How fast do flea treatments work

Misunderstanding how flea medication works: Most flea medication do not repel fleas, so new fleas from the environment can and will jump on your pet to feed.

Flea medications kill fleas either by direct contact or from the flea feeding on your pet. Research the product you are using so that you know how fast it will start killing fleas.

Some products start killing fleas within 30 minutes, and some can take 24 hours or more. Not using a fast kill flea medication or one with an insect growth regulator: It is important to either start killing fleas before they can lay eggs or use a flea medication that kills the eggs. Stopping the flea life cycle is important. It takes time: Your Flea infestation did not happen in a day and will not resolve in a few days.

In fact, it can take three to eight weeks, that is two months, for all stages of the flea cycle to be fully developed and mature. Advantage Petcare Parasites All Parasites fleas The real science behind flea treatments for your pet.

Master Brand. Share on. Intro Text. Using a spot-on flea treatment like Advantage helps protect your dog or cat against fleas and their irritating effects. Find out how Advantage works. The numbers of fleas and ticks outdoors can be greatly reduced through the use of a yard and premise spray. All dogs and cats in the house need to be on effective flea and tick medications to completely get rid of an infestation, but treatments that are only labeled for use on dogs should never be given to cats.

Before giving your cat any type of medicine, confirm that it is safe by closely reading and following the instructions on the product label. If you have any questions or concerns about the use of flea and tick medications for your cats or dogs, talk to your veterinarian. Home Dog Care Center. Killing Fleas! Published: January 30, The Length of Time Flea and Tick Medications Last Flea and tick treatments that remain active for only a few hours or days are not practical for most dog and cat owners.

Environmental Control of Fleas and Ticks Many medications are effective at quickly killing fleas and ticks that are on pets, but owners still have to deal with the parasites that are in the house or yard. Help us make PetMD better Was this article helpful? Yes No.