Fleas are a common external parasite on our household pets, and unfortunately they tend to generate some of the most misinformation. Some of the myths are harmless, but some can set you and your pet up for potentially months of misery and even lead to serious health concerns.
The only insect that has led to more human deaths than the flea is the mosquito and there are more than 2,000 species of fleas jumping around out there. However, almost all pets in North America are infected by the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis.
Fleas are blood feeders who can consume up to 15 times their body weight daily in blood. They are also impressive jumpers and if they were scaled up to human size, they would be able to jump close to 1,000 feet. They also have an impressively variable life cycle, which contributes to their ability to exist in the environment for extended periods of time.
One of the more common myths is that people think if they don’t see fleas on their pets, they must not have them. Fleas are notoriously difficult to detect on most pets since they are masterful at hiding in fur away from where dogs and cats can groom them off. This also means that you need to be pretty lucky to see a flea on your pet.
In more severe infestations, you may see the small black feces, which is a byproduct of the blood meal taken from your pet. Not to make a gross little creature even worse, but this feces is a source of food for the flea larvae that hatch on your pet after the flea lays her eggs.
Another misconception is that you keep a clean house, fleas will not have a chance to get established. Fleas live the majority of their lives on the pet, so environmental cleanliness plays no role in keeping fleas off your pet. Since fleas spend their lives on the dog or cat, cold temperatures outside do not prevent flea infestations and the warm environment under the fur on the body perpetuate flea infestations all year long.
To make matters even worse, the low humidity inside during the colder months prevents flea eggs from hatching and the eggs are relatively impervious to most environmental treatments. This combination can extend flea infestations for months to years.
Failure to prevent flea infestations can have serious health consequences for your pets. Fleas can spread tapeworms to your dogs and cats and the flea bites can lead to terrible skin allergies. The allergies cause the dogs and cats to chew and bite themselves, sometimes to the point of bleeding, and the secondary infections can be very difficult to clear. Young puppies and kittens can develop life-threatening anemia from the blood loss resulting from the fleas feeding.
The good news is that there are a wide range of products available to prevent infestations on your pets. Your veterinarian can recommend the best options for your pets and their lifestyles, since the choices can be overwhelming and the best treatment for fleas is always prevention.
Questions for Dr. Gary Thompson can be emailed to askthevet@theblade.com or mailed to The Blade, Attn. Ask the Vet, 541 N. Superior St. Toledo, OH, 43660. Dr. Thompson regrets that he cannot answer individual letters.
First Published April 20, 2019, 3:00 p.m.
