Flea Control
Fleas are the most common external parasite of companion animals. Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common skin disease of dogs and cats! Flea control has always been a challenge for veterinarians and pet owners because the adult fleas cause the clinical signs, yet the majority of the flea population (eggs, larvae, and pupae) are to be found off the pet in and around the home. The ideal flea control program utilizes products that target the various stages of the flea life cycle, not only the adult fleas on the pet. In order to help to select the most appropriate products to achieve a flea-free existence for an allergic pet, we will start by telling you about the life cycle of the flea.
The Life Cycle of the
Flea
Eggs are laid in the hair coat and are designed to fall of the host. They are resistant to insecticides, but susceptible to various insect growth regulators. Larvae develop in the host’s environment and feed on adult flea feces (blood) that fall out of the hair coat of the pet. Larvae are susceptible to traditional insecticides, borates and insect growth regulators. Larvae eventually spin cocoons (often within carpet fibers) for pupation. Pupae are resistant to freezing, desiccation, and insecticides. Pupae can lie dormant for many months; they are stimulated to expupate as emergent adults by vibration, warming and increased carbon dioxide. Normally, expupation occurs when a host is near and the new flea finds the pet within seconds of emergence. Emergent fleas are fairly mobile and can survive a few days without a host, if in a suitable environment. New fleas begin feeding within hours of finding a dog or cat. Once a blood meal has been taken, the flea can survive only a short time if it is dislodged from the host. New fleas experience very high mortality on healthy adult hosts. Most fleas do not survive 72 hours on an animal that is itching and able to groom itself. Unfortunately, limited egg production does occur even on allergic animals. The entire life cycle of fleas can be completed in as few as 16 days!
Flea Control Recommendations
For the flea patient 100% flea control is required to remain symptom-free. Even very minimal exposure may be sufficient to perpetuate itching in a hypersensitive patient (one or 2 bites per week are enough!) Until very recently, veterinarians and pet owners have had to control fleas by treating the environments of the animals for the immature stages of the flea. This approach, although effective when properly instituted, is labor intensive and requires frequent repetitive applications. Application of adulticides on the animal has merely been of palliative value. The safe insecticides previously available to us did not kill fleas instantly or were not long lasting to ensure adequate protection from flea bites. The female flea survived long enough to lay a few eggs and perpetuate the life cycle.
Flea Control Products
Recently, some new products have been added to our flea
control arsenal. These appear to be
highly efficacious, long lasting and have a very low potential of harmful side
effects. It may well be that these
promising products will revolutionize flea control in the
Sentinel ® (Lufenuron) from Novartis
This is available as a once a month pill to be given with a full meal. This is a prescription drug. Adult fleas that feed on animals treated with lufenuron produce sterile eggs. The product does not kill adult fleas. It is a very easy way to break the life cycle but pets remain fully susceptible to the emergence of any fleas from pupa already present in the environment. Therefore, 4 to 7 months may pass before the flea-free state is reached. In order to stop the life cycle, every animal in the patient’s environment must receive lufenuron. This product also contains an ingredient to prevent intestinal parasites (hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms) and heartworms.
Revolution ® Selamectin
from Pfizer
This product is designed as a once-a-month heartworm preventive and flea preventative for dogs and cats as young as 6 weeks old. It also kills adult fleas and can be used to treat sarcoptic mange, ear mites and ticks. It also helps control roundworms and hookworms in cats. The product is placed on the skin at the back of the neck, but is absorbed into the body to have its effect when female fleas ingest it with a blood meal. Adult fleas will die slowly, but more importantly, any eggs laid prior to death will never develop. It is most useful as a prevention for flea infestation and in the presence of a flea problem in an allergic pat, other insecticide treatment will be recommended at first. It is a prescription drug.
Advantage ® (Imidacloprid) from Bayer
This is marketed as a drip-on for both dogs and cats. Advantage ® seems to be very well-tolerated by sensitive cats. It provides flea knockdown I 24 hours. For cats, 100% killing can be maintained for 21 days; for dogs 90% for 28 days. It is susceptible to wash off, therefore outdoor active dogs and dogs that swim or must be bathed because of dermatitis must be re-treated frequently. (Weekly re-treatment is allowed.) Imidacloprid has no efficacy against ticks, but K-9Advantix ®, with permethrin does. K-9 Advantix ® is only labeled for once a month, and is ONLY FOR DOGS.
Frontline ® Spray, Frontline Plus ®, and Frontline Top Spot ® (Fipronil) from Merial
Fipronil is a broad spectrum insecticide available as a spray or a drip-on. Fipronil binds chemically to the hair and is absorbed thorough the hair follicle by the sebaceous glands. In spray formulation, fipronil kills fleas at 95% for over 80 days after application on dogs and for 1 month with bi-weekly bathing. It is labeled for puppies and kittens of 8 weeks (10 weeks for Top Spot ®) and the product is not washed off by bathing. It is also affective against ticks. The major problem with the spray is the high volume of alcohol-based product must be applied. Many cats will show minor adverse reactions with this application technique. The product must be applied no more that once a month. Frontline Plus ® contains the insect growth regulator, S-methoprene and so provides control of eggs and adult fleas.
Capstar ® (Nitenpyram) from Novartis
This is an oral tablet for dogs and cats as young as 4 weeks
of age. It offers extremely rapid and
complete killing of adult fleas on the pets after administration. It is safe enough that the tablets may be
used as needed, as often as once per day, whenever you see fleas on your pat. This is designed to be used in combination
with an insect growth regulator to knock out fleas when these slower products
are being used for long-term control. It
can also be used when the pet has visited a flea-infected environment for rapid
protection.
Flea Product Comparison
Confused abut flea protection? This FAQ compares the three popular tosspot flea control products, Revolution ®, Advantage ®, and Frontline ®/Frontline Plus®, to assist you in determining which is right for your situation.
Flea killing active
ingredient:
Revolution: Selamectin
Advantage: Imidoclopid
Frontline & Frontline Plus: Fipronil; Frontline Plus: Fipronil plus Methoprene (methoprene is a long acting sterilizer of fleas)
How young can the pet
be for application?
Revolution: Puppies-6 weeks, Kittens-6 weeks
Advantage: Puppies-7 weeks, Kittens-8 weeks
Frontline & Frontline Plus: Pupies-10 weeks, Kittens-12 weeks (Frontline Plus not currently approved for dogs under 11 pounds – approval expected later)
Approved for use in
pregnant or nursing mother dogs/cats?
Revolution: yes
Advantage: not in this country but in other countries
yes (U.S. EPA does not recognize testing done for other countries and testing
pregnancy/lactation has not been done in the
Frontline & Frontline Plus: no
How long does it take
to kill all fleas after first application on an animal that has fleas?
Revolution: 42 hours to zero fleas counted
Advantage: 24 hours to zero fleas counted
Frontline & Frontline Plus: 42 hours to zero fleas counted (24 hours to spread all over animal’s body and 18 hours to kill the fleas)
Does it wash off?
Revolution: No-this product is an endectocide, which means it absorbed internally and spreads throughout the body including back to the skin. Because it acts internally it cannot be washed off.
Advantage: Yes-this product will be washed off completely with a degreasing shampoo. It can withstand one bath between applications and swimming once a week between application but no more
Frontline & Frontline Plus: No-this product remains topical but is stored in the oil secreting glands of the skin. If the pet gets wet, the skin layer of product can be washed off but will be replaced as the oil producing glands re-secrete it.
How soon after
bathing can it be applied?
Revolution: As soon as the pet is dry
Advantage: As soon as the pet is dry
Frontline & Frontline Plus: Manufacturer recommends waiting 2 days after bathing before applying. The product can be applied sooner but will take longer to spread over the body if there is inadequate oil on the skin as would be the case just after a bath.
Does it kill ticks as
well as fleas?
Revolution: Yes, but because this product is licensed as a drug and not as an insecticide, it can only make label claims against the species of tick it was tested for. There is no reason to think other tick species would not be sensitive. The species it was tested again is Dermacentor variabilis.
Advantage: No, there is no tick activity at all. This product is highly specific for fleas.
Frontline & Frontline Plus: Yes, this product was tested specifically against four tick species: the deer tick, the lone star tick, the American dog tick, and the brown dog tick. There is no reason to think other tick species would not be sensitive.
Activity against
parasites other than fleas and ticks?
Revolution: Yes, product is active against ear mites, sarcoptic mange mites in dogs, roundworms and hookworms in cats
Advantage: Fleas only
Frontline & Frontline Plus: Fleas and ticks only
How long does a
single application last?
Revolution: one month
Advantage: one month
Frontline & Frontline Plus: one month for ticks, one month for fleas in the cat, 1 to 3 months for fleas on the dog
Does the pet need a
veterinarian office call in the first year to get the product?
Revolution: Yes, this is a prescription drug
Advantage: No, this is an insecticide, not a drug, but the manufacturer sells its product for resale only through veterinarians so that proper usage, etc. can be explained
Frontline & Frontline Plus: No, this is an insecticide, not a drug, but the manufacturer sells its product for resale only through veterinarians so that proper usage, etc. can be explained.
Is the product safe
for use on sick, elderly or debilitated patients?
Revolution: Manufacturer specifically cautions against such use.
Advantage: Product should be safe for such use provided the patient is receiving veterinary care. Otherwise, if the pet is inactive or hospitalized in a cage, the product may not spread around the body as rapidly as usual.
Frontline & Frontline Plus: Product should be safe for such use provided the patient is receiving veterinary care otherwise. If the pet is inactive or hospitalized in a cage, the product may not spread around the body as rapidly as usual.
Packaging
Revolution: Comes in a 6-pack (3-pack for puppies/kittens)
Advantage: Comes in a 4-pack or a 6-pck
Frontline & Frontline Plus: Comes in a 3-pack or a 6-pack
Link to
manufacturer’s web site:
Revolution: www.revolutionpet.com
Advantage: www.nofleas.com
Frontline & Frontline Plus: www.frontline.com