Got Fleas?

What Are Fleas?

Fleas are an endocytic parasite that live on the skin of our pets. They jump from host to host; meaning they pass from animal to the home and even humans. Did you know fleas can jump as high as 18 inches, so never underestimate where they could end up! 

Fleas, like mosquitoes and ticks, feed off blood from their host. They latch on and inject a sharp, nose-like projection into the host to ingest a blood meal. Once full, they are then able to reproduce and lay fertilized eggs. Flea eggs hatch between one and ten days, and flea larvae are able to feed on blood and adult flea droppings (flea dirt) before emerging as adult fleas.

It is thought that live fleas only make up around 10% of a total flea population within an environment, with the remaining 90% being made up of their eggs and larvae around the home.

Dogs and cats do have their own species-specific flea species (simply named dog-fleas and cat-fleas), however, they do share these infestations. Cat-fleas are notoriously hardier and more difficult to get rid of than dog-fleas whether they have infested a cat or a dog. Regular flea treatments and household management is therefore incredibly important for both owners of dogs, cats or both.

Why is it so important to get rid of flea infestations?

Fleas cause discomfort and itchy skin when they bite, which can be really irritating for your pets and for us as their owners as well! Some fleas also carry other diseases and they also act as an intermediate host for tapeworms, meaning that as your pet grooms themselves, they can easily ingest a flea holding a tapeworm larvae, which then develops in your pet’s intestinal tract. This therefore means that by keeping flea treatments up to date, worming routines then become naturally easier to manage. 

Ensure that you vacuum the home a minimum of once a week if possible - always empty the vacuum after every use in the outside dustbin to make sure that any fleas or eggs don’t end up emerging from the vacuum back into your home. Make sure that you reach all nooks and crannies in your home, such as: under beds, under sofa cushions, the underside of your mattress, and behind large pieces of furniture. You may wish to use a household flea powder before vacuuming to kill or limit the movement of fleas in the environment, making them easier to pick up with your vacuum cleaner. You may want to use a carpet washer on all carpets, rugs, and soft furnishings, as this will deeply clean these areas of any potential fleas and eggs.

Wash all pet bedding, blankets, clothing, and toys in a hot wash as often as possible as well, aim for once a week if you can. It is also recommended to clean your shoes as often as you can as fleas can easily hide in the treads and be brought in the home after walks.

Consider bathing your pet using a specific flea shampoo in warm water, ensure you don't make your pet uncomfortable by having the water too hot. If your pet doesn’t enjoy baths, you can opt for a flea spray that can be used directly on their skin - be sure to double check if it can be used alongside spot-on flea treatments to avoid any adverse reactions. Remember to use a fine-tooth comb to brush out any live fleas from your pet and check them for any eggs; any live fleas that you comb off, always put them in a bowl of warm soapy water. The soap on the surface of the water creates a higher surface tension to keep the fleas under the water and stop them from jumping back into your home or onto your pet.

Continue to wash your pet’s bedding and clothing a minimum of once a month just to make sure that they remain clean, and also remember to run the vacuum around as often as you can and empty the contents regularly in the outside dustbin.

Try not to walk on carpets wearing outdoor shoes immediately after being outside and clean your shoes regularly.

If you are able to bathe your pet, continue to do this as often as you see necessary and use a fine-tooth comb on them regularly so that you can thoroughly check their skin for signs of fleas such as flea dirt, live fleas or eggs .

There are lots of products to pick from when choosing flea treatments for your pet. When it comes to spot-on flea treatment, always pick ones that are from the legal categories NFA-VPS (non-food animal, veterinarian, pharmacist, SQP) or AVM-GSL (authorised veterinary medicine, general sale list) as these have been highly tested and are proven to work with long term use.

If you are unsure or need advice on flea treatments and control, ask your vet or call us on 01995 672464 to speak with one of our in house, qualified SQPs.