But are they really a problem? Most of the time, fleas are merely an irritant – their bites cause itching, but no more. However, the immune systems of many dogs and cats (as many as 40% according to some studies) see flea saliva as a dangerous foreign invader, and mount some degree of response to it.
Just One Flea Can Be a Sign of a Problem
If you see just a few fleas on your dog, you may be tempted to think it's not a big deal. Although the random flea might show up if you've just taken your pup for a walk, more than one or two could be a sign of a problem.
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Fleas are a type of wingless parasite found worldwide. They feed off the blood of humans and animals such as dogs and cats. Since fleas use a wide range of hosts, diseases can be transferred from one host to another. Fleas are known to transmit tapeworm larvae and, uncommonly, the disease murine typhus.
Fleas are bad for your house and your health
Fleas can be horrible for your health, as a flea bite on a human or pet can become infected. Fleas also sometimes carry diseases such as flea-borne spotted fever, plague, typhus, and cat scratch fever.
If you see any of these signs, then there is likely a severe flea infestation present. How many fleas is considered an infestation? Generally speaking, if you can visibly see more than 10-15 adult fleas on your pet at one time then this could be considered an infestation.
It doesn't take much fleas before it becomes a serious infestation problem. In just a couple of months, fleas can lay about 500 eggs. Between one and twelve days, many of these hatchlings are hidden. They are tiny larvae that fide in tiny floor cracks, carpets and furniture.
Fleas are never something you want to see in your home, especially if you are a pet owner. While fleas aren't too difficult to get rid of, it is still important to be knowledgeable about them to treat the infection correctly since they won't go away on their own.
Steam cleaning your carpets, furniture and pet beds is a brilliant idea if you have a flea infestation. Thanks to the combination of high heat and soap, the fleas will be gone in no time.
The good news is, the fleas in your house are most likely to be cat or dog fleas, so although they will bite humans, they don't consider us a suitable host to live and breed on (they prefer dogs and cats). This means, eventually they'll just die off.
In most cases, it takes three to four months to completely get rid of a flea infestation since it takes fleas this long to go through their life stages, according to the American Kennel Club.
Peak Flea and Tick Season
Summer is one of the most active times for fleas and ticks, with some of the worst season being fall, in September, October, and November.
In young puppies and kittens, or severely infested animals, fleas can cause anemia due to blood loss. The most common form of tapeworms, Diplydium caninum, is also transmitted by fleas. While not a serious health concern, tapeworms are nevertheless just gross, for lack of a better word!
Fleas are blood-sucking parasites, and if they continue feasting on cats or dogs for any length of time, the pet may develop anemia. This condition can cause lethargy at the very least and may even cause death in puppies, kittens or older pets.
While adult fleas all suck blood from a cat or dog or other mammal, their larvae live and feed on organic debris in the host animal's environment. Flea larvae are blind. If you happen to see one flea, there may be more than 100 offspring or adults looming nearby in furniture, corners, cracks, carpet or on your pet.
Can Fleas Live in Your Bed? These pests infest multiple areas in homes, especially mattresses, cushions, and carpeting. Pets transfer fleas to the beds and furniture where they sleep. From here, the insects quickly spread around the house.
Fleas generally cannot live in human hair. While most species prefer to live on the furs of animals, they can use humans as temporary vectors. In such cases, fleas can infest and bite humans. You may get infected if there is a serious case of flea infestation in your environment.
This is a common myth because fleas love to hitch a ride on pets, but they can also grab onto your clothes to come inside. If you've been working in the yard, you should immediately launder your clothes and shower. Fleas aren't the only pest that likes to attack humans, as chiggers are also a common problem.
Common brands of Nitenpyram include Capstar® and Bestguard® which can be purchased through a veterinarian, online, and over the counter. The active ingredient, Nitenpyram, is an insecticide that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes and lasts for up to 48 hours.
Flea bites result in red spots surrounded by reddened haloes. They are extremely itchy and cause great discomfort. Fleas often target the legs and feet of human victims and may infest the entire bodies of domestic house pets. Many wildlife species carry fleas as well.
In average conditions with a host to feed off of, fleas typically live around 2 to 3 months. However, fleas can only live up to one to two weeks without a host on your bedding or mattress. While fleas sometimes bite humans to eat, pets and wild animals are typically the favored hosts for fleas.
Most successful flea treatment programs require at least 2-3 treatments at 14-day intervals using both an insecticide for the adult fleas and an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) to prevent immature stages of fleas from developing into breeding adults.
One way to detect fleas in your house is to throw on a pair of white cotton socks and walk around. Higher socks are better because you'll be less likely to get bitten. Walk around carpeted areas for around ten minutes. If fleas are present, they will jump up to hitch a ride.