Diagnostic

As fleas are so small, they are often hard to detect. If you are in any doubt, you can carry  out a simple flea check or come in to the practice to have a quick check by one of our nursing team staff.
 

Agitation, scratching and eventually skin irritation can be warning signs that your pet has got fleas.
 

Since each flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day, eventually another 50 adult fleas will be ready to continue the cycle in your house. For this reason the flea control in your house is as important as treating your pet.
 

Flea check

·         First sit your cat or dog on a large piece of white paper.

·         Then rub its back vigorously for a minute or so. As you rub, any flea faeces will fall onto the paper.

·         Next pick up the piece of paper, remove any hair, and transfer the 'rubbings' onto some damp cotton wool.

·         Leave to stand for a minute. Flea faeces are made up of dried blood from the host they have bitten. When dry, they are dark brown flecks that can be easily confused with dirt or dead skin. But once transferred onto the moist cotton wool, they'll dissolve and turn a lighter shade of red. So, if you can now see red spots on the cotton wool, you can be certain that your pet has been in recent contact with fleas.

·         Treatment is required. Your veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse will advice you on how to treat flea infestation.

Control and treatment

Nowadays there is a variety of flea products on the market, e.g. spot on, oral, spray etc. We sell a range of the most effective products on the market. The best one will be chosen for your individual pet. Ideally a control plan is designed by your veterinary team for each case.

In most cases, flea infestations should clear within a few days. However, flea eggs laid around your home can survive in the carpet for up to 9 months. During this time, they can hatch and jump back on board your pet whatever treatment you use. This doesn’t mean that the product you are using isn’t working. Just that the existing infestation is clearing.

Carpets need to be vacuumed regularly; furniture, human and pet bedding need to be cleaned frequently to get rid of existing fleas and eggs.

You can hasten removal of fleas by raising the temperature and humidity in the house to encourage fleas to hatch faster, where upon they'll leap onto the pet, be exposed to the insecticide, and be killed.
 

Flea related problems

Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) – it does not mean that your pet is allergic to the fleas itself, but particularly to the flea’s saliva, and also, but less often, to flea’s faeces. If your pet suffers from FAD, only a single bite will start/set off an allergic reaction, even if the flea dies straight away after a blood meal. In this case, all effort to keep the environment where your pet lives flea-free must to be made.
 

Tapeworm – Cat and dog fleas may contain a tapeworm called Dipylidium caninum. If swallowed, this tapeworm will fully develop inside its new host, either pets or young children.
 

Dipylidium caninum

Anaemia – depending on the flea infestation degree, mainly in young, old or ill animals, the blood demand by fleas can lead to anaemia in your pet. The symptoms of anaemia include pale gums, weakness and lethargy in your pet.

Curiosities.... Do you know?

·         Female fleas can lay up to 50 eggs per day.

·         Fleas can live for 1 year if not eaten or treated.

·         Fleas can remain in pupae stage up to 6 months, until they receive signs that a  host is near.

·         Vibration, heat and carbon dioxide are signs that a host is near to fleas in pupate stage.

·         A flea can survive from 2 months up to a year between meals.

·         Larvae fleas are blind and avoid sunlight, keeping to dark places.

·         Once emerged, the adult flea has one week to find the first blood meal to survive.

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