Warm spring weather is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors with your pet. But the fun has a downside — the irritating little pests known as fleas and ticks. To help manage the problem, countless owners treat their dogs and cats with products to keep both their pets and homes pest-free.
But recently, many pet-loving Americans have grown leery of pesticide products, especially after the number of reported adverse reactions climbed to 44,000 in 2008, up from 28,000 the previous year. The rise merited the attention of Environmental Protection Agency, which just released its outline for tighter restrictions on pesticides for pets.
“EPA is committed to better protecting the health and safety of pets and families in all communities across our nation,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. “New restrictions will be placed on these products, and pet owners need to carefully read and follow all labeling before exposing your pet to a pesticide.”
Reading and following pesticide labels is a key step in protecting your pet, according to the EPA's report. The report also pointed out that negative reactions and some incidents of death occurred when owners used a product labeled for a larger animal on a smaller pet, or when they used a product labeled for dogs on a cat.
According to the EPA, reactions to pet spot-on products — which come in tubes or vials and are applied to a pet's body, usually between the shoulders or along the back — can include skin irritation and redness, gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting or diarrhea, and effects to the nervous system, including trembling, seizures or appearing depressed.
In the next several months, products with new labels will appear in stores after the companies and EPA meet individually.
While the EPA works on clearer labels for spot-on pesticide products, you can keep your pets safe by following these guidelines released by the agency.
1. If you use a spot-on product or any other pesticide on your pet, carefully read and follow the product label.
2. Use extra care and follow any label prohibitions against use on weak, aged, medicated, sick, pregnant, or nursing pets, or on pets that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to pesticide products.
3. Use flea and tick control products only on the animal specified by the product label — for example, dog products for dogs only and cat products for cats only. Apply only the amount indicated for the size of the animal being treated.
4. Keep the package with the individual applicator tubes in case adverse effects occur. You will want to have the instructions at hand, as well as contact information for the manufacturer.
5. Monitor your pet for side effects or signs of sensitivity after applying the product, particularly when using the product on your pet for the first time. Do not apply spot-ons to pets known to be sensitive to pesticide products. If your pet experiences an adverse reaction, immediately bathe the pet with mild soap and rinse with large amounts of water.
How to Prevent, Reduce, and Eliminate Flea Infestations
Aside from the use of pesticides, owners can take a number of steps to keep their pets safe from both fleas and ticks, starting with house cleaning and ending with yard maintenance.
Vacuum. Running the vacuum cleaner on a daily basis will remove eggs, larvae and adult pests. This is the best method for initial control of an infestation, so don't forget to vacuum not just carpets, but cushioned furniture, cracks and crevices on floors, along baseboards, and in the basement.
Steam Clean. The hot steam and soap can kills fleas in all stages of the life cycle, especially where pets sleep.
Launder. Wash all pet and family bedding — wherever pets lie — in hot, soapy water every two to three weeks. But if you are experiencing a severe infestation, discard old pet bedding and replace it with fresh, clean material.
Groom. Using a flea comb won't just help a pet look good — it's also an effective tool for removing adult fleas, flea feces, and dried blood. As fleas are caught, dip the comb in hot soapy water to kill them, and you can be sure to catch a lot of the pests in their favorite hideouts, such as the neck or tail area.
A Green Thumb Can Lead to Tick-Free Backyard
Getting rid of ticks can be as simple as getting rid of their habitat, and while you may like a green, lush yard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests a couple of tricks that will help reduce the tick population and let you keep your lovely flower beds.
Create Tick-Safe Zones. To do this, keep play areas and playground equipment away from shrubs, bushes, and other vegetation. Also, regularly remove leaf litter and clear tall grasses and brush around homes, and place wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas to keep ticks away from recreational areas.
Provide a Vegetation-Free Play Area. Keep play areas and playground equipment away from shrubs, bushes, and other vegetation.
Use a Chemical Control Agent. Effective tick control chemicals are available for use by the homeowner, or they can be applied by a professional pest control expert. Even limited applications can greatly reduce the number of ticks. A single springtime application of acaricide can reduce the population of ticks that cause Lyme disease by 68 to 100 percent.
Discourage Deer. Removing plants that attract deer and constructing physical barriers may help discourage deer from entering your yard and bringing ticks with them.