Fleas

Fleas, not just a summer problem

It may be winter, but in Auckland that does not mean an end to flea season. Our temperate, humid climate provides ideal conditions for fleas year round. We have recently seen an increase in pets presenting to us for itch or fur loss secondary to flea infestations, which is a timely reminder to keep up to date with a good quality flea control product year round.

Adult fleas start feeding and breeding within 5 minutes of being on your pet, and with the ability to lay up to 50 eggs a day, an infestation can quickly establish itself. The first defence against this happening is keeping all the pets in the household up to date with a flea product. We stock a variety of brands in clinic and are more than happy to discuss the options with you.

Environmental decontamination is also an important step, especially if you are still finding fleas on your pets post flea product application. Which is an important point; flea products do not repel fleas. Fleas must come on to your pet and bite them to ingest the flea product and die. So whilst they won’t be able to breed and add to the flea burden in the household, they can still cause an issue, as even a single flea bite can trigger an itch response.

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Fleas love to hide in bedding, carpet and between floorboards, waiting until they can jump on to a new host. Below are some steps thatcan be taken to decontaminate the environment:

·        Wash pet bedding, your bedding and any otherfabrics in hot soapy water

·        Vacuum thoroughly and regularly

·        Use a flea bomb

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