Is your pet infected with Fleas?

Fleas are an absolute nuisance in every way. Fleas are tiny parasites that feed on the blood of warm blooded mammals. There are thousands of species of flea but there are two main ones that affect both humans and animals. These are:

• Cat Fleas
• Dog Fleas

Cat fleas and dog fleas are two completely different types of fleas. In fact, many people are surprised to learn that most fleas found on our pets, whether dog or cat, are actually cat fleas. The only way you can tell the two apart is under a microscope.

All fleas no matter which species they are, can cause a severe problem within a household. They breed at significant levels and each flea can bite a dog or cat up to 400 times a day. Their ability to live without food for a long period of time means that even if you take the food away from them, they can still hide out for up to months at a time. Flea control is essential both on the animal and the home.

All fleas can cause severe problems to a dog or a cat with main problems including dermatitis, bad itching and soreness. In some cases it can cause anemia and in extreme cases, even death. Fleas also carry tapeworm. So if your pet accidentally swallows a flea, they are more than likely to end up with a worm problem

If there are no animals in the house, fleas will attack humans. On humans, fleas can bite leaving a small mark. They jump on everything that moves hoping for a quick meal and they don't care whether that is your pet cat or dog, or you.

How do you prevent and control fleas?
When you have fleas it can be very hard to get rid of them. For the best flea control it is better to take precautions before the infestation gets out of hand.

If you do have an infestation of fleas in your house, you should treat it as quickly as possible. If not, the fleas will continue to lay eggs and feed dead skin cells and bits of food .They breed at a fast rate making it hard to get rid of them. Luckily, there are many ways to control fleas..

Things that can be done include:

• If you have pets you should treat them immediately. If you are not sure what treatment to get, it is always best to consult a veterinarian. If the pet has any bedding including quilts or blankets, they should be washed.
• Carpets need to be vacuumed regularly; human bedding and furniture need to be cleaned to get rid of existing fleas and eggs.
• Purchasing flea collars can sometimes be effective on short haired animals that are not subjected to flea infested areas. They are not effective. You can also buy an electronic flea collar, but some pets can develop an allergic reaction from a flea collar so they are not always the best forms of flea protection to use.
• Products such as frontline flea control are good for treatments. They are simple to use and are placed usually on the neck of the animal and it protects from fleas and kills any that tries to feed them. However this is ineffective as it is not good enough to stop the infestation completely so you should always use products on your home too.

Keeping the house clean should prevent fleas from staying around and it can repel them as long as the animal is constantly treated with some form of flea protection.

What are the Other Methods to Eliminate Fleas?
Other methods used to eliminate fleas are:

• Drips
• Sprays
• Systemic Insecticides

Frontline flea sprays and shampoos are one of the leading brands on the market that are best used for controlling and eliminating fleas. These are safe to use and they are pretty cheap to buy.

Drips are the easiest form of flea protection on animals. They are simply squeezed on the pet at the back of the neck and they cause. A spray can really frighten some animals so a drip solution is always the easiest and calmest way to de-flea your pet.

Insecticides though highly effective should always be administered with extreme caution, and they should also only be used as a last resort. They can have extremely damaging effects on the environment and even on humans if not used correctly. Even low risk ones can cause some form of damage to the environment so it is best to stick with methods such as shampooing and dripping the animals.

All flea control is fairly cheap to buy and provides you with the best protection for both your home and your pet. you should be able to quickly eliminate your flea infestation.