Fleas!

Written by: Alison Laurie, Senior Consultant, Crown Vets Inverness

Fleas! We generally see a real surge in flea infestations and flea allergy dermatitis cases in the autumn months. When it starts to become colder outside and temperatures drop and we naturally start to heat our homes and the central heating goes on for the winter. Our warm, cosy homes are then ideal and just the right temperature for flea eggs in carpets and furnishings to hatch out and for adult fleas to breed in their thousands!! This is why it is so important to use flea protection on your pet as a preventative treatment all year round as just one or two adult fleas brought into the home on your pet can then easily turn into a full blown home flea infestation! In many cases new flea problems are caused by flea eggs in carpets from previous old infestations hatching out and then re infesting your pets when the central heating goes on.

Common signs and symptoms of flea infestations are black comma shaped specks of flea dirt in your pets coat, restlessness and itchiness, red rashes and hair loss and a noted on going irritation which is particularly marked in pets who have an allergy to the flea saliva causing a debilitating ‘flea allergy dermatitis’  (FAD) in your pet. The flea allergy dermatitis can then become secondarily infected and so may also require additional antibiotics and also anti-inflammatory treatments to relieve the infection and intense itching caused by the flea bites. Also if you yourself are sensitive to flea bites you may also find nasty bites on yourself, generally they are very itchy and cause a raised , inflamed weeping sore which is not pleasant!

Contact us for good professional advice on how to adequately treat your pet and your household and also on on-going preventative flea protection for your pet all year round. There are topical spot on and oral tablet treatments for your pets and Household sprays for carpets, furnishings and pet bedding, not forgetting the car. If you are suspicious of flea dermatitis on your pet then do arrange an appointment for a full examination and good advice on the best appropriate treatment.