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Fleas and ticks are thirsty for blood! These pesky parasites live on your dog or cat and can cause a wide range of skin conditions. They can even cause systemic (whole body) disease by transmitting worms, protozoa and bacteria to your pet's vital organs, leading to illnesses that can pose a real risk to your beloved furry family member. Fortunately, flea and tick problems can be treated (and future outbreaks can be prevented) with a three-step approach that includes your pet, your home, and your yard. First, it's helpful to understand how fleas and ticks get into your home and onto your pet.
Fleas
Once on the dog, the flea makes itself comfortable, feeds, and then lays about 40 eggs per day.1 And that's just one flea: 10 adult females can produce over 10,000 flea eggs in just 30 days! Larval eggs can be found in the grass and soil of your yard. From there, they enter the house on your dog, landing on the carpet and furniture. The eggs then lie dormant for several weeks before they become adults. The life cycle of fleas is long; The average adult flea lives between 60 and 90 days, but if it has a food source, it can live up to 100 days.2
pliers
Ticks are arachnid parasites that lurk in grassy or wooded areas and latch onto dogs, cats or people with their front paws as their target passes by. (This behavior is called "searching.") The tick buries its head partially under your pet's skin, often around the ears and neck, where it feeds on blood. Adult mites can remain dormant for months and then lay thousands of eggs.
In addition to being an irritant, various tick species transmit several diseases that affect both dogs and humans, including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.3 Some dogs are even allergic to mite saliva, which can increase the risk to your pet's health. It is important for pet owners to know how to remove a tick from a cat or dog.
3-step flea and tick protection
Because fleas and ticks can be very persistent, the most effective approach is to treat your pets, your home, and your yard. This approach will eliminate pests, as well as their eggs and larvae, wherever they hide. Overall, the best course of action is to take care of your pet and the environment. to the infection takes hold.
1. Treat your pet
To prevent the spread of pests, the best flea treatment for your dog or cat is Adams Plus Flea & Tick Prevention Spot On for Dogs or Cats. These products include an insect growth regulator (IGR) designed to kill flea eggs and larvae for up to 30 days. This topical treatment disrupts the fleas' life cycle, preventing them from developing into biting, breeding adults. Note. Because topical products diffuse through the oils on your pet's skin, it is important to wait at least two to three days between applying the product and shampooing your dog or cat.
The Adams Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs and Puppies or the Adams Plus Flea and Tick Collar for Cats also makes every effort to provide your pet with long-lasting protection from fleas and ticks. Adams IGR-equipped flea and tick collars contain active ingredients that distribute into the fur and oils on your pet's skin.
Tackle the immediate problem with Adams Plus Foaming Flea & Tick Shampoo & Detergent for Dogs & Puppy or Clarifying Shampoo for Cats & Kittens, which is a rich, creamy formula that cleans and conditions. These products kill fleas, flea eggs and ticks, clean and deodorize your pet, eliminating the need for additional cleansing shampoo.
2. Take care of your home
To prevent fleas and ticks from getting into your pet, you should also simultaneously treat their environment (and yours)—both indoors and outdoors—to kill fleas and attack eggs and larvae wherever they hide .
Before you treat the inside of the house, wash your pet's bedding and thoroughly vacuum the house with a powerful vacuum cleaner. Be sure to vacuum carpets, floors, and all upholstery. If possible, have your carpets cleaned by a professional. Brushes for whipping in a high-quality vacuum can remove a quarter of the flea larvae and more than half of the flea eggs. Vacuuming is also a physical disturbance, so it encourages fleas to leave their cocoons.
After cleaning, take the vacuum cleaner outside, remove the bag and throw it away. It may take several days of vacuuming to remove all the flea eggs.
Next, apply Adams Plus Flea & Tick Indoor Fogger or Home Spray, which can kill fleas on large areas of carpeting and other material surfaces. For a more targeted treatment on your carpet, try Adams Plus Carpet Spray for Fleas and Ticks. Or choose a combination of products using a fogger and carpet treatment to provide complete coverage of household surfaces where flea eggs and larvae may hide.
3. Take care of your yard
Be sure to treat your yard or you will miss an important step in your flea and tick control program. This area is especially prone to infestation because wild animals and even your neighbors' pets can spread ticks, fleas, and flea eggs into your backyard.
Mow the grass first, and collect the grass clippings and throw them away. Then simply attach Adams Yard & Garden Spray to the end of a garden hose and spray it into the areas your pet has access to. This easy-to-use spray covers up to 5,000 square feet and is designed for use on most outdoor surfaces, including the lawn, under and around trees, shrubs and flowers.
It is important not only to kill fleas and ticks, but also to prevent them from coming back. This three-pronged approach can protect your precious cat or dog as much as possible.
1. Negron Vladimir. "Understanding the Flea Life Cycle." PetMD, May 20, 2011, https://www.petmd.com/dog/parasites/evr_multi_understanding_the_flea_life_cycle.
2. Library of Congress. “What is the lifespan of a flea?” LOC.gov, https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/item/how-long-is-the-life-span-of-a-flea/.
3. Klein, Jerry. "AKC Chief Veterinarian Speaks Out on Tick-Borne Diseases." AKC, May 1, 2019, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/akcs-chief-veterinary-officer-on-tick-borne-disease-symptoms-prevention/.