Cairns dry season is flea Season for pets

Ahh, the dry season in Cairns: this is where we all remember why we live here: beautiful days, down at the park with your dog, walking along the beach.  Everything is just perfect.... hang on, what's that?  Its a flea on your pet's coat.  And another one.  My god, there are heaps of them.

Yes, the Cairns dry season is flea season for pets. 

Why fleas in winter in Cairns? Fleas don't like it too wet, but they like it warm.  That means in most of populated Australia the flea season is summer, but in Cairns our wet season is too wet but the dry season/winter is just right.  Its about now we start seeing people coming in complaining of fleas that they can't control in spite of having "tried everything" (often they only actually got as far as flea powder and a flea collar though, which doesn't really count.

Flea control in Cairns requires year-round flea treatment.

Fleas are often a year round problem in Cairns.  Even if they are not, your flea control strategy needs to be year round.

There are many effective flea products which work well when used as directed: the new generation spot-ons and tablets are particularly good.  They key with all flea control though is consistent use.  Waiting till you have a plague to treat your pet for fleas is ineffective.  If you have been slack recently (lulled into a false sense of security by low flea numbers over the wet season) you may be in for a surprise, and you should act now to avoid problems soon.

Only 1% of fleas in your pet's environment are actually on your pet.

The vast majority of fleas (including their larvae and eggs) are not on your pet, but in the yard, your house, your furniture and your pet's bedding.  That's why relying on pet flea treatment for immediate results is ineffective.  For every flea you see and kill on your pet there are a hundred more waiting to jump on.  And more being born every minute!  For this reason environmental treatment and flea treatments that prevent eggs from hatching are often more important than just killing the fleas on the dog or cat today.

Ask the Cairns Vet team about Flea control tailored to your pet.

Everyone's situation is different, so coming up with the right flea control for your pet relies on knowing their home, habitat and habits, as well as the need for tick and other parasite control.  The Cairns vet team are the experts in flea control and pet health.  Ask them today for the best way to prevent and treat fleas in your dogs and cats.

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Vet Clinic.

For more advice, come and see the Cairns Vet team at Pease St, Aeroglen or Gordonvale, or read Cairns Pet News