Flea Life Cycle
Groundwork for an Infestation
Flea infestations don't happen overnight. In fact, they usually begin 6-8 weeks before you ever notice a flea. That's when your unprotected pet brings in a few fleas from outside. Once on
your pet, fleas begin feeding and breeding - and laying the groundwork for an ugly infestation. By the time you notice fleas on your pets, there can be thousands of flea eggs, larvae and
pupae right under your feet - a huge flea biomass ready to emerge into your home.
The Flea Population Swells
As these new fleas emerge, your flea problem may look like it's getting worse, but this infestation is actually running its course. Once you've applied a flea treatment, any fleas on your
pets will be killed fast, before they can produce another generation of fleas. The flea biomass (eggs, larvae and pupae) that was already hidden in your home will mature into new fleas -
usually within a month of when you first applied a treatment.
Your treated pets can still pick up new fleas in a flash from the same places they got them in the first place: your own yard, the neighborhood, parks etc. Whether your pet picks up new
fleas from an indoors infestation running its course or from flea nurseries outside, flea medication will eliminate these fleas before they can produce another wave of fleas.
The Infestation Comes Crashing Down
Because treatment destroys fleas' ability to reproduce, once all the flea biomass in the home matures, the nursery is empty, and the cycle is broken. This often happens in the second month
after treatment, but because flea development is slower where it is cooler, it can take longer.
You can't keep your pets from picking up new fleas, sometimes a lot of new fleas, however by applying monthly flea prevention to all dogs and cats in the household, all fleas will be killed
before another flea infestation can start all over again.
Flea Life Cycle
The most important source of fleas is newly emerged adult fleas from pupae in your house or yard. Adult fleas live and feed on our pets but the female flea lays eggs, which fall off into
the environment. Under favorable conditions, these eggs develop first into larvae and then into pupae. The pupae contain adult fleas that lie and wait for a suitable animal host. Modern
carpeted centrally heated homes provide ideal conditions for the year-round development of fleas. The highest number of flea eggs, larvae and pupae will be found in areas of the house where
pets spend the most time, such as their beds and furniture. Even though fleas may be in your house, you probably won't see them; the eggs are too small to without magnification and the
larvae, which are just visible, migrate deep down in carpets, furniture or cracks in the floor away from the light.
When is Flea Season?
Flea season usually starts in May and goes through to winter. The worst time of the year for fleas is September, October, and November. Flea prevention can be stopped once our
temperature is consistently below the freezing point.
How can you tell if your animal has fleas?
The symptoms that an animal experiences when they have fleas can vary depending on if they are allergic to the flea saliva. An animal that is not allergic may not even itch if
infested with fleas. On the other hand, an animal that is highly allergic to the flea saliva may itch and scratch excessively even after one flea bite. Most animals that have
fleas will either have the presents of a black pepper substance on the fur, or they will be scratching and/or chewing at the back end of their body.
What is the recommendation for flea prevention & control?
Here at Nucci Veterinary Clinic, we carry Vectra-3D (canine), Vectra (feline), Frontline Plus (canine or feline), or Revolution (canine or feline). We recommend that you apply
one of these topical flea preventatives once monthly to all animals in the environment.
An environmental treatment is also available. Here at Prairie View, we carry Knockout spray. This spray allows you to target the areas where fleas will most likely be. Flea bombs on the other hand only target the tops of surfaces where fleas generally will not be. A lot of vacuuming is also a great idea to limit the number of fleas in your environment.
Vectra 3-D for Dogs (dinotefuran, permethrin, pyriproxifen), Vectra for Cats (dinotefuran, pyriproxifen) from Summit Vet Pharm
This product is a monthly spot-on application for flea, tick and mosquito control with an insect growth regulator. It provides long-lasting repellent, and is a fast acting adult flea
killer that also provides control for the egg stage of the flea for at least 30 days. Permethrin is added to provide tick control and as a repellant. Pyriproxifen (Nylar) is added for
flea egg control (See above.) Water and shampooing lowers efficacy after 14 days. Do not use the Vectra-3D on cats, because of the high concentration of permethrin. This product is
fast-acting and should be very useful for households with flea allergy patients.
Advantage (imidacloprid), K9 Advantix (with permethrin) from Bayer
These products are available as a spot ons for either dogs or cats. Advantage seems to be very well tolerated by sensitive cats. It provides flea knockdown in about 8 hours. 100% killing
can be maintained for at least two weeks. It is susceptible to wash off, therefore outdoor active dogs and dogs that swim or that must be bathed because of dermatitis must be re treated
frequently. (Weekly reapplication is allowed with Advantage only). Imidacloprid has no efficacy against ticks, but K-9 Advantix, with permethrin does. K9 Advantix is only labeled for once a
month, and ONLY FOR DOGS.
Frontline Spray, Frontline Plus and Frontline Top Spot (fipronil) from Merial
Fipronil is a broad spectrum insecticide available as a spray or a drip-on. Fipronil binds chemically to the hair and is absorbed through the hair follicle by the sebaceous glands. The
spray is labeled for puppies and kittens of 8 weeks (10 weeks for Top Spot). It is also affective against ticks. The major problem with the spray is the high volume of alcohol based product
that must be applied. Many cats will show minor adverse reactions with this application technique. The product is labeled to be applied no more than once a month. Frontline Plus contains
the insect growth regulator, S-methoprene and so provides control of eggs and adult fleas.
Revolution (selamectin) from Pfizer
This prescription drug is designed as a once-a-month heartworm preventive and flea preventive for cats as young as 6 weeks old. It also kills adult fleas and can be used to treat
sarcoptic mange, ear mites and ticks. It also helps control roundworms and hookworms in cats. The product is placed on the skin at the back of the neck, but is absorbed into the body
to have its effect when female fleas ingest it with a blood meal. Adult fleas will die slowly, but more importantly, female fleas stop egg production as soon as they are exposed. It
is most useful as a preventive for flea infestation and in the presence of a flea problem in an allergic pet, but it is an excellent flea control product for cats.
Why are the above mentioned products better than flea baths and dips?
The Vectra, Frontline, Advantix, and Revolution are safer, easier to apply, and the protection lasts longer. They also affect the life cycle of the flea, whereas the baths and dips
only kill the adult fleas that are on the animal.
Flea Life Cycle
Eggs are laid in the hair coat and are designed to fall off the host. They are resistant to insecticides, but susceptible to various insect growth regulators. Larvae develop in the host?s environment and feed on adult flea feces (blood) that fall out of the hair coat of the pet. Larvae are susceptible to traditional insecticides, borates and insect growth regulators. Larvae eventually spin cocoons (often within carpet fibers) for pupation. Pupae are resistant to freezing, desiccation, and insecticides. Pupae can lie dormant for many months; they are stimulated to expupate as emergent adults by vibration, warming and increased carbon dioxide. Normally, expupation occurs when a host is near and the new flea finds the pet within seconds of emergence. Emergent fleas are fairly mobile and can survive a few days without a host, if in a suitable environment. New fleas begin feeding within hours of finding a dog or cat. Once a blood meal has been taken, the flea can survive only a short time if it is dislodged from the host. New fleas experience very high mortality on healthy adult hosts. Most fleas do not survive 72 hours on an animal that is itching and able to groom itself. Unfortunately, limited egg production does occur even on allergic animals. The entire life cycle of C. felis can be completed in as few as 16 days!
What problems can fleas cause?
Fleas can be the cause of tapeworms. When the infected tapeworm eggs are released into the environment, they have to be swallowed by immature flea larvae. Once inside the larval stage of
the flea, the tapeworm egg continues to develop into an infective tapeworm as the flea matures into an adult flea. During grooming or in response to a flea?s bite, the dog or cat can ingest
the flea carrying the infective tapeworm and the life cycle is completed.
Fleas can also cause anemia in young or emaciated animals. A single female flea can take up to 15 times her body weight in blood over the several weeks of her adult life.
Flea allergic dermatitis is a common problem that we see here at Prairie View Animal Hospital. Symptoms include, but are not limited to excess scratching generally over the rear half of the body. This scratching can cause the skin to become red and irritated, hair loss, and even sores.