# When exactly is flea season?



## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

When is the normal time of year for fleas to start appearing and disappearing. Are fleas still around now? I was very surprised to see one crawling on Poppy's head tonight and I never managed to catch the little blighter.


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## hazel pritchard (Jun 28, 2009)

I think with the mild climate we have , fleas are around all year round now ,


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## SpringerHusky (Nov 6, 2008)

Fleas live all year round because if you use central hating this makes your house warm. Summer will be the worst year because it'll be hoot and humid, perfect for them :mad5:


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

Well that's a bummer. I thought we'd be done with them by now. We've not been overrun with them but there's been a steady one, two or three since about July or August. I think the cat may originally have brought them home yet I've not seen the cat scratch. Poppy's bathed regularly at the groomers every 5 weeks and sometimes gets one in between visits if she gets too mucky. 

I haven't used chemical flea prevention but have used Billy No Mates daily since April, she has a bit of garlic in her blended veggies, is brushed and flea combed every day, I've sprayed the carpet once with RIP fleas. I'm thinking of maybe flea bombing the house but it does seem a bit drastic just for the odd flea.


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## SpringerHusky (Nov 6, 2008)

Billy no mates did not work for me, as much as you may not like it Chemical treatment is the best way.


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

I only flea treat during the summer months, always have and never really had an issue during the winter with it, nor in the summer either.. maybe I'm lucky..


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## SpringerHusky (Nov 6, 2008)

SLB said:


> I only flea treat during the summer months, always have and never really had an issue during the winter with it, nor in the summer either.. maybe I'm lucky..


You don't have a cat, it's why your "lucky"

Cats are horrors for bringing home fleas much more than dogs.


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## northnsouth (Nov 17, 2009)

I know for a fact it starts Feb 29th and ends 31st September every year!


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## LisaA2006 (Jun 20, 2009)

Hi DirtyGertie,

You aren't alone, I have just fleaed Candy as we found 3 fleas on her think the cats brought them in  have sprayed all our carpets, the sofa everything

Lisa x


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## tashax (Jun 25, 2011)

because of how warm the climate is there isnt really a 'flea season' anymore, plus with gas central heating its warm all year round in the house


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## kimdelyse (Sep 6, 2010)

We started seeing the odd one or two when we switched to FrontLine to save a few bucks! 

Went back to Advocate and within 48 hours...BINGO! Have since been told by the vet staff and the good folk here that FrontLine is proven to no longer be effective - probably why you can now buy it in the supermarket. But I gather you opt not to use chemical treatments.

We also use Billy No Mates tincture as of about a week or so ago as extra insurance!

It's worth saying that bathing will lessen the effectiveness of the chemical flea treatment at any point during the cycle (Frontline states within 48 hours of application, Advocate at any time during the month) so I now coordinate Flo's baths with his treatment, grooming him the day before his next application is due.

These Flea Killer Traps are pretty good for an infestation Search Results : Vet UK Selling Pet Meds, Vet Products and Pet Products to Pet Owners. but for the odd one or two you won't get far... Good chemical alternative though. We have 2 on stand-by!


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2011)

We use frontline during spring & summer months and routinely spray the house once a year to keep fleas at bay and it works well for us.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

DirtyGertie said:


> When is the normal time of year for fleas to start appearing and disappearing. Are fleas still around now? I was very surprised to see one crawling on Poppy's head tonight and I never managed to catch the little blighter.


I suppose traditionally flea season would be high summer maybe early autumn too. However with the warmer weather lately plus the central heating coming on,
we may start to find its going to be a year round problem.

A lot of the problem stems from dogs getting re-infected from the environment,
the problem is usually worse if you have cats too or often is. The fleas usually mostly get on the animal only to feed, and spend the rest of their time in the environment like carpets and furnishing skirtings etc which is also where they lay eggs. If you keep getting a re-occuring problem and you havent might be worth getting an environmental flea spray. Best one ever Ive found is Acclaim 2000. You used to be able to get it in boots and certain chemists as well as the vets. You can get it from where I get my veterinary products too Vet Medic Online Vet | Get Cheap Pet Medicine and Treatments Online From Vet-Medic - Vet-Medic, although of course other On line ver pharmacies will probably do it too


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

Fleas or flea eggs are in the house for up to a year after your dog has deposited them so when the heating comes on they will appear.
You are best to treat the dog regularly with a proven chemical treatment and spray your house.
Once you have got rid of them you might get away with just summer treatments.


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## Elles (Aug 15, 2011)

Elles hasn't had any fleas as far as I know, until today. I bathed and flea combed her yesterday, as she's due her next flea treatment and I try to bath her just before it, if she needs a bath. As usual I didn't find anything. 

I parted her hair just now to put her Advocate on and there was a flea just where I parted her hair. 

Hopefully she picked it up on her walk this morning and I don't find any more when I comb her again later.  I'll have to do some excessive housework again too I suppose. I hate housework. 

Bloody things.


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## sunshine80 (Jan 25, 2010)

It was on the radio a little while ago saying that it was going to be a bad winter for flees this year as with everyone turning their heating on the ones that were in the floor boards would be coming out - not sure why that makes it any worse then any other year though 

Luckily Sonny has only had flees once when he was a pup although he got frontlines in September this year anyway as there were ticks about when we went on holiday.


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## kimdelyse (Sep 6, 2010)

Elles said:


> Elles hasn't had any fleas as far as I know, until today. I bathed and flea combed her yesterday, as she's due her next flea treatment and I try to bath her just before it, if she needs a bath. As usual I didn't find anything.
> 
> *I parted her hair just now to put her Advocate on and there was a flea just where I parted her hair.*
> 
> ...


:laugh: Sorry, it's enough to drive you bloody nuts though isn't it?!!

We've been through the same, we think we've cracked it, then another little bugger crops up! Only ever one or two though...I know people always say what you see is only a minor % of what you're actually infested with...but if that's true they're get to show their little heads!

I freaked on the first one I saw, but to be honest now I'm so over it! I get bitten to buggery every summer by mozzies anyway, and Flo seems unaffected so...:001_rolleyes:


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