Fleas

Siphonaptera

Cat flea - (Ctenocephalides felis) Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis) Human flea (Pulex irritans) Northern rat flea (Nosopsyllus fasciatus) Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) Cat and dog fleas are very similar in appearance and both species can live on both cats and dogs.  If an infested pet is removed from the house, then the fleas have no alternative but to feed off the human inhabitants.  Both cat and dog fleas are unable to breed without their principle host (dog, cat or other carnivore), and so eventually the infestation will die out on its own.  They can however survive for months on a diet of human blood.

Lifecycle

Adult fleas require a fresh blood meal in order to produce the eggs that they lay on the host. Once the eggs dry, they will fall off the host onto the hosts resting and sheltering area. The fleas life cycle will usually last from 30 to 75 days, but may vary due to external factors, such as temperature and humidity. Adults live four to 25 days. A female flea can lay more than 500 eggs over her lifetime.

Appearance

Eggs: Flea eggs are smooth and oval, and about 0.5 mm in size.

Larvae: are 1.5 to 5 mm in length. The larvae stage lasts 5 to 15 days. Larvae lack eyes, legs, are covered with few hairs, and possess dark guts, visible through their thin translucent exoskeleton. Larvae can feed on almost any organic substance but preferl dried adult flea fecal matter.

Pupae: Flea larvae will spin the silk cocoons in which they will develop. The pupae remain in the cocoons until they have fully developed into adult fleas.

Adults: Adults are 1-3mm in size, and are reddish-brown to black in colour, wingless, and are laterally compressed. The vibration of a potential host or an increase in the level of carbon dioxide can stimulate their emergence. They powerful hind legs allow them to jump.

Flea Bites Flea bites cause inflamed dark red spots that cause severe irritation. Fleas can transmit other parasites and infections to dogs, cats and humans. The most prominent of these are Bartonella, the tapeworm Dipylidium caninum, murine typhus, and apedermatitis. Adults can survive several weeks without a blood meal. Larvae feed on digested blood from adult flea faeces, dead skin, hair, feathers, and other organic debris. Adult fleas live exclusively on blood.

Hygiene

Flea control is best achieved with a simultaneous, coordinated effort involving strict sanitation, pet treatment and premise treatment (both indoors & outdoors).

Treatment of Pets

In order to achieve effective control, pets MUST also be treated with a product approved for veterinary use.