Fleas are Ectoparasites that feed on the blood of most animals. The most common flea infesting cats and dog is the cat flea, however dog flea and rodent flea are not uncommon. Fleas are plentiful, carry diseases, and may cause severe allergic dermatitis. They also play a noticeable role in zoonosis, the transmission of disease from animal to human. Even though a certain species of flea prefers a certain host, they are not host specific (with some exceptions) and will feed on any available host including humans.
The life cycle involves four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The duration of the life cycle will vary depending on the environmental temperature and humidity, its average is 3 weeks and may extend to more than 6 months.
Adult fleas on pets comprise about 5% of the flea population in an infested environment. After feeding for 24 to 36 hours, female fleas will deposit up to 50 eggs daily each. In just 30 days ten pregnant female fleas under ideal conditions can multiply into more than one quarter of a million new fleas in different life stages. The adult flea life span is several months under ideal conditions. Eggs will fall off the host along with the flea stools and hatch into larva. Larva prefers dark, humid and warm places. They will feed on flea stools, their egg shells and other organic matters. Between 5 – 15 days the larva develops into pupae inside cocoons. Pupae can remain in their cocoons for up to 12 months and will emerge as adults with stimulants such as vibrations, heat, CO2 produced by a passing host.
In dog and cat population flea saliva can cause allergic reactions ranging from irritation and itching up to severe allergic dermatitis. Heavy flea infestation may lead to anemia and death. Fleas act as an intermediate host of some tape worms.
In humans the flea plays a major role in Typhus and Plague outbreaks. Humans also can suffer from lesions and rashes around the ankles and varying degrees of flea allergic dermatitis. Tape worms are also among the diseases transmitted by fleas.
Your veterinarian can advise you regarding the best approach in flea control. A large variety of products are available to be used for treating the host and the environment. Restricting treatment to pets using an effective product that combines an adulticide and insect growth regulators may clear the environment from fleas. However, in heavy infestations premises treatment combined with pet treatment can be very effective.
