Dog Owners Get A Flea In Their Ear!

Dog owners could be putting their pets at risk of flea infestation this autumn with recent research¹ conducted by Elanco Animal Health, manufacturer of Comfortis® chewable tablets for dogs, revealing that nearly half of owners are not aware that turning up the central heating can result in fleas, which have been lying dormant in the pupal stage, to emerge in search of a host animal to feed on. And with nearly half of those questioned stating that their dog has suffered with fleas, 79 per cent of which have become infested at least once a year, approximately 20 per cent of owners believe that fleas could not be found in household items such as the carpet, dog bedding and soft furnishings. Indeed, over a third of respondents did not treat items such as carpets (36 per cent) or soft furnishings (46 per cent) if their pet and home became infested, making fleas a frustrating problem for many dog owners. “Fleas are commonly found on pets during the summer months and this has been extended this year by the Indian summer we have experienced. It may be due to get a lot colder outside soon but as the central heating gets turned up the increased warmth inside proves a stimulus for any fleas that are unwittingly introduced or that lie dormant in pet bedding, carpets and soft furnishings. Moreover, people cannot even escape, with half of those questioned stating that a member of their family had been bitten by a flea!” comments David Grant, hospital director of the RSPCA Harmsworth Animal Hospital in London. “It is advisable that owners treat pets with effective flea treatments such as Comfortis which kills fleas and prevents flea infestations for a full month. They should also treat the surrounding household environment such as pet bedding, carpets and soft furnishings.” Comfortis is a fast acting, chewable, beef-flavoured tablet that kills fleas and prevents flea infestations for a full month. The convenient tablet starts to kill fleas in 30 minutes and it is 100% effective in four hours. In addition, it remains fully effective despite frequent bathing/swimming, unlike many other products, and it can be used alongside other treatments such as wormers. David Grant has recently spoken about his top tips on how to protect man’s best friend from the big freeze, which includes treating and protecting dogs from flea infestation, in an informative 15 minute TV interview. If you would like to utilise the interview on your veterinary practice website, please contact your local Elanco Animal Health key account manager or phone 01256 779881. Elanco also has a recently extended range of support materials available to help educate dog owners about flea infestation and the benefits of veterinary prescribed flea treatments. These include client leaflets, waiting room posters and assistance with bespoke direct mail client communications. For further information, contact your local Elanco Animal Health key account manager. References 1 Opinion Matters. 1006 UK dog owners. October 2011

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