Itchy and Scratchy

Yes those things that are guaranteed to have us all scratching our heads at the mere mention of the word FLEA! The first sign of fleas is usually the behaviour of your dog. They may start scratching and or biting at their fur in an effort to relieve the itch. To check for fleas it is best to use a fine toothed comb or a flea comb can be purchased from a pet store. Comb through your pets fur parting the hair especially around the neck, head and genital region as this is where our uninvited visitors like to hide. If you also spot any brown/black specks of dirt in the coat pop these on a piece of damp kitchen towel. If they have a red tinge about them when they soak into the kitchen towel this is what we call flea dirt which is basically flea poo! Lovely thought!

If you suspect your pet has fleas then it is important to treat your home as well as your dog. There are aerosol solutions on the market especially for this purpose. You need to spray and hoover all carpets,sofa, car seats anywhere your dog has been to stop the flea cycle otherwise if you just treat Fido when the fleas eggs hatch in the carpet they will just jump right back on! Also wash any bedding on a hot wash to ensure all the eggs/fleas have been destroyed.

Spare a thought for us groomers who hate these critters as much as you do. I have a duty of care to all my customers . If you know your dog has fleas please contact me asap and let me know then we can re-arrange your appointment once your dog has been treated. It is best to wait a few days once you have applied any flea treatment o allow he product time to be absorbed.

This is another reason while it is best to keep your dog on a regular grooming schedule as fleas are easier to spot on a well groomed coat.