Fleas: Everything You Wanted To Know

WHERE FLEAS COME FROM:

The way animals get fleas is from another flea-infested animal. They don’t even need to come into direct contact where the adult flea would jump from one animal to the other. They can get fleas from the environment. A stray dog or stray cat, a dog or cat that wanders around the neighborhood while their owner is at work, or urban wildlife, mainly opossums and raccoons – went through your neighborhood, your yard, and the female flea is laying eggs and the eggs get spread around into your environment. Those eggs developed into adults and those fleas jumped onto your pet.

Fleas when searching for a host can jump 10,000 times in a row (the length of three football fields). Three pairs of legs make for excellent leaping capabilities (up to two feet), and a laterally flattened body allows for quick movement in a dog’s fur. They feed once every day or two, and generally remain on their host during the interim.

Where are Flea outbreaks the Worst

There’s one particular flea species that we find on dogs and cats in North America called Ctenocephalides felis, or the cat flea. That flea is very susceptible to drying. So that’s why there are more fleas in Gulf Coast region of North America and the Southeast region. Once you get into the Rocky Mountain states, for example, or even the Western areas of the plains states, fleas on dogs and cats are not that much of a problem because it’s just too dry.

Do Natural Flea Remedies Work?

The long and the short answer is no they cannot protect your dog during a bad flea season. In some cases they can help boost your pets immune system and other cases they are more detrimental then their pharmecuetical counterpart especially for cats. A dog suffering from fleas given garlic with can cause anemia on its own would only put the dog in more danger of severe anemia. On the other hand giving a small amount of garlic on a regular basis along with a diet rich in meat protein might help keep some bugs away or at least that is the thought that insects, bugs, and parasites might be repelled due to the smell your pet gives off after ingesting garlic. If you live in an area that is humid and warm a veterinarian recommended flea preventative is the smart thing to do in order to keep your pet healthy. You would be using less chemicals to give your pet a monthly dose of preventative then to try and rid your pet and your environment from fleas once they are contracted.

Controlling fleas in your environment

Making sure your yard is not a haven for fleas is also a good idea especially if you live in an area with an outbreak. Cut the tall grass, trim back the bushes and shrubs, then rake up all the leaf litter under the bushes. Leave it just bare ground. Fleas are sunlight and humidity sensitive. Don’t give them cool dark places to thrive.

Carpet is also a flea paradise. They can burrow deep inside your carpet where it is nice and dark and have this infinite area in which to procreate. If you can’t do anything about the fact that you do have carpet vacuum regularly on a setting that allows you to suck up anything deep inside the carpet not just across the top.

Why are fleas so Harmful?

leas can consume 15 times their own body weight in blood, they can cause anemia or a significant amount of blood loss over time. This is especially problematic in young puppies, where an inadequate number of red blood cells can be life-threatening to some dogs. Signs of parasitic anemia include pale gums (light pink to greyish in color), cold body temperature and listlessness.

I am on a limited budget how can I keep my pet protected against fleas?

Thanks to our friends and sponsor FidoPharm you can purchase a Fipronil based flea (and tick) preventative at your local Walmart, Petco, Walgreens, or Target store. PetArmor® contains the same active ingredient as Frontline Top Spot in the same concentration, so it’s just as effective against fleas and ticks and just as safe for your dog or cat. A three month supply for your pet runs about $25 plus they are currently offering a $5.00 off PetArmor coupon which you can print and bring to the store with you for even greater saving.