Bits for Pets Blog

British pet lovers could be set for a summer of scratching after sharing their homes with up to 2 million fleas, a veterinary charity has warned.

The PDSA - People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals - said that every pet-owning household in the country could have around 20,000 flea eggs at any one time.

The organisation’s experts said the flea population can increase up to one hundred times within the space of six months as they reproduce.
Pests

And PDSA’s vets reckon at the height of the summer onslaught, Britain’s canine population can lose as much as 17,600 pints - or 2,200 gallons - of blood every day to the bloodthirsty mites.

The figures underline the need for pet owners to take comprehensive steps to rid homes - and pets - of the pests, said the charity.
Flea eggs

PDSA senior veterinary surgeon, Elaine Pendlebury, said: ‘Flea eggs fall off your pet wherever it goes, in particular where they sleep.

‘So if your pet snoozes with you at night, your bed could literally be infested with hundreds of fleas and eggs - not a comforting thought when you’re trying to get to sleep at night.

‘It is vitally important to use the correct flea treatments and dosage for pets.’
Treatments

She added: ‘Using a dog flea treatment on a cat can result in fatal poisoning, as can exceeding the recommended dosage, so always consult your vet for advice on the best flea treatment to use.

‘Remember too that treating your pet is only part of the procedure as you will have to treat your home and all of the pets within your household too.

‘Everything the dog or cat comes into contact with should be treated with a product recommended by your vet or it is inevitable that the fleas will come back.’
Health problems

Fleas can cause very serious health problems. They are one of the most common causes of skin disease in dogs and in severe cases, smaller animals, particularly kittens, can die from anaemia, due to blood loss from the feeding fleas.

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ANYONE who has bought a puppy in the last three years is being invited to take part in a national online survey organised by the RSPCA.

Questions include where the puppy came from, how it was advertised, how much it cost and if you’d buy another puppy from the same place. Results will enable the charity to identify if buying a puppy is generally a positive or negative experience.

Justine Pannett of the RSPCA said: “You can pick up a puppy from a newspaper advert, a neighbour, pet shop, farm or breeder, so we’re trying to get a grip on how successful people’s experiences actually are.

“It’s obvious to say, but a puppy is a living creature and this survey will help us determine whether or not these dogs are suffering throughout the experience, or if in general they are treated well.”

Anyone who has bought a puppy in the last three years is encouraged to take part in the survey, which runs until Monday, May 12. It can be found at www.rspca.org.uk/puppysurvey

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Animal welfare organisations expressed concern about a rent-a-dog service introduced in Britain which allows busy people to own part-time pets.

Flexpetz is an American concept enabling dog lovers craving canine companionship to borrow a pet at a cost of £279 for once a week for a month.

Gucci, an 18-month-old Pomeranian, has been the first canine recruit to Flexpetz’s London operation but more are expected to be available in the future.

According to Flexpetz, checks are carried out on potential part-time owners and visits are made to their homes to satisfy them the dog will be cared for.

The introduction of the service is intended to appeal to people who are too busy or who cannot afford the full-time commitment of looking after a dog.

Pippa Woolard, Flexpetz’s UK representative, told the Times: “I like to get to know them before they are accepted and would not allow a dog with anyone who gave me cause for concern.”

But concerns have been raised that passing a dog from one home to another could prove distressing to the animal, leaving it with no routine.

A Dogs Trust spokesman said: “We don’t agree with the principle of renting or loaning out a pet because an animal, and dogs in particular, have a certain bond with its family.

“To remove it from that environment by putting it out to rent is quite distressing and we would actually say detrimental to the well-being of the dog.”

The RSPCA has also registered its disquiet about the scheme, saying that not giving a dog a secure routine could leave it unhappy.

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