Many of us relate summer time as “fun” time. We long for summer that is filled with all sorts of fun activities – swimming, canoeing, camping or simple grilling in your backyard – and your dogs can enjoy many of these activities as well, but can you think of who else is longing for this season? Fleas! These tiny, pesky creatures return every summer and we face a constant battle with them. You may think these tiny insects are just a nuisance – but DO NOT under estimate what those little suckers can do. Flea infestation causes many medical problems, sometimes deadly, to your beloved pets.

How Does Flea Infestation begin?
While there are more than 2,000 recognized flea species, there are about 200 flea species in the United States. Among of all these species, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is the most common household flea species we see today. The cat flea feeds on anyone in the household, but more likely to choose your pets, instead of humans. The animal fur provides a warm and good hiding spot, which also becomes their breeding ground. Most fleas find their hosts by hopping from host to host or from the environment onto the host. Fleas do not have wings to fly, but they can jump 150 times their body length. Once they land on the host, they feed themselves by ingesting host’s blood through bites. While a flea feeds, it excretes partially digested blood called “flea dirt,” that is used to feed larval fleas.

Fleas thrive in warm, humid environment, temperatures of 65-80 degrees and humidity levels of 75-85%. The adult female flea can live several weeks on the host and lays about 20 – 30 eggs a day. There are four stages to flea’s life cycle: eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. The flea’s life cycle can be completed in as little as three weeks, depending on the environment, then start all over again.

Medical Problems Caused by Fleas

• Skin Problems: The flea bites and their crawling movement cause itching and scratching to the host. To some animals, Itching and scratching is not only problem with fleas. To those who are allergic to flea bites, this itching can be quite intensive and it can lead to inflammation, hair loss and secondary skin infections.
  
  
• Anemia: Fleas feed themselves by ingesting host’s blood thorough bites. If the host is infested by fleas severely, it can lead to a physical state of inadequate red blood cells called anemia. Anemia can be deadly especially in young puppies, small dogs and elderly dogs if not treated properly.
  
  
• Tapeworm: Fleas carry tapeworm eggs. If your dog swallows a flea (most likely through self-grooming), the flea inside of your dog’s stomach releases tapeworm eggs. Tapeworm attaches to the dog’s intestine and feeds itself. The body of tapeworm consists of small segments that look like a cucumber seed, or a white rice grain. If you see something that looks like cucumber seed around your dog’s anus or in a stool, take your dog to a veterinarian for treatment.

Where to Look for Fleas
Fleas prefer dark areas. You may spot them easily at areas like under arms, inner thighs and the belly of your dog. Using a flea comb is another easy way to spot fleas. This fine tooth comb can catch both fleas and flea dirt (flea feces). Even if you don’t see a flea itself, if you find black poppy seed like specks on your dog or the comb, these well could be flea dirt. One way to know for sure is to put flea dirt on a paper towel and drop a drip of water. If it turns red, that’s flea dirt. Flea dirt also can be found at your dog’s nesting area.

Next Step: Flea Prevention and Control