Managing Fleas and Ticks

Pharmacy Pet Healthcare

Training Programme

A fresh approach to Pet Medicines

Managing fleas and ticks

In this interactive module: • How to have confident conversations with customers about fleas and ticks.

• How to discuss the management of fleas and ticks in cats and dogs.

• Understand how FRONTLINE Spot On works and how it should be used.

• Learn to give additional advice on managing and preventing flea infestations.

Pharmacy Pet Healthcare Training Programme Welcome to this training module on fleas and ticks, brought to you by the makers of FRONTLINE Spot On. An estimated 500,000 visits are made to pharmacies by pet owners every day1: that’s a lot of opportunities for conversations about pet health.

Win a trip to Rome!

See back page for details

This module will enable you to have confident conversations on fleas and ticks with your customers. It covers giving expert advice on management, protection and recommending the right treatments to your customers.

If you enjoy this module, there is a second one available which has an assessment and prize draw – you could be off to Rome! (See back page for details and how to register.)

The facts about fleas and ticks

Did you kn o w

There are 8.6 million cats and 8.3 2 million dogs in the UK . More than in 10 dogs3 1 nearly and 1 in 5 cats have fleas at any time – that’s a lot of fleas.

Fleas are much more than just a minor irritation to our pets.

They can cause: • intense itching (pruritus) and scratching, which can result in hair loss and self-trauma • Flea Allergy Dermatitis* – a very common and unpleasant skin condition caused by an allergy to flea saliva • transmission of certain diseases such as Cat Scratch Disease and tapeworm • anaemia in puppies and kittens.

Fleas and ticks are external parasites – or ectoparasites – which means they live on the outside of the animal, biting into the skin to feed on blood.

Activity Find out how many of your customers have pets by doing a quick survey. If they do, ask them a few questions: what animals do you have? how often do you check for fleas and ticks? where do you buy your pet medicines?

Record your answers over a week. This will help you to identify how many of your customers could be interested in receiving pet health advice and products from your pharmacy.

www.pharmacypethealth.co.uk

How pets get fleas.

• Pets pick up fleas from infested environments, not directly from other animals.

• The adult fleas seen on a pet are only a small part of the problem.

The flea eggs, larvae and pupae present in the environment represent a much larger biomass.

• Treatment of all pets in the home throughout the year is vital to prevent fleas that jump on the pets from laying eggs that would then be spread, resulting in a home infestation.

Fleas and ticks cause problems for cats and dogs, but can also affect human health.

• Flea bites cause pruritus and irritation.

• Cat Scratch Disease causes flu-like symptoms in humans.

• Transmission of tapeworms to humans, as fleas are carriers.

• Ticks can carry Lyme Disease.

• Ticks are second only to mosquitoes in transmitting infectious diseases to humans and animals.

*Please note: only the attending vet may diagnose disease conditions in pets.

Fleas breed at a terrific rate so a pet is unlikely to have just one flea! Ticks are quite small when they first attach, but as they feed, their body enlarges by up to 100 times, so they may become visible, or felt as a small lump on the skin. The presence of a tick on an animal can be uncomfortable and can cause local skin reactions. If a tick is not removed properly it can lead to an abscess forming.

Training helpline: 01284 718924

Starting a pet health conversation Most people love to talk about their pets, so do ask about them.

It obviously helps if you know they have a pet – is their dog sitting outside or is there pet food in their shopping? Other ways to start a conversation about pets include: • a poster or sticker promoting your pet health services • a well-merchandised, visible pet health fixture • leaflets for customers to pick up – a clear signal that they are interested.

Some people may be a bit squeamish about fleas, so reassure them that this is nothing to do with their own hygiene.

Cats and dogs pick up fleas regularly and because fleas reproduce so rapidly, it can quickly become a problem in the home as centrally heated, insulated and carpeted houses are an ideal environment for fleas to survive. So routine treatment is important.

FRONTLINE Spot On is easy to use and if used regularly, will prevent home infestations arising.

Remember that 50% of owners will not be aware that their pet has fleas4. By the time they see the signs of fleas, there is probably an infestation in their home, so prevention is better than cure.

A champion way to boost your sales.

Did you kn o w

To view online versions of both modules in this series, plus to enter the prize draw, visit www.pharmacypethealth.co.uk

Our Pet Champions challenge is a fun way of engaging with pet owners, and could help increase awareness and your sales of FRONTLINE Spot On. Your customers could win one of eight £200 prizes, or our overall prize of £500, simply by uploading a photo or video of their performing pet at www.hugyourpet.co.uk in any of our four categories – water sports, agility, ball skills and mind games.

For more details, visit www.hugyourpet.co.uk

FRONTLINE Spot On contains fipronil, which kills fleas and ticks quickly and effectively on contact with the pet’s skin or fur, providing fast and long lasting protection.

FAST ACTING: kills fleas within 24 hours and ticks within 48 hours.

LONG LASTING PROTECTION: kills fleas for up to 5 weeks in cats and up to 2 months in dogs* and kills ticks for up to a month in cats and dogs.

WATER RESISTANT: so the pet can swim or be bathed as usual from 48 hours after application.

FRONTLINE Spot On can be used on puppies and kittens from 8 weeks old, as long as they weigh more than 2kg (puppies) and 1kg (kittens); and on pregnant and lactating cats and dogs. *In cases of severe flea infestations, or animals diagnosed with Flea Allergy Dermatitis by a veterinary surgeon, apply monthly. During warmer periods, larger numbers of flea pupae will be hatching and lead to a higher environmental burden requiring monthly protection.

www.pharmacypethealth.co.uk

Training helpline: 01284 718924

How to apply Frontline Spot On

Treatment schedule

When selling FRONTLINE Spot On, it’s helpful to explain how to use the applicator and how often to apply it; the customer may also need some help selecting the correct pack of product, which is based on the weight of their pet.

Step 1

Hold the pipette upright and tap the neck to ensure the contents are in the main body of the pipette.

Then break back the snap-off top along the scored line.

Step 2

Part the pet’s coat between the shoulder blades until you can see their skin.

Step 3

Place the tip of the pipette on the skin and squeeze gently to empty the contents onto the skin.

PROTECTION AGAINST:

Fleas* and ticks

Fleas*

APPLY TO CATS:

Every month

Every 5 weeks

APPLY TO DOGS:

Every month

Every 2 months

*In cases of severe flea infestations, or animals diagnosed with Flea Allergy Dermatitis by a veterinary surgeon, apply monthly. During warmer periods, larger numbers of flea pupae will be hatching and lead to a higher environmental burden requiring monthly protection.

Did you kn o w

Ticks, a member of the spider family, have been around for over 65million years. They can be picked up in rural areas, parks and in the garden.

Activity

Further Advice: As with any medicine, giving additional advice helps your customer to get the best from the product. Regular, routine treatment with FRONTLINE Spot On will prevent flea infestations, but if an active infestation is already present, additional advice is essential. This can include: • explaining that FRONTLINE Spot On is not a repellent and does not stop fleas or ticks from getting on their pet, but kills them before they have a chance to lay eggs and infest the home or transmit disease • in addition to treating their pets, using an environmental spray containing an insect growth regulator to prevent development of eggs and larvae in the home • washing the pet’s bedding above 60°C and vacuum carpets and soft furnishings to reduce the number of eggs, larvae and pupae • allowing pets treated with FRONTLINE Spot On access to the infested areas to ensure that newly hatched fleas are killed on contact

Win a trip to Rome!

Don’t miss the 2nd module in this series and your chance to enter the draw to win: One of three trips to Rome for two people. Plus: Five prizes of a year’s free supply of Frontline Spot On for up to two pets. To request the second module and prize draw assessment cards call 01284 718924 or visit www.pharmacypethealth.co.uk.

See website for terms and conditions

• ensuring that pets are treated routinely to give continual protection from newly hatched fleas.

FRONTLINE® Spot On contains fipronil NFA-VPS . ®Registered Trademark. For further information contact Merial Animal Health Ltd, CM19 5TG, UK. ©Merial Ltd 2012. All rights reserved.

1. NPA Resource pack. 2. Source Mintel, March 2011. 3 & 4. A survey of flea infestation in dogs and cats in the UK during 2005. Bond et al, Vet Rec (2007) 160, 503-506.

MEC1370