Dorset pet owners are urged to be alert for fleas as temperatures soar this week.

With sweltering temperatures of up to 30c forecast, Pets at Home is warning that the hot and humid weather can cause fleas to multiply.

The store is urging pet owners to regularly check their pets and homes for fleas as the warm weather conditions create the perfect breeding ground for the parasites to thrive.

Dr Karlien Heyrman, head of pets for Pets at Home, said: "If left untreated, long term flea infestations can cause real suffering for pets - including dogs, cats and small furries. Repeated bites can be uncomfortable and itchy for an animal, sometimes resulting in hair loss or a secondary skin infection. Fleas may also bite humans in the most serious of cases - seeking regular preventative treatment is a sensible precaution for all pet owners."

The warmer the weather, the faster the flea eggs develop into adults, Pets at Home has warned. In cool 13c temperatures this will take 140 days, but when temperatures hit 32c, flea eggs become reproducing adults in just 22 days – five times faster.

The population of fleas has grown rapidly in recent years due to warm but damp UK summers creating the perfect breeding ground for fleas. This weather, combined with better quality central heating and insulation around the home, means the risk of an infestation is bigger than ever.

Fleas don’t just live on the pets themselves but also on bedding and other soft furnishings around the home.

Pet owners are urged to:

  • Regularly treat all pets in the household with a preventative flea treatment throughout the year
  • Check their pet’s coat for fleas or flea droppings – brown or black spots
  • Treat homes, work places and cars with a household flea spray
  • Wash pet bedding regularly at 60 degrees
  • Clean furniture to help destroy fleas at each stage of their life cycle
  • Vigorously vacuum carpets, floorboards and skirting boards
  • Throw away the vacuum cleaner dustbag or empty the canister after each clean