Fleas. We itch at the mere mention of these “Freeloading” parasites. They make our lives miserable. They make our pets’ lives miserable. It is estimated that pet owners alone spend more than $1 billion each year trying to control fleas. Veterinarians are often asked what pill, drop, dip, collar, or shampoo works the best to get rid of these persistent pests. The answer is that there is no single method or insecticide that will completely rid, or at least control a flea problem.
It is important to know and understand the life cycle of the flea in order to prevent and fight infestations. Remember, this is war and we have to know our enemy. Fleas have four stages in their life cycle: Egg, Larva, Pupa and Adult. Their life cycle can range from a couple of weeks to several months, depending on their environmental conditions. Fleas reproduce much like butterflies do. Females lay eggs, which hatch into wormlike larvae. The larvae spin cocoons and become pupae. An adult flea emerges from the cocoon. Let us look at each stage a bit closer.
Adult: The adult flea has no wings, but is able to jump great distances. There are hair like bristles on the body and legs to aid in their navigation through pets’ hair. Once on a pet, the flea tends to stay there. The male and female feed on blood sucked from the pet’s skin. Mating occurs on the pet.
Egg: The adult female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day which can add up to 500 to 600 eggs in a matter of weeks. The eggs are not sticky like some parasites and they usually fall off of the pet into the carpet, bedding, floorboards, and soil. Depending on the environmental conditions, the larvae can hatch in two days or several weeks later.
Larva: This thread like stage feeds on organic material (a.k.a. the digested blood that has past through the adult fleas as feces) that has collected on the pet’s hair coat or in the environment, like the carpet, cracks in the floor, bedding and even our furniture!
Pupa: The larva prepares a cocoon and enters the pupal stage. It is there that the fleas are the most resilient – not many pesticides can penetrate this “cement sleeping bag”. The adult can remain inside, waiting for just the right time to emerge, for a year or more! The adult hatches and finds a new “host” and the whole cycle begins again.
Controlling fleas can be difficult because the life cycle of fleas occurs both on and off your pet. Controlling fleas takes three steps and a lot of persistence.
1. Start with the indoor environment. Clean and vacuum the carpets, furniture (don’t forget to get in between and under the cushions as well as underneath the furniture itself), floors, rugs, bedding, baseboards, etc. Be sure to empty the contents of the vacuum outside and away from the house. If using a “bag-in” vacuum, discard the entire bag in a plastic garbage bag tied tightly and brought straight out to the curb if possible.
2. Treat your pets (ALL pets in the household) with products to control fleas. Talk to your veterinarian about safe flea products for your pet. Not all flea products are created equal and not all flea products are safe for all pets!
3. Treat the environment with suitable insecticides as well. Treatments must be thorough to kill hidden flea larvae. Because insecticides may not kill the cocoon (or pupal stage), new adult fleas may soon be seen. Talk with your veterinarian and/or your pest control company to determine what products may be available and safe to use around your pets. When using any insecticide, it is important to follow label directions carefully.
To sum it up in order to properly control fleas, we must keep in mind their life cycles. The flea can actually pass through an entire life cycle in less than three weeks, so if we want to beat these nasty pests, then we need to treat not only our pets, but the environment too. No worries, we will win this war by taking no prisoners!
Come in and meet the caring doctors and staff at VCA Highlands Animal Hospital
3451 Elkhorn Boulevard North Highlands, CA 95660 916-332-2845