen to the EPA Flea Treatment Investigation Webinar
• Flea Product Reaction List by Number & Manufacturer
• EPA Pesticide Registration Page
• Report Adverse Flea Treatment Products (Vets & Consumers)
• EPA FAQ on Flea Treatment Products
• Health and Safety Guidelines at EPA
• Gov Docket Search
• EPA Evaluation & Mitigation Page
• FDA page

Go now and give your public comment on flea treatment products to the EPA or you can contact individuals involved in this process:

Kimberly Nesci, MS US EPA, Registration Division (reach her with questions at pets@epa.gov)
Lois Rossi, MS US EPA, Director, Registration Division
Kit Farwell, DVM US EPA, Health Effects Division

This post is a reprint from Flea Remedy blog. Please feel free to distribute this post or republish it as long as you keep it intact. Purchase Flea Control Secrets eBook.

�Consumers deserve to know the identities of ingredients in pesticide formulations, including inert ingredients,� said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA�s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. �Disclosing inert ingredients in pesticide products, especially those considered to be hazardous, will empower consumers and pesticide users to make more informed choices.�

EPA believes public disclosure is one way to discourage the use of hazardous inert ingredients in pesticide formulations. The agency is inviting comment on various regulatory and voluntary steps to achieve this broader disclosure.

Pesticide manufacturers usually disclose their inert ingredients only to EPA. Currently, EPA evaluates the safety of all ingredients in a product’s formulation when determining whether the pesticide should be registered.

On October 1, 2009, EPA responded to two petitions (one by Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, and a second by several state attorneys general), that designated more than 350 inert pesticide ingredients as hazardous. The petitioners asked EPA to require that these ingredients be identified on the labels of products that include them in their formulations.

EPA will accept comments on the advance notice of proposed rule making for 60 days after it has been published in the Federal Register.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/inerts/index.htm

Hot spots, flea bite dermatitis, flea bite anemia, and tapeworm are some of the complications and dangers of flea infestations. Get a quick overview on the dangers and some of the options to fighting fleas.

I have not found the source for this trained flea video (ad for Playstation) but since I am into animal behavior I thought it was interesting.

Not sure if it is true but it captured my curiosity. It probably is a fake video but it is fun!

Fleas can live long periods without feeding but passing the conditioning on to the next generation brings lots of questions to mind. If you know someone who has the answers–send them this way.

• How old were the fleas when they were placed in the jar?
• What species of flea are in the jar?
• Who conducted the experiment and why?
• How many generations of fleas did they look at?

One of the common mistakes people make is to think that their pet needs a bath every day or every week. This is not true and be irritating and drying.

Cats will self-groom, and many will bath each other, but older cats and kittens cannot often deal with flea infestations. If there is a flea infestation you might bath once a week for two weeks or so but normally felines don’t need to be bathed every week.

Once you have the flea infestation under control you can bath your cat once a month or so if you want. Many grooming salons also offer cat services. Ideally use one that specializes in felines since too many barking or whining dogs might stress your critter out.

If you are not taking your cat to a specialist, take the time to trim your pet’s claws first since cat nail trimming helps reduce scratches during the bath.

Cat Flea Bath Tips:

• Use the bathtub but I prefer the kitchen sink for ease of handling the cat.
• Provide a grip mat so the animal doesn’t slip and has something for footing–unless your cat is more cooperative without leverage!
• Use a spray nozzle to help you (plus they dislodge fleas).
• Collect all your bathing tools and place them within arms reach (shampoo, towels, bath mat, brush, comb, crate).
• Warm the room so your feline stays warm. This is especially important when bathing kittens or senior cats.
• Test the water to make sure it is warm and not too hot or cold for your feline.
• Wear an apron, and if you think your cat is going to protest, heavier garments.
• Suds quickly and be careful to keep suds out of the pets eyes and ears.
• Massage for 10-15 minutes and use the nozzle to dislodge fleas when you rinse.
• Rinse completely.
• Towel dry and keep the cat in a warm room immediately after the bath.

Remember, a flea treatment bath is only part of the process. To eliminate fleas you must treat the home, yard, and animal at the same time using the triangle of successful flea control and the strategies outlined in Flea Control Secrets.

Neem Oil is mentioned as an ingredient in the flea shampoo and flea dip treatment video. As stated in the video, be sure to use products labeled for puppies specifically as others could be toxic.

In this brief video you will learn how Frontline Plus fleas treatment actually works.

Learn about the flea life cycle and learn more about flea prevention and why it is important.

How to catch fleas talks about how to identify a flea infestation. If you do use a flea comb be sure to use a metal one since the plastic ones can bend (or break) and let fleas escape.

This video shows how to do cat flea treatment using a bath, flea treatment, and a flea comb. You don’t have to use a flea control shampoo–any pet shampoo will do and I recommend pet oatmeal shampoo.

Also, don’t leave a cat unattended in a crate with a toxic shampoo left in the fur since it may begin to groom itself. Just massage the cat and keep it warm during the bath time or use a non-toxic pet shampoo!

This brief video discusses how to identify a cat flea infestation and how to determine if your cat is at risk from flea bite anemia.

Using flea treatment on kittens under 8 weeks of age is not recommended. This video shows how to use a flea comb to get rid of fleas and determine if a kitten has a flea infestation.

Large numbers of fleas can endanger kittens due to flea bite anemia and a veterinary visit is always recommended if your kitten has fleas.

I’ve talked about identifying a flea infestation on a pet before but here is a video that shows you how to look and then how to use a flea comb to identify your pet has fleas.

Most fleas can be seen on the lower belly, near the undersides of the thighs, and at the base of the tail.

If you move the fur (as seen on the video) you can often see the fleas move away and catch glimpses of flea dirt (flea poop and debris) in the coat or on pet bedding.

The Acme Flea Circus visits Chicago, Illinois…fun news report.

Fleas used are not the dog or cat flea but the human flea–one that prefers human hosts but that is rare today in civilized environments.

Flea Circuses were more common in the Victorian age. Learn more about these novel flea acts here or the flea circus history website. You can also listen to a public radio interview about flea circuses.

I thought it might be time to inject a bit of fun into this topic. If you want more than the flea circus video above, read more about Victorian flea performers or I’ll be posting a few other videos today.

People often ask how they can tell if their animal has fleas–which surprises me since anyone who pays attention to their animal should be alert to some of the warning signs.

Some signs of a flea infestation include:

• excessive scratching,
• black insects crawling on pet,
• presence of flea dirt on animal and animal bedding, and
• increased chewing and licking.

In this video the animal is severely infested with fleas and is being cleaned by a grooming professional. The reddish brown water is actually flea dirt.

Flea dirt is the poop of fleas and what flea larvae feed on. The amount of fleas are only some of of the entire problem. The home and yard should be treated since the other 95% of flea populations are made up of flea eggs, flea larvae, and flea pupae–only 5% of any infestation are adult fleas.

I’d also get the animal into the vet for an exam to rule out flea bite anemia and for deworming.

The point to all this is to encourage people to not wait to implement flea control to avoid a bigger problem and complications–and the additional expense of professional grooming and veterinary care–not to mention the health risks to pets from flea infestations.

Just whether or not flea treatment resistance is a reality has not been widely studied. In fact, I blogged about the Bayer Animal Health-funded Flea Susceptibility Monitoring program being the first and only companion animal parasite study about flea immunity.

However, any animal professional worth their salt questions studies funded by groups who produce the products. Why? Sales would benefit from any results that showed that no resistance to those products.

Even when “internationally renowned, independent researchers” are conducting the studies it still flags common sense questions.

So, out in the real world people are questioning whether or not fleas are developing resistance to flea treatments.

There are reasons behind the theory.

First, is that many flea treatments are reported to need application sooner than suggested on the packaging.

Some professionals are even recommending an oral flea treatment as a supplement to topical, spot-on flea treatments.

Now, there is a problem with counterfeit flea treatment products, which could account for some of these reports.

Then there is global climate change that is making the environment more supportive of flea populations–which may mean that there are more fleas to combat.

Unless we have some other definitive studies by outside groups not funded by companies that might benefit from the findings, subjective opinions may over shadow the only study on flea immunity on record.

If you want to read some interesting theories about flea immunity in the pest control industry, this well researched article on flea immunity theory will be of interest.

Back in 2004, Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology (Volume 79, Issue 1, May 2004, pages 25-30) published an article on insecticide resistance in the cat flea.

Mark Govan discusses how to use Boric Acid for flea treatment in the home but does not discuss the dangers to pets as I mentioned in the first post in this series.

Again, less toxic options are always better choices than chemical flea treatments but use caution and research your options prior to using any product because natural does not always mean non-toxic!

Try diatomaceous earth instead.

In this pest control video Mark Govan discusses how to use Borax in the home but fails to discuss pet dangers which I wrote about in the first post in this series.

Obviously, borax powder can be used for flea control and is a better alternative than some chemicals. BUT I think diatomaceous earth is safer. Once you put the borax powder down, it must be vacuumed up after a few days.

Borax IS a desiccant (drying agent) and if pet’s ingest it through licking their paws or floor it could present problems as I discussed in the first post in this series.