TAKE THE FLEA TEST.
Waiting until your pet starts scratching could mean an infestation in your home that's hard to resolve. Simply checking your pet regularly for fleas is the first step to preventing the whole flea problem.
How do you know if your pet has fleas? You might see them in your pet's coat by gently parting the fur, particularly around the base of the tail. But fleas are often difficult to find, so the best way to check is to look for 'flea dirt' - small black specks in the pet's coat, which consist of dried blood excreted by the fleas.
• Comb through your pet's coat and collect any debris onto a wet piece of white paper or cotton wool.
• If the specks that fall onto the wet surface dissolve to give red/brown swirls or patches, then your pet has fleas.
• If you see no flea dirt and your pet is scratching or losing hair, consult your vet for help.
Remember we offer this service FREE to all of our customers. Please contact us to arrange an appointment if you need help or would like further advice on fleas.

TAKE CONTROL.
If your pet has fleas, it's important to tackle the whole flea problem, not just the adult fleas. The best approach is to use the 'Integrated Flea Control' method recommended by experts. You can achieve this by following three simple steps to effective control:
• Protect your pet - treat them with a product containing an ingredient to kill adult fleas.
• Protect your home - treat your pet or your home with a product containing a different active ingredient to prevent the development of eggs, larvae and pupae.
• Ensure quicker clearance of any infestation - wash pet bedding and vacuum regularly, and make sure the house is warm to encourage pupae to hatch.
• If your dog swims or is shampooed ensure you have waterproof flea control.

FLEA FACTS
• Fleas date back 40 million years.

• Fleas can pull 160,000 times their own weight, which is like you pulling 2,679 double-decker buses.

• A flea can jump 30,000 times without stopping.

• Female cat fleas can drink 15 times their weight in blood.

• Fleas don't have ears and are virtually blind.

• Fleas can transmit diseases to humans. Fleas jumping from rats to humans transmitted the cause of the Black Plague in 1664, killing 70,000 people in London.

• The average flea is 2-3 mm long and weighs half a grain (equivalent to 32 milligrams or 0.03 grams). The world's biggest is the beaver flea, which reaches about 11mm.

• Fleas reverse direction with every jump.

• Flea larvae don't like the light so they move away from it, deep into carpets, cracks in flooring or any nook or cranny.

• In a Kiev museum, there's a flea that wears horseshoes made of real gold.

• When a flea jumps, it accelerates 50 times faster than a space shuttle.

• Fleas can lay up to 1,500 eggs in a lifetime.

• Flea brides and grooms (dressed, but dead) were popular collector’s items in the 1920s.

• Flea pupae can live for up to 1 year in homes.

• Fleas can jump over 150 times their own size (approximately 30cm high) - which is like you jumping over St Paul's Cathedral.

• A flea’s life cycle can be as short as 14 days or up to 12 months.

• 95% of flea eggs, larvae and pupae live in beds, rugs, carpets and sofas - not on your pet.

• Just one flea can become 1,000 on your pet and in your home in only 21 days.

• Flea circuses originated in England in the 16th century.

You can learn more about fleas and their control in our Pet Healthcare section