Fleas are the most common external parasites of dogs and cats. They cause itching and allergies, transmit a worm, and hide above all… in your home. Beating them properly means treating the animal and its surroundings.

Why fleas are a problem

Fleas feed on blood. They cause intense itching, sometimes a genuine allergy (FAD, flea allergy dermatitis), transmit a tapeworm (a flat worm) and can weaken a young animal. They are around all year, peaking in summer — but heated homes keep them going through winter too.

Why they are so stubborn

The adult flea lives on the animal, but it lays eggs that drop off into the house — carpets, sofa, bed, skirting boards. That is where most of the population hides (eggs, larvae, cocoons). The cocoons can survive for months and hatch as soon as a host comes near: which is why an infestation ‘comes back’ if you treat the animal alone.

Which signs should alert you?

  • Your pet scratches, nibbles at itself, loses hair (often over the lower back and the base of the tail)
  • Small black specks in the coat (flea droppings)
  • In a puppy or kitten: listlessness, pale gums (a risk of anaemia)
When to seek help quickly — See a vet for intense itching, scratching wounds, or a very young animal that seems weak. A flea allergy takes hold quickly and needs the right treatment.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Treating only the animal and forgetting the house: reinfestation guaranteed.
  • Stopping the treatment too soon, or treating only in summer.
  • Using a ‘dog’ product on a cat: some (permethrin-based) are toxic, even fatal, to cats. Ask us for advice.

Prevention

Use a suitable, regular flea treatment on every animal in the household, wash bedding on a hot cycle, vacuum thoroughly (and bin the bag), and treat the home itself if there is an infestation. Consistency, all year round, is the key.

The key points: against fleas, you treat the animal and the home, all year round, with a product made for the species — never a dog product on a cat.