Flea Fact & Myths

Flea Fact 1: Fleas are Quick and Mobile. 

Fleas are 1-3mm long. Adult fleas can jump 600 times per hr. A record jump is 33 cm. That is the equivalent of a person clearing a 50-storey building.

FLEAS CAN COVER SERIOUS DISTANCE

 

Flea Fact 2: Fleas can Reproduce Rapidly. 

The most common flea on the cat AND dog is the cat flea. Females lay 30-50 eggs per day for over 100 days. 25 females can lead to 250,000 in 1 month. The flea life cycle can be as quick as 12 days or as long as 12 months .

 

Flea Fact 3: Fleas Cause Serious Disease.

Anemia: blood sucking fleas in large numbers can lead to a life threatening anemia, especially in young dogs and cats.

Fleas carry blood parasites: Cat Scratch Disease. We can catch this.

Fleas carry tapeworms: When you see you see fleas, sure you worm your pet.  These tapeworms cause malnutrition and diarrhoea in our pets.

Flea Myth 1: Indoors Provides Protection.

My pet cannot have fleas because he lives entirely indoors.

The truth: Fleas thrive and reproduce particularly well in the home. Optimum flea temperature in 18-27 degrees celsius. What’s your heating set at indoors?

 

Flea Myth 2: They Would Bite Me First.

My pet cannot have fleas because if there were any fleas they would be biting me as I am sensitive.

The truth: The flea sucks the blood of a wide variety of animals. Flea do not prefer human blood and won’t eat it unless absolutely necessary. Humans tend not to be bitten unless flea population numbers are high.

 

Flea Myth 3: I Don’t Have Carpets.

We do not have fleas because we only have hardwood floors.

The truth: Fleas love to develop in the cracks between the boards of hardwood floors.

 

Flea Myth 3: I Would See the Fleas.

My pet cannot have fleas because I would see them.

The truth : They are small, about 1-3mm long. You cannot expect to see fleas because many animals will lick, groom, and chew after being bitten by a flea. This causes the flea to either jump off the pet or get swallowed.  The adult flea spends limited time on the pet, just got to be lucky to see them.