Cats and dogs can pick up fleas whilst outdoors and as they tend to be outside for quite a significant amount of time each day, they are more than likely going to play host to fleas at some point in their lives. There is very little you can do to prevent this from happening as fleas can be found lurking anywhere just waiting for a suitable host to pass by but there are some things you can do to help prevent fleas from infesting in your home.

How to recognise if a pet has fleas

Probably the first sign you will notice is your cat or dog scratching and/or biting quite vigorously, or the first indication may be when you discover that you yourself have itchy and irritating bite marks on your lower legs and ankles. On closer inspection of your pet you may be able to catch sight of a flea as it runs through your pet's coat. Other telltale signs include brownish/reddish specks on your pets coat or bedding, which are basically dried blood and other deposits from the flea bites.

Fleas can also transmit tapeworm so if this is a problem for your pet then it can also indicate the presence of fleas. If in doubt, a veterinary surgeon will be able to tell you quickly and easily if a pet has fleas or worms or both and they will be able to recommend appropriate treatments.

Treating your pet

Purchase good quality insecticidal treatments that can deal with the fleas, their larvae and their eggs. It's important to note that flea collars can be ineffective as they only treat the area around the neck.

Comb or brush your pet daily, particularly after they have been outside and especially in hot weather in order to help dislodge fleas and eggs from your pet's coat. Keep a bowl of hot water close by when you do this so that you can place any fleas directly into the water, however, fleas are notoriously hard to catch so don't expect to eradicate all your pets fleas using this method.

Treating your home

One of the problems with flea control is that the flea doesn't just stay on your pet but will live quite happily for extended periods of time in your carpets, pet bedding and other parts of your home so it is absolutely pointless to treat your pet without treating your home at the same time.

Fleas can be dealt with quite effectively using a good quality insecticide for the home. Again, there is no use dealing with the fleas if you don't deal with the eggs too. Wash your pets bedding in hot soapy water on a weekly basis to help dispose of any flea eggs.

Flea eggs can fall from your pet and on to the carpet or anywhere in the house for that matter so vacuum the carpets daily and invest in a steam cleaner to clean your carpets from time to time. Better still if you have wooden floors which can easily be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

After grooming your pet, make sure you vacuum the surrounding area immediately afterwards remembering to empty the vacuum cleaner outside in a sealed bag.

When using an insecticidal spray, make sure you treat everywhere that your pet is likely to have been.

When are fleas most likely to be a problem?

In the past, fleas were predominantly a problem during the warmer summer months, however, these days with centrally heated homes and milder temperatures fleas can be a problem all year round. As such, you need to be constantly on the lookout for the presence of fleas and if treatment is conducted immediately, then you are unlikely to have much difficulty in controlling them. However, if you do find that you have an infestation of fleas that you cannot deal with on your own, consult a vet or an expert in pest control for more information and advice.