Fleas again

Fleas
Summer is upon us, and with the dry, dusty conditions many of our clients are telling us they are having difficulty-keeping fleas under control, so we thought it would be a timely reminder to chat about flea control again.

Our flea- friendly climate here in Agnes Water creates a perfect breeding ground for fleas. With heat, sand and dust it’s a honeymoon spot for fleas! Its important to know that 95% of a flea lifecycle occurs within the environment of where your pet lives and sleeps, so the fleas you see on your dog are only 5% of the problem! Flea’s love warm dark places and live and breed in these conditions such as dirt, dust, and pet bedding areas and even between floorboards. Yuk!

There are many products on the market for flea control but what they all rely on is consistency in your application. Dose them regularly and for their correct weight. Whether your chosen method of control is a spray on, collar or spot-on application, consistency and accurate dosage is imperative to your pets flea eradication program.

Exciting news (for us and your pets) is that we now have a new product available at the clinic called Comfortis, and its great to have a new product to offer that fleas have not built a resistance to. Taken orally with food it is a once a month tablet depending on your pets weight. It’s a brilliant option for those of you that have dogs who love swimming, as it cannot wash off and leaves no oily residue to get on kids or furniture. We have been getting great feedback from customers whose dogs are using it. At this stage it is only available for dogs. We also recommend a flea hydrobath to freshen up your pooch as well as get rid of fleas, which the ladies at the clinic can do for you.

Fleas commonly cause obvious skin conditions, but can also result in your cat or dog becoming anaemic and unwell from loss of blood from the fleas biting them, not to mention the discomfort of continual scratching and itching. Flea allergy dermatitis is one of the most common causes of what people (mistakenly) call ‘mange’, and is a dog’s allergic reaction to the flea’s saliva and bite.

Some tips for you to consider-:

· As stated above, fleas love dark places for breeding. Regular washing (in water hotter than 60 degrees for 10 mins) and weekly airing in the sun of your pets bedding and regular replacement is recommended.

· Keep your pet out of the dirt, sand and (if its dusty) under the house as fleas love dark places to breed, so this is where all the newly hatched fleas are waiting and ready to pounce. Young adult fleas jumping onto your pet are unavoidable but control of where your pet sleeps and plays reduces this risk. If you can’t avoid these ‘danger zones’ there are sprays available to help you control the problem. But avoidance is definitely better!

· Treat all of the pets in your household. Treating just one pet if you have more will not be effective. Don’t forget the cats!

· Regular vacuuming of your home will assist with removal of eggs and stimulate fleas to emerge (so you can eradicate them!)

· Avoid untreated animals entering your home environment.

· Consistency – whatever your choice of flea control is, make it consistent. Read the label and adhere to it.

So I hope this has given you a few tips on how to beat the unwelcome fleas, and if you have any requests or suggestions on what you’d like to read about in critter chat, please let us know at the clinic.