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Treating
fleas
Fleas are
one of our most commonly seen problems, yes, STILL!!!
They are not something to be embarrassed about, the
cleanest home and most loved pet can get fleas. They can
also be one of the hardest problems to get under
control. Normally this is just because everybody treats
just half the problem, the adult fleas. This is only the
tip of the iceberg though!
The
following advice should get you back a flea free pet and
home but feel free to ask our staff for advice too.
Fleas: The Facts;
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Your dog and cat can pick up fleas
easily, just from being out and about.
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1 flea will lay up to 50 eggs a day which
hatch into larvae and then pupate before hatching into
the new generation. So to eliminate them you must treat
your home as well as your pet!
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You generally only see the adult fleas.
The other stages tend to be either too small to see or
too well hidden.
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If your pet is flea allergic, one bite
will set off their skin problem.
How do I know if my pet has fleas?
Pets
vary in their sensitivity to fleas. Some react badly to
a single bite, others will only be mildly itchy from a
huge infestation.
Signs to look for:
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(Image not life size.)
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 Itching,
especially on the rump.
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Thinning or loss of hair.
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Sore skin.
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Scabby lesions on skin.
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Fleas and/or flea dirt in coat |
Flea dirt is the term for flea faeces.
If
you find flea dirt but no fleas DON'T BE FOOLED; there
must be fleas some where, even if you haven’t seen them!
How to check for fleas or flea dirt:
Comb your pet several times along their
back and rump with a fine tooth comb (similar to nit
comb). If you find red/brown insects 1 to 3 mm long
these are fleas. If you find pin head sized black/ brown
flecks these may be flea dirt.
To tell if they are flea dirt or just
plain dirt, place them on a wet bit of cotton wool. If
you find a red ring dissolves into the tissue around
them you have found flea dirt, which is simply digested
blood. Your pet has fleas.
How to treat your pet and home for fleas:
1. Treating your house
As
previously mentioned, adult fleas are the tip of the
iceberg. Each will lay 25-50 eggs a day which fall onto
your floor and hatch into larvae. These crawl off and
find somewhere safe to pupate while they grow up, ready
to break out of their hard shell as adult fleas. Pupae
are very hard to kill and can live for many years if no
animals wander by to stimulate them to hatch.
To break
the flea life cycle you need to spray the house too not
just treat your pets! Our house spray will kill eggs and larvae for
up to 1
year. It is available over the counter, just ask our
staff for it.
Once home
with your can of spray we advise...
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Vacuum-spray-vacuum
again
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Wash bedding/soft
furnishings
Vacuum the house
thoroughly. Then spray as directed on
the can. NOT JUST CARPETS. You also need
to spray any gaps/ crevices in hard
flooring, under beds and sofas etc. If
there is a room your pet does not enter,
remember fleas/larvae can travel by
themselves so treat all areas. Think
like a larvae, where would you go and
hide to grow up! You can spray your
mattresses and fabric sofas but test a
small area first to ensure it won’t
stain. Then the next day vacuum again!
It is also wise to wash any soft bedding/
furnishings at a very high temperature wash, check this
is ok with the items washing instructions first of
course.
Should
I keep applying spot on if my house has been sprayed?
YES! The spray only
kills eggs and larvae, NOT PUPAE, so you definitely need to keep
applying treatment to your pet regularly for at least 6 months as more pupae
will be waiting to hatch out and re-infest your pet.
2. Treating
your
pet
There are 2 main options for treating
your pet:
-
Spot on’ adulticide’ products
-
Flea
sterilising
products
A. Adulticide products: An
adulticide is a product that kills adult fleas. There
are various different preparation available but the spot
on products are the most popular because of their ease
of use. Our new product now kills fleas so quickly that
they should not even have time to lay eggs. It is also
very effective against ticks and will still work for
just as long if your pet swims/bathes less than twice
weekly. (By buying a spot on that requires a
prescription, i.e. either from you vet or a pharmacy,
you are buying a product that is strong enough to do its
job PROPERLY.)
Important
points when applying spot on therapies:
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The most important thing to find out is
how often you should apply them. Most only last 4 weeks.
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Pets should not be allowed to get wet for 24
hours before or after application. This allows the products to spread through the skin
effectively.
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Do not apply the spot on near your pet’s
collar; to work it needs to soak into your pet not the
collar!
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If your pet swims or has a bath more than
once weekly most products will not last as long.
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If your pet licks the area the spot on
was applied to they may salivate. This is not a problem
for your pet’s health.
B. Flea sterilizing products:
Another option, especially if you find fleas are common
on your pet, is to give your pet a product that
sterilises
the fleas (i.e. any eggs the flea lays will not be able
to hatch), thereby breaking the reproductive cycle.
It is important to remember these
products DO NOT kill fleas.
In a flea outbreak they are useful when
used WITH a spot on for ensuring rapid control, but one
of their main uses is in preventing flea outbreaks
through the year.
Cats require a 6 monthly injection, dogs
a once monthly tablet, to achieve this; but remember if
adult fleas are found, although they will not be laying
effective eggs, you will still need to apply a spot on
to kill them.
The sterilizing product is called
‘Program’.
It is important to remember that if one
pet has fleas, it is false economy not to treat ALL cats
and dogs that live together.
 Image
not life size.
So now you know the whys and
wherefores of fleas and hopefully have a better idea of
how to get rid of those most unloved of visitors, but
please, if you need help, just ask! |
