Essential dog flea treatment

Frequently asked questions

Don’t miss the signs of fleas! One study found that 49% of dog owners whose pets had fleas, were unaware.* Make sure you’re one step ahead of a potential flea problem by reading our dog flea treatment FAQs.

What do flea bites look like?

Flea bites on human family members are the first sign of your unwanted guests living in the sofa or floorboards. Flea bites are small red bites surrounded with a red halo. Bites often occur in groups of two or three.

What do flea eggs look like?

Flea eggs resemble tiny grains of rice. They are oval in shape and can be bright white, off white, or translucent.

What does a flea look like?

Fleas are wingless, blood-sucking insects with flat bodies that are found on mammals and birds. They are reddish-brown in colour. Only the adult stage lives on the animal with eggs and immature stages being found in the environment. 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.

What is the best flea treatment for dogs?

There are many forms of flea killing products including topical applications, tablets, and collars. There are however a variety of efficacies within each of these categories. It is important to choose a product that is recommended by veterinarians, some of these products will only be available with a prescription.

How does flea treatment work?

Topical flea treatments, like Frontline Plus and Advantage, should be applied between the shoulder blades, where it is difficult for your pet to lick. Take care that pets do not groom each other immediately after application. The active ingredient spreads across the body, ensuring that all the skin is protected, right down to the tip of your pet’s tail. It is important to remember that getting wet within 48 hours of application will reduce the effectiveness of the product, so no baths or swimming should be allowed during this time.