Flea and Tick Prevention

As any pet owner in Middle Tennessee can attest, fleas & ticks are a big problem in our area. These parasites cause both pets and owners great discomfort and can lead to many harmful conditions in our pets. For example, ticks are the source for such diseases as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme's Disease, ehrlichiosis and cytoxazoanosis( a fatal disease of cats) and fleas can also transfer disease from animal to animal as well as contributing to anemia( blood loss) and severe skin problems. For these reasons, a comprehensive flea & tick program is essential for the well-being of your dog or cat. A successful program may incorporate many things such as topical preparations, shampoos, house and yard treatments, flea combs, frequent examination of your pets etc. For every owner, the best prevention measures may differ depending on where you live and the lifestyle of you and your pet. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to speak with us to develop a comprehensive plan tailored for your specific needs.

There are many products to choose from, but not all products are safe and effective, so careful choices need to be made as we often treat animals for toxicity to flea & tick products that either are not safe or were administered inappropriately. Some products that we do recommend because of there safety and efficacy are Frontline and Comfortis. We encourage you to click on these links to learn more about these products. We carry these and other great products at our clinic at competitive prices to help secure the health of your pets. Remember, the effects of fleas & ticks can be far reaching and that prevention is far better than treatment of problems caused by these parasites. Also, if you have a cat that is exposed to ticks, we strongly suggest that you ask us about cytoxazoanosis as tick prevention may be the only way to prevent this lethal disease in your animal. Please contact us with any questions on this topic.

The entire flea life cycle can be as short as 3-4 weeks. Although fleas can be a problem for your pets all year, flea populations typically explode about 5-6 weeks after the weather starts to warm up.

Life Cycle of Ctenocephalides Felis

• EGG STAGE

  A female lays about 2,000 eggs in her lifetime. In one day, a single female flea can lay up to 50 eggs. The eggs aren't sticky - some may quickly fall off your pet and into areas of your home. In two to five days, the eggs hatch.

• LARVAL STAGE

  After hatching, the larvae head toward dark places around your home and feed on (flea dirt) - excrement of the partially digested blood of your pet. The larvae grow, molt twice, then spin cocoons, where they grow to pupae.

• PUPA STAGE

  Immature fleas spend approximately 8-9 days in their cocoon. During this time, they continue to grow to adulthood, waiting for the signals that it is time to emerge.

• ADULT STAGE

  Full-grown adults detect heat, vibrations and exhaled carbon dioxide from inside their cocoons, telling them a host is nearby. The adults leave their cocoons, hop onto a host, find a mate and begin the life cycle all over again.