Fleas are small, blood-sucking parasites found worldwide. Their enormous jumping ability allows them to move quickly on and between their hosts. This can lead to veritable flea infestations. The most important measure is prevention.
There are several thousand species of fleas worldwide. Although each species has its own preferred host, they can also live on other animal species and humans. Fleas are therefore a zoonosis (a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans). The most common flea in Europe, both in the wild and on dogs, is the cat flea. Most fleas die in frost, but due to climate change and mild winters, they are now found all year round. Even indoor cats can be affected by fleas if flea eggs are brought into the home.
With their compressed shape, fleas are perfectly adapted to the conditions found between hairs. Cat fleas are 1.5 to 4.5 millimeters in size, making them visible to the naked eye. Fleas cannot fly, but they are extremely good jumpers. They can jump up to 60 centimeters, enabling them to quickly infest other animals or humans.
Fleas feed on blood. To do this, they pierce the skin with their piercing and sucking mouthparts. After a blood meal, a cat flea lays up to 50 whitish eggs per day. These are laid randomly on the animal or in the room. The eggs hatch into whitish, worm-shaped larvae that are approximately five millimeters long. These live on hair, dandruff, environmental material, and undigested blood from the feces of adult fleas. The pupa develops through various larval stages. It can survive for months. As soon as the pupa senses the presence of an animal or human, the young flea hatches. Under optimal conditions, the entire development takes only two weeks. Adult fleas live for up to four months. After a hearty meal of blood, they can survive periods of hunger lasting up to two months.
In the event of a severe flea infestation, you will be able to see the fleas and their larvae on your pet with the naked eye. Flea bites cause intense itching due to substances in the flea's saliva. This causes dogs and cats to scratch themselves suddenly and intensely, and may even wake them from their sleep. In order to feed sufficiently, fleas often bite several times in succession. This is why you often see a row of puncture marks with red spots. Fleas prefer areas of the body where the skin is slightly thinner. These include the ears, belly, and inner legs. However, puncture marks are also often found on the back and base of the tail. If you are unsure, comb the fur with a flea comb. Then wipe it on a damp, white cloth. If you see black-brown particles, crush them. If they turn rust-brown to reddish, it is undigested blood from flea feces.
Fleas can cause various secondary diseases:
In severe cases, blood loss from flea bites can lead to anemia and iron deficiency. Affected animals are often tired, lethargic, and have pale mucous membranes.
Some animals have an allergic reaction to certain proteins in flea saliva. Flea saliva allergy manifests itself in even more intense itching. Intensive licking and scratching leads to bald patches. Larger inflammations, blisters and scabs may develop.
Fleas eat tapeworm eggs. If fleas are swallowed during grooming, tapeworm infestation often occurs. This causes diarrhea and loss of appetite, but can also be completely symptom-free.
In addition, fleas transmit numerous bacteria and viruses. Bartonella bacteria, for example, can also be transmitted to humans through scratch wounds and cause bartonellosis (cat scratch disease). This causes flu-like symptoms in humans and can be very protracted. Cats usually do not show any symptoms of bartonellosis. Weakened animals may develop fever and various inflammations.
Intense scratching can lead to secondary skin infections with bacteria and fungi.
To prevent fleas from multiplying and spreading, treat your pet as soon as possible if it is infested. There are tablets, sprays, and spot-on preparations (applied to the skin) with varying lengths of action. Spot-on treatments are applied to the back of the neck, enter the bloodstream and kill the blood-sucking fleas. Your vet can also inject a treatment. To get rid of the eggs, larvae and pupae, comb your pet regularly with a flea comb. You may also want to use special flea shampoos.
If your pet has an allergy to flea saliva, additional medication and ointments are used to relieve the extreme itching and reduce skin inflammation. You should also deworm your pet. There are many combination products that are effective against both fleas and other parasites.
Never use a product intended for dogs on cats, or vice versa. This can be fatal for cats. If you have other animals in your household, you must also treat them for fleas as a precaution. Many products available on the market are not reliably effective. Therefore, always consult your veterinarian. They will be happy to help you choose the right products.
Only about ten percent of the infestation consists of adult fleas; the other 90 percent are eggs, larvae, and pupae. These are also found in your pet's environment. If they are not eliminated, a new generation of fleas will hatch. Take the following measures to prevent this:
If these measures do not get rid of the fleas in the long term, professional pest control should be considered. This will treat all rooms with anti-flea agents. No people or animals should be allowed in the rooms for a certain period of time afterwards.
Don't let fleas become a problem in the first place. If you have an indoor cat, check for signs of fleas during regular grooming. It is best to use a flea comb. Protect animals that leave the house all year round with anti-flea products or collars from your vet. Vacuum, clean, or wash your pet's environment and sleeping areas regularly.
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