As the temperatures rise and the rain increases, a problem frustrates pet owners every year: fleas and ticks. Disgusting creatures, these blood-sucking parasites live on animals and cause great distress for both pets and owners alike. They are, by far, one of the most common problems we have with our pets.

Flea and tick populations increase in the summer months, especially in areas that have a good deal of humidity and moisture. Iowa’s recent rain makes it a prime target for a heavy flea and tick season, which means pet owners will be especially concerned with how to prevent the terrible creatures from attacking their pets.

Since “fleas and ticks” seem to go together, I will make things easier by simply referring to flea products from now on. Most of the products discussed will also kill ticks.

A good bit of information to have is how the life cycle of a flea works. An adult flea lays hundreds of eggs in its life, as many as 50 a day. Within a week or two, the eggs hatch into microscopic larvae. The larvae live for about two- to-three weeks, munching on organic matter until they are old enough to form a cocoon, or pupa. The pupal stage usually lasts around one or two weeks, but can last for up to one year. Finally, an adult flea hatches and begins the cycle again.

There are several new products on the market that prevent fleas from even setting up a home on your cat, dog or other furry animal. The latest product (which you may have seen advertised by singing dogs and cats on TV) is called Advantage. Advantage is a liquid that you apply to the back or neck of your pet. The liquid seeps into the skin and kills the fleas. The product claims a 98% death rate within 24 hours. One of the best things about Advantage is that it is very safe. It will not interfere with any other medication your pet may be taking. This product lasts for up to four weeks, making it only a monthly treatment.

Program is another product being heavily advertised on television. It was introduced last year and has had a soaring response. Program is a monthly pill for dogs, or a liquid taken orally for cats. It controls fleas not only on your pet but in its environment. The chemical in Program affects the tiny larvae within the flea eggs, preventing them from hatching out and becoming adult fleas.

If your pet does not yet have fleas, it is entirely possible a population will never develop if your pet is on Program before the flea infestation begins.

If an animal already has fleas, it will take a few weeks for all the fleas to die (of old age, in this case) but no more will reproduce. Program is also an extremely safe product.

Some of the old standby methods are still very useful in ridding your pets of an existing flea problem. Strong solutions called dips are often used to kill the fleas already living on the animal. Most dips kill all the fleas on the pet at once, since the animal is saturated with the solution, and continue to kill the tiny parasites for up to a week following the dip.

Sprays are still a good way of killing fleas on your pet. However, some cats are startled by the sound, accompanied by the feel of cold, smelly spray hitting their bodies. For this reason, manufactures of flea products have developed a mousse for animals that hate sprays. The mousse goes into the fur just like human-hair mousse and is much less traumatic to your pet.

Flea collars are a flea control method upon which many people still seem to rely. Collars do work well, but only around the neck area. They do not provide adequate coverage for a pet who has a problem with fleas.

An important place you must not neglect in flea control is the animal’s environment, be it your home or its kennel and yard. Fleas usually live in the environment most of the time, and just jump on your pet for a quick blood meal. Products are sold that will treat your home with similar substances with which you can treat your pet.

For the best flea control, you want to not only kill the fleas, but interrupt their life cycles — preventing more of the evil little critters from forming. Of the sprays, dips, and powders, companies such as Vet Kem and Mycodex have developed products with insect growth regulators. The regulators break the life cycle at the egg stage, so no larvae can hatch.

Most of these products (with the exception of Program and Advantage) also kill ticks.

The most important thing to remember is that you want to not only kill all the fleas, but you also want to keep them from coming back by breaking the life cycle.

All of the above mentioned products can be purchased at your local veterinarian. The most effective products are usually sold only by vets, and the staff there will be prepared to help you in your decision of the flea control product that is best for you and your pet.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer flea free.

Julie Hansen is a senior in zoology/pre-vet from Monterey, California.