Flea infestations bring misery to both pets and their owners. These tiny, biting insects feed on the blood of your pets, transmitting diseases and even parasitic tapeworms if your pet swallows an infected flea. Before you experience the suffering caused by a flea infestation, visit our animal hospital for everything you will need to prevent these unwelcome pests.

Flea prevention and treatment starts with pet grooming at our animal hospital and veterinary clinic. Our groomers recognize flea problems, bathing your pet to rid them of adult fleas. This is the first step in an effective prevention and treatment program.

Knowing the lifecycle of fleas helps pet owners implement effective strategies to prevent an infestation. Adult fleas are the biters, the ones you will find residing on your pet. They lay eggs that fall into your pets bedding, the carpeting or into cracks in wood flooring. The eggs hatch into tiny worm-like larva, which eventually enter a pupae stage before turning into jumping, biting adults. An adult flea can live for a year, laying thousands of eggs. Once a flea population is established, it can be difficult to eradicate

When treating your pet for fleas, maintain a careful routine of washing all pet bedding and vacuuming well to remove all four stages of fleas from your home. Be sure to dispose of the sweeper bag each time you vacuum so fleas do not escape back into your house. This helps break the flea cycle in your home while flea medications kill the insects on your pets. Our veterinarian will examine your pet and prescribe the most effective treatment.

Remember, the best way to manage fleas is to prevent them. Start flea treatments early in the year, well before the height of flea and tick season. Spot-on flea treatments are applied between your pets’ shoulder blades, killing all stages of fleas for up to a month. These treatments are simple to use, safe and highly effective. Our veterinary clinic carries long-lasting flea collars for your outdoor pets as well as products to rid your home of fleas and tics. Visit our veterinarian in Brewster for all your pets’ needs. We offer pet grooming services and flea products in addition to our comprehensive veterinarian services.