City & Guilds Qualification At PamPurredPets we actively encourage our staff to be knowledgeable in all aspects of pet keeping. We have our own in - house training programme which all staff follow during their first six months with us. After completing this programme many progress on to the City & Guilds in Pet Management, which is a nationally recognised qualification.

The Flea Fleas favour warm, humid conditions so summer is an ideal time for them. Don’t be surprised to see them in the winter too, as central heating also creates ideal conditions. You may notice your dog/cat scratching more than usual, this is usually caused by fleas biting and feeding on your pet. To check if your pet has fleas use a flea comb to brush the fur onto a wet piece of paper or cotton wool. If the specks falling onto the paper or cotton wool turn red/brown, your pet has fleas. You might also see a flea when you part the hair. The majority of fleas are cat fleas as they can live on any animal, whilst dog fleas can only live on dogs, rabbit fleas on rabbits and hedgehog fleas on hedgehogs. The best solution for treating a flea infestation is to follow the four stages set out below. Stage One: Remove Fleas From Your Pet There are several products available from our stores for removing fleas from your pet. These include Frontline®, insecticidal flea shampoos, flea powders, flea sprays, flea drops and flea tablets. Also available is a non aerosol pump flea spray for the more nervous pet. Stage Two: Prevent Fleas Hopping Back On A flea collar should be put on your dog/cat 7 days after an insecticide preparation has been used to eradicate the fleas from your pet. The flea collar will prevent fleas from returning. Stage Three: Treat Your House One flea will lay around 30 eggs in one day. 90% of these eggs will fall off your pet onto carpets, pet bedding and furniture, in fact anywhere your pet goes. The eggs will hatch into larvae within a few days and live in carpets, upholstery, dark cracks and crevices until, after 9 to 15 days, they turn into pupae. They can stay at the pupae stage for up to 18 months before they hatch out into adult fleas. Vibration caused by passing animals or humans stimulates hatching. It is vital to treat all the carpets, upholstery, pet bedding and anywhere else your pet may have been in your home, otherwise fleas will re-infest your pet. There are many effective sprays and powders available that are specifically designed to kill fleas around the home. Some are formulated with an Insect Growth Regulator to prevent the eggs and larvae stages from maturing into adult fleas, therefore breaking the flea’s life cycle. It is important that household flea products should not be used on animals as this may be harmful to them. Dog flea products may not be used on cats and rabbits, there are specific products designed for each animal. Frequent vacuuming and washing of pet bedding will also keep the number of fleas down in the environment.

Stage Four: Worming Fleas are an intermediate host of the tapeworm, which can infest your dog/cat, therefore worming your pet regularly will help prevent this. There are a number of different worming products available. Please see our ‘Guide to Worming’ leaflet or ask a member of staff for advice. Life Cycle Of The Fleas The whole cycle can last a month to two years. Natural Flea Control For puppies and kittens under six weeks old a flea comb can be used to comb the fleas out. If there is a severe infestation you will need to obtain treatment from your vet. For puppies and kittens over six weeks old and under 12 weeks you may use herbal flea products. These are in fact a flea repellent rather than a flea killer. The environment will still have to be treated however with an insecticidal flea product.