Fleas in Winter

Many people unfortunately become quite lax about treating their pets for fleas in the winter. There is a commonly held belief that fleas are less of a problem in the cooler months because of lower ambient temperatures. Although there may be some merit in this it does not take into account the fact that 90% of the flea life cycle stages live in the environment. As much as it pains us to admit it, this environment is often our heated homes and the pet’s warm kennel. Keeping your pet on flea prevention year round keeps the flea population under control and also prevents flare ups of flea infestation when the warmer weather comes and flea activity in the greater environment becomes more prevalent. The monthly flea treatments available from the Gladesville Veterinary Hospital not only kill adult fleas, but also the juvenile stages and fleas in the pet’s environment. This provides total flea control at all points of the life cycle and all parts of the year, keeping your pet happy and flea free.

The flea scenario can be equally applied to Heartworm prevention.

Heartworm disease is much more severe than flea problems and all it takes is one winter mosquito for disease transmission to occur. The prevention of Heartworm requires monthly dosing year round, or alternately a once a year injection that takes a lot of the “need to remember” out of heartworm prevention. There are even products available that control fleas and heartworm in one monthly dose.

So if your pet has lapsed in its flea or heartworm prevention this winter come in and see us and we will be happy to get you back on the right track.