A flea is an insect that lives on mammals such as dogs and cats. The most common flea species is the one that infests cats, dogs and ferrets: Ctenocephalides felis. It is an external, biting, wingless parasite. The body of the flea is flat with long legs adapted for jumping and can reach up to 4mm in the adult.
The life cycle of fleas is dependent on environmental conditions. When they are ideal (humidity, warmth, nearby hosts), all stages of development can be completed in less than 2 weeks. A single female flea can produce several tens of thousands of new adults in a month. The number of fleas on the animals and especially in the environment can quickly become considerable.
As heat is necessary for the survival of flea larvae, they can develop outdoors from spring to autumn, but not in winter. However, the heating of houses and flats allows them to develop indoors throughout the year.
1- Adult fleas feed on blood by biting the skin of the host animal. They usually stay on the same host until they die. Their life expectancy is theoretically several months, but they are often eliminated after one to three weeks when the dog or cat grooms or bites itself. Fleas eat a few meals a day, often after multiple attempts at biting before gorging themselves on blood. Thus a single flea can be responsible for many bites a day.
2– Female fleas lay their eggs on the host: 20 eggs on average per day (a flea can lay up to 50 eggs in a single day). Once laid, the eggs fall to the ground. After a few days, a larva emerges.
3– The larvae feed on organic debris and adult flea droppings left in the environment by the hosts. They tend to avoid light and seek out hidden places such as the base of carpet fibres, under skirting boards and in floor cracks.
4– Once developed, the larva weaves a cocoon in which the nymph is formed. The nymph then gives birth to an adult flea which remains in the cocoon until conditions are favourable for its emergence (at this stage the flea is said to be a “pre-emergent” adult).
5– Moist heat and the presence of potential hosts nearby stimulate the emergence of new adults. Indeed, the flea is able to assess the presence of potential hosts thanks to the vibrations caused by their movement in the environment and the carbon dioxide released by their breathing! The wait can last more than 6 months as long as the environment does not produce the required signals.
The bite of a flea can be painful. Dogs, like cats, may react by jumping or screaming when bitten.
When feeding on the blood of its host, the flea injects a little saliva so that the blood it feeds on does not clot. This causes an itchy reaction in the host.
If the number of fleas on the animal’s body is too high, anaemia can occur, which will affect young, very old or sick animals in particular.
Allergy, which can be caused by the saliva from the bite, is also a danger. It is the most common skin disease in dogs and cats. It is expressed by itching, hair loss, dandruff, scabs, sores and secondary infections.
Finally, it is important to know that fleas can also transmit diseases, such as cat scratch disease, which can be transmitted to humans. Dog and cat fleas are also vectors of a digestive worm called Dipylidium caninum.
Due to the high frequency of flea infestations, certain misconceptions are regularly reported. Here are some examples of popular misconceptions:
It is important to realise that flea contamination of an animal comes mainly from adults present in the environment, and that this contamination can come from outside (except in winter) as well as inside the house. Contamination by the passage of an adult flea from one animal to another is certainly possible, but ultimately rather rare. It requires close contact between the two animals. It is therefore essential to treat your pet and its environment. Ask your vet for advice.
ESCCAP (European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites) is an independent, non-profit association that develops and disseminates recommendations for the treatment and prevention of the major internal and external parasites of pets.
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