The Summer Flea Problem Pet-Owning Families Need to Know About

Try your first month of Itch Flea Treatment for free when you start a subscription*

Just a handful of fleas can become a much bigger problem surprisingly quickly. Here’s what pet owners need to know about treating fleas on their pet and around the family home.

If you have a dog or cat, summer probably means more time outside. Longer walks, afternoons in the garden, doors left open while the kids run in and out and, inevitably, a little more of the outdoors being brought back inside with everyone.

Unfortunately, there’s one tiny visitor you really don’t want coming home with you: fleas.

Flea numbers increase during the warmer months, when conditions are particularly good for breeding, with the problem generally peaking between early August and late September.

And while finding a flea on your dog or cat might initially seem like a relatively small problem, it’s what can happen next that pet owners really need to know about.

How quickly can a few fleas become an infestation?

Very quickly.

According to Itch, just five fleas on an untreated pet can potentially lead to more than one million eggs infesting a home in as little as four weeks. Yes, you read that correctly.

One million.

That’s because fleas are incredibly efficient at reproducing. Just 24 hours after mating, a female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. Warm, humid conditions can speed up the flea life cycle too, which is why summer can be particularly problematic.

But perhaps the most surprising thing is that the flea problem isn’t necessarily where you’d expect it to be.

Most of the flea problem isn’t actually on your pet

When we think about treating fleas, it’s natural to focus on the dog or cat.

But flea eggs don’t politely stay attached to your pet. They can fall into carpets, sofas, pet bedding and other areas around your home. Eggs then hatch into larvae before developing inside protective cocoons as pupae. Eventually, adult fleas emerge ready to find a host and begin the cycle again.

In warm and humid conditions, this entire process can happen in just a few weeks.

It’s why dealing with fleas isn’t simply about getting rid of the ones you can see.

According to Itch, around 95% of the flea population can be found in the home environment rather than on your pet, so breaking the flea life cycle means tackling both.

So, what should you do if your pet has fleas?

If you’ve spotted fleas, there are two areas to think about: your pet and your home.

1. Treat your pet

The first step is using an appropriate flea treatment for your cat or dog and following the application instructions carefully.

Itch Flea Treatment for cats and dogs is designed to kill adult fleas while also helping prevent flea eggs and larvae from developing, helping to interrupt the flea life cycle.

A treatment provides 30 days of protection against new fleas and also kills ticks.

Itch tailors the treatment dose according to your pet’s breed and size. You answer a few questions about your cat or dog and Itch recommends the appropriate treatment for them.

It’s vet approved and doesn’t require a prescription.

Most importantly, always read and follow the instructions supplied with any flea treatment carefully. Using the correct product and applying it properly matters.

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2. Treat your home too

Treating your pet alone may not solve an existing infestation because so much of the flea life cycle can be happening around your home. Fleas can lay eggs on your pet which then fall into carpets, sofas and bedding, while fleas themselves can also move into the surrounding environment.

A household flea treatment such as Itch Flea Home Spray is designed to kill fleas, eggs and larvae around the home, helping to prevent the next generation from developing and continuing the cycle.

There are some good old-fashioned cleaning jobs worth doing at the same time too.

Vacuum your home thoroughly, paying particular attention to carpets, upholstery and the places your pet spends the most time.

Pet bedding should also be washed on a hot wash of 60°C or above, where the fabric allows.

It might mean a slightly more enthusiastic cleaning session than you’d planned, but tackling both your pet and their environment is important when dealing with an infestation.

How can you stop fleas coming back?

This is the part that’s much easier than discovering an infestation underneath the sofa.

Rather than waiting until you spot a flea, regular preventative treatment can help protect cats and dogs from fleas in the first place.

For topical flea treatments that provide a month of protection, that means remembering to reapply them every month.

Which sounds straightforward.

Until you add it to school forms, dentist appointments, PE days, food shopping, vaccinations, birthday parties and the other 4,000 things currently occupying your brain.

And that’s where we think Itch’s subscription model is particularly useful for busy families.

The flea treatment that arrives when it’s time to use it.

Itch offers a monthly flea-treatment subscription, with your pet’s treatment arriving when it’s due. You simply answer a few questions about your cat or dog, including their breed and size, and Itch recommends the appropriate dose.

Future subscription deliveries are then sent to your door, taking one more recurring job off the family to-do list.

You remain in control of the subscription too, with the option to pause, move or cancel when needed.

More than 100,000 pets use Itch each month, and its flea treatment is vet approved, scientifically proven to kill and prevent fleas, also kills ticks and doesn’t require a prescription.

Carol Recommends: is Itch worth considering?

Fleas aren’t exactly the most glamorous part of pet ownership, but they’re one of those things that are considerably easier to deal with before a small problem becomes a household one.

What we particularly like about Itch is the combination of appropriate treatment for your individual pet and the convenience of having it delivered monthly.

Because remembering to treat the dog or cat every four weeks sounds simple until real family life gets involved.

The subscription removes that particular piece of mental admin, while the combination of pet treatment, home treatment and practical cleaning helps families tackle the flea life cycle rather than focusing only on the fleas they can see.

And during peak flea season, that’s something every pet-owning household should probably have on their radar.

Try your pet’s first month of Itch Flea Treatment free*

Itch is currently offering the first month of flea treatment free for up to three pets when you start a subscription.

Your treatment is tailored to your cat or dog’s breed and size and delivered to your door, with future deliveries free, so the next treatment arrives when you need it.

One less thing to remember. And hopefully, considerably fewer unwanted house guests.

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*£3.49 P&P applies to the first order for each pet ordering Itch Flea. Delivery is free with all future orders. Free treatment is available for up to three pets. Subscription orders only. You can move, pause or cancel at any time via your account area or the Itch customer service team. Customers should carefully read application instructions before use to ensure treatments are used correctly and effectively. Full terms and conditions and details of product accreditations and licences are available from Itch.