Flea and Worming Treatment

You should always seek professional advice from a Vet or Qualified Professional to ensure your flea and worming treatment is appropriate for your pet. It is important that you use species specific treatment and use as described by the vet. If you have an infestation seeking professional help can make all the difference to eradicate them. 
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The advice below is for information and should be used only as a guide. 

​Fighting a Flea Infestation

If you find fleas on your pet, you need to treat both the pet and the environment. Timing is important in order to treat all stages of the fleas. The flea treatment will kill adult fleas within 24hrs and then provide protection to the pet when fleas jump onto them again. Fleas live off the pets in the environment and then jump onto pets, which is why treating the envionment at the same time as treating the pets is important. Sticking to the correct time for re-application of the treatment is also important to catch the emerging adults. If your vet proposes monthly treatment for three months, it should be done once a month as near to the anniversary date of the first treatment as possible. 

1. Vacuum the home
2. Wash bedding at 60oC to kill eggs or lavae. 
3. Thorough spray all floor space with a household insecticidal spray
4. Encourage the remaining flea pupae to hatch out (with warmth, vibration (hovering), CO2 and humidity (wet towel on a radiator). 

Fleas will be visible on your pets while the infestation resolves - this is normal and lasts 1-3months on average. The treatment works by killing the adults before they can lay eggs, so it is a gradual reduction in population. 
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​Worms

Roundworm

Tapeworm

Healthy looking animals can carry worms, so it’s important to worm pets regularly. Many infected animals do not show any outward signs, so having a worm control programme in place as advised by your vet is the best prevention.  If your animal is infected, you may see worms in faeces or vomit, or around your pet’s bottom. If you do see any worms on or near your animal, wrap the worm up in damp cotton wool and take them to the vet to help your vet identify the worm and thus provide the best treatment.

Signs of worms can be if you pet starts  "scooting" (itching their bottom), losing weight or their fur becomes dry and coarse, an increased appetite, weakness and diarrhoea. In severe cases, infected puppies and kittens can have a distended abdomen or "pot belly".