We thought cold weather killed fleas, but our dog, Jake, has had fleas all winter. We've tried keeping both the dog and house super clean, but nothing seems to get rid of the pests. Can you help?
It's important to remember that only five percent of the total flea population is in the form of adults on your pet. The other 95 percent are the eggs, larvae and pupae which are in your carpet, furniture, and Jake's bedding -- and anywhere else he walks or lies down. The fleas on Jake lay their eggs on him, but the eggs will fall off of his coat and onto any surface in the house. You should also be aware that if Jake spends time in a dog house or in the garage, he may have left flea eggs in those areas. Spraying your house should eliminate adult fleas. You should first vacuum and then spray all the places Jake may have been. A new product has been developed for indoor use which will continue to kill flea eggs for up to six months. This is important because we now can break the fleas' life cycle and stop flea invasions like you are experiencing. Often the flea buildup is overwhelming before we notice the problem. This new product, called an insect growth regulator, is sold under several labels. You can identify it by its active ingredient, either fenoxycarb or methoprene.
Spring is a good time to apply this product in your house so you can head off that first outbreak of fleas. In your case, I would treat your house now. Once you get the fleas under control, you should return to treating Jake during warm weather because he will continue to get new fleas, brought into your yard by raccoons, possums, and other wild animals.
If you need to battle fleas year round, I recommend spraying your house twice a year with the insect growth regulator. You also will find it helpful to talk about the problem with your veterinarian, who can answer your questions and explain flea control more fully.
This information, prepared as a public service by the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association, answers problems Rhode Island veterinarians currently are seeing in their practices, as well as new developments in animal care.
