Fleas and Flea Allergies

Fleas are troublesome pests that most pet owners face sooner or later.  In fact, a flea infestation is one of the most common pet health problems.  But just because it's common doesn't mean it's not serious.  Fleas can torment your pet and cause a range of health problems in both pets and humans.  Fleas can also be difficult to get rid of, however the good news is that there are many new products that make this process easier.  Read on to learn about fleas, and how to prevent and treat them.

The lifecycle of the flea:

Fleas are small brown/black wingless biting insects that live in the hair coat of dogs, cats and other small pets.  Fleas are bloodsuckers with well-developed mouth parts that can pierce the relatively thick skin of animals.  When they feed, they secrete saliva to prevent blood clotting.  It's the saliva that causes skin irritations and allergic reactions. 

An adult female flea can begin producing eggs within 24-48 hours of having a blood meal, laying up to 50 eggs a day.  That’s up to 2000 eggs in a lifetime.  Eggs may survive for up to 3 years.  The eggs are laid on your dog or cat, but fall rapidly into the environment, wherever your pet walks or sleeps.  Once flea larvae hatch, they move to a warm dark area to mature, often down in the carpet, in your pet’s bedding, and even cracks and crevices, feeding on adult flea faeces – which is digested blood.  When conditions of heat and humidity are right, the full life cycle can be completed in about 2-3 weeks.  If the environment isn’t right, the flea pupae can live for up to a year before emerging. 

Diagnosis:

Because fleas are difficult to spot, a flea infestation is usually diagnosed by the presence of  black flakes or specks that fleas leave behind i.e. flea dirt which is actually flea excrement.  Even if you can't see them, if your pet has flea dirt, your pet has live fleas. 

Fleas are usually found on the animals back, rump, stomach, and at the base of his tail, or around the head.  Your pet may scratch and bite itself if he/she has fleas, especially if the fleabites cause irritation or an allergic reaction.  However, not all pets will scratch if they have fleas, especially cats. 

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY FLEAS:

Skin irritation/self trauma:

Large numbers of fleas moving over the skin and coat can cause much irritation to your pet.  Flea bites can cause intense itching that lasts long after the fleas are killed.  Pets may bite or scratch themselves, often to the point of causing hair loss, raw bleeding skin and infection – which makes the irritation worse. 

Flea allergy dermatitis/flea bite hypersensitivity:

The saliva of fleas has the ability to cause an intense allergic reaction in some pets.  Once your dog or cat is sensitised to flea saliva, just one bite is enough to set off a severe skin reaction. In dogs this is often around the tail base.  

Tapeworms:

Fleas also carry tapeworms. Dogs and cats can become infected with tapeworms if they swallow infected fleas while grooming. It's also possible for humans, (especially children) if they accidentally ingest these fleas, to become infected with tapeworms.

Flea anaemia:

A less common health concern is flea anaemia. Puppies and kittens are particularly at risk of flea anaemia, which results when the fleas suck enough blood to cause a life-threatening condition. A pet suffering from flea anaemia will have pale gums. In advanced cases, the animal may become listless and cold. Check your pets’ gums regularly so you can recognize a change that may indicate a health problem. 

Prevention and treatment:

There are a number of sprays and medications you can use to both treat and prevent flea infestations. 

Frontline and Advantage are two brands of monthly “Spot-on” treatments. These products kill both adult fleas and larvae on your pet and in the immediate environment for one month. They are easy to use, and safe for your pet. Frontline is also available as a spray (Frontline spray is very good for Tick Infestations as well as fleas). Both these products are waterproof, however if you bath your animal weekly or they swim regularly, we would recommend Frontline.

Treating lactating dogs and cats with Advantage will protect the puppies/kittens that are suckling. You can treat the puppies/kittens after weaning, individually.

Revolution and Advocate are two products that treat and prevent fleas, and also prevent  heartworm infection, treat for ear mites and treat some types of mange.  Advocate will also treat for intestinal roundworms, hookworms and whipworms (but not tapeworm so continue medicating every 3 months).

Comfortis is a beef flavoured chewable tablet that rapidly kills fleas within 20 minutes and is indicated for the treatment, prevention and control of flea infestations on dogs and is also helpful for flea allergy dermatitis. Each tablet covers for up to one month and is great for dogs that swim regularly. Recommended to be administered with food for maximum effectiveness. Not recommended for use in puppies less then 14 weeks of age.

Other spot-ons (supermarket brands) – these products don’t seem to be as effective as the above mentioned brands.  These products often contain poisons such as organophosphates, which can be hazardous to your pet’s health, especially if they are old or unwell.  Some of these products are highly toxic to cats.

Capstar Tablets – these are tablets that kill the adult fleas within 30mins of oral dosing thus giving the pet immediate relief, however will only last 24 hours. A long acting flea control can then be used to continue flea prevention. Capstar can be used in animals greater than 4 weeks of age.

Flea sprays/shampoos – there is a wide range of these products available. They can be effective in some animals however are not long acting (except for Frontline).  There has been reported toxicity to some flea sprays in cats.

Yard sprays/foggers/flea bombs – these products can be very useful in severe household infestations to get control of the environmental population of fleas, larvae and eggs. The insect hormonal foggers are best as they are non-toxic for humans. It is important to remember when treating a flea infestation, you will need to treat both your pet and his/her environment as well as any other animals in your household. Wash all your pet’s bedding and vacuum all floors, rugs, floorboards and furniture thoroughly. 

To prevent fleas it is important to remember to continue to use a monthly preventative in addition to keeping your pet’s bedding clean and vacuuming regularly. It's also a good idea to use a flea comb regularly on your pet. 

Caution:

• Do not mix insecticides without veterinary advice.
• Adhere strictly to product instructions. Do not overdose or underdose.
• Do not use adult pet products on puppies or kittens under 3 months of age, and do not use dog flea products on cats.

Do not wash your pet with flea shampoo too frequently, or combine too many different flea products as you risk poisoning your pet - signs to watch for include trembling, dribbling from the mouth, vomiting and diarrhoea