If you’re a dog or a cat owner in the UK, it’s almost guaranteed that your furry friend will come into contact with some rather unpleasant parasites whilst they’re out exploring or playing, over their lifetime.
At best, they can be a nuisance and quite unpleasant, but at worst, parasites such as ticks and fleas can be potentially dangerous to both your and your pet’s health.
Prevention against these pests is essential, not only to maintain your health and welfare but also to protect our homes from infestation and ourselves from potential zoonotic infections. The bubonic plague being one of them!
Fleas, in particular, are persistent little blighters because they’re brilliant breeders.
Did you know that a single female flea can lay 50 eggs a day, meaning just a handful of the critters could quite quickly escalate into a full-blown infestation of thousands in just a few days?! As well as this, just 5% of fleas are found on your pet – that means that a huge 95% are in the home… Yikes!
Although most treatment products from pet stores, vets and supermarkets will effectively kill off the adult fleas and ticks, you need to understand how to use them to not only get rid of adult fleas but also to eradicate them at each stage of their lifecycle so you can prevent re-infestation for good.
What is Bob Martin Clear Plus and what does it do?
If you’ve spotted a flea or a tick on your dog or cat, you should check out our Bob Martin treatment product range. The Bob Martin Clear Spot On products kill adult fleas and ticks, protecting your pet for subsequent weeks.
However, Bob Martin’s Clear Plus range doesn’t only kill fleas, but their eggs too. It kills the critters on the pet and also (importantly) in their immediate surroundings – a key secret weapon in eradicating an infestation.
What’s inside Bob Martin Clear Plus Products?
Whilst all of Bob Martin’s Spot On pipettes for cats and dogs contain Fipronil, Bob Martin Clear Plus products also contain S-Methoprene – an Insect Growth Regulator.
These products have the same ingredients and are just as effective as those recommended by your vets, but thanks to changes in the law, they can now be sold in supermarkets.
What is Fipronil?
- Fipronil is the most effective flea treatment available – as it affects the nervous system in fleas & ticks, killing fleas within 24 hours and ticks within 48 hours of contact. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that Fipronil alone won’t kill the eggs or larvae in the home. Bob Martin Clear Plus Spot On with Fipronil and S-Methoprene should be used for all-round protection for your pet. And note that if you have a flea infestation you’ll also need to spray your house with a home flea spray.
What is S-Methoprene?
- Used in all Bob Martin Clear Plus products, S-Methoprene – an insect growth regulator, inhibits the development of flea eggs, larvae and pupae for up to two months after application, preventing re-infestation on the pet.
When used in conjunction with one another, our preventative and treatment products for your pet and your home will ensure you remedy your pesky flea problem once and for all by fully breaking the flea’s life-cycle.
How should I use the Spot On products?
The Spot On products should be for external use only and applied to an area where the animal cannot lick it off. You should also be careful to stop pets licking each other after treatment. To ensure the product is as effective as possible, you should:
- Read the instructions in the pack, weigh your pet, and double check that you have the right dose for your dog/cat and their size
- Apply the Bob Martin Clear Plus Spot On at 2 points – at the base of the back of the animal’s head and between the shoulder blades. If the pet is wearing a collar, remove it first so that it does not restrict application and don’t put the collar back on whilst the treatment is on the skin
- Remove a single pipette from the pack – Hold the pipette upright and snap off the top section of the cap opening the pipette
- Part your pet’s coat until the skin is visible – Place the tip of the pipette directly against the skin and squeeze gently. Apply approximately half of the pipette at one point and half at the second point. Avoid applying onto the fur and do not rub into the skin as this will reduce the product’s performance
How often should I use the products?
Bob Martin’s Spot On treatments should be used at monthly intervals as part of an effective and regular flea control program. The minimum interval between treatments is 4 weeks.
You should never apply dog spot on treatment to cats, or to any animal other than what it is intended for on the packaging.