Fleas, Worms & Ticks

All about Fleas....
Don't panic! and don't worry; fleas are a very common problem. They’re all around and jump onto your pet from infested environments such as homes, gardens and parks but not usually from other infested pets as is often thought. Once a flea has found a suitable host it will tend to stay there.

If you have a cat or dog, the chances are they’ll experience a flea infestation at some time in their life. A recent survey shows that nearly 1 in 10 dogs and over 1 in 5 cats may be suffering from fleas at any one time. Some pets (and people!) are very allergic to fleas and can develop a nasty skin irritation. To prevent re-infection don't forget to treat pet bedding, carpets and even your car with a general flea killer as eggs can lay dormant in cracks and dust.

For more detailed information on Fleas, Ticks and Lice Click here to go to the FRONTLINE website.

Worms
Don't read this over breakfast! Fleas eat the eggs of worms, so when a pet grooms themselves and swallows a flea they are also possibly infecting themselves with worms. It makes sense therefore to treat for worms at the same time as any treatment for fleas.

It is also a good idea to regularly worm your pets (every 3 months) as the worms can pass to people, with children being most at risk. Some worms can even cause organ damage or blindness. As with flea treatments the most effective remedies are only available from approved outlets such as ours. We stock DRONTAL, a very effective treatment which is easily administered. More about worms at the DRONTAL site: Click here (It's not pretty!)

For HORSE WORMERS Click here

.....and Ticks
Ticks are blood-sucking parasites that pierce your pets skin with their mouthparts and hang on. They're rated second only to mosquitos in their ability to transmit diseases. They can be picked up pretty much anywhere outside so it's a good idea to check your pets regularly, particularly if they are seen to be scratching in a specific area.

Take care when removing them: firstly make absolutely sure it is a tick you are removing: some skin tags look very similar (has it got legs?!) Do not squeeze the body or you could be squeezing infection into the animal. Use tweezers and remove them by the head. We have a special tool for removing them. Do bring your pet in to us or see your vet if you're unsure. Click here for a video clip of how a tick is removed with the special tool. Make sure ALL of the tick is removed.

As for fleas, prevention is the best option for Ticks, with FRONTLINE Spot-on. More about Ticks on the FRONTLINE website: Click here.