Flea Treatment for Rabbits

Once a product is applied, this can work within 24 hours. We recommend using a prescription-only flea treatment, dispensed by your veterinary surgeon. Prescription-only rabbit flea treatments can tackle the whole flea cycle, which includes eggs, larvae and adult fleas. Most over-the-counter products from pet shops or supermarkets only treat adult fleas and not larvae or eggs and use older, less effective ingredients.
If your rabbit already has fleas and you're not using flea treatment as a preventative, you will need to treat your house with a spray. A single flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day; this means that your house will have dormant larvae or eggs ready to hatch and emerge. Treating your rabbit with a product and treating your house is the most effective method for keeping your rabbit and other pets safe from fleas. Once a pet is treated, prevention is always better than trying to eliminate the infestation.
We understand that treating an infestation as well as using a flea prevention treatment can be costly; this is why our health plans are popular – they break down these costs into affordable monthly amounts. The plan also covers various preventative treatments, including vaccinations, worming treatments, anal gland expressions and discounts on neutering and much more; if you have not already signed up - click here to find out more.

This depends on which product is prescribed by your vet; usually, a bespoke plan is made that will best suit you and your rabbit. Most products are applied every four weeks; this is usually in liquid form and is placed onto the skin at the back of the neck or in tablet form. However, there are other product types; we would advise speaking to your vet to create a bespoke plan to suit you and your rabbits lifestyle.

No - fleas do not prefer a specific breed of rabbit; however, there are various species of fleas that have a target host, such as the dog flea and the cat flea; this does not stop a flea from biting any animal it encounters whether that is a dog or a human.

• scratching or itching
• nibbling or biting the skin from the irritation caused by a flea bite
• black or brown specks in the coat (often mistaken for soil)
• live fleas running through the coat – but often only seen in heavily infested animals, fleas can hide very well.
• having bites emerge on your own skin
• anaemia - fleas suck blook and if present  in large numbers can make your rabbit lethargic 

You can use a flea comb to detect any flea dirt or adult fleas in your rabbit's coat. You can also check if the black or brown speck in the coat is flea dirt by moistening these on paper, if they go red, this is flea dirt. We would be happy to help if you are concerned that your pet has fleas, contact us today.

There are many products available as well as new products emerging each year. We are here to help with selecting the best-suited protection for you and your pet. We have the most up-to-date advice and treatments available. We only dispense prescription flea treatments. These are safer and more effective than over-the-counter treatments and are often combined to tackle other parasites in one medication.
Under UK law, only veterinary surgeons can prescribe prescription medications (POM-V) and a vet is required to health assess a pet before prescribing them. For flea and worm treatments, vets usually require a health check every 12 months, which can fall under your pet's annual booster health check. Please note other classes of medications vary with the frequency of health checks required.

• Spot on's – these treatments are usually given every four weeks. They need to be applied to the skin by parting the fur on the back of the neck. They can treat fleas, eggs and the flea cycle, but most treatments we recommend combine wormer, flea, and tick treatments.

• Flea tablets – these are tablet forms and are usually given every four weeks.

• Flea/tick collars – these usually last for eight months and can protect against fleas and ticks. 

We can also demonstrate the application of a spot-on treatment or how to give a tablet during a consultation. You can ask us during your consultation or contact us today to book a nurse appointment.

When treating an infestation of fleas, the house will need to be treated in addition to your rabbit receiving medication. A household spray will be recommended; depending on which household product you are using; the following may differ slightly. Read all instructions and warnings on the can carefully before use. 

Please note – these are household treatments and should NEVER be sprayed directly onto a pet.

Treating the house for fleas usually involves vacuuming the home fully, including outdoor buildings where your rabbit has been. The vibrations and warmth from a vacuum can also encourage fleas to emerge from hidden areas deep beneath the surface. It is best also to move furniture to ensure you cover the whole floor. Following vacuuming, all pets (including rodents, birds, fish, reptiles and insects) and people should be removed from the house or treated rooms. Next, the spray is used throughout the house, covering all surfaces on the floor, soft furnishings, and pet bedding. Spraying a patch test on fabrics is a good idea to carry out before spraying on delicate furnishings. Following this, windows and doors are left open and the house is left for around an hour, longer if possible. The final stage is to vacuum the house again, discard or clean the hoover collection bag/chamber thoroughly and carry out a thorough vacuum the following day, then twice a week for two weeks