To Flea or Not To Flea…
There’s no doubt that fleas are incredible creatures. According to the geniuses at QI, they can jump up to 150 times their own height, pull over 160,000 times their own weight and accelerate at speeds faster than a space shuttle. No wonder then, that they are so difficult to get rid of from your dogs.
It’s estimated that in the right conditions, they can also live to be the ripe old age of 1.5 – 2 years, but, if treated quickly and efficiently, they can disappear within days. Without dog flea treatments, they can have serious implications for your four legged friend and also for the two legged variety living in your house. Many people are allergic to flea bites, and even those that aren’t know how irritating and unpleasant these blotches can be, not to mention the height of embarrassment if a guest comes round only to be feasted upon by these pests.
These parasites can also transmit other diseases and have assisted the spreading of major epidemics like the Bubonic Plague. Among other things, they can also become infected with tapeworm eggs, causing even more discomfort and problems for your dogs, meaning that de-worming your dog should come hand in hand with dog flea treatments.
There are several techniques for getting rid of the bugs, the most popular being medication in form of drops such as Bob Martin and Frontline. These treatments can be bought over the counter for between £4.50 and £9.00 depending on how many ‘doses’ are bought, and where from. They are typically used by putting drops directly on the skin of the dog between the shoulder blades and on the neckline – the most popular breeding places for fleas.
In addition to this, these little blighters love to jump around and breed in cosy spots in the house; rugs, beds, clothes – the warmer the better. The RSPCA advise that alongside using a pet treatment, it is vital that your house is also treated to prevent the eggs from hatching, and any further flea related damage. Again, there are various treatments, from sprays to carpet cleaner, ‘flea bombs’ and powders. Many of these need your tail wagging friend to be vacant from the area, however there are a few products on the market which are suitable for use around pets (although it’s not recommended that you leave them unsupervised – curiosity didn’t just kill the cat).
So look out for bites, small black dirt spots which seem to be moving on Fido (chances are he hasn’t got so dirty it’s walking away) and make sure you take action straight away to reduce the chances of spreading and further infestation.
