February 14, 2012
Posted in How to, Pet Meds

You've taken the preventative measures that any good owner would take to protect their pet from a flea infestation. You started your pooch on a monthly preventative program like Revolution or Sentinel when it was a pup, and you never even missed a treatment of these pet drugs. However, you are noticing that the flea medicine is not working as effectively as it used to.

The first thing to look for is user error. You may think you are applying it correctly, but make sure you are not splitting one medication between two pets, and make sure you are applying it completely and to the right area. You should always touch the pet's skin with the applicator tip, not simply put the tip in the animal's fur. Hair cannot absorb these pet products, but skin can. Move the hair aside with your hand to ensure you can see the skin and know that's where the medication is going. It can be helpful to apply the medicine both above and below the collar, but the more places you apply it, the more likely you are to lose some in the fur instead of on the skin. Always make sure you are putting it in a place where your pet cannot lick it off – beware of how flexible cats can be!

Another reason the medicine may not be working is because your pet's skin is not healthy. If it is dry, thick, and flaky, the medication will not be carried through it as it was designed to. It may help to wash it with pet shampoo like Oatmeal & Aloe Vera Shampoo to restore moisture on the skin's surface. Another way to bring back healthy skin is to put the pet on an omega-3 supplement like Super Pure Omega 3 or Be Well Dog or Cat. It can also help to keep your pet's coat groomed and cleaned in order to remove matted hair, old dry skin and other debris before applying the preventative medication.

In addition to treating your pet, you should treat your yard and home to prevent fleas. Only 1 to 5 percent of the flea population lives on your pet during an infestation – the rest lives in your house or yard. You will also want to make sure you kill fleas in their egg and larval stages, as this is what perpetuates a flea infestation. Using pet products like Virbac Knockout Fogger or Virbac Yard Spray, you can treat your home and yard to get rid of fleas in all stages of life.

Related posts:

1. Why aren’t my dog’s flea pet drugs working?
2. How do flea medications work?
3. Tips for Applying Topical Dog Flea Meds
4. How to give your dog or cat pet drugs
5. How to Administer Pet Drugs to Your Dog or Cat