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Flea Control Measures:
To control those pesky fleas, there are a number of measures which should be done throughout the pet's environment. All of these measures are important to develop a "no flea zone." If one measure fails, the whole plan falls apart, so pay attention to the total process. The following prescription is based upon those products which have worked for me in Florida (The Flea Capital of the World and Home of the World's Toughest Fleas). Although some products may be substituted, the specific products (sold through veterinarians) are what I use and based this program upon.
Since you and your pets live in the house, I believe that this should be where the least toxic (yet effective) products should be used. If you have large areas of carpets, then it is particularly important. I like to use Vet Kem's Siphotrol plus Foggers which contain pyrrethrins and Precor (biologic control) every 3 months. These are extremely safe for you, your children and pets. They generally do not affect house plants, but you should follow the directions for birds and fish. The other product which will work is boron in the form of 20-Mule Team Boraxo. President Reagan knew what he was talking about! You can sprinkle this into the carpet and work it in. I have not tried a carpet cleaner on top of this, but it might cause some residual marks or suds. This can also be performed professionally by a group called Flea Busters, check your local yellow pages. All of the above products are effective against fleas and their larvae and against cockroaches. I prefer the foggers, myself.
The Yard:
Starting near the house to the perimeter of the yard, I build a progressive toxic and effective barrier. The least toxic zone (5-10 feet) is right around the exterior of the house. Here, use Boraxo spread evenly with a hand-crank, fertilizer spreader. From this zone to the edge of the property, use Sevin dust (available from the local garden shop). On the edge of the yard (or on your neighbor's yard) spray organophosphates, such as Malathion or Dursban. Sevin dust is slightly toxic to mammals, but hard to absorb through the skin. Organophosphate compounds are more toxic and can be absorbed through the skin or through the lungs. The risk of using these chemicals properly is small, but you should be careful. They should be applied every 2 weeks to the yard for the first 3 applications and then monthly during the height of the flea season. In Florida, that is year round. This will keep fleas off the yard from the meandering squirrels and your neighbor's pets. Hopefully, they are staying on the edge where the most effective barrier is.
The Pet:
The most important thing to control fleas on pets is to be bathed regularly. Usually, once a week is adequate. I believe a pet should be washed when they are dirty or every week, whichever comes first. Any soap will kill and wash off fleas. Having been a veterinarian prior to the advent of veterinary Dermatology, I still think Head & Shoulders is a good dog shampoo. Any mild hair product should be fine. While there are expensive shampoos designed for dogs and cats, I have not had problems with Head & Shoulders on my pets. On cats, you may want to stick to Johnson's No More Tears Baby Shampoo. Washing cats can be a trip. I find that using a refrigerator grate propped up on bricks works well. It gives the cat something to hang onto (instead of you) and you can secure them to the grate with gentle pressure. There is nothing worse than a soggy cat sitting on your shoulders! You can spray off the underside of the cat through the grate without losing control. In dogs (not in cats), I follow the shampoo with Suave Balsa Cream rinse. This gives a good smell and softens the fur for combing. Towel them dry and, in cold weather, use a hair dryer on low heat. Once the bath is over (and before drying completely), spray the pet with Vet Kem's Ovitrol plus Flea Spray. This product contains pyrrethrins and Precor. It will keep fleas off for 7-10 days (Why baths should be every week). I have not found any other product which is this nontoxic that will keep fleas away this long. Between baths and for added security, I have found that Vet Kem's Ovitrol Egg Control Collar works even in Florida. This product releases Precor over 3-4 months and can prevent long term flea infestation. Unfortunately, it does not kill adult fleas outright, but it will prevent them from laying viable eggs. So, it will eventually reduce the flea burden. With the other measures, it will help keep your pet free of fleas. Always remember to bathe the animal's head, but to keep the soap out of their eyes. If you get soap in their eyes, rinse with water. Eye ointments have actually been shown to increase the chance for "soap" damage. If in doubt, contact your veterinarian. During the bath, start with a ring of soap around the animal's neck. This keeps the fleas from running to higher ground to avoid the bath. Recently, new commercial products which are given orally to your pet or placed on the skin have become available. While these products are fine for the healthy pet with no underlying disease, I can not recommend them for pets with neurologic disorders, at this time. Most pets will tolerate these medications, but when the measures discussed above are used properly, giving your pet another compound from which we might see a problem doesn't seem necessary. All pets scratch ocassionally, some because of fleas.
Other Precautions:
If you let your dog go for walks or have an outdoor cat, it can be beneficial to spray their feet and underside before leaving your "no flea zone." That may help keep the fleas from entering your safe haven. Other products (which should be used cautiously) which can repel insects from your pet might also be useful. Off's Skintastic or Avon's Skin-So-Soft are effective flea repellents. These should not be overused, but can help when you are heading out for a long walk. They may also keep away mosquitos.