Sunday, June 15, 1997

Time to get ticked off when it comes to your pets

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

Whether you live in town or country, all of our wet weeks are sure to produce an abundance of fleas and ticks on your pets.

It's enough to really tick you off.

But a Texas A&M specialist says pet owners can fight back. It takes a little work, some old standby treatments, and some new weapons.

Dr. Chris Sansone, Extension entomologist based in San Angelo, says the best flea and tick control comes from integrated pest management or "IPM" -a combination of treatment and management of animals and surroundings. IPM uses available tools while being easy on you, your pet, and the environment.

"The first step is knowing your enemy," Sansone notes.

Ticks go through four stages - the egg, six-legged larvae, one or more eight-legged nymphs, and adult.

Hard ticks usually mate on the host (ie., your pet). The female then drops to the ground and lays 3,000 to 6,000 eggs that hatch into larvae or "seed ticks."

These collect in large numbers on nearby vegetation. They just can't wait for a chance to pounce on your pet!

"After engorging on your pet's blood, the larvae drop to the ground, shed their skin or 'molt' and emerge as nymphs," Sansone explains. "Nymphs complete the same cycle as do the larvae. But once they molt, nymphs emerge as adults."

The life cycle takes from two months to two years depending on species.

<B>Fleas are pesky critters, too<B>

Sansone notes that the flea also has four developmental stages: egg, larvae, pupae, and adult. The egg is whitish, and about a thirty-second of-an-inch long.

"Flea eggs fall off your pet soon after they're laid, usually in your dog or cat's preferred resting place; your couch for instance," said Sansone.

The eggs hatch into larvae in two to three days. Before entering the pupal stage, the larvae feed mainly on undigested blood voided by adult fleas before entering the pupal stage.

Pupae are found in silken cocoons usually covered with sand, dust or organic debris. The cover makes the pupal stage highly resistant to chemical treatment.

Adults emerge from the pupal stage in seven to 14 days under good conditions. But without food, the flea may stay in the pupal stage as long as six weeks.

The flea's entire life cycle can be completed in three to four weeks under ideal conditions - like your house - or cool, damp areas outdoors.

Sansone says there is more than enough protection in and around our houses for fleas and ticks to survive even our coldest winters and multiply.

"Flea and tick control must include treatment of the pet and the home - inside and out," Sansone said.

Some outdoor products for tick control are bendiocarb (Ficam), diazinon, carbaryl (Sevin), and chlorpyrifos (Dursban) - which are all good.

"Remember, all of thse products are nerve poisons, capable to affecting not only ticks, but - if used improperly - you and your pet as well," Sansone said.

Precisely follow label directions.

Beyond outdoor treatment, there are several products that can be used directly on the animal for ticks. One, "Frontline," is sold by veterinarians. It can give up to 80 days of controls on ticks, with some residual effect on fleas.

Bio-spot is a new product containing pyrethroids. It is available over the counter, but its residual is not as long as Frontline.

Flea control takes perseverance. Diligent vacuuming of the pet's environment and bedding can remove flea eggs, larvae, and pupae.

Traps and combs can reduce flea numbers without pesticides.

Nevertheless, Sansone says there are times when pesticides are necessary - especially when populations of fleas reach high levels. As in tick control, the best flea control occurs when both your pet and house are treated at the same time.

"Advantage" can be used on animals for about 30 days of flea control. But it has no effect on ticks.

"Program" is sold by veterinarians. It inhibits the flea's chitin synthesis (exo-skeleton) - preventing the insect from further development. It doesn't kill adult fleas, but prevents laying viable eggs. No eggs; no fleas.

It works better earlier in the spring - like April or May - before populations get too large.

Fleas tend to concentrate where pets spend most of their time, so there's no reason to treat the entire yard. "Archer" is a new product that contains a growth regulator and is good for such treatments.

As a rule of thumb, products that can control ticks also will do a good job on fleas, but not vice-versa.