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