Flea Facts

             Would you believe feas are present all over the world.  More than 2000 varieties!  In the USA there are over 200 different types of fleas. Fleas are capable of jumping from 14 to 16 inches and will bite humans as well as your pet.  Females will begin to lay eggs after just 48 hours of their first blood meal.  The most common in this vast array are the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) and the dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). The most common parasite on your dog will actually be a CAT flea.   Dog fleas are commonly found in Europe,  while cat fleas are very common to the U.S. Cat fleas are not picky about who they feed on.  Cat fleas can, in rare cases, carry disease.  Also, if ingested can cause tape worm.   The cat flea has been found to carry the plague and murine typhus to humans. They can be brought into your home almost undetected to the untrained eye.  They can attach to your clothing or to your pet.  They are found in yards, kennels, forests, parks, or an other areas common to warm blooded animals.  Why?  Because this is where they can find their hosts so they can reproduce.  Did you know the female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day?  That means in approximately 9 months a female can cause up to a trillion decendents!!  And due to the 4 stage life cycle they are extremely impervious to extermination tactics.  So what can you do?  How do you stop it? 

How can I tell if I have fleas?

             The first thing you need to do is look for flea feces.  This will be small grains of what appears to be dirt.  If you take this ‘dirt’ and rub it between your fingers with a small amount of water and it turns red you’ve found your proof.  This is because flea feces contains dried blood. The most common place to find it is on “Spot’s” belly, his favorite bed or any area that your pet frequents.   This feces drops off and accumulates in recesses.  Look closely and you will find it hiding in the soft underfur of his coat or the deep dark recesses of his pet bed.  This is where the flea favors to lay its eggs because this is a warm fertile area. 

Topical Treatments  This is the favorite.  Available from your veterinarian or at your local pet store. A few carefully placed drops between the shoulder blades (to keep your pet from ingesting it) will protect “Fido” for quite a while.  Common medications include Frontline(R) and Advantage(R) brands.  Carefully read package instructions for your dogs size and weight.  Check package ingredients for effective chemicals listed below.

Flea Collars: The old stand-by method.  Available almost everywhere. Moderately effective at keeping fleas off your pet and providing an unhealthy, un-welcoming environment in your pets fur.  Be careful as many have harsh and potentially dangerous chemicals, and their placement around the neck can lead to serious compromise of the nervous system if improperly used or mixed with other toxic agents. Read package instructions for size and weight of your dog.