Introducing the Flea!

In cats and dogs, fleas are perhaps the mostmeans that there are fleas on your pet - even if you
common external parasite problem encountered bycan't see any!It doesn't automatically follow however
pet owners. They have been around for a very longthat getting rid of the fleas will sort out the hair loss
time and know a thing or two about species survivalproblem. 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 ona 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 onin your household, while your other dogs look fine.
your pet, but those you see are a very smallYou cannot only treat the affected animal to get rid
proportion of the total flea population in your petsof 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 isto lose the battle.Very young animals can literally be
that you cannot hope to beat a flea problem by onlysucked (almost) dry of blood if they have a very
treating the pet - you have to include theheavy flea burden. This can obviously be life
environment in your plans.Fleas need blood meals tothreatening on its own, and is often made worse by
survive and breed. They are also photophobic (don'ta concurrent worm infestation.What do you use to
like bright sunlight). So that patch of sand in thetreat for fleas? By now I hope you realise there is
middle of your garden 20m from the dogs kennel ismore to this than simply buying a flea collar!There are
unlikely to be the source of your flea problem.Fleasa wide range of products available for treating both
like warm, humid areas out of direct sunlight.Dogs andpets and the environment. Remember though that
cats are the preferred host for the normal pet fleathe formulations for dogs are usually different to
(C.felis). If you have pets but find fleas jumping ontothose for cats - either in terms of the active
you for a blood meal then you have a hugeingredient or the dosage. Make sure you consult your
infestation on your hands.The exception to thisVeterinarian to establish what is safe for your pet -
observation is if you move into somewhere that hascats can be particularly susceptible to some of the
not been occupied for a while then newly hatchedchemicals used to control fleas.Whatever you use to
fleas will jump on anything to get a blood meal.Onetreat the environment, it is best to start with a
should not stop the "anti-flea" drive over winter. As itthorough mechanical cleaning before you apply any
gets cooler, the flea lifecycle takes longer tosort of chemical. Vacuuming, using only a nozzle to
complete and the presence of fleas may be lessensure good suction into carpet pile and cracks
obvious. However, the lifecycle rarely stopsbetween floor boards, will remove a significant
altogether, even in very cold climates because thennumber of the non mobile flea eggs and pupae
the pets are often inside the house with centralpresent in the environment. Outside, remove moist
heating. Hmm, lets see...warm,constant humidity, outand rotting vegetation, cut the grass short and try to
of direct sunlight - yes, ideal conditions for fleaexpose damp, shady areas to as much sunlight as
survival.You might not actually see any real live fleaspossible.Natural flea repellants are available but, as
on your pet (this is particularly true of cats becausewith the other anti-flea formulations, don't expect
they groom so frequently). But your pet may stillthem to work miracles all by themselves. fleas have
have a flea problem. If your dog or cat is scratchingbeen 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/orbest efforts will be needed to keep them under
white grains in the coat. These are flea faecescontrol!
(black) and flea eggs (white) and their presence