We have seen more dogs and cats this past Summer with flea infestations than is usual for this time of year.  This is probably due to the higher than average rainfall amount we experienced in August.

Generally, clients believe that fleas are primarily a problem in the Summer, but that's not true.  We see the vast majority of flea infestations in September and October. 

You can generally recognize fleas on your pet by seeing the small brown bugs crawling on the skin.  This is easiest to see on your pet's belly where the fur is thinner.  Your might also identify "flea dirt", which appears as black specs in between the hairs.  You can tell this is flea dirt, and not "regular" dirt, by placing it on a moistened white paper towel.  Flea dirt will turn reddish brown from the blood which the flea has sucked from your beloved pet.

Some dogs develop Flea Allergy Dermatitis, where they chew and lick the fur off their skin, especially at the rump or hind legs.  Of course this can mimic the many other causes of itching in your dog - seasonal allergies, skin infections, mite or lice infestation, etc. - so it's important to make an appointment to stop the self-trauma your pet will endure.  Luckily, flea allergies are very responsive to medications.

Cats with flea allergies are generally scratching out their fur and causing hair loss and scabbing.  However, flea allergies are much less common in cats than dogs, so often fleas go unnoticed on cats.        

There are several things you can do to control flea problems once they are present:

1.  Keep ALL dogs and cats in your house on a monthly flea preventive, such as Frontline.  The makers of Frontline have recently started a Satisfaction Guarantee if the product is purchased from your veterinarian.  Additionally, don't bathe your pet in between applications.

2.  Treat your house with a premise spray to control flea eggs in the environment.

3.  Expect bad infestations to take 1-2 months for improvement.  This will allow the fleas to get through their life cycle.

4.  Continue flea medications year round if your dog goes to daycare or you travel to a warmer climate for the winter.