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More about Fleas:

Flea Facts

Fleas are external parasites which can be found attached to the skin of their hosts. Adult fleas measure approximately 1/8-inch in length. Their bodies are shiny and reddish-brown in color. They are covered with microscopic hair and are compressed to allow for easy movement through animal fur. Fleas do not have wings, although they are capable of jumping long distances.  They have three sets of elongated legs.

The cat flea is the most common flea in North America, although the dog, human, and sticktight fleas are also quite common. Fleas commonly attach themselves to dogs, cats, humans, chickens, rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice and other domesticated or wild animals.

The female flea lays her eggs on the surface hair of the host. Eggs then drop from the host and can infest carpets, bedding and furniture, hatching into larvae within 14 days. Flea larvae avoid light and feed on organic matter found within cracks and crevices. Usually within 18 days, larvae enter the pupal stage by constructing small, cocoon-like structures around themselves. Approximately two weeks later, adult fleas emerge and begin to search for food sources. Fleas establish large populations where pets and other animals, such as livestock, are present.  Multiple treatment methods are often employed to eradicate a flea population.

Pets suffering from flea bites scratch themselves incessantly. Fleas also feed on humans and some people exhibit flea allergies. Fleas may also carry human diseases such as typhus and tularemia.

What Do Fleas Look Like?

Adult fleas are approximately 1/8-inch long and are dark in color, ranging from brown to reddish-brown. Fleas are wingless, although they are capable of jumping large distances from host to host as a result of their six long legs. Individual fleas are difficult to kill by hand and typically require chemical treatment.

The bodies of fleas are thin and flat, allowing for easy movement through an animal's fur. Their bodies are also covered in hair that serves to root them to the host. Adults have mouthparts which are used to extract the host's blood.

Fleas are commonly visible moving in infested pet's fur. Their presence is marked by reddened skin. If fleas are located on your pet, contact your veterinarian to discuss possible avenues of treatment. Pest control professionals should be contacted to exterminate indoor infestations.

Fleas Life Cycle

The life cycle of the flea is composed of the egg, larval, pupal and adult stages. Cycle length ranges from several weeks to several months and is largely dependent upon environmental conditions.

Fleas lay between four and forty eggs a day, with the highest concentrations of laying occurring within the last few days of the female's life. Unlike the eggs of most parasites, flea eggs are not sticky and usually fall to the ground immediately upon being laid. Flea eggs hatch into larvae within one to 12 days.  Flea larvae are approximately 1/4-inch long and are semi-transparent white in color. The larval stage lasts from four to 18 days, after which larvae spin silken cocoons and enter the pupal stage. The pupal stage may be complete within three days, or it can last as long as one year.

Adult fleas begin searching for food when they emerge from the pupal stage. While fleas are noted for their jumping abilities, they will remain stationery when a suitable host is located. Females begin laying eggs within 48 hours of the first feed, thus beginning the life cycle again.

Cold environments cause eggs to perish before hatching. Humidity below 50 per cent will kill larvae. Fleas in the pupal stage will become adults more rapidly in the presence of warmth and high humidity.

Signs of a Flea Infestation

Adult fleas are approximately 1/8-inch long and are dark in color, ranging from brown to reddish-brown. Fleas are wingless, although they are capable of jumping large distances from host to host as a result of their six long legs. Individual fleas are difficult to kill by hand and typically require chemical treatment.

The bodies of fleas are thin and flat, allowing for easy movement through an animal's fur. Their bodies are also covered in hair that serves to root them to the host. Adults have mouthparts which are used to extract the host's blood.

Fleas are commonly visible moving in infested pet's fur. Their presence is marked by reddened skin. If fleas are located on your pet, contact your veterinarian to discuss possible avenues of treatment. Pest control professionals should be contacted to exterminate indoor infestations.

Flea Control

Flea infestations require multi-faceted treatment plans. Addressing a pet's infestation or individual flea bites will not prove effective for ridding your home of fleas. Effective flea control should encompass both chemical and natural methods and should be conducted on your pet as well as inside and outside of your home. Of course the primary plan of action should be to examine your pet daily. Catching fleas early will hamper their effect on your pets and in your house.

Fleas are not the only pests that can cause discomfort to your pet.  Contacting your veterinarian and pest control professional will help you determine if the problem impacting your pet is fleas. 

Contact your veterinarian to discuss safe and effective methods of soothing your pet's discomfort. Next contact your pest professional.  They will encourage you before they arrive to ensure that your home is clean: vacuum thoroughly, sweep and mop hard-surfaced floors, wash all bedding and linens and clear the floor of debris.

After taking these steps, your pest control professional will administer proper treatment to infested locations within and outside of your home. Your pest control professional may ask you to complete other tasks around your home in preparation for treatment. They can also help advise you on ways to prevent future flea incursions and the best shampoos once fleas are on your pets.

Flea Bombs

Flea bombs treat indoor flea infestations through indirect application of chemicals. Designed to be left alone to release pesticides, a flea bomb can be one step in a series of treatment methods.

Steps must be taken within the home before a flea bomb is used. First, be sure to read and follow the flea bomb's directions thoroughly. Ensure that your home is unoccupied, as the active ingredients of most flea bombs are toxic. Should you have an aquarium which is not movable, cover it securely and unplug the pump before using a flea bomb. Flea bombs are also highly flammable and all heat and fire sources should be turned off. Food, tabletops and food preparation surfaces should be covered.

Flea bomb gas takes approximately eight hours to dissipate, during which time the home should remain empty. Following treatment, residue may be present on floors and other surfaces and should be cleaned for yours and your pet's safety.

While flea bombs address most indoor flea infestations, their chemicals may not reach hidden or sheltered areas, such as the spaces beneath furniture or the interiors of closets and cabinets. Flea bombs also do not address outdoor infestation or animal infestation. For this reason, if a flea bomb is selected it should be used in conjunction with several other treatment methods. Contact your local pest control professional for further extermination options.

Cat Fleas

Of the approximately 2,000 recorded flea species, the most commonly found is the Ctenocephalides felis, or cat flea. These fleas are attracted to homes with domestic pets. Cat fleas infest a variety of animals and are not only found on cats.

Cat fleas develop through the egg, larval and pupal stages before emerging as adults. This process can be complete in 30 days, although environmental conditions may cause the development cycle of the cat flea to stretch over one year. Females can produce one egg an hour. Eggs are oval-shaped and usually fall from the host animal's fur to the ground, remaining there until they hatch into larvae. Larvae then become pupae and eventually mature into adult cat fleas. Adult cat fleas live on their hosts, consuming their blood in order to reproduce.

While their bites cause little damage in small numbers, cat fleas can transmit murine typhus to humans. Cat fleas are also intermediate hosts of dog tapeworm. Some hosts develop allergic reactions to flea bites, resulting in flea allergy dermatitis. If the infestation is severe and the host is particularly small, the animal may become anemic.

In order to control a cat flea infestation, the host animal, home and yard must all be treated. Specially-formulated pet shampoos containing pyrethrins, carbamates and citrus peel derivatives can be effective. Topical creams may also be administered to bite wounds. Floors should be cleaned and fabrics should be washed. Areas indoors can also be treated with spray insecticides, containing pyrethroids or methoprene. Several other products may also be selected for outside use. The use of chemicals is best left to trained professionals, so contact your local pest control professional to discuss treatment options.

Cat Flea Eggs

Cat fleas, like all fleas, undergo three stages of development before emerging as adults: egg, larval and pupa.  First, female cat fleas lay their eggs on their host's bodies. Eggs then drop to the ground and hatch into larvae within one to twelve days. They remain larvae for one to two weeks, at which point they become pupae. The pupal stage typically spans between four and eighteen days. The sticky outer surface of cat flea pupae attracts dirt, creating a camouflaged exterior. After completing the pupal stage, cat flea adults emerge.

Upon hatching, young adult cat fleas immediately begin searching for hosts, whose blood they consume in order to survive and reproduce.  They also lay eggs on the host. Female cat fleas lay between four and eight eggs after each blood meal, thus beginning the cycle anew.

Cat flea eggs are oval-shaped and white in color. They are extremely small, measuring only 1/64^th inch in length. They have dry, smooth surfaces which enable them to slip to the floor. Cat flea eggs are almost impossible to see against rough surfaces such as carpet and bedding.

Warm, moist environments are most amenable to cat flea development. In dry, cold environments, eggs can die before hatching and both the larval and pupal stages may take up to one year to complete.

Cat Fleas on Humans

If cat fleas are removed from their animal host or if that host proves an insufficient food source, cat fleas often will bite humans on the lower legs, leaving round, red spots. Today, most cat flea bites result in minor itchiness and discomfort on humans.

After receiving a flea bite, if possible refrain from scratching the affected area. Calamine lotion and anesthetic creams can be used to address itching, while ice packs lessen swelling caused by a cat flea bite. To reduce risk of infection, wash the cat flea bites with antiseptic soap. Antihistamines may also be administered.

Some individuals may experience allergic reactions when bitten by a cat flea. Symptoms of an allergy include excessive itching and secondary infections. Individuals experiencing allergic reactions should stay away from infected areas and pets until treatment proves effective.

If symptoms are more severe, a doctor should be contacted immediately. A medical professional should also be consulted if you suspect that a cat flea bite has become infected.

Dog Fleas

Dog fleas are common pests in Europe, Africa and Asia, and are lesser known in North America. They are extremely similar in appearance and behavior to cat fleas and the two are often times confused. The differences between them are best distinguished through microscopic study. In North America, fleas known as cat fleas affect both cats and dogs.

Fleas extract and consume the blood of host animals in order to survive. Neither cat nor dog fleas leave the host voluntarily and will typically remain with one host throughout their lifespan. However, if dog fleas are forcibly removed from their host, they will reattach themselves to a new host.

As with any flea species, hosts and surrounding areas need to be treated in order to effectively eradicate a dog flea population. A veterinarian can discuss safe and effective treatment methods for your pet, while an exterminator can help you to identify and implement the best treatment of an infestation within your home.

Flea Bites

Flea bites result in red spots surrounded by reddened haloes. They are extremely itchy and cause great discomfort. Fleas often target the legs and feet of human victims and may infest the entire bodies of domestic house pets.  Many wildlife species carry fleas as well.  If these animals are associated around ones home, fleas may migrate to pets and humans.  Flea saliva can cause allergic reactions such as FAD in some pets and increased scratching can result in hair loss and secondary infections. In more severe cases, affected skin thickens and sores appear.

You should be sure to consult a veterinarian before beginning any treatment of your pet's flea bites. Bathing your pet with specially-formulated shampoos can prevent secondary infections. Cold water alleviates inflammation, while warm or hot water exacerbates itching. Fresh aloe vera juice can soothe skin and a diet rich in fatty acids such as flax seed may have an anti-inflammatory effect.

If these treatments fail, your veterinarian may request to see your pet to determine next steps. Steroid creams and antihistimatines are available by prescription and may help to alleviate your pet's symptoms.

If you are the victim of a flea bite, wash the bite and then use an antiseptic and apply an icepack. You should resist the urge to scratch. Calamine lotions can be used to treat the itch, or a pharmacist can be consulted for details about antihistamines which may prove effective. Should your bite wounds excrete puss, contact your doctor immediately.

Treating flea bites merely addresses one symptom of an infestation. Extermination methods should be conducted in conjunction with bite treatment in order to ensure eradication. Contact your local pest control expert to discuss options.

Flea Allergy Dermatitis

Today, most cats and dogs bitten by fleas suffer only minor irritation. However, some pets are allergic to the cat flea bite and may experience severe itching. This condition is known as flea allergy dermatitis, or FAD. FAD is the most common skin disease afflicting dogs and cats and is caused by an allergic reaction to flea saliva. FAD is most prevalent on pets in summer when high temperatures provide ideal conditions for flea development and infestation and pets are often spending more time outdoors.

The itching caused by FAD can result in dramatic hair loss, as well as open sores and scabs. Open wounds are then susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, which produce strange odors. In cats, the hind legs and area directly in front of the tail are most commonly affected first, while the rump and tip of the tail are affected first in dogs. Dogs are particularly sensitive in the flanks and thighs and will scratch most aggressively in these areas. Lesions may be present on the lower back and inner thighs of dogs with FAD. If allowed to progress, affected areas become pigmented.

The first step in treating FAD is the removal of all fleas from the pet. Many topical treatments are available to this end and vary in price and application method. Other medications may be administered orally and are available in specialty pet stores, through your veterinarian or pet specialist.  Treatments differ for cats and dogs, so be sure to purchase the correct product and read the instructions carefully. Dogs and cats with FAD may also require treatment of secondary skin infections. Antibiotics and antifungal drugs are effective and can be obtained through your veterinarian.

Treating a pet infestation does not address an entire flea population. After administering the appropriate medication to your pet, ensure that your home and yard are free of fleas and that your pet does not frequent flea-infested areas. Clean all floors and bedding and consult a pest control professional to discuss further extermination options.

Electronic Flea Collars

Traditional flea collars release insecticides to kill adult fleas living on infected pets. Some pets develop allergic reactions to the insecticides contained in traditional flea collars.

Electronic flea collars emit powerful ultrasonic pulses advertised to stop fleas from biting and breeding on a cat or dog. These pulses are inaudible to pets. However, ultrasonic collars have shown to be as ineffective as their insecticide-based predecessors, as fleas have not been proven to be sensitive to ultrasonic sound waves.

Many other methods of treatment are available to pet owners. Topical or orally-administered extermination methods may be most effective and should only be undertaken with the help of a veterinarian or pet specialist.

Flea Medicine

There are a variety of flea medications available for purchase for your pet. Some medications are designed to kill adult fleas, while others target flea and egg larvae. Some are topically-applied and others are administered orally through pill or liquid form. If your pet has difficulty swallowing medication, a liquid or topical formula may prove most effective. Liquid treatments can easily be incorporated into a pet's water dish.

Before giving your pet any medications, a veterinarian should be consulted. Certain medications could interact negatively with a pet's other health problems. It is important to choose one medication and follow through with its application, as administering several different medications at once can prove harmful to your pet. You should also consider your pet's age before choosing to apply medication. Puppies and elderly animals may experience negative side-effects from flea medications.

Whichever medication you and your vet decide upon, be certain to read and follow all directions. Over-application can prove hazardous, while under-application will render the medication less effective. There is a plethora of information available about most flea medications; a treatment is always safest and most effective when administered knowingly.

Sand Fleas

Cat and dog fleas are commonly mistaken for sand fleas. However, sand fleas are present in sandy areas such as beaches and marshes and are crustaceans, not insects. Sand fleas have transparent wings with black and gray spots. American sand fleas have longer antennae than other species of sand fleas. Sand fleas can be as small as a grain of rice, although they may grow to be four times that size.

Although sand fleas can prove deadly to their marine prey, they do not live within human homes and will not infest pets. Humans rarely receive bites from sand fleas. If you or your pets are exhibiting symptoms of flea bites, your home is probably infested with cat or dog fleas. Contact your veterinarian for treatment options and call a pest control professional to discuss extermination methods.

Chigoe is a type of sand flea also known as Tunga penetrans.  Tungiasis is the skin disorder caused by these sand fleas.  Reports of individuals in North America are from tourists to other areas of the world.  The adults burrow into the host's skin.  Usually the feet.  The flea needs to be removed and the cavity cleaned and treated topically