Nasty, disgusting, dirty, irritating or just about any other word meaning undesirable is probably a good adjective to put in front of the word flea. Pets hate them because when they bite it really itches and pet owners hate them because if they get in the house they are very difficult to get rid of. The key to not having to get rid of them is to proactively control them before they have a chance to infest a home. 

Fleas are so common, especially in warmer climates, that even house pets who only go out for an occasional "potty" break are susceptible to them if not protected. Veterinary science has developed different medicines designed to control these pests. They do this in a variety of ways.   

• Kill the adults - Some medicines are designed to kill any flea that bites the treated pet. Using the chemical Spinosad these drugs are clinically proven to kill all fleas that bite within 4 hours. By killing the adults they do not have an opportunity to lay eggs and thereby stop the reproduction cycle. 
• Sterilize the fleas - A second option is to use the chemical Lufenuron to interrupt the flea life cycle by causing females to lay eggs that cannot hatch into the larvae stage. Even though this does not kill the adult fleas it does prevent new ones and the existing ones will soon die out.  
• Kill all flea stages - Using a combination of  Imidacloprid and Permethrin this method attacks the nervous system of the flea and kills them at all life stages including eggs, larvae, and adult. An advantage of this method is that it is a topical application and does not require the flea to bite but only to come into contact with the treated pet. 

In addition to controlling fleas, these medications are also designed to control a variety of other pests such as ticks, mosquitoes, as well as heart and other worms. It then becomes the responsibility of the pet owner to decide which option best protects the pet and at an acceptable cost.  By talking with their veterinarian, the owner can determine the best choice for their individual situation.  In the end controlling the fleas and avoiding an infestation are worth the effort because the work required to get rid of them later outweigh the work of giving a pet a dose of medicine once a month. To learn more, contact a company like Stewartstown Vet Services.