Fleas are most often seen during the warmer months but as we keep our homes nice and warm throughout winter, we see fleas all year round. Only a small part of the adult flea population (approximately 5%) actually lives on your pet. The fleas’ eggs and larvae live in the environment and can survive for up to a year, so it is important to not only treat your animal directly for fleas but also decontaminate the environment as well.  The newer monthly flea products we sell in the clinic will help control the environmental infestation as well as help with killing the adult fleas on your pet. Wash your pet’s bedding using the hottest cycle and regularly vacuum/clean carpets. We do not recommend flea collars or flea shampoos alone as they fail to address the environmental flea infestation.

Adult fleas will tend to jump onto your pet to feed and lay eggs. Dogs and cats can have a reaction to flea saliva resulting in a skin condition called Flea Allergy Dermatitis or FAD.  These animals only need ONE flea bite to start the reaction in their skin so you rarely find many adult fleas on their skin (they have scratched, licked or chewed them all off!).  Treatment of FAD can be complicated and veterinary consultation is recommended.

Some signs that your DOG may have fleas include:

• Scratching, biting and hair loss, especially at the base of the tail and rump

• You may see fleas (especially over the rump and in the groin region)

• It can be difficult to find the fleas, but is relatively easy to check for flea dirt.  Simply moisten a cotton ball, part your pet’s fur and place the cotton ball on the skin over the rump. If the cotton ball takes on black specs surrounded by a reddish area, this may be flea dirt and can indicate that your pet has fleas.

Some signs that your CAT may have fleas include:

• Excessive grooming (normal cats should rarely clean themselves in front of you- if you see your cat grooming itself it probably has a few fleas!)
• Use the moistened cotton ball test (as for dogs, above) under the cat's chin.

REMEMBER: All cats and dogs WILL have fleas on them at some stage of their life UNLESS you start an appropriate flea control program for you WHOLE household.

Warning: Some non-veterinary brands of flea treatments for dogs are potentially lethal when applied to cats. Always seek veterinary advice about the best flea treatments for your pet.

Please call us to discuss an appropriate flea control program for your pets.