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Overview - Fleas are small (1/16 to 1/8-inch
(1.5 to 3.3 mm) long), agile, usually dark colored (e.g. the
reddish-brown of the cat flea), wingless insects with tube-like
mouthparts adapted to feeding on the blood of their hosts. Their
bodies are laterally compressed, (i.e., flattened side to side)
permitting easy movement through the hairs (or feathers etc.) on
the host's body. Their legs are long, the hind pair well adapted
for jumping (vertically up to seven inches (18 cm); horizontally
thirteen inches (33 cm) - around 200 times their own body length. The flea body is hard,
polished, and covered with many hairs and short spines directed
backward, allowing the flea a smooth passage through the hairs
of its host. Its tough body is able to withstand great pressure, likely an
adaptation to survive scratching etc.
Parasite found - Normally after a blood meal,
the female flea lays about 15 to 20 eggs per day up to 600 in a lifetime usually
on the host (dogs, cats, rats, rabbits, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons,
opossums, foxes, chickens, humans, etc.). Eggs loosely laid in the hair coat,
drop out most anywhere especially where the host rests, sleeps or nests (rugs,
carpets, upholstered furniture, cat or dog boxes, kennels, sand boxes, etc.).
Eggs hatch in two days to two weeks into larvae found indoors in floor cracks &
crevices, along baseboards, under rug edges and in furniture or beds. Outdoor
development occurs in sandy gravel soils (moist sand boxes, dirt crawlspace
under the house, under shrubs, etc.) where the pet may rest or sleep. Sand and
gravel are very suitable for larval development which is the reason fleas are
erroneously called "sand fleas."
Symptoms - Fleas are a nuisance to their hosts,
causing an itching sensation which in turn may result in the host attempting to
remove the pest by biting, pecking, scratching etc the vicinity of the parasite.
Fleas are not simply a source of annoyance, however. Some people and animals
suffer allergic reactions to flea saliva resulting in rashes. Flea bites
generally result in the formation of a slightly-raised swollen itching spot with
a single puncture point at the center. The bites often appear in clusters or
lines, and can remain itchy and inflamed for up to several weeks afterwards.
Fleas can also lead to hair loss as a result of frequent scratching and biting
by the animal, and can cause anemia in extreme cases.
Treatment - If the cat or dog regularly goes
outside, treatment will be useful. Cats generally roam over greater areas than
dogs and will pick up fleas seeding the home grounds with their infestations.
Cats using sand boxes and dogs sleeping under shrubs and crawlspaces provide a
reservoir of fleas. Treat outdoor areas frequented by pets during the summer
months with fenvalerate, deltamethrin (Delta Gard), carbaryl (Sevin), propoxur (Baygon),
diazinon (Knox Out 2 FM), pyrethrins, resmethrin, rotenone or bendiocarb (Ficam).
Licensed commercial operators can use fluvalinate (Mavrik, Yardex). Animal pens,
kennels, doghouses, crawlspaces and sandy soil or gravel driveways are important
to spot treat with a hand sprayer. Clean and sweep porches, mow the grass and
soak the dry soil with water before treating to bring the flea larvae up to the
surface. Additional treatments at intervals, according to label directions, may
be needed.
Prevention - Trim lawns and weeds to create a
drier, less-ideal environment for flea larvae. Avoid piles of sand and gravel
around the home for long periods of time. Fence yards to prevent dogs from
roaming freely in heavily infested areas or contacting other infested animals.
Discourage nesting or roosting of rodents and birds on or near the premises.
Screen or seal vents, chimneys, crevices, etc. where rats, mice, squirrels,
raccoons, chipmunks, etc. may use to enter crawlspaces and buildings. Wash or
destroy pet bedding, regularly groom pets and vacuum frequently to remove up to
95 percent of the flea eggs, some larvae and adults. Only about 20 percent of
the larvae might be removed when vacuuming since they wrap themselves around the
bottom strands of carpeting.
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