Fascinating flea facts - True or False?
How much do you know about fleas? Read the following facts and guess which ones are TRUE or FALSE!
Summer is the only time your pet can get fleas ... FALSE
In the warmth of your pet's fur, fleas can lay eggs on your pet all year round. These drop off onto your carpets/dog bed (inside and out) and transform into larvae, pupae, and then finally adult fleas that will immediately go looking for a blood meal - your pet. Fleas multiply best during warm, moist winters and spring and can therefore bite your pet and infest your home all year round.
If you can't SEE fleas on your pet, they haven't got any ... FALSE
The fleas you can see are adult fleas which only make up a miniscule 5% of the flea population. Cats will often ingest these adult fleas while grooming, so you'd be lucky to see any at all. The remaining 95% of the flea population is made up of eggs, larvae and pupae - almost invisible to the human eye. These charming creatures can lurk in your soft furnishings inside, or outside around your dog's bed for up to a year. When stimulated by heat, humidity, pressure or vibrations, they will turn into the jumping blood-sucking adults. So, even if you've never seen a flea on your pet, you could still have a flea problem!
Dogs can get cat fleas ... TRUE
The cat flea Ctenocephalides felis, is the most common species of flea infesting both cats and dogs. Cat fleas aren't fussy when it comes to a blood meal - whatever's closest (and watch out for your ankles too)!
Flea shampoos and flea combs will keep fleas away ... FALSE
Shampoos and combs will get rid of 5% of fleas - the adult population - but will not kill the 95% of the flea population - the eggs, larvae and pupae - inside and outside your house.
Flea control products are very easy to use ... TRUE
All flea control products at Totally Vets are spot-on treatments. You can buy the product by the vial or in packs. Part your pet's fur at the base of the neck, snip the top off the vial and squeeze all the liquid in ONE spot on the skin. That's it!
Flea control products can work for up to 8 weeks ... TRUE
Depending on which one you use, flea control products can last up to 4-8 weeks for dogs and 4-6 weeks for cats. When used regularly, these products give you peace of mind that you are destroying the flea lifecycle and keeping fleas off your pet and out of your home for good!
For anymore information on flea control, come and see us at Totally Vets - we will help you fight those furiously frustrating ferocious fleas!
