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Pet Bucket Blog
Filtered by tag ('fleas')
A huge range of flea treatments is available these days, but sometimes infestations spread beyond the help of topical treatments.
You can treat your pet for fleas religiously, but dogs with flea sensitivity will not respond to treatments unless they also include environmental controls. If your companion spends a good deal of time outdoors, it’s important to treat these areas to manage for fleas and other pests.
When making a list of steps you should take in addressing Fido’s outdoor flea problem, you should first account for which areas need treating. These should include any spot where your pet sleeps, such as his doghouse, kennel, carport, and even under the deck. Other areas to be treated include moist, shady spot where fleas breed; gardens; shrubs; and mulched areas. To rid these areas of fleas, many pet owners use pyrethroid sprays famous for killing fleas and ticks fast. These can be applied through a sprayer attached to a hose, allowing rapid treatment of large areas, or can be diluted and applied with a watering can on smaller spaces. Make sure to remove any pet or children’s toys before beginning this process.
Although pyrethroids are chemical imitations of pyrethrins—naturally occurring compounds that incapacitate insect nervous systems—not all pet owners are comfortable spraying them in their yards. Alternatives include desiccants, which are naturally occurring substances that pull water from fleas, causing them to dry up. Diatomaceous earth, silica gel, and sodium borate are all desiccants that can be applied in your yard to control fleas and other pests. Another natural solution to outdoor flea infestations are beneficial nematodes. Microscopic roundworms available at many garden centers, nematodes kill pests and other insects by entering the body and releasing a bacteria that kills fleas quickly. While they can be highly effective in some situations, nematodes have a limited area and season of usefulness, as they die in temperatures above 95 Fahrenheit and below 45, and are sensitive to light and drought. Cedar wood chips are another natural alternative to fighting fleas, as fleas are repelled by their scent. Sprinkle chips in shady areas, such as under the porch, and in dog bedding and outdoor furniture.
To keep a serious flea infestation at bay, repeat your outdoor treatment every two to three weeks, for at least six weeks. Once your pest problem is under control, you can drop to regular maintenance treatments every four to six weeks throughout the flea season. You should continue using your regular flea treatments on all of your pets throughout the process, and be sure to consult your veterinarian before treating your yard to make sure your pest prevention program won’t harm you or your canine companion.
There is an unbreakable rule of war: Know Your Enemy. Know them inside and out, what their weaknesses are, their schedules, where they sleep, what they eat, and their greatest fears. To establish true mastery over a foe, one must become intimately aware of all that they are. Make no mistake, if you wish to win the war against parasites your greatest weapon will always be knowledge. Knowing how a flea operates is the quickest and surest way to lead your enemy to an untimely and immediate end.
Some Strange Facts about Nature’s Tiniest Vampires
To know your enemy, you must first know what they do and where they do it. For example, did you know that most fleas spend nearly 80% of their time off of their host? They really only bed down on a playful pup or curious cat at meal time. Furthermore, once they’ve reached full maturity, they can survive up to 2 years between meals. That means treating your pet and its surroundings is the best way to keep flea bites at bay.
The basic facts about fleas are obvious: excellent jumpers, they suck blood, flea bites are itchy, etc. However, there is much more to these insectoid Draculas than a shallow evaluation would suggest. There are over 2000 different varieties of fleas. These varieties are classified mostly for the type of hosts they inhabit. Strangely enough, fleas are like connoisseurs. They only go for one kind of prey, a sort of interspecies brand loyalty that even Apple executives would have to envy.
Flea Bites
Flea bites can significantly lower a pet’s quality of life. A flea bite has its obvious effect: a swollen itchy bump that can leave a pet tearing out chunks of hair in frustration. However, the damage it can do isn’t limited to an itchy inconvenience. Flea bites have been known to cause allergic reactions due to flea saliva, significant hair loss sometimes leading to Hotspots, and in rare cases even Anemia.
Inhumane Treatment for Bloodsuckers
There are two main types of treatment for eradicating fleas: Tablets and Topicals. Topicals are the preferred method of flea control for most pet owners due to the ease of application and overall efficacy. One drop of a topical will translocate across a dog or cat’s skin via the sebaceous system, (these are the glands that secrete oil in mammals,) and circulate through the animal’s blood stream as well, often killing intestinal or arterial parasites as part of the bargain. Tablets work by interrupting the flea life cycle. The prevent flea eggs from hatching into larvae.
Once you’ve determined the best method for your pet you only need to point and click your way to a purchase at a reasonable price. Now that you know your enemy, it’s time to stop flea bites in their tracks and unleash the hounds, if you catch my drift. Pick up the spot on topical or tablet that best suits your pet today.
All pets itch when they have fleas, but some dogs face severe allergic reactions to bites from these pests. From itchy, red bumps to hair loss and life-threatening infections, flea allergies can cause a host of worries for your canine companion. Fortunately, preventative flea treatments can stop allergic reactions and help keep Fido feeling his best.
Like people, dogs can be allergic to mold, pollen and dust mites. Pets with those allergies are likely to struggle with flea allergies, too. The allergy—formally known as flea allergy dermatitis—is a reaction of your dog’s immune system to fleas’ saliva when they bite. Infected pets will itch and gnaw at irritated areas, causing hair loss and open sores. A tell-tale sign your dog has flea allergy dermatitis is hair loss on the back half of his body, especially near the base of his tail, inner thigh, stomach and groin. Dogs with fleas will also have either visible bugs on their skin or “flea dirt” that can be readily seen. Because fleas can cause your dog to itch until he has open wounds, infested pets can also develop staph infections, which can prove fatal if they spread. Fleas don’t tend to cluster on animals’ feet or heads, so hair loss or itching in those areas is likely due to another problem.
The first—and most obvious—step towards treating your dog’s flea allergy is to rid him of fleas. A wide variety of flea control products available on the market kills the parasites through oral treatments, topical applications or long-lasting collars. Most flea medications are available in a quick, monthly dose, making curing and preventing infestations easier than ever. New flea treatments are developing constantly, so ask your veterinarian which medication will work best for your pet. Secondary infections from a flea allergy, such as bacterial or yeast infections, may require antibiotics or antifungal medication to heal. Some pets will also need anti-itch medication such as antihistamines or steroids during their recovery. In these cases, follow-up exams are often necessary to track progress of treatments. Your veterinarian can test your pet for flea allergies using blood tests or pinpricks, but the easiest way to cure the symptoms of a flea allergy is to eliminate the bugs.
Certain breeds such as terriers, labs and golden retrievers are more prone to flea allergies, so owners should be especially attentive when it comes to preventing fleas. If your pet starts licking, chewing, rubbing or rolling to try to relieve his itching, he may have a flea allergy. Look for red bumps and hair loss as further signs your pet needs help treating his symptoms— and remember, the easiest way to treat a flea allergy to is stop fleas before they strike with a preventative medication.
We’ve seen dogs with fleas covering their entire bodies and cats that suffer from tapeworms caused by flea bites. Not only will these tiny pests torment your pets, they will also spread around your home and affect other family members too. Armed with the ability to multiply rapidly (up to 50 eggs per day!), you’ll have a hard time getting rid of them.
While some pet owners are ill-equipped to deal with flea infestations, others simply don’t understand the urgency. Some of the common questions we get from our customers are:
what do fleas look like?
what problems or diseases will they cause?
do they pose a problem to affect humans?
how to check for fleas on my dogs and cats?
where do they hide around my home?
what are the best flea treatments?
how to prevent another flea outbreak in the future?
According to a pet health report done by Banfield Pet Hospital, fleas are the most common form of external parasites (even more than ticks). Since 2006, there has been an increase in flea infestation cases and they are concentrated in the south-eastern states. Besides potentially causing allergic reactions in the furry hosts, these nasty bugs can also pass on harmful diseases with zoonotic risk.
Imagine how much you will have to pay for medical bills (vet & hospital) and pest control!
That’s why we have gathered some of the best free resources around the web to answer your questions, and keep your pets (and yourself!) safe from flea infestations.
Introducing The Ultimate Flea Prevention Guide
This ultimate guide is a curated collection of blog posts, articles, and reports for any pet parents. You’ll learn what fleas are, problems they cause, how to identify them (in various places), how to remove and prevent them.
Just click on the chapter you are interested in reading and the page will scroll to that section.
Contents
Part 1: Fleas Essentials
Chapter 1: Fleas and Their Life Cycle
Chapter 2: The Danger Lurking Inside Fleas
Part 2: How to Check for Fleas
Chapter 3: Recognize the Symptoms on Your Family Members
Chapter 4: The 411 on Fleas and Your Canine Companion
Chapter 5: How to Spot Fleas on Cats
Chapter 6: Where Do Fleas Hide in Your Home
Part 3: Treating and preventing fleas
Chapter 7: Treating Your Family Members
Chapter 8: Flea Treatment and Prevention for Dogs
Chapter 9: Flea Treatment and Prevention for Cats
Chapter 10: Indoor, Outdoor, and Car
Part 1: Fleas Essentials
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Chapter 1: Fleas and Their Life Cycle
Do you know only 5% of fleas live in the environment as adults? The rest are in various stages of their life cycle. To avoid a relapse of infestation, you’ll need to understand their life cycles:
What do fleas look like? | Orkin
What’s the difference between fleas and ticks? | Pet Guide
Types of Fleas | Ehrlich
The life cycle of a flea | R.I.P Fleas
The flea life cycle and how it guides effective flea control and prevention | Pet Informed
Chapter 2: The Danger Lurking Inside Fleas
Although flea itself is not lethal, its ability to host diseases is. Throughout history, fleas have been the main catalyst for major plagues, such as the infamous Black Death which devastated Europe during the 13th century:
Dog flea diseases | Pet Basics from Bayer
The Dangers of Fleas in Dogs | Pet Place
Flea-associated illnesses in cats | DVM360
Fleas: A source of torment for your cat | Cornell University
Diseases transmitted by fleas | Ehrlich
What are the dangers of flea infestations to an infant? | Livestrong
Plague: Ecology and Transmission | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Part 2: How to Check for Fleas
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Chapter 3: Your Family Members Aren’t Safe Either
Just as your pets are vulnerable to flea bites, so are your family members. Although humans are typically not flea’s natural host, they’re more than happy to feed on us. Keep an eye out for the symptoms:
Can people get fleas from their pets? | The Bug Squad
Can fleas live on people? | ThoughtCo
Flea bite symptoms | Fleabites
What does a flea bite look like on human | Fleas Be Gone
Chapter 4: The 411 on Fleas and Your Canine Companion
Dogs are one of the most common victims of fleas. Your canine companion may encounter them in the yard, on walks, at the groomer, or even in the house. It’s important to know how to check your dog and his environment for signs of infestation:
How do dogs get fleas? | Animal Friends
5 ways to check your dog for fleas | PetBucket
3 simple ways to check your dog for fleas at home | Puppy Leaks
What is flea dirt and what does it look like? | Petsho
Chapter 5: How to Spot Fleas on Cats
When people think of flea infestation on pets, they usually think about dogs only. Well, as the name suggests, the cat flea loves to feed on kitty cats just as much as they love to snack on dogs. This section will teach you how to check for fleas on your felines:
How did my indoor cat get fleas? | Petcha
How to tell if your cat has fleas | PetBucket
Physical signs and symptoms of flea infestation on cats | Delightibles
How to check cats for fleas: 13 steps (with pictures) | wikiHow
Chapter 6: Where Do Fleas Hide in Your Home
Fortunately, fleas leave behind a trail of evidence in their wake. From bites to flea dirt, there are many signs to look out for around your home:
Where do fleas hide? | Long Time No Flea
Do fleas live in grass? | Flea Science
How can you detect a flea infestation? | Beaphar
Flea inspection guide | DoMyOwn
Part 3: Treating and preventing fleas
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Chapter 7: Treating Your Family Members
If you know what you’re looking for/at, it’s easy to spot flea bites on yourself or your family member. Take a close look at some pictures and detailed profiles of symptoms to ensure that you’ll be ready to remove and prevent fleas:
Flea bites on humans: Symptoms and treatment | Den Garden
Pictures of flea bites on humans: Symptoms and treatments | Get Rid Pests
Flea bites on babies: Symptoms, causes, and home remedies | Flea Bites Info
Chapter 8: Flea Treatment and Prevention for Dogs
When it comes to prevention, we stock some great flea treatments (from popular brands) that can help keep your dog safe. We also included some natural preventive methods below as an alternative. A word of warning, you should always speak to a veterinarian before giving any treatments to your dog:
Flea treatments for dogs | PetBucket
Fleas: detection, treatment, & prevention | Cesar's Way
Puppy flea treatment – Best practices | My Sweet Puppy
Flea and tick medicine for puppies | American Kennel Club
6 ways to naturally prevent and get rid of fleas on dogs | Everyday Roots
Chapter 9: Flea Treatment and Prevention for Cats
We offer a wide range of flea treatments for feline too! Just as the case is with canines, there are alternative methods available for treating fleas on your cat. Again, always speak with a vet before making any final decisions:
Flea treatments for cats | PetBucket
Fleas on your cat? Here's how to handle the problem | The Spruce Pets
Fleas and flea control in cats | International Cat Care
How to safely remove fleas from kittens | Petful
5 natural ways to prevent & get rid of fleas on cats | Everyday Roots
Chapter 10: Indoor, Outdoor, and Car
Not sure how to go about getting rid of fleas in problematic areas outside of the house? We’ve got you covered. From the car to the dog bed, and back out into the yard, we’ve found you a comprehensive list of resource information on how to spot, remove, and prevent fleas in and around your home:
Best ways of getting rid of fleas: A complete guide of effective flea control | Stop Pest Info
How to de-flea your home | PetBucket
Controlling fleas and ticks around your home | Environmental Protection Agency
How to kill fleas in a home: 13 steps (with pictures) | wikiHow
Your backyard wildlife habitat: Begin in spring to control fleas | Patch
How to control fleas and ticks outside | WebMD
Outside flea removal: In 4 easy steps | Fleas B Gone
How to kill fleas in a car | Advantage Pest Control
We hope our guide to flea prevention for your home. What did you think of the guide?
Or maybe you still have an unanswered question.
Feel free to let us know by leaving a quick comment below right now.
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If you have a dog, then you need to check it for fleas on a regular basis. Fleas can be found in almost every area of the country, especially during the spring and summer months. Just because you keep your home clean and tidy does not meant your dog won't get fleas. Fleas are tiny parasites that can jump huge distances, which means that they can attach themselves to your dog by jumping on it from another animal with fleas. Because fleas are parasites, they can cause severe discomfort to your dog. Fleas will spread quickly throughout your home if you do not find a way to eliminate them immediately; otherwise, they will cause severe discomfort to you and your family. The following are five ways to check your dog for fleas:
? Check to see if your dog is behaving oddly - If your dog is behaving oddly; for example, its more restless than normal and is chewing, licking or scratching itself more than it usually does, then there's a good chance it has fleas. Other behavioral signs of fleas include scratching at its ears or shaking its head on a regular basis.
? Check your dog's fur coat - If you dog has become infested with fleas, then you should be able to spot fleas jumping around in your dog's fur coat. However, if your dog only has a few fleas, they may be hard to spot by just checking the fur.
? Check the groin and armpits - These two areas are two of the warmer areas as well as most protected areas on a dog, which makes them some of the favorite locations for fleas to feed off of. Look carefully in these spots for fleas or for signs of fleas, such as hair loss or red and irritated skin, which may have been caused by excessive scratching.
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? Run a flea comb through the fur - Flea combs have very fine teeth, making it easier to pull out fleas. Run a flea comb through your dog's fur. If there are any fleas in the area that you are combing, they should be caught within the teeth. When using the comb, make sure that you get close to your dog's skin. Be sure to have a bowl of water with soap in it nearby so you can dip the comb in it if you have caught any live fleas.
? Check your dog's bed - The fleas won't just stay on your dog - they will often move to the environment that your dog lives in. If they haven't spread to your furniture yet (at which point you'll probably realize that you have fleas), then check your dog's bedding for fleas or for signs of flea dirt, which are black specks.
These are five ways that you can check to see if your dog has fleas. If your dog does indeed have fleas, then you need to get rid of them as soon as possible before they begin spreading throughout your home and you have an infestation on your hands.
Only those who truly care about their families health, search for posts and articles like this one, which highlight the symptoms and potential side effects of different pet treatments. Which is why I know that you are a kind and compassionate person, who only wants the best for every member of your family.
And knowing that makes me proud to blog about the side effects of Revolution for cats and dogs, because I know that you will use it to compare against other pet parasiticide products, so that you make sure you get your pet's the highest quality of pest deterrent available.
Now, to start us out, I've always felt it's best to get the worst out of the way first. So let's discuss the worst potential side effects of Revolution Pet Treatment (as well as most other treatments available today).
If you notice your dog or cat showing signs of any of these symptoms, call your vet right away:
Muscle Weakness/In-Coordination - In 1% of clinical trials, some pets experienced extreme muscle weakness which lead to difficulty standing or walking. This can happen if your pet gets too large of a dose, or if they have a natural undiagnosed allergy to anything in the treatment. If this happens, your pet will need to see a vet right away. Because of this risk, it is always best to try any new pet treatments in the morning, so that if any adverse reactions appear, you will have plenty of time to get your pet into a vet within the same day.
Rapid Breathing/Panting - Because Revolution enters the blood stream, it can sometimes have a negative effect on your pets heart. In a small minority of pets, this can cause hypertension, which can lead to stroke or heart attach. If you notice these your pet is panting excessively or breathing very rapidly, take them into the near vet as soon as possible.
Muscle Tremors - If you notice that your pet is shaking uncontrollably or experiencing heavy muscle tremors, call your vet and schedule an appointment for as soon as possible.
Skin Burning - Out of 1743 animals tested, less than 2% had an adverse reaction that caused their skin to burn after application of any chemical pet treatments. If you notice that your pets skin appears is covered in a rash, peeling or your pet seems to be in great discomfort around the application site, you will want to take them into a vet right away.
Most of these reactions rarely occur in 5 out of 100 animals, meaning that it is not likely that your pet will have a serious reaction. Though being armed with this knowledge, helps you care for them if they do happen to be a part of the 5%.
And now that we've gotten through the tougher parts of this discussion, let's cover the more common side effects and some ways that you can help your pet cope with them, while the treatment relieves them of pests.
Temporary Hair Loss - More often then not, this happens with animals who already have sensitive skin, and with most of those cases, the sensitive pet is even more in need of pest treatment than pets who are not so sensitive. Though because the pet has sensitive skin, they will sometimes lose some of the fur around the site where you put the treatment. So long as they do not appear to have been burned, they should regrow the hair within a week or two at most.
Digestive Upset - Diarrhea, vomiting and stomach upset are the most common digestive side effects. They can cause your dog or cat to not want to eat or play for a little while until their body has processed the parasiticide. You can help them through these side effects by making sure they drink plenty of fresh distilled water, which will help keep them hydrated and help them process the treatments more easily.
Hyperactivity - When Revolution enters your pets bloodstream through their skin, it can sometimes cause them to have an elevated heart beat, as their body deals with the treatments reactions. This will make them anxious, as they will not be sure about what is happening to them, and that is usually what causes the hyper activity. You can help keep them calm by giving them their treatment in a dark and quiet room, and then staying with them for at least 30-45 minutes after the treatment.
Drowsiness - On the other side of the coin, some dogs and cats have seen the alter-reaction to hyperactivity, which is Drowsiness or Lethargy. As their body gives into the process of the pest treatments, they might need to sleep while the battle between bugs and love, wages on. If your animal finds themselves with this reaction, the best thing you can do is to help them get comfortable, and then check on them from time to time, to make sure they are still able to get up, walk around a bit and drink some water.
Drooling - It is recommended that every pet who gets a dose of Revolution, gets it right between their shoulder blades, to prevent them from ingesting the medication. That being said, we all know that our pets have a way of reaching the spot, no matter how crafty you try to be, and that means that there is still a chance that they might ingest the treatment.
When this happens, it most often causes excessive drooling as their body works to get the taste and the chemicals out of their mouth. You can help your pet through this by offering them plenty of fresh water to drink.
In most cases, the worst you're going to see is a displeased cat or anxious dog, whom are not very happy to have been treated, but who will be very happy in an hour or so, as they are finally flea and parasite free again.
Stronghold flea and worm medication is another fine example of a multifaceted and all inclusive medication to defend your pet against all sorts of foreign invaders. The advantage of a treatment like Stronghold is that it is a sort of one stop shop for almost any parasitic problems you might encounter. True to its name, Stronghold turns your pet into an indomitable fortress designed to take out parasites at every turn. This simple spot on medication protects your pet on the outside from fleas, sarcoptic mange, ticks, and ear mites as well as the inside from worms that plague the intestinal tract and heart.
The active ingredient in Stronghold is known as Selamectin. It’s a water resistant chemical that absorbs into your dog or cat by way of the hair follicles and skin, it then travels through the sebaceous glands, bloodstream, and intestines going to work on whatever foreign attacker is closest at hand and all set to be destroyed. It has separate uses depending on which animal it’s used on. In dogs it kills certain varieties of fleas as well as the aforementioned ear mites, while in cats the chemical takes its pound of flesh from intestinal worms. To be more precise, it works most notably against hookworms and roundworms.
Like any other spot on medication that’s worth its salt, Stronghold is convenient in a number of ways. For starters, it’s fast acting. It begins killing parasites within 30 minutes of an application. It’s long-lasting as well. Just one treatment is worth 30 days of parasite protection. Another great feature is that bathing the dog won’t reduce the drug’s efficacy, at least not after a grace period of 30 minutes, right about the time you’d want to start washing off the dead fleas!
Another lesser known bonus application of Stronghold is its effectiveness on newborn puppies. Puppies are too young and fragile to be treated with any pet medications directly. However, it’s perfectly safe to treat their mother before the litter has been weaned. Do you get where this is going? The lactating mother canine is able to act as a filter and transmitter for the puppies’ flea prevention. It’s a handy feature, because it’s absolutely heartbreaking to see a defenseless puppy fall prey to the negative effects of a filthy parasite.
If this product is starting to sound a little eerily familiar, it may be because of a passing familiarity you have with another nearly identical name brand of pet medication: Revolution. In fact, it might surprise you to learn that Stronghold and Revolution are one and the same. They are identical products sold under different names in different parts of the world. Why the discrepancy? Only the fine folks at Pfizer (the manufacturer of both) would know. Regardless of their reasoning the only difference in the two products is the packaging, and no matter your choice in aesthetics, both products are available at Petbucket.com.
Order your supply in advance and save on shipping today!
Hello and welcome! It’s time for another product showcase in the ongoing war against fleas. This week’s item presented for your perusal goes by quite the contented moniker: Comfortis. Comfortis is a highly effective chewable monthly flea killer. This stuff is extremely potent against fleas, but relatively easy on a dog’s system. Comfortis begins working as soon as digestion starts, around 30 minutes after the initial administration, and it keeps working for thirty days after ingestion. It actually causes fleas to have a seizure before they shove off the mortal coil. It’s a dramatic sight, if you’ve got a microscope and the free time.
According to a study from 2011 put forth by Ipsos Forward Research, Comfortis has the highest overall satisfaction rate for monthly flea control products among veterinarians. That’s mighty high praise for a chewable. Usually, a digested treat doesn’t go to work as quickly as the spot on alternative, owing that delayed reaction to digestion and transmission through the blood stream rather than the sebaceous glands in their skin. It’s efficacy can’t be understated, the fact that you can actually witness fleas seizing and dying within a half hour of feeding the dog a tasty treat, is nothing short of incredible.
Also incredible, is the chewable delivery system for this drug. That means no more chasing the dog or cat around the house and applying the back of the neck death grip in order to apply one of those irritating spot ons. Those of you with more subdued pets might not understand such travails, but if you’ve ever had to deal with a half feral cat that doesn’t like the smell of a spot on, you’re more than a little familiar with the difficulty described. You can also cease to worry about getting any of the chemical on your hands, furniture, clothing, or carpet.
Comfortis works by regulating the growth of the fleas as well as the all-out brutal genocide it commits upon the adult blood-suckers. What this means is it keeps flea larvae, pupa, and eggs from ever entering into the next stage of life. Without any way of growing up they don’t really die of old age, but just sort of expire because they can’t fend for themselves at any point before adulthood. As far as fleas are concerned, Comfortis is a nightmare grotesquery that eliminates silently, violently, and almost instantaneously.
To sum it up, Comfortis is a tasty chewable delight for dogs and cats alike, which horribly maims the unborn fleas, cantankerously annihilates the adolescent ones, and vehemently exterminates the adults—all in a timely fashion. It’s chemical warfare at its best; giving the maximum benefit to you and your pet, with no fuss for you and a delicious reward for them, but also taking swift and total vengeance against your microscopic enemies. So if you are looking for a fast, effective, and ferocious chewable alternative to a spot on flea control medication, then give Comfortis a once over today!
Today’s showcase will be about Trifexis. This little known tablet is the preferred monthly preventative of veterinarians. Puppies coming in for their first checkup will usually be prescribed Trifexis as their very first chewable flea killer. However, there is much more to this vet favorite than just the wholesale slaughter of everyone’s least favorite bloodsucking insect.
Dogs taking Trifexis will have three things less to worry about than the average untreated pup. This powerful monthly treatment stays true to its name and fights off three different kinds of unwanted houseguests. That’s right, the holy trinity of dog terrorism: fleas, heartworms, and the intestinal worms whose names you’ve come to know and loathe. Fully matured hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms all tremble in fear at the sound of this drug’s name.
Ingredients for Success
These dangerous parasites haven’t got a prayer against the combined might of two powerful active ingredients in the makeup of Trifexis. If you’re old enough, you may have heard of spinosad, a powerful insect killer developed in the late nineties to protect agriculture without any adverse environmental effects. Now it’s doing the job inside your dog’s biochemistry with equal cautious care.
The other active ingredient, milbemycin oxime, is a drug produced exclusively for veterinary purposes. It’s the active ingredient inside of Interceptor, another pet preventative favored by proud puppy parents the world over. The drug is metabolized in the liver and acts mainly against the intestinal and heartworms, leaving the insecticidal work to the Spinosad.
Affecting Effectiveness
Together these two make a powerful super drug with a broad spectrum of efficacy. However, that scientific mumbo jumbo isn’t really all that important to the drug purchasing laymen. The average pet owner only cares about one thing. Does it work? Sure enough, this drug garners praise and subscriptions from various veterinary facilities for good reason. The studies (page 3) conducted before the drug was approved by the American Food and Drug Administration showed a 100% effectiveness rating, when properly administered in the suggested intervals.
Doesn’t get much clearer than that, does it? A 100% effective treatment in stark black ink on white paper says that there isn’t much more you could do for your dog than keep him or her safe with this powerful monthly medication. Your dog will appreciate the fact that it isn’t itching, but it’s more likely to show gratitude for the tablet itself. The tasty flavoring on the outer shell can pretty much assure a popular reception among the canine population.
Benefits:
Convenient – easy to administer and happily received with a wagging tail.
Effective—100% effective in the treatment of hookworm, roundworm, whipworm, heartworm, and fleas.
Fast acting, and consistent—Begins killing parasites within 24 hours and keeps killing them for 30 days!
Tasty—The Flavored spinosad will kill fleas while maintaining a flavor your dog will flip for.
And virtually without side effects.
So don’t wait one more second. If your dog needs treatment, grab yourself some Trifexis today!
Welcome to yet another blurb on one of the many ways a tiny six legged organism can ruin your day. On tonight’s episode, you’ll learn about the most common cause of skin disease for dogs and cats: Flea Allergy Dermatitis. Don’t take this allergic reaction as lightly as the jovially toned jive you’re reading, flea dermatitis is most definitely a drag.
Flea allergy dermatitis starts with a flea. The flea bites your pet repeatedly causing a stinging itch, the dog or cat responds by scratching or biting themselves raw, and eventually develops an allergy to the flea’s saliva. This allergy then takes the form of raw exposed skin replacing the lovely fur coat that your pet had been cultivating for the entirety of its existence. Unless you have one of those disarmingly adorable/creepy pets without any fur, but it’s pretty difficult for fleas to stick around on a hairless target.
Doggy Dermatitis
In dogs, flea allergy dermatitis will make itself known through redness, bumps, pus filled bumps (postules,) crusty scabs, and the aforementioned hair loss. These signs are most often found around the tail, back, and neck areas; though the back of the legs are common targets as well. It’s basically the worst possible version of eczema that you can imagine, except it’s in canines. So don’t send your pooch to obedience school with flea allergy dermatitis, they’ll be just as embarrassed as the flaky skinned kid in high school. You don’t want an unpopular puppy, do you?
Feline Flea Allergy
In cats, the flea dermatitis can be just as bad, if not worse. Feline flea allergy dermatitis carries all of the same symptoms as the canine model, but it can also lead to some fairly serious skin disorders. These disorders can include miliary dermatitis which is basically a series of unpatterned lesions on your cat’s skin, feline eosinophilic granuloma which causes highly unattractive ulcers, or alopecia which is a fancier way of saying hair loss.
At this point you might be asking yourself: is there no end to the problems flea bites can cause? Well, fortunately for you, the answer is yes. The fleas have only a finite supply of methods to annoy or physically harm you and your pet. Not only are they limited in their approach, but you can actively combat the problem at the source of flea allergy dermatitis and all of its accompanying health conditions; namely, the fleas.
Pet Medications to the Rescue
Your solution should be a fairly familiar one if you are a frequent browser of this blog. The answer is, of course, flea prevention through quality pet medications. No matter how bad your pet’s reaction to flea allergy dermatis is, their symptoms are bound to subside if you prevent the flea bites. Whether you’re a fan of spot on treatments or tablets, you’ll be glad you offered your pet this easy and affordable protection that enhances their quality of life, and saves you peace of mind. Pick up your pet meds today.
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