In our household of
four dogs and one indoor/outdoor cat, the battle against fleas rages all year. In 2015, the fleas have been especially difficult to get rid of since Georgia has had only two frosts and our winter temperatures, so far, have been mostly around 60 and 70 degrees. The fleas are thriving outdoors, which brings up another important fact -- if you can afford to treat the outside of your home for fleas, you should as part of the overall flea control plan.
I've had animal companions my entire life, and I have tried flea baths, flea collars, flea bombs, pest control professionals, topical flea treatments, flea medication tablets and more over the years. I no longer use unsafe methods like flea bombs, but I have not found an infallible flea control method. My research into less toxic flea control options continues.
A recent fail using a topical product for cats and dogs that provides flea and tick control for 30 days led me to try a new product. At a chain retailer I found PetArmor FastCaps, which has an active ingredient called
Nitenpyram. Nitenpyram is a fast acting, orally administered flea treatment that is absorbed into the blood of your dog or cat and is quickly ingested via blood by feeding fleas. It is the same ingredient used in the veterinarian recommended drug Capstar.
FastCaps offers Nitenpyram in 57.0 mg tablets for dogs over 25 pounds. There are tablets for smaller dogs and cats as well.
The box of FastCaps reads, "Begins working within 30 minutes." Sold! I was so excited that I purchased two of the products, one dose for our two large dogs, Roscoe and Max, and our two small dogs, Shelby and Lucy, and Cash, our cat.
The product directions read, "A single does of FastCaps tablest should kill the adult fleas on your pet." It is important to realize the flea eggs will not be killed by the product, so you will need to shampoo your pets. wash bedding, vacuum carpets, mop your floors and treat the environment.
I wrapped the FastCaps tablet in cheese. Max was the only
dog who spit out the pill. I waited a few minutes, hid the pill inside a piece of hotdog, and Max swallowed it whole. Administering this flea tablet to dogs is rather easy.
Our cat Cash was a different story. Cash is not the kind of cat you can open his mouth and place a pill in his throat -- you would be risking life and limb! I hid the crumbled tablet mixed in his cat food. He ate only a small portion. We have concluded it is best to use a topical flea treatment for Cash, however, this product may work well in more cooperative kitties.
Side Effects
Lucy, our Papillon, had unusual excitability. She could not sit still. This lasted nearly two hours after she was given the FastCaps tablet.
No other side effects noted in Roscoe, Max or Shelby.
Result
The product claims to achieve greater than 90 percent effectiveness against adult fleas on dogs within 4 hours and cats within 6 hours. The first time we used the tablets, our dogs had noticeable relief in about four to five hours -- no sooner.
To effectively counter flea infestation, I know that I must get the fleas out of our home and off our property. We did not call a professional exterminator because we had hoped winter frost would kill the fleas outside. Inside our home, I vacuumed the furniture, rugs, carpeting and mopped floors. I sprayed the carpet with a veterinarian recommended pesticide spray, which required that the room be closed off until the spray was dry.
I washed the bedding, including human bedding, and shampooed Lucy and Shelby. I would have shampooed Roscoe and Max but they ran and once I cornered each one, the wrestling match ended in a loss for me. Later, I took both boys outside on the deck for a good brushing, which I hoped would get rid of the flea eggs.
According to veterinarians, for best results, you must use a flea treatment exactly as directed beginning in the spring, through summer and going into winter. Your animal companion is more likely to remain free of fleas.
The PetArmor FastCaps, combined with the home flea treatment and grooming, was a success. Re-infestation is inevitable, but the period of time between dosing is unknown and likely varies depending on the pet's environment. The product manufacturer claims you can give another dose as often as once per day.
FastCaps tablets are safe for use in dogs, puppies,
cats and kittens that weigh 2 pounds or more, and are 4 weeks of age or older. The tablets are also safe for pregnant and breeding dogs and cats.
PetArmor FastCaps are made in France and manufactured for Sergeant's Pet Care Products, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska. The tablets are available for purchase at chain and online retailers.
Have you used PetArmor FastCaps tablets for your dog or cat? Share your experience in the comment section below.
