Fleas

Although fleas are more of a problem during summer months - now is the time to start getting ready to treat your pets. It seems that Feb to September is the main flea time but they can live quite happily indoors all year round. I once remember years ago when I lodged in a house with a lady and her dogs, walking into her room (at her request I should add) during her 4 week holiday. As I walked across her carpet I noticed all these black dots on my lower legs - the fleas eggs had hatched and remained dormant until such as time as I had walked in.... *shudder*

How will fleas affect my dog?

More often than not the first sign of your dog being affected by fleas with be repeated scratching and nibbling with his front teeth. If you look closely you might see the little brown fleas as they disappear amongst the dog's hairs. Dogs can also be allergic to the fleas and this could cause skin irritation. Fleas can also transmit other parasites, such as tapeworms to your dog.

How do I check my dog for fleas?
The easiest way to look for fleas is to find flea dirt (flea poo) on the skin. Get a sheet of white paper and quickly pass it under a running tap - don't soak the paper, just dampen it. Then comb your dog and brush whatever is on the comb/brush onto the paper. Little brown specks are probably just dirt, but if the dots look red or orangey then it is likely to be fleas and the colour is the blood from your dog.

How do I prevent my dog from getting fleas?

Indoors
If you get a flea infestation in your home it is a nightmare and an expensive nightmare at that to deal with. You will need to buy cans of insecticide for the home or failing that the nice pest control people will need to call. Frequently vacuuming areas that your dog spends much time in will help control the flea numbers as will washing your dog's bedding. Fleas return to the carpet/bedding twice during their life cycle so you have 2 chances to "suck them out of your home".

On the Dog
It is much easier to prevent the fleas in the first place and there are several products out there to use on your dog (or cat) to reduce the chances of a flea problem for you and your dog. Generally speaking you get what you pay for, and I have never found the off-the-shelf flea treatments I have bought from major supermarkets to be very effective, and think that although dearer, the licensed ones are much better.