Pet owners should continue to administer flea treatments throughout the winter, according to a vet.
Dr Christi Hawkins of the Banfield Pet Hospital in Magnolia revealed that many consumers wrongly believe that fleas die during spells of severe cold weather and therefore stop issuing preventative treatments.
However, this is not the case as parasites will often survive through the winter months as they lie in a dormant stage before continuing to attack pets once again.
She told the Houston Chronicle: "Despite the cold temperatures, all the parasites still persist. We have to have multiple freezes in a row to knock those populations down."
Cat and dog owners will be able to choose from a variety of flea treatments from online pet retailers, including brand names such as Frontline.
In addition to fleas, worms are also likely to survive the winter and so Dr Hawkins advised consumers to maintain their pet's worming programme during the cold snap.
