Fleas - We all know the name of this parasite but how many of us really know the terror these little "bugs" are?
If you have a pet, you need to be concerned about fleas. Not only are they a hazard to our pets but also to their owners. Everyone knows that fleas cause the pet to scratch so I'll not go over that fact. Instead, I'd like to discuss the hidden dangers of the flea.
Being a veterinary technician, I've seen my fair share or flea infested pets and some of the main concerns vary in range from skin conditions to extreme anemia from the blood loss. If a pet is sick to begin with or older, these conditions can actually be fatal! Helping these pets and any pet that has a flea problem, only begins with removal of these pests. The issue is much larger than just the live fleas on the pet.
As you can see from this image - a single flea is just the tip of the iceberg. Now where do these other "components" reside?
In a typical room:
5% of the fleas will be found on pets
10% flea cocoons in the carpets
35% flea larvae and 50% flea eggs, again in the carpets
In your CARPETS!!! Carpets, sofas, beds (yes, beds) and everywhere else you reside. These areas are the main problem because these are the areas that most people don't even consider. So what is the big deal? My pet has fleas, the fleas are in my carpet...so what?
Fleas are parasites, plain and simple. Not only do fleas cause allergic reactions, blood loss and skin conditions; they also carry parasites themselves - tapeworms. All a pet needs to do is to ingest one flea to contract tapeworms. Not enough to get you concerned? Humans can also ingest fleas and get tapeworms!
Still not enough? Consider flea bites. Again, being a vet tech, I've had them and for those that have had them as well, they are not comfortable. For the average person these bites cause nothing more than irritation but for those that are elderly or have certain conditions, these simple bites can cause serious problems.
Got your attention now? If your pet has fleas, for the sake of all parties involved, treat them and not with over the counter flea prevention from in pet stores (some can be very dangerous to your pet). Visit your veterinarian and discuss flea prevention. Some flea prevention comes with heartworm prevention now to make your life easier.
Should you use flea prevention year around? YES! No matter where you are, at whatever time of the year, fleas can be a problem (those in the artic circle can disregard this statement). Unfortunately flea eggs are very hardy and can remain dormant for long periods of time. All they need is just a little warmth (even from our home heaters) to become active again.
Remember to treat your whole house as well. Fleas hide, flea eggs drop, they are everywhere! There are many safe home flea treatments - do some research and find one that is safe and proven. Many "bombs" require full evacutation of the home for some time and some are hazardous to smaller pets like birds, pocket pets and even fish. READ THE LABELS!!!! One that I've found to work well is FleaBusters.
Don't let these pests ruin your life or your pets!
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