The best flea treatment will always be one that is used consistently, all flea products have a finite period of efficacy and there may be a flea infestation in your home before you notice any signs or symptoms. The best approach is to use an efficacious preventative product on your pet regularly and ensure flea larvae do not survive in your home environment.

To ensure your pet is protected against fleas it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your vet recommended flea treatment product.  For the majority of flea treatments, the advice is to apply the product every four weeks. By ensuring that your pet is always protected, any fleas that do attach to your pet will die before they have the opportunity to breed and spread their offspring through your home. Consistent flea treatment will prevent the establishment of an infestation which can then take months to clear. Protect My Pet is here to help make consistent flea treatment as easy as possible.

Any flea landing on an animal protected with a spot-on flea treatment will die within 24hours. This means new fleas arriving on your pet will die before they have the opportunity to reproduce.

As it takes up to 24 hours for fleas to die, you may occasionally spot an adult flea on your pet. This may be a sign that your pet is coming into contact with fleas in their environment or through contact with other infested animals. Ensure that all steps are taken to remove and kill any eggs and larvae in your home, in addition to treating all cats and dogs with a reliable flea treatment.

If you have fleas in your home then all animals need to be treated as well as treating the home environment. Even if you have only spotted fleas on one animal all pets need to be treated or they will act as hosts harbouring fleas and dropping eggs throughout the home. Cats, dogs, rabbits, and ferrets can all be hosts for the most common flea Ctenocephalides felis.

For every one adult flea living on your pet, 100 immature fleas will be living in your home. Flea larvae thrive within our comfortable heated homes all year round. Eggs slide off your pet into their surroundings, more flea eggs and larvae will be found in the areas your pet spends the most time. This is likely to be on their bed or their favourite comfy spot.

Thick carpet makes the ideal home for flea larvae, they can burrow down to the base of the carpet, making them more difficult to remove. Wooden floors with lots of cracks to hide in also make a good home. Tile and vinyl covered floors do not provide the same level of protection and larvae are most often removed from these areas through routine cleaning.

Vacuum carpets, bedding, and furniture thoroughly using a nozzle attachment, remove the cleaner bag or empty the container immediately. Bedding, cushions and soft toys should be washed at 60° C.

Use an environmental flea spray, these sprays typically contain two main ingredients, an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) to prevent the development of immature stages of the flea, and an adulticide to kill adult fleas. Use a vet recommended product such as Acclaim, Indorex or RIP Fleas.

Flea bombs may not reach into the crevices where the flea larvae and pupae like to hide. If you are dealing with a serious infestation your local council or a pest control company will be able to assist you, DIY flea bombs are not recommended. Remember that no products are able to kill the pupae stage in the flea lifecycle, so fleas may continue to emerge after you have implemented the steps above to treat your home. Do not worry, if you have treated all your pets and sprayed your home these newly emerged adults will not survive long enough to reproduce.

It takes several months of consistent flea prevention strategies to completely remove a flea infestation. There are no treatments, either on-pet or environmental that can kill the pupae stage (between larvae and adult) of the flea lifecycle.

As the adult fleas emerge from their pupae they will be killed by the environmental treatment, or they shall attach to your pet and be killed by their spot-on treatment. For this reason, you may continue to see adult fleas months after implementing strict flea control, this is not a sign that your treatments are not working.

Protect your pet from the hidden dangers of fleas, ticks, and worms with our hassle-free subscription box. Click here to join our pack! 

Written by Lindsay Rose MA VetMB CertAVP CertVBM MRCVS. 

Fleas are the most common parasite affecting dogs

and can be easily spread to your pet from the environment or close contact with other infested animals.

Fleas often cause scratching and skin damage, which can be distressing for everyone involved, but your dog won't always show you when they are suffering from fleas. 

• Did you know, not all dogs with fleas scratch!

The reaction to the presence of fleas varies between animals. The clinical signs of a flea infestation will vary depending on how often your pet is exposed to fleas, how long they have had a flea infestation, if they have other skin disease present and if they have developed hypersensitivity to flea saliva.

• Why is my dog itchy?

One flea bite is mildly irritating for your pet, however, the majority of cats and dogs exposed to fleas on a long-term basis will develop hypersensitivity.

Symptoms can vary from the occasional scratch in non-allergic animals to severe itchiness causing self-mutilation and secondary infections. Many flea allergic dogs will suddenly spin round to nibble at the site of a flea bite.

• What is Flea Allergy Dermatitis?

Flea hypersensitivity is thought to be due to the development of an allergy to flea saliva and is called Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD). FAD is the most common cause of itchy skin disease. Classic signs of flea allergy in the dog involve a skin reaction on the lower back, around the tail base and down the backs of the legs. The hair is often short and stubbly due to nibbling and secondary infections of the skin often occur secondary to self-trauma.

• How do I check my dog for fleas?

The best place to find fleas is around your pet’s tail base or ears. A flea comb can be used to find adult fleas and their faeces. Flea faeces are digested blood and they look like small specks of dark red dirt.

A useful test is the white paper test; brush your pet’s coat vigorously over a sheet of white paper to look for fleas and their faeces. Moistening the paper will cause a red halo to form around the flea faeces, this is useful for distinguishing between dirt and flea faeces.

Those of us lucky enough to have had a childhood pet will always remember that magical relationship. Whether your cat was your partner in crime or your dog accompanied you on some epic woodland adventures, a furry friend is the best kind of friend for any child.

Not only is a pet useful for blaming on missing homework or a broken vase, there are also a host of proven health and social benefits.

Health Benefits

Did you know that children who have a furry household pet are less likely to develop allergies and food intolerances? (1,2,3) This is likely due to the hygiene hypothesis which states that a 'too clean' environment in early childhood leads to a misdirection of the immune system. This misdirection leads to an immune reaction to inappropriate stimuli such as dust mites, pollen or types of food.

A study from Finland found that having a dog in the household during the first year of life has a protective effect against respiratory tract and ear infections and also reduces the number of antibiotic courses required (4). Cats in the household provide similar benefits, but to a lesser degree.

Pets have a positive impact on mental as well as physical health. Having a pet dog is associated with decreased childhood anxiety (5). Pets provide a source of non-judgemental unconditional love, children can confide in their pet as a way to release stress. Bonding with an animal that requires care encourages empathy in young children, providing them with the foundations for making great relationships with the people around them. Also, inviting your classmates round to meet your amazing cat or dog is a sure way of making new friends.

Keeping Safe

To maximise the health benefits and minimise potential risks of pet ownership a few precautions should be taken.

• Show your children how to handle pets with gentleness and respect.
• Be aware that your cat or dog could pass gastrointestinal disease-causing bacteria to a child, elderly or immune-compromised relative through their faeces. Pay particular attention if you feed your pet a raw food diet, keep children away from feeding bowls and ensure they wash their hands well after contact with the pet.
• Roundworms from cats and dogs can cause disease in humans, particularly children as they will play in areas that have been contaminated with faeces from untreated animals. To protect your family against roundworms pet faeces should be picked up as soon as possible and they should have an area to toilet away from children's play areas. Use Protect My Pet to ensure that your pet always receives the correct dose of their parasite prevention treatment exactly when it is due.
• Flea and tick treatment will prevent your pet from becoming a host for these parasites, and carrying them into your home. Whilst fleas will only cause irritating bites on humans, ticks can transmit more serious diseases such as Lyme’s disease. Protect My Pet provides monthly application of a flea and tick preventatives.  

Family pets provide a huge source of fun and love. Children and adults alike benefit physically, mentally and emotionally from their companionship. At Protect My Pet we want you to enjoy your pet without having to worry about parasites harming your family or your pet. Our service provides hassle-free year round parasite protection, giving you more time to enjoy with your human and furry family members.

References

1. Early Exposure to Dogs and Farm Animals and the Risk of Childhood Asthma. Fall T, Lundholm C, Örtqvist AK, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2015;169(11)

2. Respiratory Tract Illnesses During the First Year of Life: Effect of Dog and Cat Contacts. Eija Bergroth, Sami Remes, Juha Pekkanen, Timo Kauppila, Gisela Büchele, Leea Keski-Nisula. Pediatrics Jul 2012, peds.2011-2825

3. Infant gut microbiota and food sensitization: Associations in the first year of life . Azad, M.B.; Konya, T.; Guttman, D.S.; Field, C.J.; Sears, M.R.; HayGlass, K.T.; Mandhane, P.J.; Turvey, S.E.; Subbarao, P.; Becker, A.B.; et al.. Clin. Exp. Allergy 2015, 45, 632–643

4. Respiratory tract illnesses during the first year of life: effect of dog and cat contacts. Bergroth, E., Remes, S., Pekkanen, J., Kauppila, T., Büchele, G. and Keski-Nisula, L., 2012.  Pediatrics, pp.peds-2011
5. Pet Dogs and Children's Health: Opportunities for Chronic Disease Prevention? Gadomski, Anne M et al.  Preventing chronic disease vol. 12 E205 2015