The heatwave may be over, but fleas and ticks haven’t gone away
It’s been quite the summer. Crispy brown lawns, a nationwide hosepipe ban, and even the most enthusiastic dogs swapping long walks for a cooler, shorter early-morning stroll. If you’re breathing a sigh of relief now the heat’s easing off, we get it. But before you tick fleas and ticks off your worry list along with the sun cream…don’t! They have not gone anywhere!
July 2026 was Ireland’s second hottest July on record, as well as the driest July recorded since 19001, but what does this mean for fleas and ticks?
Could the heatwave mean more fleas?
Fleas love warm conditions, and heat can help speed up their life cycle, which is one reason flea problems tend to spike in the summer and early autumn. In the right conditions, the flea life cycle can be completed in as little as 12 to 14 days.2
But fleas also need moisture, so drought changes the picture a little. Flea larvae can dry out easily and need humidity to survive, so a sun-baked lawn is not necessarily a perfect flea breeding ground.
Unfortunately, fleas are rather good at finding the places that stay cool and damp, under garden furniture, beside sheds or in overgrown corners. These may also be exactly the places your pet chooses to escape the heat. And of course, fleas may be developing indoors too, in pet bedding, carpets, rugs and soft furnishings.
Are ticks still a risk after a dry summer?
The sheep tick (also called the castor bean tick, Ixodes ricinus) is the most common tick found on dogs in Ireland.3 It needs a humid environment to stop it drying out, so is more likely to be found in damp, sheltered habitats with longer grass, leaf litter, scrub, bracken or woodland edges. Very hot and dry weather can reduce tick activity in exposed areas, as ticks are at risk of dehydration.4 Prolonged drought may also reduce tick populations over time, as ticks spend less time actively seeking a host and early life stages may be less likely to survive.4
So, while the dry weather may have made life a little harder for ticks, it certainly has not made them disappear. Ticks are found in both urban and rural settings across the country. So, if your dog has been through long grass, off the beaten track on a woodland walk, or exploring the edge of a field, it is still worth checking them over when you get home. Outdoor cats can pick up ticks too, especially if they wander through these tick-friendly habitats.
The late-summer parasite check
With autumn around the corner, it’s easy to think that fleas and ticks are no longer a risk. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, especially if we have a mild autumn. September is often when routines start changing again, so can be a good time to do a quick check of your pet’s flea, tick and worm routine.
Run your hands through your pet’s coat and keep an eye out for:
Top tip: Not sure if those little black specks are flea dirt or just debris? Pop a few onto damp white kitchen roll. If it turns reddish-brown, that’s flea dirt, basically digested blood (eugh!).
Ticks can be surprisingly easy to miss, especially on fluffier dogs, so check carefully around the ears, neck, under the collar, armpits, groin and between the toes. If you find one, remove it as soon as you can with a proper tick-removal tool. Try not to squeeze its body or cover it in substances to make it detach, as this can actually make things worse. If you are unsure, ask your vet for help.
Found fleas? Treat the house, not just your pet
Finding fleas on your pet is never a fun discovery, but it doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong. Pets can easily pick them up from places where other animals have been. The important thing is not to stop at the fleas you can see hopping about on your pet.
Adult fleas live on your pet, but eggs, larvae and pupae are very happily living in your home, in carpet, bedding, even your sofa. This means treating your pet alone might not solve the problem straightaway if there are still immature flea stages waiting to emerge.
If you think your pet has fleas:
Flea control often takes a bit of patience. New adult fleas can emerge months later from pupae sitting safely in their protective cocoons.
An end-of-summer reminder
Parasites don’t check the calendar, and a change in weather is a good reminder to make sure your pet’s protection is still up to date.
The good news is that keeping on top of flea and tick protection doesn’t have to be complicated. FleawayPlus is an easy-to-apply spot-on treatment for dogs and cats that provides protection against fleas and ticks* for up to four weeks after application. It also helps stop the development of flea eggs, larvae and pupae in the home. Always read the label and product information carefully to make sure it is the right fit for your pet.
*Four-week tick protection is for dog range only.
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