There is a lot of controversy on whether or not flea collars actually work. The problem of fleas has always been a central concern of dog and cat owners. Dog fleas result in a range of problems for your dog, so getting the best and most effective treatment is of great importance. The problems of fleas are more than simply biting, scratching and itching. Many animals suffer from allergic reactions to fleas, producing raised welts on the animal, and leading to additional long term skin and fur problems. The diseases that fleas carry are also a worry to both humans and their animal counterparts, especially for people with younger children who have contact with the animal. Flea collars have been one of the traditional approaches to getting rid of fleas, yet recently it has come into controversy as an infective way to remove fleas. We have looked at the issue of flea collars in depth to determine whether or not these are an effective means of getting rid of fleas.
One of the problems with flea collars that has led to negative conjecture is the variance in quality. Do not expect to get a good quality flea collar when you purchase it from a grocery store. These are not the same quality as their similar priced counterparts available at veterinarians. People are quick to say that flea collars do not work when they have never actually bought a quality one recommended by their vet. Ones in grocery stores may have the same claims of stopping fleas for 3 months, yet when put to the test many of these lower quality brands failed. The higher quality products worked a lot better, living up to the manufacturer’s claims of keeping fleas away for 90 days.
The second problem with flea collars is due to people’s misunderstanding of them. Flea collars are not an effective means to get rid of fleas, they are an effective method to prevent fleas. In conjunction with other treatments such as Advantage and Frontline, flea collars can be extremely valuable in keeping fleas off your pet. Unlike treatments such as flea dips, flea collars work for a much longer period of time. The problem with treatments such as flea dips is they may only work for a couple of days before fleas decide to return. Flea dips can also only be used for larger dogs that live outdoors, so the widespread use is not as prevalent.
As a preventative method flea collars are excellent once fleas are completely removed from your animal. However, we should remember that flea collars are not an effective means to get rid of fleas. As a longer term treatment they provide peace of mind and do actually work, and with conjunction with products supplied by your veterinarian can help immensely. Compared to remedies such as flea powder, flea collars rank a whole lot better, so the next time your animal has fleas remember that although a flea collar may not get rid of them, you shouldn’t rule one out to prevent a return.
