Expert: Jessica - 10/1/2010

Question
QUESTION: Family members are getting bit.  What products are best to be using.  Frontline, Advantage or Capstar?  I hear so many opinions on each that I dont know which to pick.  Also, what do you treat the house with? A spray? Powder? Also what brand if you know which works better.  

Any additional information will be appreciated.

ANSWER: Hi Mat,

Capstar works the most quickly, killing fleas in about 4 hours, but then its efficacy begins to decrease again until the next dosage is given.  It needs to be given daily.  Advantage works the next most quickly, killing fleas that are already on the cat when the treatment is applied in 12 hours, and new fleas in 2.  Frontline takes about a day and a half.  These treatments bost last a month.  Personally, I find Advantage works best if fleas are your only problem, but if you're worried about ticks, too, then you'll need to opt for Frontline.  I don't recommend Capstar as a treatment for fleas on a continual basis - this is meant as a one-time treatment only, and you should apply a flea preventative such as Advantage or Frontline at the same time to keep fleas gone.  

Just a note - you may notice fleas hopping off the pets when they're treated.  A lot of people feel they are seeing MORE fleas on their pet, because the fleas are no longer hiding close to the skin but are now crawling on the surface of the fur.  This is because Frontline affects the nervous system of the fleas and will cause disorientation.  While they are hopping into your home, seemingly, they're doing it to die a few hours later.

As for the house, I would recommend a powder over a spray because you can rub it deep into carpeting and furniture where fleas and their young exist.  Personally, I recommend to use Flea Stoppers powder, which will kill fleas and their offspring by dehydrating them, and it's non-toxic to pets.  That product is 100% money-back guaranteed to keep fleas away for a year.  

If you have a really serious problem, you might need to use a flea fogger to get rid of live fleas quickly.  These can be purchased at most home improvement or lawn and garden centers.  It will require you and the pets to leave the home for a few hours.  Then be sure to powder all the carpets and furniture to get rid of the fleas for good.  Very important - get underneath the furniture!  Fleas love to hide under there to avoid treatments.

Good luck!

Jessica


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks a lot Jessica, you are helping me out a lot.  These fleas are a nightmare.  Right now I believe fleas is my only problem.  She is a house cat, but she must've dragged them inside from darting outside a few times.  For the past month I have been trying my best to comb her everyday and I somehow still manage to comb 15-20 a day off her.  We vacuumed the entire house down yesturday.  And I rubbed in Hartz Ultra Guard Flea & Tick Powder for Cats into her fur.  What baffled me was the can says harmful if ingested, but the directions told me to rub it in the fur, what if she licked it in attempt to clean herself.  So I only lightly powdered her and her bedding.

Right now, I will buy Advantage and the Flea Stoppers Powder.  Does the Advantage come in different forms like topical or oral?  If so, which one do I get?  Also, is the Flea Stoppers sold at Petco or Petsmart?  Where did you order yours at?  Do I need to also de-worm her after the flea treatment, in case the fleas are carrying worms such as tapeworms?

I dont think it is a serious problem yet.  Only 3 of 5 family members are getting bit.  
-Matt-


Answer
Those are odd instructions on the Hartz powder!  Once the Advantage is applied, you won't need it at all.

Advantage comes only in a topical, and you should apply it to the back of her neck, rather than between the shoulders as the directions say, so she can't lick it off.

I got the Flea Stoppers on Amazon, but it's available through some other websites for a little less money (for example, see http://www.petstouch.com/petsupply.asp).  I'm not sure what their service is like, however.  

As for the deworming, you can deworm once the fleas are gone as a precaution if you like, or you can wait to see if she develops the tell-tale signs of tapeworms (rice-like segments in her feces and bedding).  Aside from an increased appetite, tapeworms are not particularly harmful, and some vets even question the real need to treat them, but the treatment is quite safe.  So when to treat her for a possible infection is completely your call.  If/when you decide to treat her, there is an over-the-counter treatment called Tape Worm Tabs.  As long as the fleas are completely gone, only one dose will be needed.  However, if you give her one dose before all the fleas are gone, she'll need a follow-up dose in about 3 weeks.