Dog - Flea Control

My dog always seems to be picking up fleas. What can I do?

Successful flea control involves:

1. Eliminating fleas from your dog.
2. Strict environmental flea control.

Fleas are not host specific.  Dogs and cats share the same fleas so it is important that all your pets at home are treated with appropriate medication (see warning below about cats).  Today there are very effective preparations available that can be used both on your pet and the environment.  Some products will eliminate not only adult fleas but larvae as well.

Please contact us and we will discuss the best strategy for your pet.

Do fleas have a complicated life cycle?

Adult fleas require a blood meal from the dog for food and also to complete the life cycle.

There are four stages in the life cycle of the flea:

1. Flea eggs, although laid on the pet, will soon drop off and development occurs on the ground in cracks and crevices and, of course, carpets are ideal.  The flea eggs constitute approximately 50% of the total flea population. High humidity and temperature favour rapid hatching and the eggs will develop outdoors in such conditions. The adult flea constitutes only about 5% of the entire flea population, if one includes the immature forms.  
2. Flea larvae are about 2-5 mm (1/8 to ¼ in) in length.  They feed on organic debris found in their environment and on adult flea faeces which are essential for successful development.  They dislike strong light and actively move deep into carpet fibres or under organic debris, grass, branches, leaves, soil, etc.  If outdoors they only develop if temperature and humidity are sufficiently high.  Moisture is essential for survival and if too low the larvae will die even if the temperature is sufficient.  Outdoor larval development occurs in shaded, moist areas where flea infested pets spend a significant amount of time so that adult flea faeces are available for larval feeding.  Outdoor development of fleas in the United Kingdom is of far less significance than in southern Europe or southern states of America where outdoor temperatures are significantly higher all year.  In Britain our centrally heated, wall to wall carpeted homes afford an ideal environment for indoor completion of the life cycle.
3. The next stage is the pupae which produce a silk-like cocoon that is sticky.  It quickly becomes coated with grime which acts as a useful camouflage.  Again with warmth and sufficient humidity pupae become adult fleas in 5-10 days.  The adults do not emerge from the cocoon unless stimulated by physical pressure, carbon dioxide or heat, e.g. the presence of a potential host.  This is important since once emerged from the cocoon adults can only exist for a few days unless they are able to feed.  Adult fleas within the cocoon (pre-emerged) will routinely survive 3-4 months and up to 9 months has been recorded.  During this time they are resistant to most insecticides applied to the environment.  Adult fleas therefore are able to emerge into the environment a considerable time after the application of insecticides.
4. The emerged adult flea is attracted to light and therefore moves to the surface of the ground cover (carpets, etc.) in order to encounter a passing host.  Once on the dog (or cat) the flea attempts to remain there if at all possible.  Some dogs (and cats) are particularly good groomers and the life span of the flea is foreshortened!  Two days after the first blood meal female fleas begin egg production.  Females can live up to three weeks, laying approximately 40 eggs per day.  The entire life cycle, adult flea to egg to larvae to adults can be completed in 14-21 days with optimum temperature and humidity.

Do fleas cause any problems other than irritation and flea allergy dermatitis (FAD)?

If there is a high infestation, particularly in a young animal, anaemia can occur due to the amount of blood being taken from the dog.  A single female flea can take up to 15 times her body weight in blood over the several weeks of her adult life.  In addition fleas can carry certain diseases.  They also act as vectors to spread one of the most common tapeworms of the dog and cat, Dipylidium caninum.

What do I do to prevent the problem?

As mentioned at the outset, successful flea control must include the environment as well as your pet.

There are many varieties and types of antiparasiticidal preparations available.  Many require no prescription.  It is important however to tailor your needs to your specific circumstances.  Please feel free to discuss this with us.  Today preparations are available that will eradicate larval forms of the flea.  Oral and spot-on preparations for example are available which are easy to administer to the dog but to be effective require the flea to actually bite the dog in order to absorb the parasiticide.  This will not be of any help to the dog should it suffer from, for example, flea allergy dermatitis induced by the injection of flea saliva.  These factors all have to be taken into consideration when planning flea control.

Protection of the environment

Environmental preparations are becoming increasingly sophisticated.  The majority are only effective against the emerged adult flea.  Some however have a prolonged residual effect which at least goes some way to ensure that any pre-emerged fleas protected within the cocoon that subsequently emerge are effectively killed.  In addition pre-emerged fleas can be encouraged to emerge by increasing the humidity and temperature before spraying the room by the simple method of boiling a kettle and turning up the central heating. Vacuuming can also stimulate the adult fleas to emerge due to the heat and vibrations. It is a good idea to thoroughly vacuum the carpets, paying particular attention to areas where your pet spends a lot of time - near dog beds, where the cat jumps down from the sofa etc

My dog lives most of his life outside.  Obviously I cannot spray the entire garden, what do I do?

Products have recently become available that not only kill adult fleas but also contain growth regulators that prevent flea maturation.  These can be used on your dog's immediate environment, e.g. your home and any outbuildings normally used by your pets.  Recent warmer (and more humid) British summers have resulted in conditions similar to southern Europe and the southern states of America where pets will often pick up fleas outside which can result in a major flea infestation problem in the home.  In these circumstances an effective preparation is required for regular use on the pet.  This must have a high knock-down effect, i.e. kills any fleas on your dog very rapidly and has a long residual action.  Combined with a growth regulator and used precisely according to instructions, the problem is then under control.

We will be happy to supply these products if required.

WARNING:  Many topical (spot-on) flea treatments for dogs contain a substance known as permethrin.  This particular insecticide is very toxic to cats.  It can cause twitching, tremors, convulsions and even death in a very short time.  It is therefore important that the instructions accompanying any preparations supplied for use on your dog must be read and carefully followed.