We have been warned!

Fleas could be on the rampage this summer, at least that is the prediction for the UK by a veterinary charity the PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals). Their experts say that every pet-owning household in the country could have around 20,000 flea eggs at any one time, and the flea population can increase up to one hundred times within the space of six months as they reproduce.

An even worse thought is that the PDSA's vets reckon that at the height of the summer attack, Britain's canine population, around 14 million, can lose as much as 2,200 gallons of blood every day to these bloodthirsty mites! Whatever the statistics are in the UK, the problem of fleas is one that affects pet owners everywhere, and these figures just reinforce the need for us to take comprehensive steps to rid homes and pets of these pests.

According to the PDSA senior veterimary surgeon, Elaine Pendlebury, "Flea eggs fall off your pet wherever it goes in particular where they sleep." (Not a nice thought if your pet likes to curl up in your bed at night!)

Pendlebury adds that "it is vitally important to use the correct flea treatments and dosage for pets. 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 procefure 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"

You might think that fleas only cause discomfort and repeated scratching to your pet, but in fact 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.

Reading this made me scratch instantly! But needless to say the sensible thing to do is to visit your vet for up to date advice and information, your pet will be most grateful!

It is in fact National Flea Week in the UK 19th-25th May 2008, so if you want more information on fleas see www.nationalfeaweek.co.uk