Due to the recent spell of warm weather, Pets at Home is urging pet owners to check their pets and homes for fleas.
A mild winter, followed by recent heatwaves, has created the perfect breeding ground for the parasites across the UK this summer. Fleas can lie dormant during cold weather and come to life as soon as warm weather occurs, multiplying rapidly.
If left untreated, long term flea infestation can cause real suffering for pets - including dogs, cats and small furries - due to repeated bites. This causes the animal to scratch themselves and can result in hair loss or a secondary skin infection.
Dr. Maeve Moorcroft, Head of Pets, for Pets at Home, has advised pet owners to check their home, as well as their pet, for a flea infestation, as fleas can live within bedding as well as soft furnishings used by the whole family. Maeve advises all pet owners to:
- Wash pet bedding regularly at 60 degrees
- Clean furniture to help destroy fleas at each stage of their lifecycle
- Vigorously hoover carpets, floorboards and skirting boards
- Throw away the hoover dustbag after each clean
- Check their pet’s coat for ‘flea dirt’ – brown or black spots
- Regularly treat your pet with a flea treatment throughout the year
- Treat your home annually with a household flea spray to prevent infestations
Fleas rapidly multiply when left untreated, with a single adult female being able to lay around 40 eggs every day. As well as living on a pet, the fleas can live in household furnishings while continuing to breed and may bite humans in the most serious of cases.
Maeve adds: “While the risk to a pet varies from animal to animal, it is possible for a pet to become infested after missing just one preventative treatment.
"Seeking regular treatment, even during cold seasons, is a sensible precaution for all pet owners and can prepare your pet for the warmer summer months.”
Pets at Home’s flea treatment subscription service now makes it easier for pet owners to prevent their beloved cat or dog from catching fleas. Advantage flea treatment starts from £4 per month, or from £5.50 per month choose Frontline Plus, which not only kills fleas, ticks and biting lice, but also protects your home as it stops eggs from hatching, therefore breaking the flea lifecycle.
The subscription can be set up in store or online by visiting http://www.petsathome.com/subscribeandsaveflea.
