What do dog fleas look like?
Dog fleas are very small - the body length is about 2-4 mm, the chitinous cover has a large number of bristles, allowing the insect to be firmly held and quickly move in the dog's fur. Fleas jump very far, they can jump to a distance that is 3 times greater than their visibility zone, up to about 18 cm. We can say that fleas themselves do not know where they are jumping.
Dog fleas are very hardy - they can easily tolerate sudden changes in temperature and humidity, quickly get used to the action of chemicals and develop resistance to popular insecticides.
The mouthparts of a dog flea are best adapted to the skin of dogs, but if there is a lack of food, the flea is quite capable of biting a cat or person. If unfavorable times come for fleas, such as a sharp drop in temperature, they can hibernate for up to several months, after which they will begin to look for food again.
Allergy to flea bites in dogs: symptoms and treatment
In some animals, flea bites cause not only discomfort, but also allergies. The fact is that their saliva contains a substance that is toxic to dogs. An allergy to flea bites is manifested by the following symptoms:
- gastrointestinal disorders;
- swelling and inflammation of the skin;
- fever, chills;
- breathing disorder.
If such symptoms appear, your pet should be shown to a veterinarian. Antihistamines will quickly help in this case.
Can fleas from dogs spread to people?
Many dog lovers are interested in the question of whether it is possible to fearlessly contact their pets without becoming infected with fleas and the diseases they carry. Stroking a street dog once will not transmit parasites to you, but it will easily transmit germs! And if your pet dog begins to itch after a walk, then you need to take action as quickly as possible. If there are a lot of fleas, they will begin to spread and may even bite your legs. The blood of animals is the main food of fleas; it is easy for them to hide in their fur, and weak hair will not allow dog fleas to settle on a person and lay eggs. So don’t worry, fleas won’t be able to live on you!
But in what cases can dog fleas bite people? They attack humans only when they need to satisfy their hunger. The favorite habitat of fleas is the bedding of dogs and cats, garbage - near these places there is a high probability of being bitten by fleas. For example, you took your dog to the country, and some fleas remained on its blanket. In this case, they can attack any living creature in the apartment in order to survive and continue to reproduce.
In addition to dog fleas, humans are often plagued by cat fleas. Outwardly, these insects resemble particles of dirt, and only when the fleas begin to jump can their presence be noticed. Female cat fleas do not lay eggs in the cat's fur - for these purposes, fleas shave targets in the floor, upholstery of upholstered furniture, and carpets.
Cat fleas can parasitize cats, dogs, horses, and humans, and therefore are capable of transmitting diseases. Fleas from cats are much more likely to cause discomfort to humans than cats.
Important: To prevent fleas from appearing on your dog or cat, you should check their fur regularly. If parasites were found as a result of the check, you should bathe your pet with shampoo, treat its bedding with a special product (spray, gel, shampoo), and then put a flea collar on the dog. Don't worry, you won't be harmed by the inspection: if fleas are detected, they will try to hide and not bite you.
Reasons for appearance
The flea invasion occurs in the warm season and begins in spring and ends in October. Parasites choose their refuge in private houses or on the first floor of apartment buildings.
Fleas can be caused by contact with other dogs.
The main sources are:
- dirty entrances;
- neighboring apartments;
- infected pets;
- flea colonies in the basement or attic;
- presence of rats and mice;
- garbage dumps.
Fleas lay eggs in an animal's fur, so the owner can transmit parasites to his pet if he first pets an infected dog and then a healthy one.
How does a dog flea bite a person?
The flea's mouthparts are designed exclusively for feeding on blood. These parasites have a very good sense of smell - fleas identify their prey by the carbon dioxide released during breathing. When a flea comes into contact with the skin of its victim, it immediately begins to bite into the skin and suck blood. Mostly fleas bite a person's legs, but with a large number of bloodsuckers, their target can be the entire human body. Due to the rather short proboscis, the flea sometimes has to plunge into the wound along with its head and part of the body.
Insects of this species are capable of making very strong bites, which after a certain time begin to itch very much. As a result of constant scratching, unsightly spots appear on the skin, which look quite ugly and can develop into a rotting wound if an infection occurs. Therefore, treat the affected area immediately and do not touch it.
The flea does not mask its presence and does not secrete an anesthetic substance during the bite, unlike bedbugs and ticks, which are thus able to parasitize the human body with impunity. During a bite, saliva is injected into the wound, which has a special composition that prevents blood clotting. With this saliva, dangerous bacteria, including those that cause fatal diseases, can enter the human blood. Fleas do not have such a mechanism, but this does not mean that they do not carry diseases.
Having made one bite, the human flea makes another 3-4 bites nearby, after which it leaves the human body.
How to fight
If parasites are found, disinsection must be carried out. To treat the room you will need a soda or saline solution (you can also add insecticidal shampoo).
The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Thoroughly vacuum the entire apartment, including upholstered furniture.
- Send for cleaning things that could harbor pests.
- Throw out the animal's bedding (it is recommended to change it more often), and treat all items belonging to the dog.
- Carry out wet cleaning with a solution.
- Close doors and windows hermetically.
- Move furniture away from the wall, treat all cracks, corners, carpets and other surfaces with insecticide.
- Leave the apartment for a few hours.
- Upon return, ventilate well.
- Do the cleaning again.
An option for flea control is a collar.
This treatment must be repeated after a week to ensure that both larvae and eggs are destroyed.
In a private house, it is necessary to treat not only the interior, but also the basement, cellar, attic and all outbuildings and the surrounding area.
Dog house treatment
The booth is disinfected after it is cleaned. To avoid “flooding”, you first need to dig drainage ditches at an angle. The entire house needs to be treated, both inside and outside.
The procedure can be carried out using an aqueous solution of formalin, creolin or Lysol. Creolin is used more often because it is easier to buy and easier to dilute with water.
Regular scheduled treatments are carried out in winter, spring and autumn. In summer, disinfection is carried out every month. The kennel is washed out unscheduled with a solution if a flea infestation has been detected, or before moving a new pet into it.
Whatever solution is used for treatment, the animal should not be allowed near the booth until it is completely dry. Otherwise, there is a risk of harming your pet's health.
Animal handling
It is possible to remove these parasites yourself at home if a severe infection has not yet occurred.
The fastest way to get rid of parasites is to use a spray. After treatment, the drug begins to act instantly, the protective effect lasts about a month. Before spraying, you need to straighten the animal's fur so that the liquid gets on the skin. Everything is treated except the head. The pet needs to be occupied with playing for a while so that the drug has time to dry.
Drops are considered a more effective remedy, but they begin to act only on the 2nd day. During this period, the animal should not be bathed so as not to wash off the medicine. The drug is applied directly to the skin from the back of the head to the withers.
A special flea collar is the safest remedy. A plastic headband with insect repellent is more suitable for prevention. You need to wear it constantly, it begins to act gradually. The duration of the collar is indicated on the packaging.
What consequences can dog flea bites cause?
If a dog has any parasites, the risk of their carriers being transferred through fleas to the human body increases. You don’t have to have pets to bring fleas into your home—prolonged physical contact with a stray dog can have the most negative consequences.
The degree of danger of dog fleas to humans depends on many factors, so possible harm can be expressed in the following:
- the occurrence of an allergy in a person to the saliva of a bloodsucker - itching, dermatitis appears, chronic skin diseases worsen, body temperature rises, respiratory and intestinal disorders worsen;
- brucellosis develops, which can lead to damage to internal organs;
- from the previous “carrier” a person can get endoparasites – worms, tapeworms, and other types of parasites;
- A flea bite can cause many dangerous diseases: encephalitis, ulcers, typhus, plague. This happens extremely rarely.
Types of fleas that live on pets
Fleas are unpretentious to their living conditions. They are distributed almost everywhere. Bloodsuckers are frequent companions of stray animals and city birds. They feel comfortable in basements and stairwells.
Fleas can easily be brought home on clothes or shoes. This is how animals that do not have access to the street become infected. In the apartment, parasites find secluded corners and begin to actively reproduce. The blood of pets becomes their food.
Types of fleas
Most often, four types of fleas are found in homes:
- felines;
- canine;
- rat;
- rabbit
In terms of external features, they are similar to each other, so it is impossible to distinguish them without specialized knowledge.
For humans, cat parasites usually cause particular trouble, but dog fleas should not be discounted.
How to detect the presence of fleas in the house?
If you begin to notice itching on your legs, especially at night, then there is a high probability of fleas in your apartment. Detecting them is quite difficult, but there is a special detection method:
- determine which room the fleas have settled in;
- lay several sheets of white paper or a white sheet on the floor;
- leave the room for a few minutes, then check the white canvas - if black dots appear on it, which disappear when approached, these are fleas.
Symptoms of infection
The main sign of infection is a bite. Although the bite marks are almost invisible, the sensations are not pleasant: itching, severe burning. Most often, parasites bite your legs. If a pet infected with parasites sleeps with its owners in bed, there is a risk that bites will appear on the arms and back.
It is quite simple to understand that a pet is bothered by parasites - it will constantly itch for a long time, and also try to bite something on its body. Most often, parasites attack the head and tail.
Note! There is a species of flea that lives in Antarctica, which, even after being frozen for a whole year, can feel great after thawing.
Detection of fleas in the house
What to do if you find a single flea
If at least one bloodsucker is detected, everything necessary must be done immediately to prevent further reproduction. Unfortunately, it is rarely possible to quickly detect insects. This is explained by the unexpressed symptoms of the first infection, so the parasites easily spread throughout the house and penetrate into furniture. It is quite difficult to remove them, and therefore there will be a high risk of re-infection for a long time. Measures to help prevent the spread must be applied in combination:
- Treat the entire room, booth, enclosure with chemical or folk remedies.
- Choose a flea medication for dogs according to age, size and health characteristics. If difficulty arises, you should seek advice from a veterinarian.
- During treatment, limit contact of the infected person with family members and other pets.
Timely measures taken to prevent reproduction and spread will help save your pet from health problems for a long time. A large number of methods of control and preparations for disinsection will save the house or apartment where the injured dog lives from being completely populated by unpleasant individuals. If you do not carry out the treatment on time, you will have to contact a veterinary pharmacy or veterinary clinic and find out how to get rid of fleas on your dog.
