Fleas

Spring is here and this month is the start of warm weather (we hope!), plenty of sunshine, walks in parks and the season for ticks and fleas.

The 2015 PDSA annual Pet Animal Wellbeing Report concluded 22% of dogs and 17% of cats in the UK had never been treated for fleas.

Fleas are a major cause of skin disease:

• Diseases caused or mediated by flea bites include flea bite dermatitis and flea allergy dermatitis

• Domestic cats act as a reservoir for the zoonotic pathogen Bartonella henselae, which is transmitted by fleas

• Fleas also act as the intermediate host for the tapeworm Dipylidium caninum

• Fleas are well adapted to indoor environments – carpeted floors and central heating allow flea development to occur all year round

(Bayer, 2016)

References

Bayer (2016). Advocate UK advertising campaign.