Remember years ago when every summer was a battle with fleas? If you’ve been a pet owner in the past you know that you had the pest guy come out and spray everywhere and then come back again two weeks later to re-do the entire job. And you had to take your pet to the vet to be “dipped”. Even then you might have to have a third round to really kill all of the parasites.
About twenty years ago growth regulators started to appear. They were first used in mosquito control and then fanned out to other insect populations. When mixed in the tank with the regular pesticide, these growth regulators could break the flea life-cycle by causing the flea eggs to not hatch. One treatment and you were DONE! And it lasted for up to seven months – the entire flea season.
And then they came out with the topical stuff you put on the dog or cat once a month and you didn’t even NEED to get your house treated because the flea population couldn’t get established. Hoo-ray!!
So, why all of a sudden, are they back in full force? Because you quit using the flea stuff on your pets (or the fleas have become immune to that particular active ingredient) and you quit treating your home as a preventive measure. You…and everyone else. And the fleas are BACK with a vengeance.
It is the beginning of June. If you have pets, please consider having your home treated for flea prevention. And get your animals on a different or newer flea preventive. Treatments today are very effective and long lasting, as well as low impact to the environment, your children and your pets. It has never been less risky than now. And the new flea meds are getting great reviews. Please talk to your veterinarian about the best choice for your pet. Be careful of the over the counter stuff – some of it is fake and can cause real harm to your animals.
If you take steps now, you can have a flea free summer and save yourself a lot of money and aggravation with just a little expense upfront.
