16 FAQs about fleas and ticks in dogs

How can I tell if my dog has fleas?

Close examination of your dog may reveal these small, black insects moving rapidly through your dog’s coat. If there are few fleas present, only flea dirt may be evident which will appear as small, black specks. This is actually flea faeces, which is passed through the insect after sucking blood from your dog.  To confirm the presence of fleas, use a fine-toothed flea comb and comb through the dog’s coat. Use a damp piece of cotton wool to pick up any black specks you comb out of the coat.  If it is flea dirt, the specks will turn reddish-brown as the blood pigment dissolves.

Some dogs may tolerate fleas well, with only very slight scratching. Others can show a severe allergic reaction to both flea bites and flea saliva. This can result in intense scratching and chewing of the neck, ears, thighs and base of the tail. Your dog may also spin around quickly to chew itself when the flea bites. In extreme cases, your dog’s skin may start to scale and discolour. Hair loss and secondary bacterial infections may also occur.

How do I control fleas?

The most effective way to control flea infestations is to treat the pet directly all year round. Prescription and non-prescription treatments in the form of topical applications, flea shampoos, sprays, collars and tablets are all products that can be obtained to effectively treat fleas on your pet. Please contact one of our Animal Health Advisors (SQPs) who are on hand to advise a suitable treatment programme for your pet. Call us on 0203 675 0780 (Mon-Fri).

Some available flea and tick treatments include:

Spot-on Flea Treatments – Spot-on flea products are applied to the pet. The liquid is applied to the scruff of the neck, directly on the skin with the fur parted. Most spot-on products contain adulticides designed to eliminate adult fleas from the pet within 24 hours of application.

Frontline Spot-On For Dogs

• Kills fleas within 24 hours and ticks within 48
• Protects from flea re-infestation for up to 8 weeks in dogs
• Prevents re-infestation of ticks for 1 month
• Can be used during pregnancy and lactation
• Suitable for Puppies 8 weeks old and over, weighing 2kg +

Advantage For Cats, Dogs & Rabbits

• Rapid Onset  – Stops flea biting within 5 minutes around the application area
• Quick  – Knock out adult fleas within one hour after application
• Durable – Up to a month of reliable flea control and protection
• Safe for use in kittens/puppies over 8 weeks old, safe during lactation & pregnancy
• Advance Formulation – Waterfast or WaterProof

Oral Flea Treatments – there is an increasing number of oral flea treatments for dogs and cats that kill the adult fleas on your pet.

Capstar Flea Treatment For Cats & Dogs

• Orally administered treatment
• Adult fleas begin to be killed after just 15 minutes
• 100% of fleas removed from a pet in 24 hours
• Safe to give more than one treatment, but not on the same day

Insect Growth Regulators – When a pet is treated with an oral insect growth regulator, it circulates in the animal’s bloodstream. Then, if a flea bites the pet, it ingests the insect growth regulator and passes it on to its eggs, rendering them unable to hatch.  They are given in food once a month.

Program For Dogs

• Program is for the prevention and lasting control of flea infestations.
• It is available as an easy-to-give tablet.
• Program works by preventing flea eggs from developing and hatching. This breaks the life cycle and prevents a flea infestation in your home.
• Program should be used monthly alongside a treatment which kills adult fleas. (Capstar, Frontline spot-on)
  

Integrated Flea Control – uses a combination of 2 different types of insecticide which target the different stages of the flea life cycle: an adulticide to kill the adult fleas you can see on the pet, and an insect growth regulator to deal with the eggs they lay around your house.

Frontline Plus Flea & Tick Dog

• Kills fleas on your pet within 24 hours, prevents reinfestation for 8 weeks
• Kills ticks on your pet within 48 hours, prevents reinfestation for 4 weeks
• Kills biting lice
• Inhibits the development of eggs and larvae
• Protects your pet and the home

Flea & Tick Collars – Flea and tick control collars are becoming safer and more advanced in protecting your pet against these pesky parasites.

Seresto Collar (previously only available from the vet) Is now available to pet owners to purchase from MedicAnimal.

Seresto Flea and Tick Control Collar

• Provides long-lasting protection against flea, tick and lice infestations for up to 8 months.
• Works by releasing its active ingredients from its unique collar matrix in controlled, low doses giving long-lasting protection.
• Works by killing and repelling parasites before they bite and feed, therefore, eliminating the risk of disease.
• Easy to apply, odourless and water-resistant.

Injectable Flea Control – An injectable flea control product is available for cats. It contains an insect growth regulator which prevents fleas from being able to lay viable eggs around your home for a full six months.

This product must be administered by a veterinary surgeon.

Can’t I just deal with a flea problem if it happens?

Prevention is very important when dealing with fleas. Controlling and eliminating an already existing flea problem can be frustrating, time-consuming and expensive. Because 95% of the problem is in the environment, even using the best quality flea treatment on your dog will not prevent the new fleas hatching from the environment jumping up and biting your dog. If a flea infestation does develop in your home, it will usually take a minimum of three months to get on top of it. During this time, a good quality spot on treatment should be used monthly on all animals in the house, as well as an environmental spray in the home. A fast-acting product such as Capstar can be useful to kill the initial batch of fleas on the dog, but it will not have any residual effect so should be combined with a spot-on treatment.

What are the dangers of fleas?

Fleas have irritating bites. They can also carry tapeworm, cause flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), hair loss (due to scratching), and secondary skin irritations. In large numbers, fleas can cause anaemia from blood loss, especially in puppies and kittens where it can be life-threatening.

What is the best treatment for dogs with Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD)?

If your dog is suffering from a skin complaint, only your vet can provide a diagnosis and treatment plan. Your vet may have to carry out some diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the skin issue. If FAD is diagnosed, you need to be extremely vigilant to prevent flea infestations. Since your goal is to prevent bites from occurring in the first place, you should use a product that kills adult fleas and also eliminates as many stages of the flea’s life cycle as possible. This involves using both an adulticide and an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) or Insect Development Inhibitor (IDI). These easy-to-use spot-on treatments, such as Frontline Plus Flea and Tick treatment kill adult fleas and prevent eggs and larvae from developing.

If your dog is on a flea control program and still suffers occasional flare-ups, itching can be controlled with products recommended by your veterinarian.

Do fleas only exist in dirty homes?

The only way to prevent fleas is to use preventative flea treatments on your dog all year round. Unfortunately, even an immaculately kept home is likely to become infested if the dog is not treated correctly. Larvae can burrow into cracks and crevices so well that no amount of vacuuming will dislodge them or their pupae.

How do I use my flea comb to check for fleas?

Start by combing around the hindquarters and head of the dog, common areas for fleas to hide. These same areas should be examined for “flea dirt.”

What is the difference between IGRs (Insect Growth Regulators) and IDIs (Insect Development Inhibitors)?

IGRs and IDIs are used in some monthly flea prevention products to eliminate the immature form of the flea.

An IGR mimics the juvenile growth hormone of fleas. The juvenile growth hormone is what keeps the fleas from developing into more mature forms. Normally, as the level of juvenile growth hormone decreases, the larva matures. Since the IGR keeps the level of the hormone from decreasing, the juvenile never develops into an adult; it fails to moult and then dies. IDIs inhibit the synthesis of a substance called chitin (the outside, protective “shell” of the insect). Chitin is necessary for the formation of the hard outside skin (cuticle) of the flea

IGRs and IDIs do not kill adult fleas, so to be most effective they should be used along with a product that does kill the adults (adulticide). Because IGRs and IDIs mimic insect hormones or alter a unique insect process (chitin production), they are extremely safe for humans.

How long do fleas live for?

The complete flea life cycle, from egg to larva to pupa to adult, normally takes about 15 days. However, under inhospitable conditions (e.g.; cold temperatures, or lack of a host) the pupa stage can become dormant. This dormant period can extend the flea’s life cycle to over a year. When the pupa senses the vibrations, carbon dioxide, or warmth that tells it an animal host is near, it finishes developing into an adult and emerges from its cocoon.

What are ticks?

Ticks are small, light-grey, rounded insects that feed on animal blood. They vary in size and when engorged, can reach the size of a pea.  They can be found anywhere on the dog’s body but are most frequently found on the ears, face or abdomen where hair cover is relatively thin. Ticks will only feed at certain times of their life. Peak activity is between the months of March to June and from August to November. Most of their life cycle is spent outside in areas of long grasslands and moorland but they can also survive in cracks and crevices in the walls and floors of kennels.

How can I tell if my dog has ticks?

Adult ticks can be seen attached to the skin of your dog and will resemble a small, smooth wart or blood blister. If your dog has only a few ticks, they may have little effect on your dog. Occasionally your dog’s skin may become irritated due to an allergic reaction to the bite.  If infestations are heavy, anaemia may develop. Ticks can, however, be carriers of disease, which can be transmitted to the dog when bitten.

What diseases can a tick transmit to my dog?

Ticks are responsible for transmitting many diseases in dogs – these vary geographically.

Lyme disease or Borreliosis is an illness transmitted by ticks that can affect humans, dogs and cats. The disease is appearing more often, and in more locations, therefore every dog owner should know and be able to recognise its symptoms:

• Painful or stiff muscles and joints
• Tiredness
• Fever
• Lack of appetite
• Sometimes: sudden collapse

Ticks can transmit diseases to animals and people. The most significant disease caused by ticks which infect dogs is Babesiosis. This parasite forces its way into the red blood cells. Symptoms of this disease are shortness of breath, fever, red urine and sudden death.

Canine Ehrlichiosis is a disease caused by Ehrlichia Canis. The main symptoms are fever, loss of weight, tiredness and lack of appetite. This disease can, in turn, lead to considerable anaemia and low number of platelets. Other symptoms observed are heavy and laboured breathing and stiffness in the legs. Ehrlichiosis is a very serious disease and can be fatal.

How do I control ticks?

When a tick is removed from your dog’s body, it is important that its mouthparts do not remain embedded in your dog’s skin or this may result in irritation, infection and abscess. To prevent this from happening, it is always best to use a specially designed tick remover or get your vet to remove the tick. There are many preparations available on the market that will kill ticks and, if you use these regularly, they can help prevent infestation.

How can I help reduce my dog’s exposure to ticks?

Keeping dogs out of woodlands helps to reduce their exposure to fleas and ticks. Removing leaves and clearing tall grass from the garden areas can also help reduce the number. But any dog playing outside can easily pick up fleas or ticks and therefore, the preventative approach is most recommended. It is important to remember that in heavily infested areas no preventative can be 100% effective, so it is important to check your dog for ticks after every walk.

Can I stop worrying about fleas and ticks once it starts getting cold?

Flea and tick prevention should be provided all year round. In the winter fleas thrive in warm centrally heated houses and although ticks are more commonly picked up in warm weather, they are also prevalent in spring and autumn.