Why is it so hard to deflea your pet?

The flea life cycle is working against you

One of the main reasons fleas are so hard to get rid of is that they’re not just living on your pet — they’re living in your house.

Fleas have a life cycle that includes eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. The adult fleas are the ones you see hopping around or buried in your pet’s fur, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. For every adult flea you spot, there could be hundreds of eggs, larvae, and pupae hiding in your carpet, under the sofa, or in your pet’s bed.

They love warm, cosy environments — basically, your home is a five-star resort for them. And even if you kill the adults, the rest of the life stages can survive for weeks, waiting to hatch when the conditions are just right.

Treatments don’t work instantly (and some don’t work at all)

There’s a common misconception that you treat your pet once and the fleas vanish in a puff of smoke. Sadly, no. Most treatments take time to work, and not all kill every stage of the flea’s life cycle. Some only kill adult fleas. Others might disrupt development, but only if they’re applied consistently.

Also, if the product is technically working, it might not feel like it if new fleas are hatching all the time from your carpets. It creates this maddening cycle where your pet seems constantly reinfested. This means it’s crucial to treat your home as well as treating your pet for fleas.

Pets can reinfest each other (or themselves)

Got more than one pet? Then they’re probably passing fleas between them like school kids pass round a cold. If you only treat one and not the others, you’re essentially playing flea ping-pong.

Even if you’ve only got one pet, if your home environment is infested, your pet is just picking fleas back up again every time they lie down for a nap or trot over that favourite rug.

And don’t forget about wildlife — if your cat roams outdoors or your dog rolls in hedgerows, they could be bringing fresh fleas in every week.

We often stop treatment too early

This one’s totally understandable. You treat your pet, the itching stops, and you figure the problem is solved. But that’s exactly when the flea eggs in your home are starting to hatch.

If you stop treatment too soon — or don’t treat long enough to break the flea life cycle — it’s just a matter of time before the problem returns. Most vets recommend continuing flea prevention year-round, even in winter. Annoying, but it does work.

When to get help

If you feel like you’ve tried everything and the fleas are still winning, there’s people who can help. Your vet can check whether your pet might have a flea allergy, as cats can be allergic to fleas and most dogs suffer from flea allergy dermatitis. 

Also, make sure it is fleas. Excessive scratching could be caused by mites, allergies, or even stress — and if you’re treating the wrong thing, you won’t get anywhere.

Defleaing your pet shouldn’t feel like a losing battle, but unfortunately, it often does — especially if you’re missing a piece of the puzzle. Fleas are persistent little pests, and they rely on us giving up too soon.

The key? Be thorough, be consistent, and don’t just treat the pet — treat the home, the other pets, and the environment too. With a bit of patience and a lot of hoovering, you can win. You’ll just probably need a nice cuppa afterwards.