How to Prevent Fleas on Dogs and Cats

There are plenty of flea prevention products on the market, including collars and topical treatments that are applied to your pet’s back. It’s a good idea to ask your vet for advice on the best product for your pet. It’s important to choose a pipette or collar that kills fleas within 24 hours, which is all the time a flea needs to lay eggs again. In addition, dogs or cats allergic to fleas only need one bite to show an allergic reaction, so these animals will benefit greatly from fleas being killed as soon as possible!

It’s well worth taking a rigorous approach to protecting your pets and your home from the threat of an infestation. Ultimately, it’s a lot less hassle that tackling a resident population.

Treat the environment as well as your pet

Given that 95% of fleas live in the environment rather than on pets, it’s just as important to treat your home for fleas. Particular focus should be given to the areas your pet spends most time in. For example, make sure to regularly wash their bedding on a hot wash to take care of any lurking flea eggs. This also applies to any soft furnishings, rugs or carpets your pet likes to settle on - regular vacuuming and washing is an essential step. Regular vacuuming is also important because the vibrations can cause flea larvae to emerge from the carpet, leaving them prone to a blast of household anti-flea spray, which should be used when there’s an infestation. The war against fleas is a year-round battle, so it’s important to protect your pet throughout the year, even during the colder months. Fleas prefer warm environments but, unfortunately, central heating provides the ideal temperature for the larvae to develop into fleas.