But they’re a more serious problem than this and are now a year-long threat that can cause your pet distress as well as spreading disease.

Centrally heated homes are the perfect year-round breeding ground for fleas that are attracted to the warm environment, so they aren’t just a spring and summer issue. Eggs can lay dormant in pet beds, carpets, rugs and upholstery for months before finding a host. Much of the lifecycle of the flea takes place in the animal’s environment, not on the animal itself. Protecting your pet and your family requires this lifecycle to be broken by year round protection and ideally by using a treatment that renders the eggs unable to hatch. This way, any that do transfer to the environment don’t start the cycle all over again.

Heavy infestations may lead to iron deficiency, anaemia and even death in particularly young animals.

Reactive and one-off treatments are insufficient in preventing the spread of disease and do nothing to prevent the initial attack or break the lifecycle. A regular monthly treatment with an integrated product which not only kills any fleas that attack your pet, but also stops the development of eggs, and therefore breaks the life-cycle is recommended. This approach will stop any initial infestation and protect your home, your pet and your family throughout the year.
Your vet will advise on the best preventative flea treatment for your pets.

www.vetsmiths.co.uk