With the warm weather, we are all getting out with our pets and enjoying the sun especially after winter storm Uri. In Texas, fleas and ticks are a year round issue for your pets.
Flea bites may be more than an itchy annoyance to some dogs and cats. They can cause flea allergy dermatitis — an allergic reaction to proteins in flea saliva. And a pet’s constant scratching can cause permanent hair loss or other skin problems. In severe infestations, fleas feasting on your pet’s blood can lead to anemia and, in rare cases, death.
Ticks can also harm your pet, transmitting tick-borne infections such as Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, and Bartonellosis. And pets can bring ticks into the home, exposing you and your family to illness from a tick bite.
Hundreds of pesticides, repellents, and growth inhibitors are available to protect your pet from flea and tick bites. Some of these products are available only from a veterinarian; others can be bought over the counter.
Flea and tick products range from pills and chews given by mouth to collars, sprays, dips, shampoos, powders, and “spot-ons,” liquid products squeezed onto the dog’s or cat’s skin usually between the shoulder blades or down the back. A few spot-on products are available for flea control in ferrets, and fly and tick control in horses.
Although flea and tick products on the market have been used in millions of pets, side effects or adverse events may and sometimes do occur. It’s strongly recommended that you involve your veterinarian when choosing a flea and tick product, especially if your pet has any health conditions.
You should also carefully read the label, the package insert, and any accompanying literature to make sure you’re using the product correctly. You should also save the packaging for the product in case a problem does occur and you need to report it.
Generally speaking, it’s best to start treating your pet at the beginning of flea season if you’re trying to prevent a flea infestation.
The length of the flea season, which peaks during warm weather months, varies depending on where you live.
If you live in a colder climate, it might only last four months or so. In other places, like Florida, fleas can live all year long.
Fleas can live inside a warm house year-round no matter where you live.
Ticks are found in some places year-round. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that in most parts of the U.S., the greatest chance of being bitten by a tick is in spring and summer, with another spike in the fall.
There are many different types of flea and tick products that can be applied to your pet, and different chemicals work in different ways. That’s why it’s always important to:
Fleas and ticks can be more than just an itchy annoyance to your pets—they can cause serious harm. So it’s important to know how to use flea and tick products safely. It’s also important to know whom to report to if you’re experiencing problems with these products.
Flea and tick products for pets are regulated by either the Food and Drug Administration or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). FDA and EPA have an interagency committee that evaluates products on a case-by-case basis to determine the appropriate regulatory agency.
Generally speaking, the FDA is responsible for approving animal drugs and regulates flea and tick products that are given orally, including pills, chews, and swallowable liquids, or by injection.
EPA, with some exceptions, regulates those products that are applied to pets topically – to pets’ skin or fur. This includes shampoos, collars, dust or powder, sprays, and spot-on flea and tick products.
The appropriate agency bases its evaluation on a thorough review of detailed information on the product’s safety and effectiveness. This information is provided by the manufacturer or other product sponsor. The sponsor must show that the drug or pesticide meets current safety standards to protect:
The sponsor must also show that the drug or pesticide achieves the claimed effect, and the product must carry specific labeling so that it can be used safely and effectively.
Although flea and tick products are very commonly used across pets of multiple sizes, ages, and health profiles (as directed on the label) with no problems, side effects can occur. Consumers can report side effects to both the FDA and EPA, as well as product manufacturers.
For that reason, it’s good to hold on to the product packaging so that you have the contact information for the manufacturer, as well as details like the lot number.
You can tell which agency regulates the product by looking at the packaging. For FDA-regulated products, look for the letters “NADA” or “ANADA,” followed by a six-digit number in this format: NADA-xxx-xxx or ANADA xxx-xxx. Products regulated by EPA will carry an EPA registration number: EPA Reg. No. xxxxx-xxxxx.
These numbers help identify the exact product better than the name of the product alone.
Source: U.S. Food & Drug Administration
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