| In cats and dogs, fleas are perhaps the most | | | | means that there are fleas on your pet - even if you |
| common external parasite problem encountered by | | | | can't see any!It doesn't automatically follow however |
| pet owners. They have been around for a very long | | | | that getting rid of the fleas will sort out the hair loss |
| time and know a thing or two about species survival | | | | problem. Alas, it is often more complicated than that |
| so getting rid of a flea problem is never easy. | | | | but reducing the flea load will always be beneficial to |
| Keep the following in mind when tackling fleas on | | | | a scratching pet.Fleas, signs of fleas, or a skin |
| your cat or dog.They are an environmental problem, | | | | reaction to fleas may be present on a single e.g. dog |
| not a pet problem. Yes, you will see the fleas on | | | | in your household, while your other dogs look fine. |
| your pet, but those you see are a very small | | | | You cannot only treat the affected animal to get rid |
| proportion of the total flea population in your pets | | | | of the fleas. You must treat all the dogs (and cats) in |
| environment(approx 1% visible to you vs 99% | | | | the household AND the environment or you are going |
| hidden in the environment!). The implication of this is | | | | to lose the battle.Very young animals can literally be |
| that you cannot hope to beat a flea problem by only | | | | sucked (almost) dry of blood if they have a very |
| treating the pet - you have to include the | | | | heavy flea burden. This can obviously be life |
| environment in your plans.Fleas need blood meals to | | | | threatening on its own, and is often made worse by |
| survive and breed. They are also photophobic (don't | | | | a concurrent worm infestation.What do you use to |
| like bright sunlight). So that patch of sand in the | | | | treat for fleas? By now I hope you realise there is |
| middle of your garden 20m from the dogs kennel is | | | | more to this than simply buying a flea collar!There are |
| unlikely to be the source of your flea problem.Fleas | | | | a wide range of products available for treating both |
| like warm, humid areas out of direct sunlight.Dogs and | | | | pets and the environment. Remember though that |
| cats are the preferred host for the normal pet flea | | | | the formulations for dogs are usually different to |
| (C.felis). If you have pets but find fleas jumping onto | | | | those for cats - either in terms of the active |
| you for a blood meal then you have a huge | | | | ingredient or the dosage. Make sure you consult your |
| infestation on your hands.The exception to this | | | | Veterinarian to establish what is safe for your pet - |
| observation is if you move into somewhere that has | | | | cats can be particularly susceptible to some of the |
| not been occupied for a while then newly hatched | | | | chemicals used to control fleas.Whatever you use to |
| fleas will jump on anything to get a blood meal.One | | | | treat the environment, it is best to start with a |
| should not stop the "anti-flea" drive over winter. As it | | | | thorough mechanical cleaning before you apply any |
| gets cooler, the flea lifecycle takes longer to | | | | sort of chemical. Vacuuming, using only a nozzle to |
| complete and the presence of fleas may be less | | | | ensure good suction into carpet pile and cracks |
| obvious. However, the lifecycle rarely stops | | | | between floor boards, will remove a significant |
| altogether, even in very cold climates because then | | | | number of the non mobile flea eggs and pupae |
| the pets are often inside the house with central | | | | present in the environment. Outside, remove moist |
| heating. Hmm, lets see...warm,constant humidity, out | | | | and rotting vegetation, cut the grass short and try to |
| of direct sunlight - yes, ideal conditions for flea | | | | expose damp, shady areas to as much sunlight as |
| survival.You might not actually see any real live fleas | | | | possible.Natural flea repellants are available but, as |
| on your pet (this is particularly true of cats because | | | | with the other anti-flea formulations, don't expect |
| they groom so frequently). But your pet may still | | | | them to work miracles all by themselves. fleas have |
| have a flea problem. If your dog or cat is scratching | | | | been around a long time - several million years in fact |
| a lot and has some hair loss, especially just above the | | | | - so they know how to survive as a species. Your |
| tail on the lower back, then look for little black and/or | | | | best efforts will be needed to keep them under |
| white grains in the coat. These are flea faeces | | | | control! |
| (black) and flea eggs (white) and their presence | | | | |