Fleas (mainly of the genus Ctenocephalides, they are very common parasites in dogs, even in those that do not leave the house and is that the adult insect lives in the body of the animal, nesting in its hair and feeding on its blood.
A single flea can live several weeks and the females produce up to 50 eggs a day. The eggs are scattered around the environment, on carpets, sofas, beds, in the spaces between the tiles, etc. Of the eggs, through a cycle that contemplates the formation of a cocoon and larvae develop into adult fleas, ready to jump on the first dog they find.
How do you catch fleas?
Dogs are more easily infested in the open air, in places frequented by other infested animals.
However, infestation is possible even in dogs that are still living at home because fleas can be accidentally carried in a number of ways. Enough with a single female flea to start the infestation cycle.
In warm seasons the presence of fleas is higher, but these insects can living without problems in homes throughout the year, thanks to the conditions in their favor that guarantee the warmth of the houses. For this reason, fleas can cause problems for dogs at any time of the year. Depending on the humidity and temperature conditions, the flea life cycle can last from 12 days to 6 months.
Symptoms and diagnosis
The most common symptoms caused by fleas on our pets are itching, irritation, redness of the skin, chewing and licking frequently and hair loss.
Lesions and itching are greatest on the back and around the base of the tail, where fleas are concentrated. However, it is not easy to see fleas in the dog's hair, due to their small size and the speed with which they move.
However it is easier to see between skin and hair flea feces, which appear as black dots, like grains of sand or dark soot.
For confirm that it is flea fecesIf we put a little of this material on a wet sheet of paper or towel, we can observe the formation of a brown halo around each point: It is the dog's blood, ingested by the flea. A large infestation, especially in young dogs, can cause anemia.
In addition, the flea can transmit to the dog canine tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum), an intestinal parasite.
Another fairly common condition is flea bite allergy or FAD (flea allergy dermatitis). In this case, the animal may be unbearably itchy even in the presence of a single flea due to an allergy to saliva. In these subjects, symptoms of infestation may be more severe, with intense itching, skin abrasions, hair loss and secondary skin infections.
Treatment and control
Flea Treatments they can be very diverse, generally cheap and easy to apply, such as vials to be applied to the skin through oral tablets. Treatment is carried out once a month, usually from March to November, that is, in the season of increased reproduction of fleas. However, your vet may recommend long-term treatment, even in winter, depending on the case, as fleas can survive and replicate this season due to heating in homes.
All house animals must be treated at the same time (dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets). It is advisable, however, to consult your veterinarian for better guidance, as some pesticides cannot be applied equally to all species. Treatment must then be constant throughout the year in people with allergies to flea bites (FAD) and animals that they live with.
Some of the new products, among other things, not only limited to removing fleas adults in the animal, but also prevent the development of larvae from eggs in the environment.