A basic understanding of the flea life cycle is really useful in planning a flea control strategy and to assess
when things are 'on track' or when additional control measures may be required. The flea life cycle is a basic
insect life cycle which involves four major phases:
Flea eggs are laid onto the pet by adult female fleas. These fall off the pet into the environment where they
hatch out as flea larvae - the highest concentrations of flea eggs are in areas that pets spend the most time such as bedding and rest areas.
Flea larva are a small, white worm-like stage (about 5 mm long) which feed on debris from the dog or cat including flea 'dirt'. Flea dirt or feces is a nutritious meal for larvae because it is high in protein and not completely digested by the adult flea. They are not generally seen as they tend to leave deep in carpet pile or pet bedding.
Once they have matured they spin a cocoon around themselves to form the pupal stage.
Flea pupa are the equivalent of the cocoon stage of a moth. The cocoon is very hard to kill with insecticides and is resistant to vacuuming because the pupae attach themselves firmly to carpet fibers and pets bedding. In the absence of a dog or a cat to feed on (such as when householders go on vacation), the pupal stage may become dormant for a long time up to 150 or so days. This stage can also form a reserve of fleas which can infect the pets long after an effective flea control product has begun to be used. In order to hatch out of the cocoon, pupae need the right stimuli such as vibration and carbon dioxide from a passing pet. When this is present they hatch out and quickly jump onto the animal. In cases such as when the family has been on vacation and the house vacant, huge numbers of hungry immature fleas may hatch out at the same time and attach to pets and even to humans.
Adult fleas first jump onto an animal as immature fleas which feed very quickly, normally within a minute of
attaching to the animal. They will feed voraciously for the first 24 to 48 hours. This extended feeding is
required to give them the protein and energy requirements for mating and laying eggs. Once a female flea has been on the pet for about 36-48 hours she is ready to lay eggs. She will lay about 20 eggs per day onto the pets coat for up to about 100 days that is about 2000 eggs for each and every female!
So what are some important flea control tips that we can learn from an investigation of the flea life cycle?
If you wait until you are seeing many fleas before using an effective flea control product you are asking for
trouble. Every female has laid 20 eggs each per day so by the time you start treatment you already have an
infested environmental. Start an effective flea control product BEFORE you expect to see fleas - before the
weather really warms up!
Do not be surprised if you see fleas on your pets for some weeks (up to 8 weeks) after you first start using an effective flea control product - the pupal stage can exist without taking a blood meal for up to 100 days - so there may be a huge reservoir of pre-emergent fleas just waiting to jump onto your pet. All of the flea stages already in the environment must go through their life cycle and become immature adult fleas which infest your pet before they are killed.
The pupal stage is very resistant to chemicals attack, so concentrating your efforts on using an effective ON
ANIMAL flea control product will be much more effective than trying to control the life stages which are present in the environment.
If your house or yard are full of fleas, do not restrict the movement of your treated pet. If you are aware that
there is a terrible flea problem in a bedroom where your pet sleeps, make sure you continue to let your pet go in there. An effectively treated pet becomes a mobile flea killer. If your pet is not allowed in an infested area then hungry fleas will look for an alternative source of blood - and that will either be you, your family or your friends! However, we also know that flea eggs will congregate where your pet spends most of his/her time - make sure you really concentrate on cleaning and vacuuming these areas.
Make sure that you optimize your use of an effective flea control product. Ensure that you dose your pet
adequately and follow all of the instructions on the product label.
When you are armed with a few of these tips from the knowledge you have gained about the flea life cycle, you should be well placed to get those nasty little pests under control. Good luck in your flea control war!
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Showing posts with label dogs cats pets fleas ticks medication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dogs cats pets fleas ticks medication. Show all posts
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Friday, August 13, 2010
Flea and Tick Medications
By: Sylvia Einwechter
This is from The Humane Society of the United States
Protecting your dog or cat from fleas and ticks is an important part of responsible pet care.
Although there are many brands of over-the-counter flea and tick products available at supermarkets and pet supply stores, it is critical to read their labels and consult with your veterinarian before using them on your companion. These products may contain ingredients that could harm pets and children. Generally speaking, flea and tick treatments widely available in supermarkets are not recommended. Never use dog treatments on cats, and vice versa.
Due to a sharp increase in the number of incidents being reported from the use of spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control for pets, the Environmental Protection Agency announced in April 2009 that it is intensifying its evaluation of whether further restrictions on the use of these products are necessary to better protect pets.
In June 2009, the EPA was petitioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council to cancel all pet uses for the pesticide tetrachlorvinphos, as well as a supplement to a previous NRDC petition to cancel all pet collar uses for the pesticide propoxur. Both these chemicals are organophosphates and are widely used in mass-produced flea/tick products. A comment period allowed citizens and organizations to comment, and on Aug. 3, 2009, the HSUS supported the ban by submitting a brief history of the complaints we’ve received over the last several years. The complaints from citizens around the country described the illness and death of companion animals caused by flea and tick products, many of which contained TCVP.
Recent studies
The Center For Public Integrity released information on its website for its Perils of the New Pesticides study in 2008. At least 1,600 pet deaths related to spot on treatments with pyrethroids were reported to the EPA over the last five years, according to an analysis of EPA pesticide incident exposure data by the center. Over-the-counter flea and tick products could also pose a threat to human health, according to some experts.
The center reported that pyrethroid spot-ons also account “for more than half of ‘major’ pesticide pet reactions reported to EPA over the last five years—that is, those incidents involving serious medical reactions such as brain damage, heart attacks, and violent seizures. In contrast, non-pyrethroid spot on treatments accounted for only about 6 percent of all major incidents.”
The Center For Public Integrity’s study said pyrethroid-based flea and tick treatments are approved for sale by the EPA, and they are readily available at grocery stores, specialty pet retailers, and hardware stores, “but they are also linked to thousands of reported pet poisonings, and they have stirred the ire of pet owners, the concern of veterinarians, and the attention of regulatory agencies.”
In 2000, the Natural Resources Defense Council released a report called Poisons on Pets: Health Hazards from Flea and Tick Products. The report also demonstrated a link between chemicals commonly used in flea and tick products and serious health problems.
The chemicals
Besides pyrethroid-based products, ingredients to be wary of are organophosphate insecticides (OPs) and carbamates, both of which are found in various flea and tick products. A product contains an OP if the ingredient list contains chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon, or malathion. If the ingredient list includes carbaryl or propoxur, the product contains a carbamate. According to the NRDC, the potential dangers posed by these products are greatest for children and pets. There is reason to be concerned about long-term, cumulative exposures as well as combined exposures from the use of other products containing OPs and carbamates. The Center For Public Integrity’s study said permethrin is classified under the most toxic category by NRDC because the EPA says it is “likely to be carcinogenic to humans” if ingested orally.
The products
The NRDC’s report lists flea- and tick-control products marketed under the following major brand names that have been found to contain OPs: Alco, Americare, Beaphar, Double Duty, Ford’s Freedom Five, Happy Jack, Hartz, Hopkins, Kill-Ko, Protection, Rabon, Riverdale, Sergeant’s, Unicorn, Vet-Kem, Victory, and Zema. To protect their pets and children, consumers should consult with a veterinarian before purchasing any over-the-counter (OTC) products.
The effects
According to the NRDC, there are studies that show OPs and carbamates can harm the nervous system. Children can be especially vulnerable because their nervous systems are still developing. For pets, the data is limited, but according to NRDC, many companion animals appear to have been injured or killed through exposure to pet products containing OPs. Cats are particularly vulnerable, since they often lack enzymes for metabolizing or detoxifying OPs and can ingest OPs by licking their fur.
What about the EPA?
Each year, millions of Americans purchase over-the-counter flea and tick products believing that they couldn’t be sold unless they were proven safe. But the EPA did not begin to review pet products for safety until 1996. There is a substantial backlog of products waiting to be tested, so many pet products containing potentially harmful pesticides still make their way onto store shelves.
What to do if your pet is sick
Symptoms of poisoning by flea/tick treatments may include salivating, dilated pupils, shaking, vomiting and skin irritation.
If you suspect your pet may have suffered negative health effects as a result of a flea product containing OPs or carbamates, consult with your veterinarian immediately. If you think a child has ingested a pesticide, call your local poison control center. Be sure to report all such incidents to the EPA’s National Pesticide Telecommunications Network at 800-858-7378.
The HSUS would also like to keep track of these cases.* Please send your contact information, the product name, a brief description of the health problem, and a brief summary of your veterinarian’s findings to The HSUS at the following address:
The Humane Society of the United States
Companion Animals Department: Flea Products
2100 L St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
This is from The Humane Society of the United States
Protecting your dog or cat from fleas and ticks is an important part of responsible pet care.
Although there are many brands of over-the-counter flea and tick products available at supermarkets and pet supply stores, it is critical to read their labels and consult with your veterinarian before using them on your companion. These products may contain ingredients that could harm pets and children. Generally speaking, flea and tick treatments widely available in supermarkets are not recommended. Never use dog treatments on cats, and vice versa.
Due to a sharp increase in the number of incidents being reported from the use of spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control for pets, the Environmental Protection Agency announced in April 2009 that it is intensifying its evaluation of whether further restrictions on the use of these products are necessary to better protect pets.
In June 2009, the EPA was petitioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council to cancel all pet uses for the pesticide tetrachlorvinphos, as well as a supplement to a previous NRDC petition to cancel all pet collar uses for the pesticide propoxur. Both these chemicals are organophosphates and are widely used in mass-produced flea/tick products. A comment period allowed citizens and organizations to comment, and on Aug. 3, 2009, the HSUS supported the ban by submitting a brief history of the complaints we’ve received over the last several years. The complaints from citizens around the country described the illness and death of companion animals caused by flea and tick products, many of which contained TCVP.
Recent studies
The Center For Public Integrity released information on its website for its Perils of the New Pesticides study in 2008. At least 1,600 pet deaths related to spot on treatments with pyrethroids were reported to the EPA over the last five years, according to an analysis of EPA pesticide incident exposure data by the center. Over-the-counter flea and tick products could also pose a threat to human health, according to some experts.
The center reported that pyrethroid spot-ons also account “for more than half of ‘major’ pesticide pet reactions reported to EPA over the last five years—that is, those incidents involving serious medical reactions such as brain damage, heart attacks, and violent seizures. In contrast, non-pyrethroid spot on treatments accounted for only about 6 percent of all major incidents.”
The Center For Public Integrity’s study said pyrethroid-based flea and tick treatments are approved for sale by the EPA, and they are readily available at grocery stores, specialty pet retailers, and hardware stores, “but they are also linked to thousands of reported pet poisonings, and they have stirred the ire of pet owners, the concern of veterinarians, and the attention of regulatory agencies.”
In 2000, the Natural Resources Defense Council released a report called Poisons on Pets: Health Hazards from Flea and Tick Products. The report also demonstrated a link between chemicals commonly used in flea and tick products and serious health problems.
The chemicals
Besides pyrethroid-based products, ingredients to be wary of are organophosphate insecticides (OPs) and carbamates, both of which are found in various flea and tick products. A product contains an OP if the ingredient list contains chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, tetrachlorvinphos, diazinon, or malathion. If the ingredient list includes carbaryl or propoxur, the product contains a carbamate. According to the NRDC, the potential dangers posed by these products are greatest for children and pets. There is reason to be concerned about long-term, cumulative exposures as well as combined exposures from the use of other products containing OPs and carbamates. The Center For Public Integrity’s study said permethrin is classified under the most toxic category by NRDC because the EPA says it is “likely to be carcinogenic to humans” if ingested orally.
The products
The NRDC’s report lists flea- and tick-control products marketed under the following major brand names that have been found to contain OPs: Alco, Americare, Beaphar, Double Duty, Ford’s Freedom Five, Happy Jack, Hartz, Hopkins, Kill-Ko, Protection, Rabon, Riverdale, Sergeant’s, Unicorn, Vet-Kem, Victory, and Zema. To protect their pets and children, consumers should consult with a veterinarian before purchasing any over-the-counter (OTC) products.
The effects
According to the NRDC, there are studies that show OPs and carbamates can harm the nervous system. Children can be especially vulnerable because their nervous systems are still developing. For pets, the data is limited, but according to NRDC, many companion animals appear to have been injured or killed through exposure to pet products containing OPs. Cats are particularly vulnerable, since they often lack enzymes for metabolizing or detoxifying OPs and can ingest OPs by licking their fur.
What about the EPA?
Each year, millions of Americans purchase over-the-counter flea and tick products believing that they couldn’t be sold unless they were proven safe. But the EPA did not begin to review pet products for safety until 1996. There is a substantial backlog of products waiting to be tested, so many pet products containing potentially harmful pesticides still make their way onto store shelves.
What to do if your pet is sick
Symptoms of poisoning by flea/tick treatments may include salivating, dilated pupils, shaking, vomiting and skin irritation.
If you suspect your pet may have suffered negative health effects as a result of a flea product containing OPs or carbamates, consult with your veterinarian immediately. If you think a child has ingested a pesticide, call your local poison control center. Be sure to report all such incidents to the EPA’s National Pesticide Telecommunications Network at 800-858-7378.
The HSUS would also like to keep track of these cases.* Please send your contact information, the product name, a brief description of the health problem, and a brief summary of your veterinarian’s findings to The HSUS at the following address:
The Humane Society of the United States
Companion Animals Department: Flea Products
2100 L St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
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