Are You Ready for Flea, Tick and Worm Season.

The Essential Steps All Pet Owners Should Follow To Treat And Protect Their Furry Friends.

Did you know a single female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day! Their eggs quickly develop into larvae, then pupae and then a fully formed flea before the cycle starts all over again. That means that if you’re not careful, as a pet owner, you could have a full-blown infestation on your hands in just a few days!

Luckily, Bob Martin has been working hard for well over a hundred years to make vet-quality healthcare solutions at affordable prices. Caring for the nation’s pets since 1892, they know a thing or two when it comes to the importance of being prepared for the flea, tick and worms season when it arrives.

Typically, flea and tick season arrives annually between March and November – peaking in spring and autumn. But there’s still a risk of being infected by fleas and ticks all year round, especially with the warmth central heating provides, which is why it’s imperative to start planning for it in the spring.

Fleas and ticks love warm, humid and shady areas and tend to live in woods, areas where there’s lots of wildlife, and long grass, so they are a lot more active in the summer months (even though they can survive the winter). This presents a much higher risk factor when our beloved pets are out roaming the garden or on walks with their humans over the summer period.

Worms can be present all year round, but are particularly prevalent in the summer months, as they can be contracted from parasites like fleas. Tapeworms are the most common type carried by fleas – it is vital to have an all-year-round worming plan.

Fleas and ticks survive by jumping on to pets at the opportune moment, where they nestle and hide in your pet’s fur. Both ticks and fleas feed off the host’s blood, which allows fleas, in particular, to breed, and then an infestation occurs.

If not properly treated, these bugs can lay eggs in your home. Developing into larvae, they hide away in the dark cover of furnishings and furniture, under beds and sofas, where they develop into adult fleas and feed from human and pet blood.

This can be tricky to clear if you are not using the correct products and treating your home as well as your pet.

Not only are fleas, ticks and worms pesky parasites, they can transmit nasty diseases which are dangerous to pets and humans – infectious diseases can include Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, and Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus (TBE), which is why it’s critical to deal with the problem straight away.

Three simple stops to make sure you’re well prepared:

1: Spotting if you have a problem.

It’s imperative that you can spot the signs of parasites, as a quick reaction is essential if you suspect that your furry friend is suffering from a tick or flea problem.

Here are some easy ways to check:

1. Ticks can be tricky to detect. Check behind your pet’s ears, head, neck, and between their toes regularly after they’ve been outside. You should be able to feel a lump should a tick be present.
2. Place your pet on some white paper, then comb them with a flea comb. Flecks of black which change to red when you wet the paper are flea dirt.
3. Check your own legs and ankles for any rashes or bite marks.
4. You could also try the ‘white sock test’ to detect fleas. This is where you don a pair of clean, white socks and move methodically around a room where you suspect fleas are lurking. Check the socks frequently – the fleas manifest as black spots (which are easily visible on the white background). This helps you to focus on spraying the hot-spots and treat the infected area.
5. Your pet will constantly nibble or scratch.

2: Treating your pet and your home.

If you’ve identified that your four-legged friend is suffering from fleas or ticks, here’s how we recommend you treat them.

1. Make sure to read the instructions fully on all products before treating your pet.
2. The first course of action is our Bob Martin Flea tablet (check the weight of your pet and follow to select the correct product). This is an immediate, fast acting response to treat an infestation – it starts working within 15 minutes, and kills all fleas within 24 hours!
3. Alternatively, check the weight of your dog or cat and select the correct Bob Martin Clear Plus Spot On product for your pet. Separate treatments are available for dogs over 8-weeks, cats and ferrets above 1kg and over 8 weeks old. Keep in mind to apply the treatment somewhere where your pet can’t lick it off and be sure to use this treatment at frequent intervals for maximum benefit – we recommend periods of four weeks.
4. If used properly, these will completely eradicate the infestation and your pet should soon be back to good health.
5. When it comes to removing ticks, if you’ve never done it before we recommend consulting your vet to ensure safe removal. You can find more information on safe tick removal here.

Unfortunately, your home will also be susceptible to invasion by these pests. To treat it, follow our two-step guide.

1. Use our Bob Martin Clear Home Flea Spray Plus and spray on all soft furnishings. This will kill fleas and ticks on contact and continue to do so for up to three months.
2. Make sure to use it as necessary to prevent it from happening again – it will stop eggs and larvae developing for up to 12 months.

3: Preventing problems in the first place.

Prevention is key to stop the initial problem arising, so it should be a key part of your petcare plan.

What’s more, if an infestation has already taken place, once you have treated the problem by following steps one and two in our easy how-to guide below, make sure you follow step three to prevent the problem returning:

1. Use our Bob Martin Clear Flea and Tick Repellent Collar, available for both cats and dogs, which reduces the likelihood that your dog or cat will contract fleas and ticks in the first place. It prevents fleas and ticks for up to 12 weeks, helping to reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases for both you and your pet.
2. Don’t forget about worm prevention. As dog and cat owners know, worming is an essential part of pet care, not to be dismissed. Choose the correct Bob Martin Clear Wormer product for your pet and integrate it into your pet care plan – even if your pet isn’t showing symptoms, it can be hard to diagnose, so we recommend worming every 12 weeks to be safe.
3. Use our Bob Martin Clear Flea & Tick Spray for Pets & Home, which is a high-quality preventative product that can be used on both pets and your home. It uses a ‘sticky trap’ that works against fleas at all stages of the lifecycle; ultimately stopping an infestation taking charge of your home. It also contains a repellent to keep the fleas away from both pet and pet’s bedding.

By following the advice above, you and your best friend should be equipped to tackle whatever the dreaded, flea, tick and worm season throws at you!

For more information, please our website www.bobmartin.co.uk