The dreaded flea season is now upon us and there’s nothing worse than your home being riddled with jumping and biting fleas, so we’ve put together the ultimate guide to help you survive this flea season.
Stage 1 – Understanding the Flea Cycle
First things first, to survive the flea season you need to understand the flea cycle. The flea cycle has 4 stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult flea. The entire cycle, from egg to adult flea, is complete in 12-22 days when temperature and humidity conditions are ideal but more commonly, the flea cycle can take anywhere between 21 to 28 days.
Stage 2 – Prevent, prevent, prevent!
The best way to keep fleas at bay is to use preventive measures. From Spot-On, collars and shampoos, there are many different preventative options available to you. You may be wondering how to decide which products to use? The wide range of options may seem overwhelming but here’s a simple breakdown to help you find what’s best suited to you and your pet:
Spot-On
Most preventative Spot-Ons come in a small pipette containing a topical treatment that is applied directly onto your pet’s skin. This acts by directly repelling any fleas or ticks that may be lying dormant on your pets.
Spot-Ons are easy to apply, simply place the pipette at the back of your pet’s neck, between the shoulders and squeeze the droplets directly onto your pet’s skin. Each treatment provides protection against fleas for up to 8 weeks and prevents ticks for up to 4 weeks on dogs or up to 4 weeks on cats.
For cats, use a flea treatment for cats such as the Bob Martin Clear Flea & Tick Spot-On for Cats or for dogs use Bob Martin Clear Flea and Tick Spot-On for Medium Dogs.
Collars
Using a flea and tick collar such as the Bob Martin Clear Flea and Tick Repellent Collar for Cats and Kittens or the Bob Martin Clear Flea & Tick Collar for Dogs and Puppies will help keep fleas and ticks at bay for up to 12 weeks. The collar can even replace your pet’s normal collar rather than having to double-up.
Shampoo
Shampoos such as the Bob Martin Clear Flea Shampoo repels both fleas and ticks, helps to cleanse your pet’s coat and keeps them fresh and hygienic. Using a Bob Martin shampoo on a regular basis will help maintain a glossy and healthy coat.
Stage 3 – They’re not just on your pet…
When most people think about fleas, the first thing they think about is the creepy crawlies that live on your pet. However, fleas can also be found in many areas of your home; in fact, 95% of flea infestations can be found in your home rather than on your pet. From your dog’s bed to your cat’s favourite blanket, fleas and their eggs and larvae love to lurk in dark, warm places. To ensure that you survive the flea season without a flea infestation in your home, use a Flea and Tick prevention spray like the Bob Martin Clear Flea and Tick Spray for Homes and Pets and keep your home flea-free! You also need to ensure that you clean your pets bed and blankets with warm soapy water on a regular basis.
Stage 4 – Act fast!
In most instances your hard work and preventative measures will pay off and your home and pet will stay flea and tick free. However, if for some reason you forget to use some of the preventative options or you didn’t find our handy survival guide until it was too late, make sure you act fast if you see signs of an infestation. Use one of our treatments from the Bob Martin Clear Plus range to quickly treat and kill any fleas and ticks on your pet alongside one of Bob Martin Clear Plus Home treatments to rid them from your house as well.
Did you find this guide helpful? Why not tell all your pet loving friends? Or head over to our social channels to tell us how you survive flea season.