All dog owners are familiar with the problems caused by pesky fleas. Fleas are very small wingless insects, brownish red in color, and have sharp mouths by which they obtain blood from their canine hosts. Flea bites usually cause your dog to scratch at affected areas and some dogs are more sensitive than others and can have allergic reactions to flea bites.
In general, fleas do not transmit diseases from dogs to humans, but the potential for this exists and they can and do bite humans as well as dogs and cats.
Fleas and flea larvae live in warm climates and will live until the ground freezes in cooler climates. They can live on in your home well past this time also.
If you suspect that your dog has fleas, you should take him to your veterinarian. Your veterinary staff member will first use a flea comb on your dog.
Flea combs are wide tooth combs and "flea dirt" or dried blood flea excrement is what they are looking for. If this is found, your veterinarian will recommend treatment.
Most veterinarians recommend preventive treatment for fleas as it is much easier to prevent them than to treat them.
For those of you that wish to treat your dog for fleas without commercial products, there are a few recommendations.
One way is to comb your dog with a flea comb regularly. You can put some petroleum jelly on the comb to help fleas stick to the comb. Other people recommend using rubbing alcohol to slow down the fleas so they are easier to catch.
Garlic and Brewers Yeast added as supplements to your dog's food are recommended by those who prefer the natural approach to treating fleas, however, the benefits of these treatments have yet to be proven.
There are several over the counter flea treatments available at your local pet store. However, many of these contain pyrethrins, which are natural insecticides derived from the chrysanthemum plant.
In the past, this kind of treatment of fleas was the only one available to veterinarians. If you choose to use a product containing pyrethrins, you should be aware of the potential side effects.
There is a potential threat of toxicity when using a product containing pyrethrins, not just to your dog, but to other animals in the house and humans as well. Make sure you follow the label usage directions and if you have any questions about using these products, consult your veterinarian.
Today, there are much safer products available. Most of these products are only available through your veterinarian. One of the most popular treatments for fleas is Frontline Plus by Merial. It is topically applied to the skin of your dog on the back of the neck.
According to Merial, Frontline Plus kills 98-100% of adult fleas within 24 hour and will also kill eggs and larvae to prevent fleas from recurring. Frontline Plus is waterproof for up to 30 days and is safe to use on puppies as young as 8 weeks of age.
Another popular flea treatment is Sentinel by Novartis. Sentinel is a monthly pill that also prevents heartworms. Sentinel kills adult fleas, eggs, and larvae.
Novartis also makes the flea control products Program and Capstar. Program is a flavored tablet that is given monthly, and while it does not kill adult fleas, it does interrupt the flea life cycle by preventing the development of flea eggs.
Program is safe to use in dogs and puppies four weeks of age and older. Capstar is a pill that is given to kill adult fleas. It can be given as often as once per day. According to Novartis, Capstar will begin killing adult fleas within 30 minutes. One pill should kill all adult fleas.
Capstar is safe for dogs and puppies four weeks of age and older.
Remember that it is much easier to prevent fleas than to treat them once your dog has them. As with all medications, follow the advice of your veterinarian.
If you need more information about fleas and flea prevention, contact a member of your veterinary staff or pet professional.
It’s hard to get rid of fleas because they multiply fast and can go long periods of time without food. In the right environment, a flea can transform from egg to adult in less than 30 days. To completely get rid of fleas, you have to treat your home inside and out and treat your pets, preferably, all on the same day. Often, even with a three-sided attack, you may have to treat the areas two or three times because fleas in their different life stages can lie dormant and unaffected by pesticides. Your first step in ridding your home and property of fleas is to understand the life cycle of a flea.
Fleas have four life cycles and during these cycles the flea can lay dormant, waiting for the right time to make its metamorphosis to the next cycle. The life cycle includes egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The survival and lifespan of a flea relies heavily on its environment and its ability to adapt to the environment. The amount of time required to complete a life cycle depends on temperature, humidity, and the availability of food.
Adult female Although she has mated, a female flea must have a blood meal before she can lay fertile eggs. Once she has the blood, she will lay a small number of eggs daily until she has laid 300 to 500 eggs. The female lays her eggs on your pet, then the egg falls off and drops onto the floor, in the pet’s bedding, on your furniture, in your carpet, or outside on the ground.
Egg Flea eggs hatch from 1 to 6 days. Thus far, there is no treatment to stop the eggs from hatching, but there are products that can help stop the flea larvae from developing into reproducing adults. Vacuuming, dusting, and mopping regularly helps rid your home of flea eggs and larvae before they grow to biting adults.
Larva Flea larvae can burrow in fabric, carpet, or dirt, but they usually stay near the surface where they can feed on adult flea feces. The primary food for flea larvae is the feces of the adult fleas and other materials such as flea eggs and pet dander. The larvae molt and mature in 7 to 15 days, depending on the environment. If the environment is dry, the larval stage can last over six months or until the environment is right for survival.
Pupa The mature larva spins a cocoon from its saliva and enters the pupa stage. After about a week, the adult flea is ready to emerge from the cocoon. The adult flea can lay and wait in the cocoon, waiting for a noise or vibration to indicate the presence of food.
Adult Fleas are hard to kill because they can hide and can become dormant for long periods of time, instead of dying off when conditions are not right. Fleas, in their different stages, adapt to their environment in order to survive. For example, if the conditions are not right for the larvae and adult flea, then they stay in the same state or stage until the conditions are favorable. Adults will not emerge from the pupae state into adulthood until they hear vibrations or movement, detect levels of oxygen, or sense a warm-blooded animal by temperature. Until it knows the environment is right for survival, the flea can stay in the pupae stage for as long as 20 weeks. Once an adult flea has emerged, he can go up to two months in hot conditions or longer during humid or moderate temperatures without food. With adequate blood meals and the right humid temperature the adult flea can live from a month to a year.
Fleas are difficult to kill because for every adult flea you find you have hundreds of eggs, larvae, and pupae. If you treat your home for adult fleas only, then you will only have a re-infestation less than a month later when new eggs hatch and adults emerge from the pupa. There is always a group from each stage making its way to becoming an adult.
Treating only part of your flea problem will prove a waste of time and money. If both inside your home and outside in the yard are not treated, it’s just a matter of time before the fleas are back and in large numbers again. If you treat only one stage of a flea’s life cycle, then too, it’s just a matter of time before the fleas are back again, living and thriving inside your home. To fid out how to get rid of fleas in or around your home, please visit www.pestproductsonline.com.
Both Colin Philips & Dennise Brogdon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Colin Philips has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dog Breeds, Get Ex Back and Pets. Dog Health Revealed is an excellent place to find dog links, articles and resource. For more information on Dogs visit:. Colin Philips's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.
Dennise Brogdon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening, Pet Snakes and Health. Dennise Brogdon is the managing editor of the Hughston Health Alert, a quarterly, patient-information newsletter, and she is an editorial assistant for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s scientific journal, the Journal of Athletic Training. Den. Dennise Brogdon's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.