About fleas...

My cat who goes outdoors is scratching a lot more, could it have fleas?
Maybe, but unlikely.  There are 87 causes of itching in the cat and in the Edmonton area fleas would be near the bottom of my list.  The most common cause of itching that I diagnose in outdoor cats is otodectic mange - commonly referred to as ear mites.  Along with the scratching you may also notice shaking of the head and if you massage the opening of the ear canals you can usually send a cat with otodectic mange into a fit of scratching.
Scratching is certainly not an emergency; however, if you think that your pet has fleas you should have it examined by your veterinarian as soon as possible because dealing with a flea infestation is much easier if identified early.  Plus, fleas are indiscriminate eaters and will bite you too.

Should I get my dog a flea collar dog?
I wouldn't.  Though the number of flea prevention products found at your local pet supply store is numerous and include others such as sprays, shampoos, and spot-on treatments, fleas are very uncommon in our part of the world.  This is one of the very few advantages of our cold, dry, and unpredictable climate.  At our clinic, we diagnose fleas only a few times a year.  The most common presentation I see is on dogs that live in straw bale houses.

The products sold over the counter are not without risk.  In April, Health Canada issued an advisory about these products:
"While many people have used these products without any harmful effects on their pets, adverse reactions reported range from mild effects such as skin irritation to more serious effects such as seizures and in some cases death."
Since the risk of contracting fleas is very low in the Edmonton area and the application of prevention products carries health risks, I discourage my clients from using them.

Dr. Jeffrey Person practices at the Delton Veterinary Hospital and co-hosts the listener call-in show Pet Talk, heard every Sunday morning at 7a.m. on AM630 CHED.