Dog Fleas |
Not all fleas are the same, though luckily their treatment is. There are in fact many different species of flea which have evolved to feed on the blood of just a few types of animal.
What are Fleas?
The dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis) is a type of flea which specialises in living off the blood of dogs though they will also bite cats and humans. They are easily transferred from one animal to another just by close contact as the fleas can jump several feet to find another host. Dog fleas can also survive for several months without food if they fall to the ground where they will simply wait for a new victim to come along. |
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One female dog flea, after a meal of blood, can lay up to 4000 eggs during its lifetime and within 3 weeks of being laid all those eggs will be adult and laying eggs of their own. You can see just how quickly a dog can become infested if the problem is not treated swiftly..
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Symptoms
As the fleas move about and bite the dog they cause itching, so the dog scratches. But this often doesn't actually remove the flea, and the insect simply moves to another location and bites there instead. Because of this dogs with fleas will often scratch much more frequently than those with out, and not always in the same place.
Sever infestations can cause the dog to scratch his own skin raw in an attempt to relieve the itching. |
Many dogs are allergic to the excrement that fleas leave on their skin. This excrement causes a painful rash, which they then scratch even more, exacerbating the problem.
Prevention
Being little insects that drink blood, dog fleas are very easy to kill with insecticides that have been specially formulated for use on mammals. Many flea treatments need only be applied once every 6 months and this can easily be done at home.
Don't wait for your dog to get fleas before you treat the problem. If you wait for the dog to show syptoms then the fleas will already be present in your home, and you risk being bitten yourself. |
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Treatment
There are many cheaply available dog flea treatments which are very simple to use, just a spot on the back of the neck. There really is absolutely no excuse if your dog has a bad flea Infestation.
NEVER put flea killer on a very young puppy or kitten or use the wrong dosage for your pets' weight. It is a poison and it could easily kill them as well as the fleas. If you have a very young animal with fleas take it to the vet.
If your dog has an allergic reaction to flea killers then you will need to contact your vet for another solution.
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