Flea Control
Many people believe that fleas cannot survive in the cold, so they do not protect their pets against fleas during the winter months. We see evidence of fleas and flea infestations on a daily basis. In the Portland area fleas are present year-round, unless we have a particularly harsh winter with several weeks of below freezing temperatures.
Fleas are the most common external parasite for dogs and cats. Flea bites can cause itching, fur loss, scabs, and hot spots. In severe cases, fleas can cause a pet to become anemic. While flea bites from adult fleas are the most obvious outward sign of an infestation, the majority of the flea life cycle is in the environment (your home). Flea eggs (as many as 40 per day) are laid in the hair, and are designed to fall off the host. The eggs hatch to become larvae, which spin coccoons for pupation, often in carpet.The pupae are resistant to all pesticides, and can lie dormant for many months waiting for a food source (your cat or dog).
Not all cats and dogs exhibit scratching when they have fleas. Only about one-third of cats and dogs are flea-allergic, and these are the animals that are most likely to be seen scratching. The easiest way to determine if your pet has fleas is to check for flea dirt by using a flea comb (an extremely fine-toothed comb). Flea dirt looks like dark brown or black specks of dirt. It is usually found on the back of the pet, near the tail.
We don't reccommend using flea shampoos, dips, sprays, and collars because they do not efficiently control the flea population. They can also be very harmful to pets, especially cats and small dogs. Many of these products contain Pyrethrins or Permethrins which are toxic when used in high volumes. It is risky for your pets, as well as you, to use these products. Never apply a flea product to your cat that is meant for a dog, and take care to never use multiple over the counter flea products on your pet at the same time. Toxic overdoses are common with over the counter products due to the Pyrethrin and/or Permethrin that they contain.
Prevention is key. Year-round prevention will keep your pet and your home flea free, and is much easier than trying to fix the problem after an infestation has occurred.