Flea & Worm FAQs: Answers From The Experts

Fleas are insects that are parasitic in nature, and they feed on the blood of other animals, so they’re most commonly found on your pets at home - that includes cats and dogs.

Worms are small parasites that live within the intestines of our pets, like cats and dogs. So it’s essential we keep these under control for the health of our pet.

Our pets can contract fleas or worms from both the environment and other wildlife that you may cross paths with on walks. They can also contract them from other pets who haven’t received protection which allows flea and worms to ingest and grow inside them.

Dogs and cats can infect each other. Generally, fleas are not particularly fussy about their food sources so it means that you actually need to approach a protection basis from within the home and for each of the animals in your home, to protect and guard against these creatures.

One of the most notable signs of fleas and worms in animals is excessive scratching. There are other signs too; they can experience weight loss, nausea, or  you may even see flecks of blood on your pet’s bedding or on the animal itself, or when you wash your pet. If you see more than 2 of these signs, it’s definitely worth speaking to your local vet.

Prevention is always better than cure. It’s best to guard your pet from fleas/worms attaching to our pets, and to do this we need to look at the whole environment as well. We need to protect the environment, the environment your dog lives in, yourself and your other pets. The best way to decide your plan of action is to speak to one of our educated colleagues in store to get the best plan and package for your needs, and your budget. The most efficient way to actually control fleas in your house and on your pets is using licensed products from a respected retailer. Jollyes have many options of trusted brands to suit every budget, every instance and need of your pet.

You’re unlikely to catch fleas, but they can cause biting and irritation and itching within humans when there is an out of control infestation.  With worms in particular, small children could be potentially be at risk of blindness and in adults, it can lead to some particular side effects you want to avoid. So, when we protect our animals we are also protecting the people around us.

We need to consider their age, weight and is it a puppy or an adult? It can have a varying degree of success if we use the wrong product. It’s essential we get it right because worms are more serious as they can be passed to humans, especially when there ae young children in your household. So, it’s really important we get the dosage right, which is why you should speak to one of our colleagues in store.

When we consider how often we should treat pets for flea and worming, we need to think about the products we use; some can vary from monthly all the way up to nine months of active use. Also, it depends on the situation; if you’ve got a dog that loves water, spot-on treatments aren’t for them! So we would need to think about tablet solutions for your pet. And it can be visa versa – if they’ve had reactions to a product, we’ll find your pet a product that gives you guaranteed coverage and a healthy pet, which is what everybody wants!

Jollyes are home to grooming services in many of our stores across the UK, also known as The Jolly Groomer! Many pet parents ask, should I bring my dog with fleas to a grooming salon? We would recommend against it. There are two reasons for this; we don’t want to spread the infection to other animals. We also want to make sure your pet is healthy. Speak to a member of our staff in store, enquire about a solution whether it’s a spot-on or tablet treatment, then booking a groom around 4-6 weeks later. Then your dog will be back on track with their grooming schedule.

A lot of customers ask how do to clean their house or should they clean their house after a flea or worm infestation. We recommend waiting 2 weeks after using any product because we don’t want to hoover up the product and reduce its effectiveness. There should be 2 weeks where you’re using a dedicated product to remove and kill off any infestation. However, there are things you can be doing besides hoovering; you can wash linen and bedding at high temperatures. This can really help control and reduce the population, and increase comfort for the humans living in the house.

When we’re thinking about puppies and kittens, there is a different approach we need to take. We need to consider more detail about your pet, such as their weight and age. Some products won’t be suitable for your puppy or kitten. However, we do stock a range of products that can be! The best approach is to speak to one of our store staff members so they can assist you choosing the right product for your puppy or kitten to make sure it stays healthy.

There are many different types of flea and worm medications; there are oral medications and there are spot-on treatments, which both have pros and cons. What we need to consider is what’s right for your pet. If you have a pet that goes into water, a spot-on is not going to work in an effective way, so an oral medication might be more suitable. For a cat who may not like a spot-on, a tablet based format can be the preferred option. However, there are spot-on treatments that offer particular benefits; some Frontline ones help protect the environment which is great for a multi-pet household.

Another common question asked is what are flea collars and how do they work? There are two types on the market; a more traditional flea collar which releases a gaseous form once it detects the heat of the animal and the animal is then covered in the gas. It can be effective but it’s not always the most effective response. There are new ones on the market which are much more effective. They release a slow chemical which doesn’t go into your animal but goes onto the animal which helps control and rid them of those fleas. We’ll always discuss options in store for you and your pet.

Of course, your pet may have picked up fleas whilst out, and you might want to get treatment immediately. Visit your local Jolleys so we can offer you and your pet the right advice and the right flea treatment before you take your pet back home. It can take as little as 2 hours for some of our treatments to be effective.

Absolutely. It’s important to take extra precautions for your safety, and the safety of other pets. Wearing gloves when picking up after our pets is crucial, as your pet’s faeces can contain eggs. We need to be thinking about our safety, our pet’s safety and the safety of other people’s pets. It’s important to be observant and thinking about if the treatment is working or if you can see eggs? Our pets only relieve themselves outside, so it’s your only opportunity to check their faeces. You still need to be walking your pet!

While natural treats and products are a great addition to actual treatments, for the recovery of your pet we would advise rabbit ears for dogs that can digest them to actually help control worm infestations. For the recovery of our pets, both cats and dogs, salmon oil is a great add-on to help with the recovery of flea bites. So yes, natural products have their place with controlling fleas and worms.

For more advice about your furry friends, speak to a member of our in-store team today, or have a sniff around the rest of our blog articles!