Advances in flea control

Abstract

With an increase in our knowledge of flea life cycle and biology, flea control has improved tremendously over the past 10 years. Treatment programs should be tailored to each case. The goal of effective flea control is to eliminate adults and to prevent reinfestation and the development of new generations of fleas. New products are of great benefit to flea-infested and flea-allergic animals and allow a safe and effective way to control fleas. Even if the consistent use of a topical adulticide alone is tempting, rotation and a combination of products should still be used to delay resistance. In addition, environmental flea control is a wise approach, especially in cases of severe infestation or in situations where there is a flea-allergic animal. Finally, in order to avoid failures and resistance, it is important to treat all pets in the household.