Flea Prevention

With the recent warm winters, fleas populations have boomed in our area. Even indoor-only pets have been seen with fleas this year. In many cases, pet owners are needing multiple strategies to combat fleas in their homes and yards. For dogs, we recommend a combination monthly oral heartworm/flea prevention called Trifexis. This can be combined with topical treatments such as Frontline Plus or Advantix (both sold over the counter) or a Scalibor collar for full flea and tick prevention. Cats have several topical options, such as Advantage Multi, Revolution, ( both prescription only) or Frontline Plus (over the counter). There is also a new oral prescription treatment approved for cats called Comfortis. Please avoid over the counter products containing pyrethrins in cats- these can cause a neurologic reaction. Also, consider having your home or yard professionally treated for fleas and ticks if you are having a particularly challenging infestation. We recommend Sargents or Gregory's Pest Control. ~ Susie Powell, DVM