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The Dreaded Flea

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What Are Fleas?

We all love summer, but it brings with it the perils of fleas and ticks. Our dogs and cats make tasty meals for these little varmints, but there is hope in the control so that you dog and cat can be safe and healthy this summer.

Fleas are by far the most troublesome parasite for most pet owners. Not only does the pesky flea bite dogs and cats, but when starving they will also enjoy snacking on the people in the house. However, fleas are more than a nuisance. They carry diseases, cause debilitating anemia, and skin irritation. Plus, let's face it - they are just plain icky.

The key to great flea control is understanding the life cycle. The best control comes from strategically attacking multiple parts of the life cycle. Let's review:

• The flea cycle has 4 main stages: Egg, Larvae, Pupa, and the Adult.
• The flea egg is laid on the pet while the adult females are eating. An adult female flea can lay up to 40 eggs per day. The eggs fall off the pet into the environment (grass, floors, on the furniture...) where they hatch into larvae.
• The larvae eat the debris that the adult flea leaves behind (flea dirt aka feces). These larvae grow as they eat and when they reach the right size they pupate (make a cocoon and mature more). Larva don't like extreme heat, so they will be in higher numbers in the cool shade rather than the hot sunny grass. They love the indoor environment that we provide in the house.
• Once they become a pupa, the flea is extremely hard to kill. They are resistant to extremes of temperature and to chemicals. Fleas can stay in the pupa stage for days to many months waiting for the perfect time to come out as adults. Once the pupa detects a host (your pet or you), they hatch into an adult flea.
• Adult fleas are generally tied to the pet once they start to feed. Once they bite (they eat blood) they will not leave the pet as they will starve easily. Once they start eating they will the females begin to lay eggs and the life cycle starts all over again. The average flea will live 4 to 6 weeks on an untreated animal.

So, where do we start to kill and prevent the flea infestation. Eggs are not sticky so vaccuming is a great start. Better however is to prevent the egg from becoming an adult in the first place. Insect growth inhibitors can really impact the population of fleas. Luefenuron in Sentinel (heartworm preventative) or alone as Program will prevent the flea from emerging from the pupa. If they don#39;t get out of the cocoon, they cannot become adults. This is a great way of cutting the population down in the yard and in the house. Methoprene found in topical flea preventatives also prevents hatch. We also need to kill the adult fleas. There are many products available to you for this task. The most important thing is to consider your pets health when choosing a product. Not all products are the same. They can contain different chemicals and have a broad range of effectiveness. Just because a product is safe for dogs, doesn#39;t mean it is safe for cats. Care should be taken when reading the label and applying the flea preventative correctly. We recommend calling your veterinarian to get advice on the best product for your pet.

Fleas are a danger to pets and their families. The can carry diseases such as bartonellosis (cat scratch fever) and the bacteria responsible for the plague. They carry tapeworms and can cause flea bite allergies in some pets. Flea bite allergies are painful and itchy and can lead to damage to the skin and a poor fur coat. Fleas can drink enough blood to make pets anemic. This can even be fatal in the very young and debilitated or very old animals. If your pet has fleas, be sure to start treatment right away. The longer the fleas are on your pet, the more flea eggs that are laid. Please call for assistance if you have questions or concerns regarding fleas and their control. We will be happy to help you.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at 309-685-4707 if you have any questions or concerns.

References:

• Tilly, Larry.P.DVM, Smith, Francis Jr.DVM, The 5 Minute Veterinary Consult Canine and Feline,Williams & Wilkins, 1997

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