Summer is here, and the warm temperatures are causing fleas to become active and rnultlply. These peripatetic pests have been around for 100 million years, and yet we still wage the battle to rid our Westies of them.
Fleas are fascinating little critters. A flea can hop almost 20 inches in one jump and can pull 400 times its own weight (a horse can pull only four times its own weight). Over 2,200 species and sub-species have evolved in the last 60 million years or so. A female flea ingests about 15 times her body weight in blood each day and can lay 2,000 eggs in her lifetime, which range from two weeks to six months. As many as 5,000 fleas can infest a dog at one time.
Fleas are definitely a threat to a Westie's well-being. They are the host vehicle for tapeworms. They can deplete a dog's blood supply enough to cause serious anemia. They can compromise the immune system, and flea saliva triggers allergic reaction in some Westies who begin to itch miserably, lose their hair, and develop raw sores.
For many vears. we've depended on flea shampoos, flea collars, sprays, powders, and room foggers, plus sprays and chemicals for the outside environment in order to rid these pests from our dogs, homes, and yards. We've fed brewer's yeast and garlic pills, rubbed pennyroyal onto herbal collars, employed companies to spread a boric acid powder on our carpets, and dipped our dogs mercilessly. A few of us have even succumbed to such advice as rubbing orange peals on Westie coats, or have purchased various food additives "guaranteed" to eliminate fleas but which may verge on the patent medicine claims.
However, research has produced several new flea-fighting products which debuted last Summer: Advantage and Frontline. (We talked about Program in this publication last Summer). Briefly, Program contains an ingredient which prevents eggs from hatchingand is given orally to the dog once a month! However, it DOES NOT prevent adult fleas from biting and in order to protect the animal from "all those other fleas out there," strict environmental control is absolutely necessary.
Since the main disadvantage of fleas is that they bite, it would seem logical that if we could prevent fleas from biting our dogs, and kill the pests at the same time, we would succeed in conquering the flea. Luckily, science has produced products that come very close to this goal.
Bio-Spot (Farnum Pet Products) contains Biolar, a photostable IGR (insect growth regulator) which prevents immature fleas from developing into adults for up to four months. It also contains permethrin to kill and repel biting fleas for three or four weeks. This product is unique because it also repels mosquitoes for up to four weeks, thus aiding in preventing heartworm. It also kills ticks for four weeks. Bio-Spot is the only spot-on application compound available for sale in pet stores, ranging $4-5 for a single dose. It is not recommended for puppies under 6 months.
Advantage (Bayer Corporation) is a water-resistant formula containing Imidacloprid, which impairs insect nerve transmissions. It is applied topically in a spot-on dose to spread the active ingredient over the surface of the skin and provide total body coverage. It works well and kills fleas for up to a month, even after bathing. But it does not kill ticks. For more information, go to www.nofleas.com.
Frontline and Frontline Top Spot (Rhone Merieux) appears to be the product of choice this year, Judging from talking with veterinarians and professionals. One treatment of the chemical kills fleas for up to three months and ticks for up to one month. And, unlike "the pill," it works even if the flea does not bite. Its active ingredient, Flipronil, once applied, moves quickly over the lipid layer of the dog's skin and resides in the sebaceous glands. Thus water exposure--including bathing--does not decrease its effectiveness. As the hair grows from within the follicle, it is constantly coated with Fipronil.
Frontline Top Spot is a concentrated version of last year's Frontl'ne Spray, which was sprayed on the dog in the same manner as the "old-fashioned" flea spray. The company claims that in the first two hours after application, 96% of all adult fleas will die, with a 100% flea kill in 24 hours. It can be safely used on puppies as young as 2 months and in Europe, breeders have used this product on two-day-old puppies with no harmful effects.
At this writing, Frontline Top Spot is the ultimate in flea-control technology -- for now!
Both Advantage and Frontline are available only through veterinarians and are considerably more expensive than previous flea control, including Program.
Program (six months' supply) $31-46
Advantage (four months' dose) $32-42
Frontline (three months' supply) $20-31
Frontline Top Spot (three months) $25-38
However, cost should not be a factor considering the effect these new products have on fleas. The killlng action is so fast that very few fleas have time to bite their intended victim. Several dogs with severe flea allergy have cleared up miraculously after the application of Frontline. Veterinary dermatologists are saying that either Advantage or Frontline should be a cornerstone of management of all flea allergy patients.
So - for all of us out there who own or know of allergic Westies - this may be the break-through we've been hoping for!
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