Program® - with the active ingredient lufenuron - affects the reproductive ability of the female flea. When swallowed by the animal, the lufenuron is absorbed through the intestinal wall and acts as an insect development inhibitor. It is carried throughout the body via the blood stream. When a flea bites the dog, a portion of the medication passes into the flea along with the blood. It does not affect the adult flea. She still mates and lays eggs but, because of the medication, the eggs fail to hatch and soon die. Of the four stages in the development of the flea this product is effective in the first stage.
When it comes to fleas, prevention is the key. Ask anyone who has had a flea problem - they are now strong advocates of prevention. Controlling and eliminating an already existing flea problem takes a lot of time and effort. There is no successful flea control program that does not involve treating the environment. You may think you have eliminated all the fleas, when suddenly they are back. This may not be due to anything you are doing wrong. It may be that a number of pupae that have been lying dormant have hatched. Remember, the pupal stage of the flea can lie dormant for months, is protected by its cocoon, and is resistant to most of the insecticides. You will need to keep treating the environment and your pet until all of these pupal stages have hatched.

What is the life cycle of fleas?
There are four stages in the development of fleas: eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. Male and female fleas mate and two days later the female flea starts laying eggs. The eggs are often laid on the animal, but because they are not sticky, fall off into the environment. Along with the eggs, the female flea deposits a large amount of feces (often called "flea dirt"). The feces, or flea dirt will dissolve into a red color when moistened; this is because it is primarily digested blood. The flea lays 30-50 eggs per day, generally in batches of 3 to 15. A flea can produce 400-1,000 eggs in her lifetime (several months to two years, depending on the species).
Two days (or more depending on temperature) after the egg is laid it hatches and the larva, which looks like a small maggot, starts to feed on the feces left by its mother. The larva passes through several phases of development taking a total of about a week. At that time the larvae starts spinning a cocoon and is called a pupa. The cocoon is sticky and will often become covered with fine dirt or sand, and can be found deep in carpet or crevices. In a week the pupa develops into an adult and emerges from the cocoon when it senses vibrations, carbon dioxide, or warmth which tell it an animal host is near. The entire life cycle takes about 15 days, but the pupa can remain dormant under inhospitable conditions (e.g., cold) and extend the cycle to over a year. This is important to remember when planning flea control.
Ingredients: Lufenuron
Dogs Recommended Dosage Schedule:
| Body Weight |
Dose |
Lufenuron Per Tablet |
| Up to 10 lbs. |
One Tablet |
45.0 mg |
| 11 to 20 lbs. |
One Tablet |
90.0 mg |
| 21 to 45 lbs. |
One Tablet |
204.9 mg |
| 46 to 90 lbs. |
One Tablet |
409.8 mg |
|