Got Fleas? Information about the flea life cycle
Fleas are perhaps the worst aspect of having pets, especially during the spring/summer months. For those living in the southern states, fleas can be a big issue during most of the year. There are five major types of fleas and they are: Cat fleas, Dog fleas, Human fleas, Northern rat fleas, and Oriental rat fleas. As surprising as it sounds, the most common flea found on our dogs in North America is in fact the cat flea.
Despite their size, fleas can cause a lot of problems for both pets and owners. Such problems might include: loss of blood, sometimes even anemia for small dogs/cats or severe infestation cases, severe itching, scratching, flea saliva allergies, loss of hair, development of hot spots, disease and worms transmission, and last but not least, embarrassment for the owner who’d rather not invite anyone at home because fleas are running wild. Fleas have a 4 step life cycle; all of the problems mentioned above exist during the adult stage, and getting rid of adult fleas will only solve 1/4th of the issue.
Why are fleas so prolific? Let’s take a look at their life stages. The flea life stages are eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. The adult flea has to bite first before it can start laying eggs, and one flea can lay approximately 500-600 eggs during its lifespan. These eggs end up falling off the pet in areas where the pet spends most of his time, such as the pet’s bed, the owner’s bed, couch, etc. Depending on surrounding conditions, the eggs will hatch as soon as two days or within two weeks. Larvae come out of the eggs and start feeding on dead organic material and blood from flea dirt. This stage can last between two weeks to a month or sometimes longer. At the next stage, (pupa) the larvae spin cocoons and rest between five to fourteen days. At that point, the flea is ready to come out to feed on the pet’s blood, however, if no suitable host is available, the adult flea can remain in the cocoon for up to five months. Once outside of the cocoon, a flea can live ranging from a few days up to about two weeks.
More to come in the next few days…keep checking back for updates. If you have a bad flea problem right now, visit PetCareRx through the link below to offer your dog and yourself immediate relief from these pests!
