With the warmer weather, it’s time to start thinking about ticks and fleas again.  These blood sucking pests are not only a nuisance, but they can carry and transmit potentially serious infectious diseases such as Lyme, Anaplasma, Bartonella (“Cat Scratch Fever”), and Ehrlichia to name a few.  These diseases can infect us as well as our pets so it is very important to do what we can to control them.  Although most people think of spring as “tick season”, many don’t realize that these nasty critters are present in all seasons as long as the temperatures are above freezing.  Because of their life cycles, we tend to see the largest number of ticks in the spring and then, again in the fall.  Fleas, on the other hand, are present in the environment and available to infest our pets in the warmer months of the summer and early fall, going dormant in the cooler months.  

     The good news is that there are great products available for tick and flea control.  The newer “top spot” products such as K9 Advantix (for dogs only) and Frontline Plus (for dogs and cats) are extremely effective in controlling both fleas and ticks.  These products are applied to the skin along the back on a once monthly schedule.  Although similar products containing less recently developed active ingredients may carry the risk of decreased efficacy due to resistance, this has not been seen with the newer products.  This does not mean, however, that if you use one of these products, you will never see another flea or tick again-that would be too good to be true!  The first thing to review if you see fleas and/or ticks while using either of these products is that you are applying it correctly and in the best manner.  For example, are you applying it on schedule on time; are you applying it directly to the skin and not into the fur; are you applying it to several spots so as to avoid dripping off or absorbing into the fur; are you being sure not to give baths for a day or two before or after application (this can deplete the natural oils required to help the product spread)?  If all of these criteria are being met, it is most likely simply a matter of life cycles and numbers.

     In terms of ticks, because the reproducing ticks reside predominantly on their wildlife hosts, the measures we take don’t particularly impact the overall numbers of ticks in the environment.  The size of the tick populations is influenced by factors such as wildlife host populations, their migration patterns, and weather conditions.  If the tick population is especially large, we tend to see more ticks on our pets.  The important fact to remember is that the few that we see are just the “tip of the iceburg” in terms of overall numbers.  Fortunately, even those few that we see will almost always be killed by the product being used.

     As far as fleas are concerned, continued sightings tend to be due to their life cycle and most often occur in cases of existing infestations.  Immature stages of the flea reside in the indoor and outdoor environment of the infested animal and emerge as adults a few at a time.  Although application of these products will kill the current adult flea population on the pet, immature stages continue to emerge and jump on the animal.  This can give the false impression that the product is not working.  More accurately, it takes many months of diligent application to get ahead of the flea’s life cycle and its “back-up” population to result in a “flea free” pet.

     So whether your concern is fleas or ticks (or both), the important things to keep in mind are:

1.       Use a quality, newer flea/tick control product.
2.       Apply it consistently and on schedule.
3.       Use it year round.
4.       Make sure you apply it properly.