VET COLUMN: Get set for the fight against fleas

The weather might not have got the message, but summer is on its way.
As the days grow longer we’re reaching the time of year when fleas often start to become a real problem, as newly hatched fleas emerge from the cocoons in which they have spent the winter.
A female flea can lay 50 eggs per day, so one or two little visitors can quickly become an itchy infestation.
There are many species of flea, but the one that presents a problem for pet owners is usually the cat flea.
Despite its name, this species lives on both cats and dogs – it will also hop on to humans for a quick meal but thankfully they don’t like to set up home on us.
Fleas have an anaesthetic in their saliva which makes their bites painless, but the site is often very itchy afterwards. Some cats and dogs in particular are highly allergic to flea bites, and will suffer with sore skin and lose large patches of fur.
As anyone who has looked around a pet shop will know, there are plenty of different types of flea treatment available.
The most effective treatments are prescription-only medications, but some people find over the counter treatments work well for their pets.
The most important thing to remember when choosing flea treatment is to make sure that the product you’re buying is suitable for your pet’s species, age and weight, and read all the packet information carefully before giving your pet any treatment.
It is particularly important that flea treatment made for dogs must never be applied to cats.
Permethrin is an ingredient in many dog parasite treatments designed to protect against ticks, but it is very toxic to cats.
They can become ill from skin contact or ingesting the product, so if you are lucky enough to have a dog and cat who get on well it is advisable to keep them apart for 12 hours after applying flea treatment to the dog, in case the cat licks any of it.
Cats who have been exposed to permethrin usually become very twitchy, shaky and disoriented, and may have seizures or become hyperactive or over-sensitive to light and sound.
Permethrin poisoning is often fatal without immediate treatment, so a cat showing these symptoms (especially after using flea treatment) must be taken to a vet as an emergency.
With the right flea treatment used regularly, you and your pets can enjoy the summer without worrying about any unwanted company.