Fleas are ectoparasites that belong to the order Siphonaptera.Fleas live on the host body and consume their blood. These flightless insects can cause extreme irritation on you or your pet’s body.Adult fleas possess high jumping skills and can jump a distance of almost 50 times more than their body length and disperse from one host to the other. These parasites suck the blood of their host and are quite bothersome to dogs and cats. Fleas are not just an issue to dogs and cats, but they can parasitize other mammals including humans.In extreme cases, fleas can lead to severe conditions and diseases in the animal’s body. Tapeworms, acute flea allergy, chronic dermatitis, and anemia are some common diseases that may occur. It is thus, essential to protect your pet from these blood-sucking fleas and ticks. This is where the flea and tick collars come as a savior. The flea collar contains some active ingredients that can repel fleas and ticks. These collars can kill fleas and ticks on the body of your pet. These flea and tick collars emit toxic gases that prove beneficial for the hosts in keeping the ectoparasites away. Flea collars are plastic collars that are available in different shapes and sizes and can perfectly fit on your pet’s neck. But one question strikes the mind of all pet owners. Is the flea collar safe for your pets? Will it cause any adverse reactions to your pets? The answer to all your concerns is provided in this article. Keep on reading to find out more about the safety and efficacy of flea collars and other flea treatments.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about how do amphibians breathe? And how do frogs breathe? Here on Kidadl.Flea Collars And Their TypesFlea collars are plastic collars available in a wide range of shapes and sizes and can perfectly fit the neck of your pet. These collars repel fleas by emitting toxic gases and prevent them from spreading in the host’s body.The active ingredients present in the flea collar are mostly neurotoxins that kill fleas and ticks by targeting their nervous system. The flea eggs are prevented from hatching and growing by growth regulatory chemicals present in flea collars. Flea prevention on your pet’s body can continue for up to eight months. The natural oils present on the body of your pets help to further spread the chemicals of the flea collar and can thus, prevent infestation. The fleas become sterile due to these toxic chemicals and can no longer multiply. Flea collars are water-resistant and their efficacy will degrade with more exposure to water. Some of the chemicals wash away with water, but there are different types of flea collars available that protect your pet with their active ingredients. Absorption-based collars, gas-based collars, and high-frequency collars are the three different types of flea and tick collars. Among these three, absorption-based collars are the most common type of flea and tick collar, which evenly distributes the chemicals on the skin of dogs and cats. The gas-based collars repel the fleas and ticks by producing toxic gases. The high-frequency collars use frequency waves to prevent infestation of fleas, ticks, and other insects and reduce their contact with your pet’s body.Safety And Efficacy Of Flea CollarsThe flea collars are an effective means to control fleas and ticks as well as other insects from parasitizing the body of cats and dogs. These collars remain effective for weeks and can extend for more than six months. However, certain chemicals used in flea collars can prove hazardous to both the pet and the pet owners.The absorption-based collar for dogs and cats can be dangerous as the insecticides are absorbed by the body of the pets. These insecticides can also irritate pet owners when they come in contact with their dogs and cats. The gas-based collar for dogs can kill fleas by producing toxic gases. These gases can prove to be fatal for the pets as well due to their inhalation and accumulation in the lungs of the dogs and cats. The high-frequency dog flea collars can repel fleas using high-frequency waves. These collars are expensive but also do kill fleas and ticks. Therefore, the gas-based and high-frequency collars may not give full protection to the dogs and cats as these two collars do not kill the fleas and ticks. On the other hand, the absorption-based flea collars are long-lasting and also kill the larvae of fleas and ticks. However, the active ingredients present in the collar may affect the health of our furry friends. It is thus, important to seek the advice of the veterinarian before putting these collars on the neck of cats and dogs.Alternatives For Flea CollarsSymptoms of flea collar poisoning can develop in the dog’s body as it releases some toxins to prevent insect infestation. The risk of using flea collars leads us to alternatives treatments.There are topical treatments present that are beneficial for your pets, as they work by repelling as well as killing the insects on the dog’s body. These topical solutions are long-lasting as well. Certain oral treatment is also available to treat the symptoms of tapeworm infection, resulting from fleas, ticks, and other ectoparasites and is prescribed by a veterinarian. The bite of the insects can cause extreme itching on the skin of dogs, cats, and other mammals. This itchiness can be cured by topical treatment. Thus, it is always necessary to ask your veterinarian about the measures that can be taken to prevent the risk of life-threatening diseases in your pet.Mode Of Action Of Flea Collars In Cats And DogsFlea collars work in the same way in cats and dogs. A tick collar proves beneficial to the skin of the pet and can work for more than eight months. The flea collars for cats are highly effective to prevent the bite of insects, which can work for 24 hours.Pet owners need to be careful while handling the tick collars as they possess harmful substances. The flea, tick, and other parasites on the pet are repelled by these active substances. These collars work by attacking the nervous system of the insects. The composition also contains substances that inhibit the growth of the flea, tick, and other parasites and eventually, make them sterile so that they can no longer multiply. These collars kill the contagious ectoparasites, for example, the flea, and the tick. The flea and tick collar should be worn temporarily if the pet is on oral and topical medication. The pet parents often get confused with the flea collar vs drops. The medicated drops help to cure the infection that is already present due to the bite of the insects, whereas, the flea and tick collar serves as an insect repellant and prevents the insect’s bite, the substances present in the collar kill the larvae of the ectoparasites as well.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how do flea collars work? Then why not take a look at how do birds mate, or how do dolphins communicate?
Fleas are ectoparasites that belong to the order Siphonaptera.
