| All dogs pick up fleas, ticks, and | | | | inches, and horizontally up to fourteen |
| chiggers at one time or another, usually | | | | inches. They have piercing - sucking |
| during the warm weather months. Even a | | | | mouth parts and spines on their body. |
| pampered city pet can pick up a stray | | | | Adult fleas cannot survive or lay eggs |
| flea from a potted plant. Hunting dogs | | | | without a blood meal, but may live from |
| often return home with a collection of | | | | two months to one year without feeding. |
| chiggers or ticks. Fleas hop from one | | | | In order to effectively control an |
| dog to another with amazing speed and | | | | infestation, fleas must be removed from |
| agility. Your pet only needs to greet | | | | the pet, the home, and the yard. |
| one flea infested friend in order to | | | | Starting with the pet, there are |
| acquire the beginning of a flea colony | | | | shampoos, topical treatments, sprays, |
| of his own. | | | | collars, and oral medications. The least |
| External parasites are not a special | | | | recommended is shampoo, due to the |
| affliction of dogs. The dog is simply a | | | | grooming the pet does to his own coat. |
| convenient host for them. We would | | | | The pesticides can be toxic if they are |
| probably have them too, if our bodies | | | | consumed in quantity. Topical treatments |
| were covered with hair and we ran around | | | | are better, along with sprays and |
| without shoes and clothing and sat or | | | | collars, but the best and most |
| slept on the ground. Fleas are the most | | | | recommended is the oral medication |
| common, the easiest to detect and to get | | | | Lufenuron called "Program" from your |
| rid of. Fleas appear as black specks on | | | | veterinarian. |
| a fine tooth comb, and a single one can | | | | To clean the home, all areas frequented |
| drive a dog crazy. | | | | by the dog should be cleaned thoroughly |
| The worst part of fleas is that they act | | | | by vacuuming, washing bedding and rugs |
| as hosts to tapeworm larvae, and if your | | | | and possible treatment by insecticides. |
| dog swallows one you may end up with a | | | | Treating your carpet with a Borate |
| worm problem too. You can trap fleas in | | | | powder such as "Borax" laundry powder |
| a silky smooth coat with a flea comb, | | | | works as a poison upon ingestion by the |
| but fleas that nestle in the dense | | | | flea, simply sprinkle the powder on your |
| undercoat of double coated dogs must be | | | | carpets and leave it for a few h ours |
| treated with a product that penetrates | | | | before vacuuming will rid most homes of |
| the skin, and a regular mild treatment | | | | their fleas. A second treatment can |
| is safer than an occasional severe one. | | | | follow if necessary. It's cheap, you can |
| In one day a single flea can bite your | | | | do it yourself and there are no |
| pet 400 times, while consuming more than | | | | insecticides used. |
| its own bodyweight in blood. Some dogs | | | | To treat the lawn and around the homes |
| can contract flea allergy dermatitis, an | | | | exterior, pyrethroids such as "Archer" |
| allergic reaction to the flea's saliva. | | | | or "Nylan", as well as fenoxy carb such |
| The severity and length of the flea | | | | as "Logic" or "Torus" can be effective. |
| season varies depending on what part of | | | | Outdoor treatment is usually only done |
| the country you live in, but it is best | | | | in extreme or severe cases of flea |
| to treat your pet in early spring, | | | | infestation and may not be necessary. |
| (April - May). In northern climates, | | | | You should however keep your lawn |
| flea and tick season usually lasts | | | | trimmed to create a drier, less ideal |
| approximately 4 months, but in the | | | | environment for flea larvae. If you |
| extreme south, fleas can live all year | | | | don't want to handle the pesticides |
| long. | | | | yourself, any licensed professional pest |
| There are more than 2000 species of | | | | control operator can do the treatment |
| fleas in the United States alone, but | | | | for you. |
| the one that attacks most pets is the | | | | In summary, you should check with your |
| cat flea, Ctenocephalides Felis. A cat | | | | veterinarian before using any form of |
| flea can lay up to one egg per hour, and | | | | flea treatment. Never use products for |
| within two days, a wormlike larvae will | | | | dogs on a cat, as cats are more |
| hatch from those eggs. The eggs are | | | | sensitive to the pesticide and they |
| oval, smooth, and about 0.5mm in size. | | | | groom themselves more thoroughly. Never |
| The hatched larvae will range from 1.5 | | | | apply pesticides to young, pregnant, or |
| to 5mm in length. The complete cycle | | | | sick animals, and use alternative |
| from egg to adult takes approximately 30 | | | | methods to control fleas, such as |
| to 75 days depending on temperature and | | | | combing frequently with a flea comb, |
| humidity. | | | | vacuum your home frequently and dispose |
| Adult fleas are about 1/16 to 1/8 inch | | | | of the vacuum bag, wash all pet bedding |
| long, are dark reddish brown, wingless, | | | | regularly, and bathe your pet with a |
| hard bodied, have three pairs of legs | | | | pesticide free shampoo. Prevention is |
| and are flattened from side to side. | | | | much easier than dealing with an |
| Fleas can jump vertically up to seven | | | | infestation. |