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Print this PageOn with the Heating and out with the Fleas
It is very important to remember that flea problems on our cats and dogs within our homes, often has a resurgence at this time of year. As the weather outside gets cooler and wetter and the central heating goes on, we create the perfect conditions for fleas to hatch from eggs in the environment. They emerge from carpets and floor boards as young adult fleas seeking a host and a blood meal.
The scale of the problem which may exist in our homes can be large, where adult fleas can lay up to 50 eggs per day on pets. If one translates this to 500 eggs daily for 10 fleas on a single pet, it is clear that infestation of the home can escalate quickly.
Always remember the fleas we see are only 5% of a much larger problem i.e. 95% of the life cycle (eggs, larvae and pupae) occurs in the environment. Treating all pets in the house is imperative as this kills the egg laying adult population. Use a spot-on like Frontline. It is equally important to treat the home using an environmental spray like Indorex, as this will remove eggs and larvae and break the life cycle. Most environmental sprays will last in the home for 12 months and have the advantage of destroying house dust mites too.
Treatment needs to be throughout the house, concentrating on where your dog and cat spend their time and where the eggs will have fallen from the animal’s coat. Once on the skin, adult fleas do not leave the pet and their source of blood meals. It is a common misconception that fleas ‘jump from pets to owners’, people are bitten by fleas that have emerged from the environment.
Please also remember that removal of your dog and cat from the house when you have a flea problem is not the answer. Treat your pet with a spot-on control and allow them to then pick up any fleas. Any immature flea that jumps out the carpet and onto your pet will be exposed and killed.
So the simple rule is don’t wait for a problem to occur, treat all pets, and the environment and get on top of the fleas this autumn before they get on top of you.
Explore our shop for flea treatments for dogs or flea treatments for cats (both include household treatments too).
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