Fleas are an environmental problem, not just a pet problem. Adult fleas live on the cat or dog host, but over 90% of the remainder of their life cycle is spent in your yard or house. A lot of effort on your part is required to manage the problem. We recommend the following:

Frontline Topspot is dispensed in liquid form in small vials of individual doses. A dosage of Frontline Topspot is administered topically on the back of the neck near the shoulder blades. An individual dose should last a dog a month, or possibly a little longer. An individual dose should last a cat approximately one month. This product can be used on puppies as early as 10 weeks, and kittens as early as 12 weeks of age. Do not bathe your pet for two days before or until two days after application.

Revolution has become the product of choice for cats and healthy kittens.

Capstar, an oral tablet, is safe to give every other day. Capstar kills the adult fleas on your pet in 4 hrs. However, it has no residual effect.

Program, a once-a-month pill for dogs and liquid for cats, is available. It can be used on pets as young as six weeks old. This must be used for one to two months before it is totally effective. Also, every dog or cat in your house or yard must be on Program for it to be effective. If your pets have a severe flea problem, you might want to include the use of Frontline Topspot for the initial one to two months that your pets are on Program. A six-month injectable form of Program is also available for cats only. Lufenuron, the active ingredient in Program, is also available in Sentinel heartworm preventative for dogs.

Hiring a knowledgeable professional exterminator might be wise in certain cases. Or, you can probably do an adequate job of house treatment yourself if you are careful, thorough, and persistent. Businesses such as Self Chem have useful information, if you elect to try this.

Treat your entire yard with insecticide spray or granules every one to two weeks as directed until the flea problem is under control--then monthly as a preventative. Precor is not effective outside. Yards should be mowed, raked, and any piles of debris removed before treatment. When the yard is treated, special attention should be paid to the areas where the pet likes to sleep.

We offer the service of de-fleaing dogs and cats by appointment. This is often done while the house is being treated, as the pets need to be out of the house anyway.