Direct Kill Products

These products are primarily chemical-based items, most often insecticides or pesticides. Regardless of how they are applied to the environment, your pet, and/or the offending organism, they result in the direct death of the flea, tick, and/or mosquito. Some are specific to the life stage of the insect or arachnid and are labeled as "larvacides" or "adulticides." Some items contain a combination of products that successfully kill multiple life stages of the pest.

Inhibitor/Regulator Products

While researching flea, tick, and mosquito control options, you'll occasionally encounter the following phrases:

• Insect Growth Inhibitors (IGI) - These items work by preventing the various young life stages (such as eggs and larvae) of a species from maturing and subsequently being able to reproduce. Think of it as a form of "birth control for pests" that actually works by keeping immature growth hormone levels at a sufficiently high state that further inhibits their progression to an adult stage. Depending on the specific manmade inhibiting compound, only certain "pests" are affected. Examples of such IGI's include fenoxycarb, methoprene ( Precor), and pyriproxyfen ( Nylar).
• Insect Growth Regulators (IGR) - This expression is used interchangeably with the phrase "insect growth inhibitors."
• Insect Development Inhibitors (IDI) - These products prevent the critical creation of the outer chitin shell/skeleton/skin of the pest. Thus, the immature form of the species cannot progress to the potentially dangerous adult stage. Examples of IDI's include diflubenzuron and lufenuron.

Note that none of these products will eradicate existing adult pests. Therefore, a separate adulticide item must be used to manage all stages of the population. As previously mentioned though, some other types of products are effective at managing multiple life stages, including adults.

Please also note that some of these products are effective upon initial contact with the topically applied item. Others only work when the pest ingests the product; this occurs when the organism bites the host.

Repellent Products

A number of flea, tick, and mosquito control products function by repelling the potentially hazardous pest. This is extremely valuable in preventing the initial contact that can result in the various illnesses and/or diseases. Many of these repelling products are herbal alternatives.

Topically Applied Products

Many flea, tick, and mosquito control products must be applied directly to your pet to be effective. They are available in direct kill, inhibitor, and repellent forms. Examples of such items include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Collars - Both medicated and herbal options exist. Some are even effective against preventing ticks from attaching as well as detaching those already present.
• Creams/Foams/Sprays - Choose from both medicated and herbal products to control fleas, ticks, lice, mosquitoes, and/or gnats.
• Dips - This medicated choice to kill fleas and/or ticks must be used properly to avoid adverse toxic reactions. Some are also effective at repelling mosquitoes, gnats, lice, and/or flies. Herbal options are also available.
• Powders - Some medicated powders can be applied to the pet as well as their surrounding area (e.g., sleeping quarters). Such is also the case with the natural option of powdered diatomaceous earth, a microscopic single-celled type of algae known as a diatom, that destroys the insect's/arachnid's outer skeleton.
• Shampoos - Both medicated and "natural" options exist to aid in ridding and/or repelling your pet of fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, gnats, flies, lice, and/or chiggers.
• Spot On Products - These popular medicated treatments (although some "natural" options are available) are often applied in spots between the animal's shoulders or along the length of their spine. Examples include Advantage flea control items and Frontline flea and tick control products, both of which will be discussed in more detail later in this guide.

Towelettes - These mostly medicated products can be used on small mammals (including cats and ferrets) to control fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, lice, and/or mites.

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