24th April 2008

It Is National Flea Week

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Time To Fight Pet Pests

As the weather turns warmer it's time to be vigilant against fleas, which can be a misery for dogs and cats and infest your home.

TV presenter and 'Perfect Housewife' Anthea Turner is calling on pet owners to step-up their housework to keep homes free from fleas and pets healthy as the warmer months approach.

Her advice comes as she launches this year's National Flea Week (19th - 25th May), a campaign which highlights the constant threat fleas pose to cats and dogs, whilst encouraging owners to check their pets more regularly for fleas and adopt a more preventative approach to flea treatment.

Research released by the sponsors of National Flea Week, Merial Animal Health, manufacturers of FRONTLINE Combo^® and FRONTLINE^® Spot On, shows that while almost all cat and dog owners (96%) are aware that if their pet had fleas it is likely their homes would be infested, nearly a third (27%) still don't regularly treat their pet for fleas.

Over half of cat and dog owners (53%) said they would think their homes were unclean if they found fleas - and would also find it embarrassing (56%). However, 25% of pet owners vacuum their homes once a week or less, which may not be frequent enough to effectively combat fleas in the home.

Vacuuming is an important tactic for keeping fleas at bay as it helps remove flea eggs, larvae and pupae from the environment. Pupae can lie dormant in carpets, soft furnishings and bedding for months before hatching into new fleas and re-infesting pets. The research shows that 70% of pet owners vacuum their carpets every few days or less and soft furnishings every week or less. However, Rachel Ballantyne, veterinary technical manager at Merial Animal Health, advises pet owners vacuum at least every other day as 95% of the problem is caused by flea eggs, larvae and pupae throughout the home, whilst the adult fleas seen on the pet is only 5% of the problem. A warm house provides the perfect breeding environment so with summer approaching, pet owners are being advised to step up their housework and flea treatment for pets.

Anthea, who owns two golden retrievers said, "While a home covered in pet hairs is really off putting, Buddy and Digger's health is also really important to me so I make sure carpets and soft furnishings are vacuumed frequently and their bedding is washed regularly to help keep fleas at bay. Combined with a regular preventative flea treatment regime, this greatly reduces their chances of picking up fleas, keeps them healthy and ensures our home looks great, too.

Anthea's top tips for keeping pets and homes flea-free:

• Vacuum carpets and soft furnishings at least every other day, paying particular attention to your pet's favourite spots
• Wash your pet's bedding (and yours if they prefer it!) regularly. Experts recommend washing at 60°C for at least ten minutes to ensure eggs, larvae and pupae are removed.
• Check your cats and dogs often for fleas and treat immediately. Gently part the fur and check for flea dirt (small black specks). Comb through your pet's coat and collect any debris on a wet piece of white paper or cotton wool. If the dirt speck dissolves or makes red/brown patches, then your pet has fleas and requires treatment. Consult your vet.
• Once you have treated your pet, adopt a preventative approach by treating your pet regularly while keeping on top of the vacuuming!

To guide pet owners on flea prevention, vet practices all around the country are supporting National Flea Week by offering free flea checks to help owners recognise if their pet has fleas, and advise them on how to tackle the problem and prevent infestations. To find participating vets or for more information visit www.nationalfleaweek.com where visitors will have the chance to win £50 of shopping vouchers and also pledge to protect their pets from fleas.

Flea Facts

• Fleas can pull 160,000 times their own weight, which is like a human pulling 2,679 double-decker buses.
• A flea can jump 30,000 times without stopping and reverses direction with every jump. It can jump over 150 times its own size (approximately 30cm high) - which is like jumping over St Paul's Cathedral - and accelerates 50 times faster than a space shuttle.
• Female cat fleas can drink 15 times their weight in blood.
• 79% of fleas found on dogs in the UK are cat fleas.
• The average flea is 2-3 millimetres long and weighs half a grain (equivalent to 32 milligrams or 0.03 grams). The world's biggest is the beaver flea, which reaches about 11mm.
• Flea larvae don't like the light so they move away from it, deep into carpets, cracks in flooring or any nook or cranny.
• Flea pupae can live for up to 1 year in homes.
• 95% of flea eggs, larvae and pupae live in beds, rugs, carpets and sofas - not on your pet.
• Fleas can lay up to 1,500 eggs in a lifetime.
• Just one flea can become 1,000 on your pet and in your home in only 21 days.
• In a Kiev museum, there's a flea that wears horseshoes made of real gold.
• Flea brides and grooms (dressed, but dead) were popular collector's items in the 1920s.
• Flea circuses originated in England in the 16th century.

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