Autumn Arrives – But Don’t Go Slack on Flea Treatments for Your Pets

This year has been particularly troublesome for pet owners in terms of fleas. It’s been a long, warm summer for the most part in many areas, and this has led to many pets spending a lot more time outdoors. That’s a prime time for pets to pick up fleas from the garden and possibly from stray cats and other animals that might harbour them.

You’d be forgiven for thinking the arrival of autumn and then the colder winter months would allow you to breathe a sigh of relief. Not so. While some people believe fleas naturally die off in the winter months, this is far from being true. You may not be as aware of their existence as you are in the summer, but make no mistake – the pesky irritants are still there.

Unfortunately, some people only treat their pets during the summer when the flea population is at its biggest. This leaves their pets unprotected during the winter. It’s very easy for fleas and their eggs to survive through the winter, especially if your pet has brought them into the house during the summer. Unfortunately for us and our pets, fleas are actually pretty hardy little souls.

So even as the warm weather eventually disappears and we start to see the first frosts of the autumn and winter, make sure you still treat your pet for fleas at the proper intervals. This will depend on the product you use, but it’s always best to go to your vet and get the most powerful flea treatment currently available.

It is perfectly possible for flea eggs and larvae to survive outdoors. They hibernate just as a lot of other animals do. They can easily survive inside your home as well, even if you can’t actually see them. Make sure you focus on vacuuming your carpets regularly and washing your pet’s bedding often. The best flea treatments actually treat wherever your pet sleeps as well. However, you need to do everything you can to eradicate the entire flea population of your home so you don’t get bitten by fleas and neither does your pet.

If you can’t seem to get on top of things, seeking advice from an expert is always a good idea. If you don’t, you could be faced with an even worse situation once the weather starts warming up again.