Flea season is among us, prevent now!

Flea – a small wingless jumping insect that feeds on the blood of mammals and birds. It sometimes transmits diseases through its bite, including plague and myxomatosis.

Order Siphonaptera: several families and many species, including the human flea ( Pulex irritans) and the cat flea ( Ctenocephalides felis).

I will tell you that prevention is way easier than trying to get rid of them. Once the fleas are in your house, you can count on months of "war" on these guys. They are one of the toughest things to get rid of. I'll discuss the cycle of a flea and ways to get rid of them at another time.

There are many types of flea medications out there. Talk to your vet to see what's right for you and your dog. Beware of the cheap ones at the store, they don't work very well, they don't last the entire month and they are highly toxic.

The top/trusted names are: Frontline, K9-Advantix, Advantage, Revolution, Program and Capstar. Never use flea products that are meant for dogs on cats (it will kill them) and vice versa. They are dog or cat specified for a reason.

Never buy medications from places that you've never heard of on the internet. Just like everything else, if it's really cheap it's probably not real. I do suggest checking out Drs. Foster & Smith online. They have great deals, have been around a long time and have free shipping on all flea medications.

Happy Spring and remember – Prevention is key!