How to Stop Your Pet from Becoming a Fleabag

Posted by Aricka Flowers, Thursday, May 01, 2008 at 04:00 AM by Aricka Flowers

Warm weather is always a sweet solace after months of super cold weather – especially if you live in the Windy City like me. But with the warm weather comes an all new enemy: pests. And when it comes to pets, fleas are the biggest pests of all.

Photo by mahphotography (flickr.com)

The cleanest cat or dog will have fleas – even if they NEVER go outside. Humans bring fleas into the home via their shoes and pant legs. Experts say the best way to keep fleas from seeking comfort in your pet's fur is to apply a topical flea repellant on to the back of your pet's neck. It is recommended that this is done all year round, not just during the spring and summer months.

Highly recommended brands for use on cats and dogs include:

Advantage or Advantage Multi
Frontline of Frontline Plus
Program
ProMeris
Revolution
Vectra

Other recommended flea fighters specifically formulated for dogs include Comfortis, Iverhart Plus, Proticall and Sentinel.

Its best that you avoid over-the-counter treatments, as some can be toxic to cats. Instead, get a recommendation for a monthly flea product from your veterinarian. Flea collars are another thing to skip, according to pet experts. The products only make the fleas move to the back of the pet's body and away from the collar; they don't eliminate them.

Aricka Flowers