how long is life cycle of flea

Best Answer: You're right, fleas will bite us but don't normally live on us. You mission now is to get rid of the fleas, flea eggs and larvae that remain in your apartment. Fleas can hatch in just a few seconds it they sense heat or vibration. You don't have a cat anymore so your own body or even a vacuum cleaner can cause them to hatch.

Can fleas live without an animal host?

"Pets Cats Can fleas live without an animal host? I have a flea problem in my apartment. I got rid of my cat because I could not afford to treat her, as well as my home.

I just used the flea foggers they tell you to use. I cleaned my place like crazy after it was safe to go back in the apartment. I vaccummed the whole place after sprinkling the flea powder every... show more9 following Answers Relevance Rating Newest Oldest

""Vacuum floors, rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture, and crevices around baseboards and cabinets daily or every other day to remove flea eggs, larvae, adults, and food sources. Vacuuming is very effective in picking up adults and stimulating preemerged adults to leave their cocoons, but it is not as good at removing flea pupae because they are attached to carpet fibers and can withstand the pull of the vacuum.

Flea eggs can survive and develop inside vacuum bags and adults may be able to escape to the outside, so immediately destroy bags by burning or by sealing them in a plastic trash bag and placing them in a covered trash container."" http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/counties/cecalav... One inexpensive way to speed up the process and give you some relief is to purchase some boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax from you grocery store or Wal-Mart.

It's found in the laundry detergent aisle and costs about $3-$4 a box. Sprinkle it on the carpet, on furniture (under cushions too) and in crevices around your house.

Work it in with a broom. Leave it on for 3 days. Vacuum it up. Treat all rooms at the same time. It breaks the flea life cycle. Some remains in your carpet and continues killing any remaining fleas eggs for at least 6 months.

http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/20_Mule_Team... Hope this helps. Squeek E · 1 decade ago1 0 Comment I had an infestation in my house before I owned any pets. They might have been brought in on my friend's dog when he was visiting, but they persisted in my house after any dog was present and lived all in the carpet.

They would also bite me at night. Unfortunately, They will probably not just die off now that there is no cat available to them. They reproduce very rapidly and don't need much blood to reproduce. I had to use the flea foggers twice before I finally cleared the whole house of the infestation, so I would try fogging again, especially if you are currently only seeing a few.

Also, make sure you vaccuum every bit of floor and furniture after you fog-- the foggers don't kill the eggs, just the adults.

So, after you kill the adults, you have to vaccuum on and underneath every bit of furniture, and then change the bags in your vacccuum and throw the old bags out-- not inside the house. If you don't, the eggs will hatch inside the vaccuum cleaner. Good luck, it can take a while but if you are persistent then you can do it!Lansey · 1 decade ago1 1 Comment How Long Do Fleas Live Source (s):https://shrink.im/a79hb?

· 2 years ago0 0 Comment Who told you to use 'foggers'? Use something from a vets, don't even both with pet store crapola. Recommend Indorex, Staykil, Acclaim or Skoosh. You'll need to vacuum the next day and then repeat this process in a week to get the eggs that have now hatched out - unless you use Skoosh, as this also kills eggs and pupae as well as the adult fleas.

Chalice Source (s):vet nurse Chalice · 1 decade ago1 2 Comment You've still got thousands of eggs around and they'll continue to hatch for quite some time. Get some live traps. Basically they're a heat source and a glue pad. Fleas are attracted to the heat and get stuck in the glue.

Eventually you'll get them all. It'll take time though. http://www.fleascontrol.com/flea-trap.ht...halsca · 1 decade ago0 1 Commentthe eggs and fleas can live especially in those hard to reach places like your carpet so you need to shampoo your carpet and wash all of her blankets and bedding and cloth toys, wash all your bed comforters and throw rugs as well.

they can be a b.i.t.c.h. to get rid of cause they hide everywhere! after you do the shampooing of your carpet fog again, this should get the job done and you shouldn't have any more flee problems. Anonymous · 1 decade ago0 0 Comment I can t even imagine getting rid of my pet because I have fleas in my house! Wowjillc · 2 years ago3 1 Comment Perhaps you would like to learn more about one of these? Interested in Life Alert? Find the best luxury cars Kitty Litter, Fresh & Clean! What hotels are pet friendly? "

The eggs will hatch after 1-2 weeks, and emerge as larva. These larva can live in bedding, carpet, furniture, any place that the host has been. Get this, they live as larva for up to 200 days before they turn into pupae. Pupae can wait dormant for over a year if conditions aren't yet right to become adults. When conditions are right, many generations of fleas can transform into adults leading to a flea infestation. Fleas are bad news.

Getting Rid of Fleas

"Getting Rid of Fleas Pet owners can spend a lot of time getting rid of fleas. Fleas are pests that every pet owner must deal with.

If you don't deal with them, they will take over!First the scary part. Fleas feed on the blood of mammals and their young feed on the dried blood that is eliminated by the adults. Yuk!Fleas live on the host animal and their eggs are left on the host and the hosts' bedding and can drop off anywhere the host animal has been.

Don't let them gain a foothold in your home. Getting Rid of Fleas1. Quarantine infested pets.2. Collect everything you can, rugs, bedding, etc and watch them in soapy water. Soapy water is the best way to kill fleas. It kills adults, pupae, larvae, and eggs. When getting rid of fleas, it is important not to spill the larvae and eggs when picking things up.3.

Vacuum everything. Everything. Couches chairs, bookshelves, anywhere dust can settle. Use the attachment to get into corners. Don't miss an inch. When finished, don't leave the bag in the vacuum for goodness sakes. Get rid of it. It is best to seal it in a plastic bag. You can even freeze the bag if you want to do a good job of killing fleas before you throw them away.4.

The larvae that are left can be dealt with by a professional carpet steam cleaner. The steam will kill every stage except for the eggs, but there is an infrared treatment that can be used that kills all stages of the dog fleas.

Call around to get a good deal and make sure they are good at getting rid of fleas.5. If your pet hangs out outside, wash their usual resting places with soapy water so the fleas can't hitch another ride. Can Fleas Live on People? YES they can. What do you do if your pets' fleas get on you?1. Bathe a couple of times a day with soap.

Soap is the best way to kill fleas.2. Comb your hair with a special flea and lice comb designed with fine teeth to drag dog fleas out of hair.

Put the fleas in soapy water. Liquid soap is one of the best ways to kill fleas. Keep track of how many you find each day so you can track if the population increases. Humans can have allergic reactions to flea bites. Applying ice, camphor, menthol or calamine lotion should relieve symptoms.

If you decide to apply bug repellant, apply it to clothes, not to the skin. Vitamin B1 has also proven to repel fleas, so taking a B-complex multivitamin might help. Oh, one more thing. If you have fleas in your home, always wash your hands - especially children - prior to eating.

Swallowing a flea infected with tapeworm can give you tapeworm and you have just multiplied your problems!Getting Rid of Fleas on Pets Be careful when killing fleas on your pets. Only use treatments that are meant for your application. Treatment for Dog fleas can easily kill cats.

Be careful.1. Wash your pet with soapy water. You can get insecticidal shampoos, but they are unnecessary. Don't use treatment that contain DEET because it can have side effects.2. Comb your pet daily with a special comb that drags the fleas out of the hair. When using this comb, start at the head, near the ears. Run the comb quickly through the hair. Before the fleas have a chance to get away, submerge the comb in a bowl of soapy water.

Any cat or dog fleas that are trapped will die in the water. Repeat as long an your pet can stand it. Repeat again later. Killing Fleas Long Term If you have done everything described above, you have done a good job, but it is only the beginning.

You must continue to defend against fleas in your home and stay ahead of them. Here are a few easy steps that can keep you ahead when killing fleas:1. Keep your pet in areas that are easily cleaned.2. Vacuum daily and throw away bags as soon as you are done.3. Have pet bedding that is easily removed and cleaned. Lay towels where your pet likes to rest and wash the towels weekly.

Be careful picking them up so you don't spill the flea eggs and larvae/pupae.4. Comb your pet daily with the special comb. Keep track of the flea population. Products to use when getting rid of fleas Insect growth inhibitors This is applied to the environment and stops the various stages of fleas from developing into adults. Doesn't do the trick by itself, but can be part of an overall flea removal program. Pyrethrins These are derived from the chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium flower and is one of the least toxic flea controllers. However, avoid those combined with piperonyl butoxide which can be toxic and cause health problems in humans.

Citrus Peel Extracts These are among the safer treatments, but limonene and linalool are both necessary for killing all stages of fleas.

Make sure the product you get contains both. Can be used for spot cleaning, not for whole rooms or outdoors. Use EPA registered products and always consult a veterinarian first. Sorptive dusts These are important if getting rid of fleas naturally is important to you. Sorptive dusts kill fleas by dehydrating them. These are fine dusts and may cause respiratory irritation, so use a mask and keep it out of your pet's face while applying.

Diatomaceous earth is an effective and popular variety for sorptive dust. You can sprinkle it in the carpet or apply it directly to your dog. Dobn't forget to get it in between their toes. Keep them still for a couple of hours so the fleas have a chance to be exposed to the dust.

Wait at least a week before washing your pet. Always check with a vet first. Super Ninja Trick to Getting Rid of Fleas Take a pie tin.

Fill it half full of water and put a teaspoon of vegetable oil in it. Place a light over the pan and darken the room. (Do this at night?) The fleas will come to the light and jump in the pan of oil and water and drown. Works great in a dark room. Click to return Home from ""Getting Rid of Fleas"" "

The pupa is the life cycle stage of the flea that is the most vitalto a flea population's persistence in a host environment. The reason why this stage of the flea life cycleis so important to the flea population as a whole is because of the fact that flea cocoons generally only hatch in the presence of a host animal.

The Flea Lifecycle - A Simplified Description.

"The Flea Lifecycle - A Simplified Description. Flea infestation is one of the great banes in life for many pet and poultry owners. These rather-common insect parasites pose a variety of problems for pets and pet owners including:flea bites - adult fleas bite pets and humans, causing pain, redness and itching of the bite site;flea allergy dermatitis - pets who are severely allergic to flea saliva can become so itchy (pruritic) as a result of flea bites that they literally tear their skin and fur apart with their scratching and chewing activities;coat damage - breeding and showing pets (e.g.

poultry, cats) can be penalised in the show ring if their fur (or plumage) is damaged by scratching and over-grooming activities or if it bears the evidence (fleas, flea dirt) of flea parasite infestation;skin disease - flea infested skin that is traumatized by flea bites and by animal scratching and biting activities can become secondarily infected with nasty, itchy, skin bacteria;anemia - heavy flea infestations can suck so much blood from their animal host that the host can weaken and even die from severe blood loss (anaemia);infectious disease transmission - many infectious diseases including: feline infectious anemia (FIA or Mycoplasma hemofelis ), bubonic plague ( Yersinia pestis ), flea tapeworms ( Dipylidium caninum ), Dipetalonema reconditum, feline parvovirus, murine typhus ( Rickettsia typhi ), Rickettsia felis, rabbit myxomatosis and certain avian (bird) blood diseases can be transmitted from animal to animal by flea parasites.annoyance - most owners don't like to see or hear their pets scratching, particularly at night when the repetitive ' chink, chink, chink ' of a collar or chain keeps them awake;gross-out factor - the sight of insects crawling through a pet's fur is revolting and off-putting to many people who see such infestations as a sign of ' dirtiness ' (even though perfectly clean pets can and do get fleas of course);zoonosis - fleas from pets can infest humans, inflicting painful bites and causing itchiness of the skin and scalp.

In order for pet owners and commercial animal producers to fully grasp how it is that flea infestations can become so large and so persistent, it is important for themto understand the flea lifecycle. In particular, animal owners need to know how and where theflea parasite reproduces and also where the ample juvenile forms (egg, larva, pupa) of the parasite's lifecycle hide out and evade treatment.

The flea life cycle is very important to know if a flea infestationis to be controlled adequately and permanently (after all, much of the flea life cycle occurs in the animal's environment, not on the animal itself, and so environmental flea control is very important).

Knowing the flea lifecycle can provide important clues as to why a particular flea control regime is not working and an explanation as to why the fleas keep on coming back.

The flea lifecycle forms the basis of it all for it is the complete cycle of a flea's existence: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage, to egg stage again with the next generation. This flea life cycle page contains a detailed, but simple-to-understand explanation of thecomplete flea life cycle. It comes complete with a full flea lifecycle diagram for ease of understanding. Pictures of flea eggs, flea larvae and adult fleas are also included.

IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: You'll notice that this page is very similar in appearance to another flea lifecycle page thatalready appears on our site. This is deliberate. This particular page is intended for thoseof you who only want bare-basics, simplified information about the flea lifecycle itself (i.e.

withoutadded information on flea control). The other page on our site is more detailed and contains extensive informationon how the flea lifecycle can be used to guide effective flea control and flea prevention in the homeand outdoors. It discusses every stage in the flea lifecycle (as this page does) and then gives information about how each stage of the flea lifecycle can be broken through the use of chemical and non-chemical means.

I have included that detailed page because flea control and prevention issuch a huge issue in many households (once fleas are established, many people find them very difficult toget rid of - often because most people don't realise just how many stages of the parasite exist off the petand in the environment) and because such flea eradication can only be achieved by a complete understanding of the flea life cycle itself.

To go to our more detailed flea life cycle and flea control page, click here. The Flea Life Cycle: A Simplified Description - Contents:1) The flea life cycle diagram - a complete step-by-step diagram of animal host flea infestation; flea reproduction and environmental flea contamination with juvenile flea life cycle stages (eggs, larvae and pupae).2) Photographic pictures of the various flea lifecycle stages.3) Simple descriptions of each of the stages of the flea life cycle.1) The Flea Life Cycle Diagram: Flea life cycle diagram: This is a diagram of the flea lifecycle as it applies to the majority of flea species types.

The flea lifecycle diagram is divided into two sections: a white section and a grey section, which represent respectively the stages of the flea life cycle that occur on the host animal's skin (in this case: the dog's skin) and in the host animal's environment (in this case: the carpet of the house, the dog's bedding, the dog's kennel and so on).

The timing of the various flea lifecycle stages: Egg - The flea egg hatches in 2-21 days, depending on environmental conditions. Three larval stages - The larval stages grow and undergo their moults over about 9-15 days. The pupal stage (cocoon) - The cocoon is the crux of flea infestation persistence in the house-hold.

It generally hatches in 1-2 weeks, but can last up to a year. The adult flea - Adult fleas can live for some weeks (maximum of about 2 months if no host is present) in ideal, cool, moist conditions.

This particular diagram illustrates the life cycle of the dog or cat flea ( Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis ), however, the diagram would also be appropriate to a vast range of other flea types, including: Echidnophaga gallinacea (the poultry ""sticktight"" flea - discussed in the paragraph below); the rabbitfleas - Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi; the rat flea ( Xenopsylla cheopis ); the human flea ( Pulex irritans) and various other flea species.

The main difference between these other flea life cycle situations and that of Ctenocephalides (pictured) would be the host animal species infested by the flea (e.g. the rabbit host instead of the dog for Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi) and the nature of theenvironment in which the flea larvae and pupal stages underwent development (e.g. the dirt rabbit burrowinstead of the household carpet in the case of Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi ).

Author's note - In the case of Echidnophaga gallinacea, the poultry stickfast or sticktightflea, the male and female fleas mate in the flea's environment (soon after hatching from their pupal cocoons), not on the host itself as occurs with many other flea species.

After mating has occurred, the female flea attaches herself strongly to the skin of a passing animal host and remains in that one place for about 6 weeks, feeding and laying eggs.

She does not move from the spot she has chosen. The eggs she produces drop from the animal host's skin and into the soil environment where they undergo hatching, a 2-4 week larval development period and pupation. Echidnophaga pupation occurs in a burrow underground and hatching of the adult fleaoccurs in around 2-3 weeks.

The total Echidnophaga flea lifecycle is about 4-6 weeks long. 2) Pictures Of The Various Flea Lifecycle Stages: FLEA EGGSFlea lifecycle - Flea eggs picture: It is normally very difficult to spot flea eggs in the typical householdenvironment - even though there may be many thousands of them present in a household environment, they are pale in color (hard to see), tiny and they tend to fall deep into clefts in lawns and carpeting.

For this reason it is not unexpected that most pet owners will never have before seena flea egg up close. This particular image came as a result of my working in a vet clinic. We had a cat with a severe flea burden in one of our metal hospital cages.

When the animal had finished with the cage, a thick film of black flea dirt, fur and kitty litter (the tan 'rocks' marked with an 'L'in the image above) had remained behind on the smooth metal floor.

I swept these up and put themin a clear sandwich bag (image). After some vigorous shaking, the flea dirt (black) and the flea eggs (shiny, white-greyovals) settled out in the bottom of the bag and were easy to see and photograph. The flea eggs are the white-grey (pearly-colored) ovals seen in the lower reaches of the bag (I have includeda close-up picture of them - see box inset).

They are about 0.5mm long. You can appreciate how smallthe eggs are by comparing them to the size of the kitty litter gravel (marked as 'L' in the image). Flea lifecycle - Flea egg photos: These are images of one of the flea eggs pictured above, taken throughthe microscope.

The flea egg is ovoid, with a thin shell. A flea larvae lays curled up inside, ready tohatch in the near future. I think this flea larva may have been very close to hatching becauseit was jiggling around inside the egg while the image was being taken.

FLEA LARVAEFlea lifecycle - Flea larva picture: This is an image of a flea larva as it appears through the microscope.

The flea larva's head is to the left of this image. When it is spotted in the household environment or observed crawling about on a pet's coat, a flea larva looks very much like a small, white caterpillar or maggot with a dark, anteriorly-to-centrally-located core region (stomach). Under the microscope, the juvenile flea grub is almost transparent (see image above). The large, red organ (anteriorly-to-centrally-located core region) that you can see in this flea larvae is its stomach.

The larval stomach appears red because the flea larva has been feeding on the black droppings of adult fleas (flea dirt): its usual diet. This 'flea dirt' is comprised of digested blood and appears red (it is not truly black) when liquefied in the belly of the larval flea.

FLEA COCOON or FLEA PUPA Sorry, I can't help you just yet with my own picture of one of these. Flea cocoons are really hard to findin the vet clinic because vet clinics rarely get to establish an endemic environmental flea population (I'd be a bit worriedif a vet clinic found it hard to get rid of fleas!).

If I do get some pupa images of my own, I'll put them up for you. I have, instead, found a link to some very nice pictures of flea cocoons (flea pupae) and other flea life cycle stages, which show you what they look like. The last three images on the page show the pupae: both as they appear in nature (the first pupal picture which looks like a series of grit-covered balls) and as they appear when the naked, white pupa has been dissected out of the cocoon.

Enjoy. http://www.icb.usp.br/~marcelcp/Ctenocephalidesfelis.htm FLEA ADULTFlea lifecycle picture: This is an image of an adult Ctenocephalides flea as it appearsin the fur of a cat. The flea is located to the left of the image. The red specks seen throughoutthe fur are smudges of flea dirt that have become wet and therefore leached red blood-pigments out into the surrounding hair.

Light-coloured cats with severe flea dirt will turna red-pink colour when washed because of the blood-products leaking out of the flea dirt and into the surrounding hair. Flea lifecycle adult flea image: This is an image of an adult Ctenocephalides flea as it appearsunder the microscope. Flea lifecycle adult flea image: This is an image of an adult rabbit flea as it appearsunder the microscope.

Rabbit fleas like Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi are stickfast-type fleas with long penetrating mouth parts (see the huge mouth parts of the stickfast poultry fleabelow for a better illustration of this) for holding tightly onto the skin oftheir swift-moving hosts.

Although their main host is the rabbit, they are sometimes found on the ears and faces of cats who go into rabbit holes to hunt bunnies. This particular flea waspicked from the ear of just such a cat. Flea lifecycle adult flea image: This is an image of an adult stickfast flea ( Echidnophaga) as it appearsunder the microscope.

It has a smallish head and massive, penetrating mouth parts for holding onto its host's skin. Although this flea is normally considered to be a poultry flea, it gets onto a range of other host species, including dogs and cats.

This particular flea was one of hundreds that we picked off an echidna. 3) Simple Descriptions Of Each Of The Stages Of The Flea Lifecycle. The following subsections of this flea lifecycle page contain detailed, but simple-to-understand information about each of the steps outlined inthe flea lifecycle diagram (seen in section 1).

The following discussion of each of the individual steps in the flea lifecycle aims to add more to your understanding of host fleainfestation; flea reproduction and how severe environmental flea contamination builds-up and subsequent host animal re-infestation occurs.

Flea Life Cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal: In the case of Ctenocephalides (the dog or cat flea), both the male and female adult fleas are present on the host animal's skin, living, feeding and breeding there. Of the two sexes, however, it is the female flea that is the bigger blood-sucker, drinking farmore of the host's blood than any of the male fleas that climb on board.

Conversely, in certain other flealife cycles (e.g. Echidnophaga ), the adult male flea remains in the host's environment and only the adult female flea actually inhabits the furcoat of the host animal.

Either way, the most important thing to remember is that it is the female flea who is the major animal hostparasite and the predominant blood-sucker of the two flea sexes. The main reason why the female flea needs to parasitize the host animal is because, after breeding with the male flea, she needs a blood meal in order for her eggs to develop fully.

Without a host, adult female fleas will starve and be unable to produce any viable eggs. The adult flea lays her eggs on the host's skin. She does not bother getting off the host to lay them. The flea eggs are shiny, white, ovoid eggs, about 0.5mm in length.

Flea Life Cycle 2 - The egg falls off the fur into the environment of the host animal: The white flea eggs are laid on the host animal's skin, however, they usually fall off the hostanimal's coat and into the host animal's environment prior to hatching. These flea eggs (and the flea larvaethat subsequently hatch out of them) contaminate the host animal's environment. As expected, environmental flea egg numbers and environmental flea infestations are generally most concentrated in regions of the household where the flea-infested pet spends most of its time.

Common sites of egg and flea concentration include: pet beds and pet bedding; owner beds (if the pet sleeps on the human beds); carpet (carpet fleas or house flea infestations are a huge nuisance because they can be difficult to get rid of); pet houses or kennels; human couches and outdoor settings (if the pet has access to these furnishings) and various cool, moist, humid, shaded outdoor regions of the yard that the pet spends lots of time in (e.g.

thick garden beds, sheds, dens under the house or verandah and so on). Author's note: Because cats will tend to patrol and take-over an entire house, including amazingly elevated places (e.g. the tops of wardrobes and cupboards) and hidden, often-enclosed places (e.g. the inside of pantries, walk-in-robes, linen closets and so on), every room and part of a housethat an indoors, flea-affected cat has access to should be considered contaminated with flea eggs.

This can make flea control in a house with flea infested cats very difficult and expensive to manage. Author's note: Because it only takes about 2 days for flea eggs to hatch once they have been laid, some flea eggs will manage to avoid falling into the pet's environment and will hatch on the pet's coat. It is not that uncommon to have hatched flea larvae (small flea maggots or grubs) turn up on the animal's coat.

These flea larvae will usually drop off the host animal's coat soon after hatching and enter the host's environment to continue the ""off-host"" part of the fleas lifecycle. Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal.

A huge part of the flea lifecycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board. You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. Flea Life Cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea larva.

After about 2 days (range 2-21 days), depending on environmental conditions, the flea egg hatches torelease a first stage flea larva. This flea larva lives in the host's environment (it is part of the environmental stage of the fleas life cycle), where it feeds on fleadroppings (flea dirt) and dander. Author's note: Because it only takes about 2 days for flea eggs to hatch once they have been laid, some flea eggs will manage to avoid falling into the pet's environment and will hatch on the pet's coat.

It is not that uncommon to have hatched flea larvae (small flea maggots or grubs) turn up on the animal's coat.

These flea larvae will usually drop off the host animal's coat soon after hatching and enter the host's environment to continue the ""off-host"" part of the flea lifecycle. Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal.

A huge part of the flea life cycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board.

You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. Flea Life Cycle 4 - The first stage flea larvae develop and grow and undergo two molts to become final stage flea larvae. Over about 9-15 days, depending on environmental conditions, the first stage flea larva grows and developsand undergoes a series of molts (two moults) to become a third stage (final stage) flea larva.

This final stage flea larva is the stage that will spin a cocoon around itself in readiness to become an adult flea. The three larval flea stages live freely in the host's environment (they are part of the environmental stage of the flea life cycle), where they feed on fleadroppings (flea dirt) and dander.

Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal.

A huge part of the flea life cycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board. You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. Flea Life Cycle 5 - The final stage flea larva spins a cocoon and becomes a pupa: The final stage flea larva spins a cocoon around itself, becoming what is termed a pupa .

Just like a butterfly caterpillar spins a cocoon around itself in order to metamorphoseinto a butterfly, so too does the flea larva need to spin a cocoon in order to change into anadult flea. The cocoon of the flea pupa is very sticky and tends to become covered in dirt, danderand debris from the surrounding environment, thus making it almost unrecognizable to pet owners.

The flea cocoon or pupa is the most long-lived stage of the flea lifecycle - taking anywhere up to a year or more to hatch.

The pupa is the life cycle stage of the flea that is the most vitalto a flea population's persistence in a host environment. The reason why this stage of the flea life cycleis so important to the flea population as a whole is because of the fact that flea cocoons generally only hatch in the presence of a host animal.

The flea life cycle is very important to know if a flea infestationis to be controlled adequately and permanently (after all, much of the flea life cycle occurs in the animal's environment, not on the animal itself, and so environmental flea control is very important).

"The Flea Lifecycle - A Simplified Description. Flea infestation is one of the great banes in life for many pet and poultry owners. These rather-common insect parasites pose a variety of problems for pets and pet owners including:flea bites - adult fleas bite pets and humans, causing pain, redness and itching of the bite site;flea allergy dermatitis - pets who are severely allergic to flea saliva can become so itchy (pruritic) as a result of flea bites that they literally tear their skin and fur apart with their scratching and chewing activities;coat damage - breeding and showing pets (e.g.

In order for pet owners and commercial animal producers to fully grasp how it is that flea infestations can become so large and so persistent, it is important for themto understand the flea lifecycle. In particular, animal owners need to know how and where theflea parasite reproduces and also where the ample juvenile forms (egg, larva, pupa) of the parasite's lifecycle hide out and evade treatment.

Knowing the flea lifecycle can provide important clues as to why a particular flea control regime is not working and an explanation as to why the fleas keep on coming back.

The flea lifecycle forms the basis of it all for it is the complete cycle of a flea's existence: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage, to egg stage again with the next generation. This flea life cycle page contains a detailed, but simple-to-understand explanation of thecomplete flea life cycle. It comes complete with a full flea lifecycle diagram for ease of understanding. Pictures of flea eggs, flea larvae and adult fleas are also included.

IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: You'll notice that this page is very similar in appearance to another flea lifecycle page thatalready appears on our site. This is deliberate. This particular page is intended for thoseof you who only want bare-basics, simplified information about the flea lifecycle itself (i.e.

withoutadded information on flea control). The other page on our site is more detailed and contains extensive informationon how the flea lifecycle can be used to guide effective flea control and flea prevention in the homeand outdoors. It discusses every stage in the flea lifecycle (as this page does) and then gives information about how each stage of the flea lifecycle can be broken through the use of chemical and non-chemical means.

I have included that detailed page because flea control and prevention issuch a huge issue in many households (once fleas are established, many people find them very difficult toget rid of - often because most people don't realise just how many stages of the parasite exist off the petand in the environment) and because such flea eradication can only be achieved by a complete understanding of the flea life cycle itself.

To go to our more detailed flea life cycle and flea control page, click here. The Flea Life Cycle: A Simplified Description - Contents:1) The flea life cycle diagram - a complete step-by-step diagram of animal host flea infestation; flea reproduction and environmental flea contamination with juvenile flea life cycle stages (eggs, larvae and pupae).2) Photographic pictures of the various flea lifecycle stages.3) Simple descriptions of each of the stages of the flea life cycle.1) The Flea Life Cycle Diagram: Flea life cycle diagram: This is a diagram of the flea lifecycle as it applies to the majority of flea species types.

The flea lifecycle diagram is divided into two sections: a white section and a grey section, which represent respectively the stages of the flea life cycle that occur on the host animal's skin (in this case: the dog's skin) and in the host animal's environment (in this case: the carpet of the house, the dog's bedding, the dog's kennel and so on).

The timing of the various flea lifecycle stages: Egg - The flea egg hatches in 2-21 days, depending on environmental conditions. Three larval stages - The larval stages grow and undergo their moults over about 9-15 days. The pupal stage (cocoon) - The cocoon is the crux of flea infestation persistence in the house-hold.

It generally hatches in 1-2 weeks, but can last up to a year. The adult flea - Adult fleas can live for some weeks (maximum of about 2 months if no host is present) in ideal, cool, moist conditions.

This particular diagram illustrates the life cycle of the dog or cat flea ( Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis ), however, the diagram would also be appropriate to a vast range of other flea types, including: Echidnophaga gallinacea (the poultry ""sticktight"" flea - discussed in the paragraph below); the rabbitfleas - Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi; the rat flea ( Xenopsylla cheopis ); the human flea ( Pulex irritans) and various other flea species.

The main difference between these other flea life cycle situations and that of Ctenocephalides (pictured) would be the host animal species infested by the flea (e.g. the rabbit host instead of the dog for Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi) and the nature of theenvironment in which the flea larvae and pupal stages underwent development (e.g. the dirt rabbit burrowinstead of the household carpet in the case of Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi ).

Author's note - In the case of Echidnophaga gallinacea, the poultry stickfast or sticktightflea, the male and female fleas mate in the flea's environment (soon after hatching from their pupal cocoons), not on the host itself as occurs with many other flea species.

After mating has occurred, the female flea attaches herself strongly to the skin of a passing animal host and remains in that one place for about 6 weeks, feeding and laying eggs.

She does not move from the spot she has chosen. The eggs she produces drop from the animal host's skin and into the soil environment where they undergo hatching, a 2-4 week larval development period and pupation. Echidnophaga pupation occurs in a burrow underground and hatching of the adult fleaoccurs in around 2-3 weeks.

The total Echidnophaga flea lifecycle is about 4-6 weeks long. 2) Pictures Of The Various Flea Lifecycle Stages: FLEA EGGSFlea lifecycle - Flea eggs picture: It is normally very difficult to spot flea eggs in the typical householdenvironment - even though there may be many thousands of them present in a household environment, they are pale in color (hard to see), tiny and they tend to fall deep into clefts in lawns and carpeting.

For this reason it is not unexpected that most pet owners will never have before seena flea egg up close. This particular image came as a result of my working in a vet clinic. We had a cat with a severe flea burden in one of our metal hospital cages.

When the animal had finished with the cage, a thick film of black flea dirt, fur and kitty litter (the tan 'rocks' marked with an 'L'in the image above) had remained behind on the smooth metal floor.

I swept these up and put themin a clear sandwich bag (image). After some vigorous shaking, the flea dirt (black) and the flea eggs (shiny, white-greyovals) settled out in the bottom of the bag and were easy to see and photograph. The flea eggs are the white-grey (pearly-colored) ovals seen in the lower reaches of the bag (I have includeda close-up picture of them - see box inset).

They are about 0.5mm long. You can appreciate how smallthe eggs are by comparing them to the size of the kitty litter gravel (marked as 'L' in the image). Flea lifecycle - Flea egg photos: These are images of one of the flea eggs pictured above, taken throughthe microscope.

The flea egg is ovoid, with a thin shell. A flea larvae lays curled up inside, ready tohatch in the near future. I think this flea larva may have been very close to hatching becauseit was jiggling around inside the egg while the image was being taken.

FLEA LARVAEFlea lifecycle - Flea larva picture: This is an image of a flea larva as it appears through the microscope.

The flea larva's head is to the left of this image. When it is spotted in the household environment or observed crawling about on a pet's coat, a flea larva looks very much like a small, white caterpillar or maggot with a dark, anteriorly-to-centrally-located core region (stomach). Under the microscope, the juvenile flea grub is almost transparent (see image above). The large, red organ (anteriorly-to-centrally-located core region) that you can see in this flea larvae is its stomach.

The larval stomach appears red because the flea larva has been feeding on the black droppings of adult fleas (flea dirt): its usual diet. This 'flea dirt' is comprised of digested blood and appears red (it is not truly black) when liquefied in the belly of the larval flea.

FLEA COCOON or FLEA PUPA Sorry, I can't help you just yet with my own picture of one of these. Flea cocoons are really hard to findin the vet clinic because vet clinics rarely get to establish an endemic environmental flea population (I'd be a bit worriedif a vet clinic found it hard to get rid of fleas!).

If I do get some pupa images of my own, I'll put them up for you. I have, instead, found a link to some very nice pictures of flea cocoons (flea pupae) and other flea life cycle stages, which show you what they look like. The last three images on the page show the pupae: both as they appear in nature (the first pupal picture which looks like a series of grit-covered balls) and as they appear when the naked, white pupa has been dissected out of the cocoon.

Enjoy. http://www.icb.usp.br/~marcelcp/Ctenocephalidesfelis.htm FLEA ADULTFlea lifecycle picture: This is an image of an adult Ctenocephalides flea as it appearsin the fur of a cat. The flea is located to the left of the image. The red specks seen throughoutthe fur are smudges of flea dirt that have become wet and therefore leached red blood-pigments out into the surrounding hair.

Light-coloured cats with severe flea dirt will turna red-pink colour when washed because of the blood-products leaking out of the flea dirt and into the surrounding hair. Flea lifecycle adult flea image: This is an image of an adult Ctenocephalides flea as it appearsunder the microscope. Flea lifecycle adult flea image: This is an image of an adult rabbit flea as it appearsunder the microscope.

Rabbit fleas like Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi are stickfast-type fleas with long penetrating mouth parts (see the huge mouth parts of the stickfast poultry fleabelow for a better illustration of this) for holding tightly onto the skin oftheir swift-moving hosts.

Although their main host is the rabbit, they are sometimes found on the ears and faces of cats who go into rabbit holes to hunt bunnies. This particular flea waspicked from the ear of just such a cat. Flea lifecycle adult flea image: This is an image of an adult stickfast flea ( Echidnophaga) as it appearsunder the microscope.

It has a smallish head and massive, penetrating mouth parts for holding onto its host's skin. Although this flea is normally considered to be a poultry flea, it gets onto a range of other host species, including dogs and cats.

This particular flea was one of hundreds that we picked off an echidna. 3) Simple Descriptions Of Each Of The Stages Of The Flea Lifecycle. The following subsections of this flea lifecycle page contain detailed, but simple-to-understand information about each of the steps outlined inthe flea lifecycle diagram (seen in section 1).

The following discussion of each of the individual steps in the flea lifecycle aims to add more to your understanding of host fleainfestation; flea reproduction and how severe environmental flea contamination builds-up and subsequent host animal re-infestation occurs.

Flea Life Cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal: In the case of Ctenocephalides (the dog or cat flea), both the male and female adult fleas are present on the host animal's skin, living, feeding and breeding there. Of the two sexes, however, it is the female flea that is the bigger blood-sucker, drinking farmore of the host's blood than any of the male fleas that climb on board.

Conversely, in certain other flealife cycles (e.g. Echidnophaga ), the adult male flea remains in the host's environment and only the adult female flea actually inhabits the furcoat of the host animal.

Either way, the most important thing to remember is that it is the female flea who is the major animal hostparasite and the predominant blood-sucker of the two flea sexes. The main reason why the female flea needs to parasitize the host animal is because, after breeding with the male flea, she needs a blood meal in order for her eggs to develop fully.

Without a host, adult female fleas will starve and be unable to produce any viable eggs. The adult flea lays her eggs on the host's skin. She does not bother getting off the host to lay them. The flea eggs are shiny, white, ovoid eggs, about 0.5mm in length.

Flea Life Cycle 2 - The egg falls off the fur into the environment of the host animal: The white flea eggs are laid on the host animal's skin, however, they usually fall off the hostanimal's coat and into the host animal's environment prior to hatching. These flea eggs (and the flea larvaethat subsequently hatch out of them) contaminate the host animal's environment. As expected, environmental flea egg numbers and environmental flea infestations are generally most concentrated in regions of the household where the flea-infested pet spends most of its time.

Common sites of egg and flea concentration include: pet beds and pet bedding; owner beds (if the pet sleeps on the human beds); carpet (carpet fleas or house flea infestations are a huge nuisance because they can be difficult to get rid of); pet houses or kennels; human couches and outdoor settings (if the pet has access to these furnishings) and various cool, moist, humid, shaded outdoor regions of the yard that the pet spends lots of time in (e.g.

thick garden beds, sheds, dens under the house or verandah and so on). Author's note: Because cats will tend to patrol and take-over an entire house, including amazingly elevated places (e.g. the tops of wardrobes and cupboards) and hidden, often-enclosed places (e.g. the inside of pantries, walk-in-robes, linen closets and so on), every room and part of a housethat an indoors, flea-affected cat has access to should be considered contaminated with flea eggs.

This can make flea control in a house with flea infested cats very difficult and expensive to manage. Author's note: Because it only takes about 2 days for flea eggs to hatch once they have been laid, some flea eggs will manage to avoid falling into the pet's environment and will hatch on the pet's coat. It is not that uncommon to have hatched flea larvae (small flea maggots or grubs) turn up on the animal's coat.

These flea larvae will usually drop off the host animal's coat soon after hatching and enter the host's environment to continue the ""off-host"" part of the fleas lifecycle. Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal.

A huge part of the flea lifecycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board. You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. Flea Life Cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea larva.

After about 2 days (range 2-21 days), depending on environmental conditions, the flea egg hatches torelease a first stage flea larva. This flea larva lives in the host's environment (it is part of the environmental stage of the fleas life cycle), where it feeds on fleadroppings (flea dirt) and dander. Author's note: Because it only takes about 2 days for flea eggs to hatch once they have been laid, some flea eggs will manage to avoid falling into the pet's environment and will hatch on the pet's coat.

It is not that uncommon to have hatched flea larvae (small flea maggots or grubs) turn up on the animal's coat.

These flea larvae will usually drop off the host animal's coat soon after hatching and enter the host's environment to continue the ""off-host"" part of the flea lifecycle. Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal.

A huge part of the flea life cycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board.

You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. Flea Life Cycle 4 - The first stage flea larvae develop and grow and undergo two molts to become final stage flea larvae. Over about 9-15 days, depending on environmental conditions, the first stage flea larva grows and developsand undergoes a series of molts (two moults) to become a third stage (final stage) flea larva.

This final stage flea larva is the stage that will spin a cocoon around itself in readiness to become an adult flea. The three larval flea stages live freely in the host's environment (they are part of the environmental stage of the flea life cycle), where they feed on fleadroppings (flea dirt) and dander.

Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal.

A huge part of the flea life cycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board. You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. Flea Life Cycle 5 - The final stage flea larva spins a cocoon and becomes a pupa: The final stage flea larva spins a cocoon around itself, becoming what is termed a pupa .

Just like a butterfly caterpillar spins a cocoon around itself in order to metamorphoseinto a butterfly, so too does the flea larva need to spin a cocoon in order to change into anadult flea. The cocoon of the flea pupa is very sticky and tends to become covered in dirt, danderand debris from the surrounding environment, thus making it almost unrecognizable to pet owners.

The flea cocoon or pupa is the most long-lived stage of the flea lifecycle - taking anywhere up to a year or more to hatch.

The pupa is the life cycle stage of the flea that is the most vitalto a flea population's persistence in a host environment. The reason why this stage of the flea life cycleis so important to the flea population as a whole is because of the fact that flea cocoons generally only hatch in the presence of a host animal.

. Of all four stages of the flea ( egg , larva, pupa , adult) the eggs and larvae make up about 80% of the total flea population in an infested home. Approximately 2% of the population is made up of adults. The best pest management programs center on the prevention of immature fleas rather than the adults. There are two basic ways to address the problem: try to prevent any stage of the pest from entering the home and keep immature stages from maturing into adults.

Flea Prevention

"Flea Prevention How to Prevent Fleas From Invading Your Home Once fleas have invaded your home it is too late for most preventative measures. Huge numbers of aggravating fleas must be dealt with and the tools used are more aggressive than those used to prevent flea infestations

Areas to Address for Flea Prevention Program Sanitation Flea Prevention Products Wildlife Pets Outdoor Problems Integrated pest management is an over-all picture that includes possible causes of problems and not just spraying chemicals or throwing money at a problem. Knowing how a pest reproduces, what it eats, how it enters your home and other such details will give you a better idea on what the pest's ideal living conditions are so that you can take away enough conditions to limit the success of the pest in your home.

This article will provide details to help prevent fleas from becoming a major indoor problem. A summary of indoor flea prevention is also provided. An important tool in elimination and prevention of fleas is sanitation . Outdoor flea problems are often caused by or aggravated by a lack of simple lawn maintenance (sanitation,) the presence of flea infested wildlife, fleas on pets and often by stray cats and dogs . Poor sanitation does not create fleas but it does increase the risk of inviting animals which carry fleas or ticks .

This, in turn, affects you, your family, your pets and the interior of your home. Even with proper sanitation procedures you might have fleas transmitted to your property by your neighbor's stray pets or other animals that visit your property. A sound flea control program (to prevent fleas inside your home) addresses possible wildlife problems, domestic animals that belong to you and those that do not, regular lawn sanitation as well as flea prevention products .

In other words, look at the entire picture to get the complete story. Do not assume that you have perfect exterior conditions. Inspect your property and follow integrated pest management (IPM) guidelines for flea prevention. Flea control products which target the prevention of flea infestations are important and valuable tools but should be included in a planned program - not just used alone.

Sanitation Preventing fleas through sound sanitation practices is not as far fetched as many people believe.

Most people know that vacuuming their home regularly will help pick up fleas. This vacuuming also takes away vital elements of a flea's life cycle and development: debris and ""flea dirt."" Debris (tiny particles of dirt, human hair, pet hair, fibers from carpets, rugs and furniture, etc.) is the protection and camouflage of the flea pupae. As discussed in the Flea Pupae information section, the larval stage of the flea will use the debris in your home to build its water-tight and almost invisible cocoon or pupae casing.

Flea dirt is a term sometimes used to describe dried feces of the flea. Adult fleas (especially females) consume a tremendous amount of blood as they feed. During the feeding process, the flea leaves behind droppings that are made up almost entirely of blood they have drained from their host. These droppings dry out quickly and are left behind for another immature stage of the pest: flea larvae.

To inhibit the survival and development of fleas in your home, reduce the debris needed for their camouflaged cocoon and adult flea droppings that are necessary for the larvae to survive.

Thorough cleaning of a home on a regular basis (especially areas where your pets sleep, play, eat or just lounge around) will greatly reduce the materials needed for the immature flea to continue its development. Another type of sanitation involves the areas surrounding your home. As will be discussed in the wildlife section of flea prevention , any warm-blooded nesting animal can visit or live on your property - and these animals will re-infest your property with their parasitic fleas.

Keep grass mowed and vegetative litter raked and disposed of to reduce hiding places and possible food sources of stray pets and wildlife. Fence rows need to be kept neat and free of tall weeds, grasses. Tall or messy vegetation offers hiding places for many animals and makes them feel secure about crossing your property or living on your property. Your back yard make look peaceful and serene during daylight hours but you would be surprised if you knew how much of a busy animal playground it becomes after nightfall.

Tall grasses and weeds go to seed, providing an important food source for flea carrying rats, mice, squirrels and other grain feeding animals. The food chain continues on with fox, coyote, stray cats, etc. that feed on the smaller grain feeding rodents. All of the animals mentioned are usually found infested with fleas. Wildlife and Stray Pets Your pets are not the only culprits to collect fleas on your property. Stray dogs and cats as well as naturally occurring wildlife are major sources of fleas. The outdoor sanitation procedures outlined above will help discourage many animals from feeling comfortable on your property.

If stray pets or nuisance wildlife persist, they can be a major source of fleas that will be tracked into your home.

(Just because you do not have any pets does not mean that you cannot get fleas inside your home!) Animals that you might have to discourage or eliminate can be as small as mice and as large as raccoons, dogs or coyote. If traps or baits are needed to eliminate rodents from your property you should place them in tamper resistant stations to protect pets and non-target animals.

Eliminating rats and mice is discussed in more detail on the rat elimination page and rodent removal page. Larger nuisance animals that live under your home, in your attic, garage, shed or barn should be removed. Nuisance animals can include stray cats or dogs as well as skunks, raccoons, coyote, fox. These flea bearing animals can be safely captured and released with a humane live animal trap .

These box traps are designed for easy setup for capturing animals as well as releasing the animals at another location.

Once the animals have been removed it is often suggested that areas where they nest or frequent be treated for fleas. A combination of IGR and an insecticide is best for this type of problem. By eliminating fleas from these outdoor hot spots you reduce the chances that you or your pets will carry unwanted fleas into your home.

Outdoor Problems Even if you have no pets inside your home or on your property, fleas can easily be carried into your home by humans. Adult fleas respond to movement, vibrations and exhaled breath. The simple action of walking across a flea infested area (your lawn, a public park, etc.)

sets off the natural jumping action of adult fleas. They then can easily hitch-hike into your home, once they cling to your skin, shoes, socks, pants or other articles of clothing.

It is in this manner that people with no pets can have their home invaded by fleas. If you ignore outdoor flea problems you are at great risk of transferring fleas into your home. The fleas will be carried inside by obliging hosts such as your pets, children or adults. Outdoor problems can be addressed with approved insecticides, insect growth regulators containing Nylar and regular yard work or sanitation .

For details on the subject, read the outdoor flea control information page. There are many products to choose from when treating your lawn for fleas, whether it be for prevention or elimination. You must decide what means of control is best for you, your family, pets and any possible impact on the surrounding environment.

A combination that is gaining popularity in areas where fleas are a constant threat is to use Talstar Granules and Nylar IGR. Talstar Granules control insects without using a high amount of active ingredients. Nylar IGR prevents flea eggs and flea larvae from developing into adult fleas.

Broadcast Talstar Granules over the entire lawn. Immediately after broadcasting insecticide granules, irrigate the area. Using a hose-end sprayer (do not use a pump type sprayer), apply Nylar to the same area. In other words, water in the granules with your IGR.

In this manner you have broadcast the lawn with granules and activated them with a solution of insect growth regulator. This combination kills ants (and other bugs), helps prevent adult fleas from establishing themselves as pests and inhibits the growth and development of immature fleas.

Many customers report that the combination of Talstar Granules and Nylar IGR keeps their lawns flea free for almost three months - all with one application. For this combination, Archer is suggested as Nylar IGR. Using small containers of Nylar becomes too costly for this type of application.

Archer is an full pint of insect growth inhibitor, saving money when treating large areas and treating area more than once. Spread 1 bag Talstar Granules over area (1 bag per 10,000 square feet is best. )Pour 10 ounces Archer (Nylar) into Dial Sprayer . (10 ounces will cover 10,000 square feet) Set dial to no more than 1 ounce. Connect Dial Sprayer to garden hose. Spray area (and granules) with Archer solution. Keep spraying until contents of sprayer have been emptied.

(Do not spray toys, food and water dishes)Keep pets and children off treated area until treated surfaces have been allowed to dry. Repeat Archer application in 30 to 60 days. For severe outdoor problems and prevention of future infestations, use the same procedure outlined above.

Add 1.5 ounces Dragnet (Permethrin) per 1,000 square feet to Archer. Spray Archer and Dragnet at the same time with your Dial Sprayer. Dragnet (Permethrin) provides quick knock-down of adult fleas; Talstar works slower but lasts longer, preventing flea and tick adults; Archer inhibits growth of flea eggs and flea larvae for up to a month.

This combination is popular in areas where the presence of squirrels, stray cats and other animals is a constant threat for infesting lawns with fleas and ticks.

Pets Controlling fleas on pets is just as important as the other aspects of flea prevention. If your pets have fleas, these fleas are bound to fall off of the pet. There are a multitude of flea control products for pets available. Choose the shampoo, topical treatment or spray that best suits you and your pet.

Even pets that never go outside deserve a frequent inspection that will tell you if they have been attacked by fleas or ticks.

Dogs that are allowed to roam large areas and cats that are allowed inside and outside of the home should be treated with either Frontline or Advantage during the peak flea season. Pets that do not belong to anyone in your household but constantly wander into your yard should be taken care of.

Besides fleas and ticks, these animals can also transit diseases to you and your pets. If talking to their owners does not improve the situation, talk with your local authorities about the situation.

(In certain areas you can report cases of animal cruelty anonymously. A pet that cannot access shelter from heat or rain and a pet that does not have ready access to food and drink is being mistreated. )Flea Prevention Products Besides eliminating outdoor infestations before the fleas invade your home, flea prevention products do not always include the use of pesticides. If you live in an area that is prone to flea problems, begin your flea prevention program as early as March. After thorough cleaning and vacuuming, apply a product that will keep flea eggs and flea larvae from growing up or a product that kills eggs and larvae.

These types of products are generally safer to handle than insecticides, last longer than insecticides and attack fleas in their most vulnerable and numerous stages: eggs and larvae. For homes with carpets and rugs, Flea Stoppers is one of the best products to use for flea prevention in your home.

Once applied to carpeted areas the material remains in the fibers where it kills eggs and larvae - for a full year.

Flooring that is not covered with rugs or carpets can be sprayed with an odorless insect growth regulator (IGR) that attacks the eggs and larvae of fleas. An IGR usually lasts between three and six months indoors and up to one month outdoors. Use your flea prevention products before flea season is in full swing.

Indoor Flea Prevention Summary Maintain lawns: This provides fewer hiding places and possible food sources for unwanted flea infested wildlife or rodents. Regularly vacuum indoors, concentrating on areas where pets sleep, play or might otherwise transmit fleas to your floors and furniture - especially beneath furniture!Remove nuisance animals that transmit fleas or ticks to your property and pets.

A cat trap or raccoon trap will be the correct size for most nuisance animals. Live rodent traps or pet safe rodent bait boxes can also be used to prevent or eliminate rats and mice from the area.

Bait boxes provide a safer means for baiting outdoors (for rodents) but you should continue to monitor the area. Bait can be dropped by rodents that hoard food. Control stray pets that are not leashed or penned. Use some means to eliminate fleas from your pets. Flea sprays, topical flea treatments ( Frontline Topspot, Advantage ) and flea shampoos are available for the job.

Eliminate or control fleas in your lawn . Fleas will hitchhike into your home, using pets or people as their ride inside.

Use the best flea control products available for preventing an outbreak before it happens. Exterminating an existing infestation is more costly and time consuming than simply preventing fleas from becoming a problem in your home. Use Flea Stoppers in carpets and rugs. Flea Stoppers has a one year guarantee . Treat furniture and non-carpeted flooring with Nylar , Precor 2000 or Precor .

Do not obsess over an occasional flea. Instead, worry about the hundreds of flea eggs that a single female flea will lay in your home. Know your enemy! Understanding a pest (how does it reproduce, feed, travel, etc.) will put you in the position to make your home as uninviting to the targeted pest as possible. Flea elimination is more costly, time consuming and invasive than flea prevention!Do It Yourself Pest Control Household Pests Fleas Ticks Disclaimer Pest Control Supplies Site Map Flea Stoppers Flea Prevention "

ow. If you grasp the stages of flea development, it will make it easier to kill them. The life cycle of a flea is comprised of four important stages, namely: The flea eggs stage. The flea larvae stage. The flea pupa stage. The adult fleas stage

Flea Infestation â Easy Steps For Permanent Results

Flea Infestation – Easy Steps For Permanent Results Last updated: December 15, 2017 at 10:34 am By Natasha Anderson Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest E-mail Comments Flea infestations can be an awful nuisance. Not only are they fairly disgusting due to their daily diet of blood, they also pose a health risk! Perhaps you are trying to kill the fleas on your pet or in your yard. Much to your surprise, maybe you find a few fleas on your clothes, hair or skin which can even cause flea allergy dermatitis!

Fleas on people are actually more common than most think. However, regardless of their location, if you have been trying to get rid of a flea problem, I am sure that you are desperately looking for a solution.

The good news is that you have visited the right website as The Bug Squad is the authority in free bug removal methods! It is very important that you work at this immediately and do not put it off for a later date as fleas spread and multiply very fast.

The first step in any battle is to know your enemy as this will help you to fight effectively. Keeping with these points, this article will review the life cycle of a flea and other various relevant facts that are vital to know in order to get rid of them as fast as possible.

Flea Infestation in the Home – What You Can Do Right Now!The first thing that you should do is remove the fleas from your pets. Having to deal with flea infestations on dogs are the most common but cats also often have them frequently.

Fleas are most commonly found in their hair, especially around the neck region. This removal process can be very affordable and I highly recommend that you have a look at a few natural flea remedies first or give a flea comb for cats a try.

These are great because they are very cheap and you do use any poisons which can be potentially fatal to your pets. However, do not worry, if properly administered, flea poison can be safe and very effective. If I have to recommend a specific brand, it will be either Advantage or Front-line.

I am not suggesting that others won’t work but these two have yielded excellent results for my pets in the past. You can usually purchase them for under $60 but just make sure that you purchase the right amount for your type and size of pet.

After application, you should start to see results in the next 18 hours so just be patient, they will not die on contact, and it takes awhile to remove fleas.

Whatever your decision, make sure that you do it as quickly as possible. If you kill the fleas on your pet before they spread, you can stop the flea infestation dead in its tracks. Another good flea remedy that is very effective in killing fleas around your home is to build your very own flea trap. These traps are very cheap and can effectively help you with any flea problems. What Is The Life Cycle Of The Average House Flea? In order to combat fleas effectively, it’s always good to have a brief understanding of the way that they reproduce and gr

The entire process can vary from 1 week up to 6 months, depending on the type of fleas and of the climate. Let’s have a closer look at the flea reproductive cycle and gain some insight into how they grow. Eggs from Fleas The first stage (as previously mentioned), is the flea egg stage. Unlike most other pests, these eggs are not sticky at all and thus your darling pet is often responsible for spreading these tiny eggs all over your house.

They often fall into places like your carpets, bedding and other places where they go fairly unnoticed due to their small size. This makes flea infestation in carpets very common. Flea Larvae The second stage is the flea larvae.

They look like tiny white worms with small hairs and are about 6 millimeters long. They feed on organic material that is found on their host or in their surroundings and provided they receive enough nutrients and consume enough food, in about 13 days, the larvae will spin a flea cocoon. Flea Pupae The third phase is referred to as the flea pupae stage. This is a very interesting part of the flea cycles as the time the flea spends in the pupa has a very large variation.

What do I mean by that? Well put another way, provided its surroundings are humid, and the temperature is right, an adult flea could appear in just under a week. However, if not, the flea can remain dormant for over a year. This means that we could have a potential flea infestation in hibernation and it should be our top priority to kill them off before more awaken.

Adult Fleas The life cycle of a flea is almost complete, with the last part being the emergence of the actual adult flea.

This entire process can take as long as two years or as short as a few weeks so it’s critical that you be proactive about flea control, even if they are not jumping around your house or living on your pets.

And that is about it, the life cycle of fleas isn’t that complicated, and I encourage you to share this information with others or perhaps even use it in school projects, provided your use your own words and give a reference to this article of course How Long Do Fleas Live and Where Do Fleas Come from?

What causes fleas to infest your home in such a short time? Well the average lifespan of an adult flea can vary depending on a number of factors, ranging from the climate to the availability of a host.

For example, as soon as the flea emerges from its pupa, it has about 7 days to find a host (such as your darling pet) if it is to survive otherwise it will die. Many wonder where are fleas coming from and the answer usually lies with their pets. As already mentioned, fleas need to have their first meal fairly quickly, and as a result, female fleas tend to lay their eggs on a host that is warm blooded.

Since pets spend a ton of time outside, this is usually where fleas come from, especially in the moist, dark areas around your garden. Remember, fleas can jump quite a far distance, if you do find a flea on your skin it’s probably jumped there while you were stroking your pet. I have also found that fleas can come from your neighbors’, especially if they live fairly near to your living space. Unfortunately, you do not control their lifestyle, but you can use preventative measures to keep the fleas from their house and garden from infecting yours by using a combination of eucalyptus and cedar wood.

More on that in this article about the best way for getting rid of fleas. Where Do Fleas Live and What Do They Eat?

Where Do Fleas Live? Not Me, Surely? !Many people wonder what do fleas eat, and the answer is blood. It doesn’t have to be animal blood either; it can even be human blood so it’s very important to check yourself from time to time to ensure that you don’t have any on your body, especially if you have pets.

The scary thing is that once the flea has fed just this once, it can then survive for up to a year on that single meal!

I am not suggesting that the flea will stop trying to feed. Ironically, if the flea feeds 24/7, it will actually only live for about two weeks, and this is usually the case.

Of course, preventing the fleas in the first place is the best medicine and as a result, I will be writing an article on flea control in the next week or so, stay tuned!Fleas love to live in areas where it is both moist (slightly humid or wet areas are ideal) and typically warm. This allows fleas to thrive and is the reason why certain countries or areas around the globe suffer more from flea problems than others. Fleas live on any host that has warm blood, regardless of its type. Depending on its previous host, flea bites can be rather dangerous so it’s important to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Sometimes you won’t even feel a flea on you as it numbs the skin before feasting on your blood. If you find a flea living on your pet or yourself, make sure that you treat it immediately to prevent further outbreaks and potential health risks associated with fleas. This makes humans flea extermination to be very important. I have been asked, “When do fleas come out” and although the answer can vary, usually they come out of the garden (and other places) because they need blood to survive.

What Do Fleas Look Like And What Attracts Them? Fleas are very small bugs. In fact, if you are not actively looking for them, you probably won’t even notice them, even if they are jumping around your house.

Once fully grown, the adult flea is about 0.3cm long and is usually a dark brown color, although some have been known to have a red hue on their bodies. Although fleas do not have any wings, they are able to use their legs (the three back ones) to jump very far, and as a result, they are able to land on various things around your house, including you. Their body is very resilient to physical damage as they are rather flat in design. If you do manage to catch one, you will have to use your nails to squash it.

However, it’s a much better idea to toss it down the drain of your kitchen sink and to ensure that you wash your hands properly after being in contact with fleas.

Fleas are attracted to warm blood, either on yourself or your pets so make sure that you check yourself and them fairly regularly. Interesting Flea Facts That You Can Share with Your Friends A flea can drink 15 times its weight in blood in just a single day!Scientists have found over 2,000 types of fleas and continue to find different ones each year!The biggest flea that has been found measured in at about 2.5cm!Scientists have shown that fleas can jump up to 1.2 meters!Fleas have been known to live for two years after having just a single meal of blood!For every flea that you find in your home, there are statistically about 80 others hidden from your sight!Research shows that fleas have been around for over 100 million years!Natural Flea Control has been proven to work despite being down played by most professionals!Many wonder, can humans get fleas?

The answer is yes, some even have a severe reaction, usually a dog flea allergy or a cat flea allergy!Flea Problems – Can They Be Solved Instantly?

Flea problems often take a long time to resolve. However, there are a few options that you have available to you if you want to treat flea problems. Besides applying Frontline or advantage to your pets, you can use things like flea bombs or foggers and mild flea sprays to eliminate these pests from your home.

They are all very good for flea treatment and control. Whatever your choice, make sure that it has insect growth regulator (IGR) on the label otherwise it will not prevent (or kill) fleas that are still in the pupae or larvae stage of the flea life cycle. IGR compliant products prevent these from maturing into fleas and will ensure that a flea infestation does not rear its ugly head again.

In conclusion, I think it’s safe to say that fleas are definitely an unwelcome guest in our homes. Flea infestations can be both an irritation and a potential health risk, both to your pets and your family.

As a result, it’s a good idea to get rid of them as soon as possible. Learning about the life cycle of a flea and various facts such as where this bug comes from and what it looks like is very beneficial as it allows us to understand them better. This will allow us to diagnose flea problems better and fight them effectively. Flea removal from your home is not that difficult, provided the correct steps are followed. I invite you to read a couple of my other pest control articles related to fleas to learn these exact steps. I would like to thank you for reading and hope that you share this with your friends and family so that they also can fight their flea problems properly.

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My name is Natasha and I would like to thank you for reading this guide. If you have any concerns or would like to ask a question about this article, I encourage you to leave a comment below and I will provide a reliable answer within about 24 hours. Remember, all this information is provided at absolutely no cost and if you have enjoyed what you have read, please show your appreciation by sharing this post on your favorite social network below. I look forward to helping you!

KIt can take as little as a couple days or as long as a couple weeks for flea eggs to hatch. Upon reaching adulthood, fleas may live a few more weeks, or up to a year or longer depending on numerous external factors.

How long does it take for flea eggs to hatch?

Answers.com ® Wiki Answers ® Categories Animal Life Animal Parasites Fleas How long does it take for flea eggs to hatch? Flag How long does it take for flea eggs to hatch? Answer by Robby Mraz Confidence votes 1.6

21 people found this useful Was this answer useful? Yes Somewhat No Sami Younis 5 Contributions How long does it take to hatch a chicken egg?21 days James Dawe 216,095 Contributions Started career as professional chef then a district sales manager for a wine & spirits company.

Retired in 2005, breeding Araucana chickens. How long does it take for a chicken egg to hatch? With optimum conditions such as temperature and humidity a chicken egg takes 21 days to hatch. From when it was layed, about 20-28 days,depending on the breed. From the time wh …How long does it take to hatch a duck egg?around 28 days How long do hummingbird eggs take to hatch?

Humming Birds around this area are VERY rare,and it takes about 1 000 000 years for them to hatch!! Hard to belive but true!! !Warbler 110 Contributions How long does it take for a parrots egg to hatch?

The time greatly varies on the type of bird. I suggest you clarify. How long does it take to hatch an Eevee egg? My eevee egg took about 4200 steps using the solaceon town route and a macargo. XXashx15 46 Contributions How long do ladybug eggs take to hatch? Ladybug eggs can hatch in 2-5 days after laid. Alisha Williams 18,156 Contributions Work in progress. How long does it take a swan egg to hatch? It takes approximately 32 - 40 days depending on the breed of swan.

On the Wallaby 2,874,808 Contributions Passionate about all things Australian How long does it take an egg to hatch? The length of time it takes an egg to hatch depends entirely upon the species. Insect and spider eggs may take a matter of days to hatch, but some insect eggs overwinter and m …When a peahen lays eggs will they hatch and how long does it take for them to hatch?peahen lays eggs between may to august.

it takes 22 to 28 days to hatch eggs. Latest news 1 Contribution How long does it take for a fleas egg to hatch?\n Depending on the kind of fly this can be hours up to a few days.

How long does it take flea eggs to hatch? It takes from 2 days to 2 weeks depending on the humidity. James Dawe 216,095 Contributions Started career as professional chef then a district sales manager for a wine & spirits company.

Retired in 2005, breeding Araucana chickens. Answered In Chickens and Roosters How long does it take a peewee egg to hatch? In the case of eggs, size does not matter. A fertilized peewee egg when subject to proper incubation conditions will take 21 days to hatch the same time it takes a jumbo egg t …Answered In Rays How long does it take for a stingray egg to hatch?1 hour Answered In Frogs How long does it take a for a frog egg to hatch?it takes 2-3 weeks I think.

Answered In Ferrets Weasels and Badgers How long does it take for weasel eggs to hatch?no time because weasels are born like dogs The Bird Lady 386 Contributions Answered In Care of Birds How long does it take penguin to hatch egg after it is hatch? Most eggs take about 34-35 days to hatch. The first egg laid takes about a day longer to hatch than the second egg (33 days). They hatch about 1.5 apart.

Generally speaking, 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit with 75-85 percent humidity is the ideal temperature range for growth and reproduction of fleas. All they need is a warm place in which to settle and lay their eggs. For the majority of pet owners who keep their homes at a consistently warm temperature throughout the winter season, this can mean that a flea population, once settled indoors, can remain active all year long.

Keeping Fleas, Ticks, and Mosquitoes Awayâ¦ Even in the Winter

For those of us with pets, we look forward to winter as a time of respite from the bugs that torment us and our pets.

We look forward to a break from the sprays and gels and powders and medicines … all the things we try on our pets and in our home to keep the blood suckers at bay. However -- and we hope you are sitting down as you read this -- winter does not necessarily spell the end of bug season.

Consider the following …A New Housemate: Fleas and Ticks The flea is a very persistent and resilient pest with a very complicated life cycle.

It is even capable of surviving in outdoor temperatures as low as the upper 30s. As long as an adult flea can find a suitable host to feed from (such as wild animals or your pet), it can stay warm and healthy through the cold season.

Their pupae remain settled in their cocoons until it is warm enough to come out -- as long as they have been placed in a location where they are protected from freezing cold (for example, a garage, covered patio, or basement). Flea pupae can remain dormant for over a year until the surroundings have reached ideal temperatures. Once conditions are ideal (either inside or outside), the pupae will complete their development and emerge from their cocoons en masse, resulting in a surge of activity both on and off your pets.

For residents of the southern states of the U. S., where the winter season may only go as low as the 30s, fleas will often stay active throughout most or all of the winter season. Only sustained cold (less than 30 degrees) and low humidity levels will kill off outdoor eggs, larvae, and adult fleas.

The best time to fight fleas is during the winter, when there is the best chance that they will become less active and fewer in number. Regularly vacuuming the areas where your pet spends time and continuing regular flea treatments throughout the winter season are the best ways to combat them before the next flea season is in full swing.

Ticks are also capable of surviving winter temperatures when they are able to find a host to feed from or a warm location to hide in during the coldest weather months. Generally, adult ticks will still be a threat when temperatures hover around 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

. Flea larvae do not take a blood meal directly from a host, unlike adult fleas. The flea’s larval stage is completed within about 4-18 days. One of the last activities of flea larvae is to spin a silken cocoon and then enter the pupal stage.

Flea Life Cycle

Flea Life Cycle Fleas undergo complete metamorphosis. The life cycle, or stages, of the flea is composed of the egg, larval, pupal and adult stages.

Cycle length ranges from several weeks to several months and is largely dependent upon environmental conditions. Flea After Feeding Eggs Fleas lay between four to eight eggs after a meal, with the highest concentrations of laying occurring within the last few days of the female’s life. Unlike the eggs of some other parasites, flea eggs are not sticky and usually fall to the ground immediately upon being la

id. Flea eggs hatch into larvae within one to 12 days. Larvae Flea larvae are approximately 3 to 5.2 mm long and are semitransparent white in color. The larval stage lasts from four to 18 days, after which larvae spin silken cocoons and enter the pupal stage. The pupal stage may be complete within three days, or it can last as long as one year.

Flea larvae hatch from eggs that were laid by a female flea and have fallen off the animal host. Once away from the host, the larvae seek out shaded locations such as cracks in the floor, in carpets, in pet bedding or protected locations under and in furniture.

Flea larval survival depends on relative humidity and temperatures. Since dehydration is fatal to flea larvae, they will not survive relative humidity less than 45-50 percent or soil temperatures greater than 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, if outdoor larvae will survive in cool, shaded areas and do very well in crawl spaces. In environments of suitable humidity and temperatures, fleas will develop year round. Flea larvae complete three larval instars (stages) and, depending on their environment, will range in length from about 3-5 mm long. Flea larvae have no eyes and no legs. Their body is maggot-like and whitish, but turns progressively darker as the larvae feeds on feces excreted by the adult fleas.

Other than feces, larvae will feed on various types of organic matter such as food particles, dead skin, dead insects and feathers

Flea Life Cycle

What are fleas? Fleas are small insects about 1-2 mm in length. Adult fleas live in the coat and bedding of dogs, cats and other animals and feed on their blood. The female adult lays eggs (up to 500 per flea per day!) which roll off the animal into the environment, and then hatch into larvae.

16 FAQâs about Fleas, Ticks, and Flea Infestations in Dogs

"Home Dog Fleas & Ticks 16 FAQ’s about Fleas, Ticks, and Flea Infestations in Dogs16 FAQ’s about Fleas, Ticks, and Flea Infestations in Dogs1.

The larvae burrow into carpet or soft furnishings, or into any small crevices, then form a sticky cocoon and enter the pupae stage. The pupae can stay in this state for up to two years. The adult flea will only emerge once it senses that there is a suitable host nearby (using signals such as vibration and carbon dioxide levels).

The new adult flea then uses its powerful legs to jump onto the passing animal and start the cycle all over again.2. How can I tell if my dog has fleas? Close examination of your dog may reveal these small, black insects moving rapidly through your dogs’ coat. If there are few fleas present, only flea dirt may be evident which will appear as small, black specks.

This is actually flea faeces, which is passed through the insect after sucking blood from your dog. To confirm the presence of fleas, use a fine toothed flea comb and comb through the dog’s coat. Use a damp piece of cotton wool to pick up any black specks you comb out of the coat.

If it is flea dirt, the specks will turn reddish-brown as the blood pigment dissolves. Some dogs may tolerate fleas well, with only very slight scratching. Others can show a severe allergic reaction to both flea bites and flea saliva. This can result in intense scratching and chewing of neck, ears, thighs and base of the tail.

Your dog may also spin around quickly to chew itself when the flea bites. In extreme cases, your dog’s skin may start to scale and discolour. Hair loss and secondary bacterial infections may also occur.3. How do I control fleas? Because most of the flea life cycle is carried out within the environment rather than on the dog, it is very important to minimise this aspect of it.

Using a preventative spot on treatment should mean that adult fleas are killed before they can produce too many eggs.

In addition, a product such as Program that interrupts the life cycle by ensuring the juvenile stages cannot develop can be very useful. Environmental sprays will also kill any fleas in the environment – however, bear in mind that nothing will kill the pupae.4. Can't I just deal with a flea problem if it happens? Prevention is very important when dealing with fleas. Controlling and eliminating an already existing flea problem can be frustrating, time consuming and expensive.

Because 95% of the problem is in the environment, even using the best quality flea treatment on your dog will not prevent the new fleas hatching from the environment jumping up and biting your dog. If a flea infestation does develop in your home, it will usually take a minimum of three months to get on top of it.

During this time, a good quality spot on treatment should be used monthly on all animals in the house, as well as anenvironmental spray in the home.

A fast-acting product such as Capstar can be useful to kill the initial batch of fleas on the dog, but it will not have any residual effect so should be combined with a spot on treatment.5.

What are the dangers of fleas? Fleas have irritating bites. They can also carry tapeworm, cause flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), hair loss (due to scratching), and secondary skin irritations. In large numbers, fleas can cause anaemia from blood loss, especially in puppies and kittens where it can be life threatening.6.

What is the best treatment for dogs with Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD)? If your dog is suffering from a skin complaint, only your vet can provide a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Your vet may have to carry out some diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the skin issue. If FAD is diagnosed, you need to be extremely vigilant to prevent flea infestations.

Since your goal is to prevent bites from occurring in the first place, you should use a product that kills adult fleas and also eliminates as many stages of the flea's life cycle as possible. This involves using both an adulticide and an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) or Insect Development Inhibitor (IDI).

These easy-to-use spot-on treatments kill adult fleas and prevent eggs and larvae from developing. If your dog is on a flea control program and still suffers occasional flare-ups, itching can be controlled with products recommended by your veterinarian.7.

Do fleas only exist in dirty homes? The only way to prevent fleas is to use preventative flea treatments on your dog all year round. Unfortunately, even an immaculately kept home is likely to become infested if the dog is not treated correctly.

Larvae can burrow into cracks and crevices so well that no amount of vacuuming will dislodge them or their pupae.8. How do I use my flea comb1 to check for fleas? Start by combing around the hindquarters and head of the dog, common areas for fleas to hide. These same areas should be examined for ""flea dirt.""9. What is the difference between IGRs (Insect Growth Regulators) and IDIs (Insect Development Inhibitors)?

IGRs and IDIs are used in some monthly flea prevention products to eliminate the immature form of the flea. An IGR mimics the juvenile growth hormone of fleas. The juvenile growth hormone is what keeps the fleas from developing into more mature forms. Normally, as the level of juvenile growth hormone decreases, the larva matures. Since the IGR keeps the level of the hormone from decreasing, the juvenile never develops into an adult; it fails to molt and then dies.

IDIs inhibit the synthesis of a substance called chitin (the outside, protective ""shell"" of the insect).

Chitin is necessary for the formation of the hard outside skin (cuticle) of the flea IGRs and IDIs do not kill adult fleas, so to be most effective they should be used along with a product that does kill the adults (adulticide). Because IGRs and IDIs mimic insect hormones or alter a unique insect process (chitin production), they are extremely safe for humans.10.

How long do fleas live for? The complete flea life cycle, from egg to larva to pupa to adult, normally takes about 15 days. However, under inhospitable conditions (e.g. ; cold temperatures, or lack of a host) the pupa stage can become dormant.

This dormant period can extend the flea's life cycle to over a year. When the pupa senses the vibrations, carbon dioxide, or warmth that tells it an animal host is near, it finishes developing into an adult and emerges from its cocoon.11. What are ticks? Ticks are small, light grey, rounded insects which feed from the blood of animals.

They vary in size and when engorged, can reach the size of a pea. They can be found anywhere on the dog’s body but are most frequently found on the ears, face or abdomen where hair cover is relatively thin. Ticks will only feed at certain times of their life. Peak activity is between the months of March to June and from August to November. Most of their life cycle is spent outside in areas of long grasslands and moorland but they can also survive in cracks and crevices in the walls and floors of kennels.12.

How can I tell if my dog has ticks? Adult ticks can be seen attached to the skin of your dog and will resemble a small, smooth wart or blood blister. If your dog has only a few ticks, they may have little effect on your dog. Occasionally your dog’s skin may become irritated due to an allergic reaction to the bite.

If infestations are heavy, anaemia may develop. Ticks can however be carriers of disease, which can be transmitted to the dog when bitten.13. What diseases can a tick transmit to my dog? Ticks are responsible for transmitting many diseases in dogs – these vary geographically. Lyme disease or Borreliosis is an illness transmitted by ticks that can affect humans, dogs and cats.

The disease is appearing more often, and in more locations, therefore every dog owner should know and be able to recognise its symptoms:- painful or stiff muscles and joints- tiredness- fever- lack of appetite- (sometimes) sudden collapse Ticks can transmit diseases to animals and people. The most significant disease caused to dogs by ticks is Babesiosis. This parasite forces its way into the red blood cells. Symptoms of this disease are shortness of breath, fever, red urine and sudden death. Canine Ehrlichiosis is a disease caused by Ehrlichia canis. The main symptoms are: fever, loss of weight, tiredness and lack of appetite. This disease can in turn lead to considerable anaemia and low number of platelets. Other symptoms observed are heavy and laboured breathing and stiffness in the legs. Erhlichiosis is a very serious disease and can be fatal.14.

How do I control ticks? When a tick is removed from your dog’s body, it is important that its mouthparts do not remain embedded in your dog’s skin or this may result in irritation, infection and abscess.

To prevent this from happening, it is always best to use a specially designed tick remover, or get your vet to remove the tick. There are many preparations available on the market that will kill ticks and, if you use these regularly, they can help prevent infestation.15.

How can I help reduce my dog's exposure to ticks? Keeping dogs out of woodlands helps to reduce their exposure to fleas and ticks.

Removing leaves and clearing tall grass from the garden areas can also help reduce the number. But any dog playing outside can easily pick up fleas or ticks and therefore, the preventative approach is most recommended. It is important to remember that in heavily infested areas no preventative can be 100% effective, so it is important to check your dog for ticks after every walk.16.

Can I stop worrying about fleas and ticks once it starts getting cold? Flea and tick prevention should be provided all year round. In the winter fleas thrive in warm centrally heated houses and although ticks are more commonly picked up in warm weather, they are also prevalent in spring and autumn. Related Vet Advice "

s. The life cycle depends on the humidity and temperature of your house: The eggs hatch in 1-6 days. They will be in the carpet, the furniture and are in highest numbers where she spends most of her time. The eggs hatch to become larvae. They molt and have 3 stages. The total time for this stage is 6-36 days. The pupae is a cocoon that the larvae goes into. The cocoon takes about 7-10 days to develop but then can be dormant for a long time until a host enters the situation (such as a cat)The adult flea is really only on the pet for about 2 weeks. The rest of the time is spent off the pet.

What is the incubation period for fleas in cats?

What is the incubation period for fleas in cats? That would be the flea

A continual flea problem means that new ones are constantly jumping back on. They can lay 30-40 eggs per day. The options are limited for itching in cats. You could try some liquid Benadryl but only a 1/4 of a teaspoon.

It should say 12.5mg per 5ml on the bottle. It will usually make a cat foam at the mouth and even vomit. Your vet may recommend steroids tomorrow in order to help the itching. Ointments don't help since a cat will only lick it off. A cool bath may also help. Read full interaction below »Share this conversation Resolved Question: What is the incubation period of fleas in cats?

I have an indoor cat who is beside herself ripping out her fur, is there anything I can do to help her to relieve her symptoms since it is nearly midnight and I cannot see a vet till tomorrow.

There are four stages in a flea's life: egg, larva (maggoty-like-thing), pupa (in a cocoon) and adult. Egg-to-egg life cycle is usually two to four weeks. Under the right conditions this can be a little shorter (12 days), or much longer (8 months).

Die Fleas! Die! Die! Die! Freaky Cheap Flea Control

"Die Fleas! Die! Die! Die! Freaky Cheap Flea Controlflea control in a nutshelldon't panic!Fleas are nothing more than a minor nuisance.

Panic can lead to poisons for you and profits for the panic mongers.keep a paper thin layer of diatomaceous earth wherever a vacuum cannot reachvacuum once every three days, tossing a little diatomaceous earth on the floor firstif you have a pet:flea comb every three days (every day if fleas are found)wash bedding every three daysdo not use toxic gick!No flea bombs, no boric acid, no borate powders (and this definitely includes the fleabusters product), no flea collars, no pyrethrins.flea control details Don't Panic!Marcia Larkins, D. V. M., chief of the companion and wildlife drugs branch in the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine says fleas are ""Just a nuisance.

They generally cause a lot of itching and scratching. They may also cause some discomfort due to possible allergic flea bite dermatitis.

""You're going to be fine. Fleas are nothing more than a minor nuisance. Yes, they do bite people. Yes, they did help spread disease hundreds of years ago - but they need a source of disease to spread it - and that is, these days, virtually unheard of in North America.

I think that horse flies and mosquitoes are about a thousand times more dangerous - mostly because they can go get disease from far away and bring it to you. How freaked out do you get over a mosquito bite? And if you have a flea control problem in your house, those fleas can only bring to you disease that is already in your house.

You're going to be fine. Flea control can be easy, cheap, and organic. I hesitate to mention the plague, but it is a tool that the flea control fear mongers use.

And this is, by far, the scariest thing possible with fleas, so let's take a proper look at it. To get the plague you also need rodents. But not just any rodents, the rodents must have the plague. The fleas must bite the rodents and then bite you.

Since fleas don't travel far, and this page is about controlling fleas in your home, you would have to have rodents with the plague in your home. Nearly all plague cases involve rodents living far away from people's homes. Therefore, the odds of you getting the plague from a flea in your home is about one in a skillion jillion. You have a better chance of being elected president and then getting hit by lightning on your first day in office.

From the Center for Disease Control: ""human plague in the United States has occurred as mostly scattered cases in rural areas (an average of 10 to 15 persons each year).

... Most human cases in the United States occur in two regions: 1) northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, and southern Colorado; and 2) California, southern Oregon, and far western Nevada."" And nearly all of those cases were in undeveloped areas. Usually undeveloped land far from most people.

The people that do catch the plague are often researchers studying the rodents. Since this is the scariest thing that can be thrown at you, do I really need to talk about anything else the flea control fear mongers will try to toss your way in order to scare you into parting with your money?

I wonder how many people die every year from flea poison? I'm having a hard time finding that data, but I did find this anecdotal report: From http://www.prescriptionbeds.com/people_sick.htm ""My good friend acquired asthma after prolonged exposure to boric acid. (carpet treatment) Subsequently, she died from an asthma attack. This happened over a period of two years!!!

""If anybody finds good info on sickness/death coming from flea control toxins, please share that information in the flea control discussion thread . I have to say ""don't panic"" because I have personally witnessed panic. And this panic led to dropping $560 for ""natural"" toxic gick for flea control that came with a ""guarantee"" to be free of fleas for a year.

And yet the fleas remained. And then the panic went way beyond that and everybody moved out of the house. Panic means profits! It is scary how easily people will panic and then do all sorts of unreasonable things. And there are lots of less than ethical folks out there stirring up the panic so they can make money with flea control.

Don't be that gullible!You're going to be fine. With a little knowledge, a little time and about 20 bucks, the fleas will be all gone.know your enemy Wikipedia has some good info on fleas. At the time of this writing, it is pretty accurate and I expect it will become more accurate as time passes.

An average fertile female flea lays about 200 eggs per month and 500 eggs over her entire lifespan. Some folks want to shock you (panic means profits! ), so they compound this tidbit of data along with the life cycle information.

So, suppose you have a flea worthy of the flea olympics and can lay 500 eggs per month - a real performer! I'll name her Helga. And combine with that the perfect flea nursery so that those eggs can become adults in, say 14 days. So, on day one, Helga has an amazing day and lays 50 eggs! Helga's best performance ever! 14 days later, Helga's bratty kids pop out as adults.

Flea sex. Eating. And then each brat squeezes out 50 eggs. Helga is so proud! So, that's 2500 eggs. 14 days after that you have 125,000 eggs! You could then say ""a single flea could be responsible for 125,000 eggs in one month!"" Sunnuffabitch! Where's my checkbook!A quick pass at some rational math. Let's say that Helga lays a more realistic 12 eggs.

And we will go ahead and assume that half of those will hatch as male fleas. So at the two week point there are 6 females laying 6 more female eggs. So at the end of the month there are 36 females laying 12 eggs each. 432 eggs at the end of the month.

Further, this is assuming a lot of optimal things about the mating, finding food, the optimal egg, larva and pupal environment, the fastest possible egg-to-egg cycle with no consideration for mortality at all of the different stages.

The reality check is that it's a hard life to be a flea. The larva compete for food (their favorite food is flea poop, but they'll eat most forms of organic matter).

In a clean house, it can be so difficult to find food, that hardly any larva become pupa. Hot and/or dry conditions can be deadly too. Even under the best conditions, flea mortality is often more than 80%. Assuming that Helga beats the odds and becomes a granny within the one month time frame, then she might have personally laid one female egg that survives to lay more eggs.

That one might lay 12 eggs. If helga managed to lay another 12 eggs, you have a total of 24 possibly viable eggs at the end of the month, most of which will probably not make it to adulthood.

So when you read outlandish numbers like 125,000, I think you're reading something that is trying to get suckers to part with their money. For a small, one bedroom filthy house with five filthy cats, and nobody ever does anything about it .... I could see a breeding pair of fleas growing to a family of 20 in two months. Left without intervention, I could imagine a maximum of a thousand adult fleas living there.

50 to 100 per cat, and the rest looking for a host. In my worst flea control situation, I don't think there was ever more than 30 adult fleas alive in the house at one time.

So the important thing to keep in mind here is that if you keep a clean house, you're probably not going to be dealing with more than a few dozen fleas at any given time. On with the flea trivia .... A flea cannot jump higher than eight inches (hundreds of times their own height!). My understanding is that a flea will sit in the pupal stage for a long time waiting for a host to come by.

Then suddenly leap out and ... boing! boing! boing! boing! boing! boing! and grab! On the host! Sometimes they miss. And if they miss, they have about one week to find food (blood) or they die. A female flea has to consume blood before she can lay eggs. The female will usually lay eggs on the host and the eggs then roll off of the host as the host moves about.

A flea can hitch a ride on a human. You could get fleas in your home and have no pets. You would then be the flea's only food source. And you thought you were at the top of the food chain!When a flea bites you, you probably won't even notice.

What you do notice is your own immune system reacting to the flea's saliva (complete with anti-coagulants and some antigen proteins). The important thing here is that you might feel the itch two or three times! This can make you think that you have been bitten two or three times, but really you've been bitten just once.

If you don't sense the actual bite (and you probably won't), the first itch comes about five to six hours later, and the second comes 24 to 48 hours later.

So chances are that you feel the itch and think you have been bitten just now - but in reality, that flea came and went hours ago. Lots of people come to the errant conclusion that there are fleas in a room or in a house because of this.

The only way to know where fleas are is to see the actual flea. Some people say that fleas don't bother them. My understanding is that the fleas still bite them, but they just don't have an allergic reaction to flea spit, like 90% of humans do.

That's what that little red dot is: an allergic reaction to flea spit. If you have the red dot - you're allergic!flea control with diatomaceous earth According to wikipedia: ""fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. ""This is an off white powder that feels a bit like flour. Not only can you eat it, it is already in a lot of the food that you eat.

I have heard two explanations of how it works. One is that on a microscopic level, the particles are very sharp looking. These particles stick to an insect and get stuck between its exoskeleton joints. As the insect moves, it gets physically cut up. The other explanation is that it sticks to the insect and somehow causes them to dry out. I think this approach involves scratching the insects waxy layer which then allows precious moisture within the insect to get out.

A reader, Sue, in Washington state writes: Both are true and connected. DE is almost pure silica (with some beneficial trace minerals); under a microscope, it looks like shards of glass (glass is made from silica).

On any beetle-type insect that has a carapace, like fleas and cockroaches, the DE works under the shell and punctures the body, which then dehydrates and the insect dies. DE is totally nontoxic. There is no buildup of tolerance like there is to poisons because the method of killing is PHYSICAL, not chemical.

The important thing to us is that if an insect with an exoskeleton gets diatomaceous earth on them, they die.

At the same time, we can rub it all over our skin, rub it in our hair, eat it .... whatever ... and we are unharmed. Farmers dump diatomaceous earth by big scoops in with grains when the grains are stored. It kills the insects that want to feast on the grain. This is a great improvement over the stuff they used to put in with the grain. Farmers feed gobs of it to animals in the hopes that it will cure whatever ails them. Many farmers swear that the stuff kills all sorts of worms in their critters. The only concern about this stuff is that if you throw it into the air, you can make a big cloud of the stuff.

Breathing that in can irritate your lungs. Just as breathing in anything other than pure air can irritate your lungs. The same concern applies to pastry flour, talcum powder, corn starch or dust on the wind from outside.

The dust that gets into the air from emptying your vacuum cleaner bag is probably far worse for you than diatomaceous earth dust. I've heard of some folks intentionally making a cloud of the stuff in a room to make sure the diatomaceous earth gets into everything. If you're going to do this, you should probably turn appliances off first so that their fan stuff doesn't get plugged with the dust.

I don't go this route - all that dust makes me cough. For flea control, I try to make a paper thin layer of diatomaceous earth wherever the vacuum doesn't reach easily and use the vacuum technique (below) also.

That way, when an adult flea jumps out of its cocoon, instead of going ""boing! boing! boing! boing!"" it goes ""piff! piff! piff! piff! urk!"" I don't throw it around - more like lay it about and then spread it around slowly with my hand. Kinda like finger painting. Note that diatomaceous earth works only on the adult stage of the flea. (Some say it works on the larval stage too) So while traveling this road for flea control, be thinking that there are lots of eggs, larva and pupa around still. The strategy is to kill the adults before they lay more eggs. If we assume that diatomaceous earth works so good that the lifespan of an adult flea is one minute, then you will continue to see adult fleas for the next two to four weeks - from the eggs already laid.

They just won't live very long. Make sure you buy ""food grade"" diatomaceous earth. There is some stuff used for swimming pool filters. Don't use that. There are some other varieties of diatomaceous earth that are labeled just ""Diatomaceous Earth"" but they have other stuff added to it.

Icky stuff. The ""food grade"" diatomaceous earth is pure. A great thing about diatomaceous earth is that you can leave it around the edges of your home and in hard to reach places for months or years.

As long as it doesn't get wet, it will continue to work. One time I had some fleas in my room and I just put down diatomaceous earth. I did no other flea control. I then put it out of my mind. Two days later I checked my ankles and had no new flea bites.

I vacuumed up all of the dust about two weeks later, and set out a flea trap (see below). I caught one flea, then I went to the diatomaceous earth-along-the-edges and vacuum approach combined with a flea trap every night.

The flea trap did turn up a flea once in a while for two weeks, and no more after that. My first attempts at flea control with diatomaceous earth on carpet were to just sprinkle and not spread it to make a paper thin layer.

This had mixed results. My sprinkle without spreading, covered about 20% of the surface. Mathematically, this means that the average flea lifespan is five times longer (if a flea has to touch diatomaceous earth 5 times to die, then that would be 5 hops with full coverage and 25 hops on average with 20% coverage). Some fleas might then live long enough to bite. Possibly long enough to lay eggs. Not good. The paper thin layer has 99% coverage and no bites were experienced.

I have heard from two people that said that they won't use diatomaceous earth anymore because ""the tiny particles cut my lungs!"" --- (deep sigh goes here) All I can say is ""Did you actually examine your lung with a microscope and watch the diatomaceous earth cut into it?""

- of course, they did not. I think the truth behind these reports is that these folks heard how diatomaceous earth works, and when they would breath in the dust, it would make them cough - just as breathing in flour or corn starch would make you cough.

And then they thought of the sharpness at a microscopic level. My understanding is that when diatomaceous earth becomes moist, the sharp thing is no longer happening. That's why you have to keep it dry when you use it. Lungs are all squishy and moist. Squishy beats diatomaceous earth.

Squishy, squishy, squishy. I have encountered over a dozen ignorant boobs that have proclaimed ""Diatomaceous Earth does NOT work!"" I have read this statement in all caps. In extra big fonts. With italics. And I've even had it screamed at me.

I'm gonna stick with ""ignorant boobs"". On closer inspection of each case there is always a flaw. Usually the problem is that it was not used correctly. If you put it in one place and hope the fleas are drawn to it to die, I have found that strategy sucks.

Another flaw is to use it correctly, but there are still eggs hatching and fleas come out of the pupal stage. The diatomaceous earth hasn't had a chance to do its magic yet. I kinda wonder if the pesticide companies pay people to go to internet forums and say this sort of thing.

diatomaceous earth is super cheap, non toxic, and generally more effective than anything the pesticide companies have to offer - so it kinda cuts into their profit margins a bit. I've been meaning to create an experiment to set the record straight on this topic, but a participant in the flea control thread, Stephanie, beat me to it: I tried my own experiment with the DE to see how quickly it kills the fleas; I caught a few fleas and put them in a jar with a pinch of DE - all were dead within just a couple of hours.

How to get diatomaceous earth? Well, I have a lot to say about that too, so it is part of a new article I wrote on diatomaceous earth.flea control by vacuuming This assumes that you have carpets. One of the things that convinces a flea that it is time to leave the cocoon and jump on a host is vibration.

And a vacuum provides one helluva vibration! If you toss a little diatomaceous earth on the floor before vacuuming, then the flea ends up in a cush pile of diatomaceous earth in the vacuum bag.

If you are going to vacuum less often than once every three days, you should probably spread diatomaceous earth all over the floor between vacuuming.

If you are experiencing a LOT of fleas, you might want to vacuum once or twice a day just to be comfortable.flea control with light traps (aka ""flea traps"")These things feed my inner scientist! (evil, maniacal laugh goes here)Fleas are so small, often the only way to measure success is whether you are still getting bitten. So this simple trick is a great way to not only kill fleas, but to monitor your progress. Just a little lamp next to a plate of soapy water.

Fleas are of an insect family that is drawn to light. They're just stupid that way. And fleas drown easily provided that you disable their mechanism to deal with water (that's what the soap does). Set the trap out at night. Count the number of dead fleas in the morning. This is the best way to measure how your efforts are working.

You don't have to wear a white lab coat and thick rimmed glasses if you don't want to. If you don't have engingeering paper on a clipboard, you can use the back of an envelope.

If you are doing a good job with the diatomaceous earth approach, then during the first couple of weeks you should see fleas in your trap every night. After two or three weeks the numbers should start to drop a lot. Around four weeks the numbers should be zero.

I would continue monitoring for four weeks beyond the sight of the last adult. After all, what if that adult managed to lay eggs before dying?

A desk lamp is the best. It can focus the light into a small area, rather than illuminate the whole room. If you are setting many traps each night, we've found the easiest thing to do is to put dry plates on the ground and pour soapy water into the plates. I think that light traps alone probably won't be a complete flea control solution. Even if you used lots of them every night, they would probably only kill 95% of your population.

That remaining 5% can go on reproducing. Diatomaceous earth is going to be your real flea control workhorse. If you have a pet, don't think that using the light trap takes the place of using a flea comb. The light attracts fleas that are looking for food.

The fleas on your pet are living on the food. You want a lamp with a sturdy base and that is AC powered (not battery powered).

You also need something that is flexible enough to reach close to the ground. This one is less than ten bucks: Lamp that is perfect for a flea trapflea control with a dehumidifier I'm having a hard time coming up with any really hard research on this one, but I am finding a lot of anecdotal success.

My understanding, from some pretty weak sources, is that this does work on all stages of a flea's life. Apparently, fleas require 50% or higher relative humidity to live. They prefer 70% or higher. Think about it: all life requires water. Fleas can survive in a house, but where do they get their water? The only source is the air, and apparently they need plenty of it or their innards quickly turn into flea jerky.

As I examine my own history .... the only time I have had to deal with fleas was when living in Eugene, Oregon (moist with mild temperatures) and in Seattle, Washington (moist with mild temperatures).

In all other places (mountain desert) I let cats and dogs in and out of the house willy nilly and never gave a thought to flea control. I think this is a strong indicator of how fleas thrive in humidity and are almost non-existent where it is dry.

I have now tried this flea control dehumidifier trick on two rooms: Room 1: A housemate captured seven fleas by hand in about an hour and drowned them in soapy water. We moved the dehumidifier into his room and ran it for two days with nobody living in there. We entered the room only to empty the water from the dehumidifier. We then put flea traps in the room every night. No fleas. The dehumidifier appears to have worked very well.

But note that this is a very small room. By September 2007, I should post the longer term flea control results here. Well, it is now April, 2008 and that room has been flea free since I wrote the above in July of 2007.

In fact, the whole house has been flea free since about a week after I wrote this article. Room 2: This much larger room had diatomaceous earth on the floors and was getting vacuumed daily. It had a serious flea problem at one point. There were two traps. The night before putting in the dehumidifier, the traps had caught two fleas each.

The dehumidifier was run for two days with nobody living in the room. We entered the room only to empty the water. Immediately afterward, six fleas were caught. Another round of heat (93 degrees F max) plus dehumidifier was done.

The next day two more fleas were caught. So this flea control experiment didn't work. I think that the size of the room is a factor.

Either the dehumidifier needs to run longer, or a more more powerful dehumidifier is needed. I don't yet have the flea control confidence in this that I have in diatomaceous earth, but I think there is a lot of potential.

I just need to do more experiments. Hmmmmmm .... I think I need a way to test relative humidity ... My reading suggests that this works on nearly all critters that don't drink water.

There are some dehumidifiers sold specifically for controlling problem insects in a closed space. A possibly worthwhile note: most of the work done by an air conditioner is to dehumidify.flea control with heat This is one that I have not yet properly tried, but it has actual science behind it and it just sounds cool (pun?). A flea larva cannot survive 103 degrees F for one hour. My thinking is that you would want to sustain a temp of about 108 for at least four hours - just to make sure that the temperature penetrated all of the hiding places.

On one web site, a guy said that he turns his thermostat all the way up (about 90) and leaves for the day.

He comes home and there are no more fleas. Since I first mentioned this form of flea control in this article, I have had two more people contact me to say that it worked for them too!I have now tried this twice.1) One room with a portable heater: My portable heater has a thermostat built in.

I couldn't get the temperature in the room above 93. I probably sustained that temperature for six or seven hours. Two fleas were caught in that room the next day.2) A friend's house. I turned the heat up to full blast for the whole house.

It got to about 85 for about three hours. Still lots of fleas. UPDATE!Both times this failed for me, I'm pretty sure it was raining outside. That would mean that relative humidity (RH) probably did not drop below 50%. In other words, what if it isn't exactly the heat that kills the fleas, but it is the RH?

RH would need to get to under 40%, or maybe under 30% in order to kill the fleas. So on the days that I did the test, the dewpoint was probably at about 65.

What if I did the test when the dewpoint would be something like 40? Then the RH would be something like 25% and would probably easily kill all of the fleas in the house. That is probably why other people did this and it worked, while when I did it, it didn't work! If this works, and I can repeat it a few times, this could become my #1 solution!

More flea control testing coming soon!flea control by shampooing (or steam cleaning) your carpet Another one I have not tried. The theory is that fleas drown easily in soapy water. And they don't cope with heat well either, so the steam cleaning would be even better. This should also remove more flea poop - the flea larva's favorite food. My reading suggests that this impacts all stages of the flea's life.

Note that once diatomaceous earth is wet, it won't work anymore. Note also that there are some folks that say this doesn't work becausethe fleas are not under water long enough to drownfleas like warm and moist, and you just gave them moistyou can't get to the fleas in the edges, and, possibly, some nooks and crannies, where a lot of the fleas live in the earlier stages.

So if shampooing works, it won't kill the fleas in the edges, nooks and crannies, and then those fleas have a fantastic, moist environment to move into.flea control by less carpet If you have hardwood floors and no carpets, chances are that you have no flea problem.

People with no carpets rarely have flea problems. And if you do, it seems to be easy to get rid of fleas. It might be worth considering.flea control by washing your clothes/bedding If your clothes are on the floor, they could be harboring fleas in one of the many stages. A trip through a washing machine (with soap/detergent) will kill all fleas in all stages. Pretty easy.

During the days of flea trouble, it would be wise to keep your room (s) clean and do all of your laundry at least once a week.

If you have flea bites above your knees, the fleas are in your bedding. Wash all of your bedding. Your comforters and blankets might need to go for a ride in those big, front loading things at the laundromat. I never heard of dry cleaning doing anything to fleas, so if you have wool or down, I think you're going to have to go with a very gentle cold wash followed by air drying with no heat.flea control for your critters If you have a critter (dog, cat ... ferret ...

etc.) that has become a home to fleas, the first thing you need to do is use a flea comb. Comb the animal in such a way that the fleas and eggs will end up outside or in soapy water.

That way, the fleas don't just jump back onto your pet two minutes later. Optionally, once a week, dunk your critter in warm water with a mild soap for about five minutes. It might help to wrap the critter tightly in a towel first to prevent squirming. Just dunk the critter and the towel. When you do this, be prepared for fleas to make a dash for the head - be prepared with the flea comb.

Wet fur can often expose more fleas. Pick them all off. Wash your pets bedding every few days and (optionally) dust with diatomaceous earth. You can even work the diatomaceous earth into your pet's fur if you like. A reader, Sue, in Washington state writes: I live in a flea paradise: warm and humid.

At the first sign of a flea, I dust all my pets with DE, working it down to the skin. I do this weekly or every two weeks, mostly depending on the type of the animal's haircoat.

My dog has a thick coat (Belgian Tervuren), and one cat has a bushy coat. I do them every two weeks. The smooth-haired cats I do every week, as I suspect their usual grooming removes the DE faster. Then I dust their bedding. Then I use a small-mesh wire sieve and lightly dust my carpets with the DE. Since the DE does tend to fly when I do the carpets, I use a simple drugstore face mask to protect myself.

I've been using DE for three years. A friend of mine that has 16 unadoptable cats from a rescue operation uses it, too. I've now heard from a lot of people that they are having great flea control success feeding their pets flea treats.

Apparently, they are loaded with liver and B vitamins. The important part is that there are no nasty chemicals and the reports I have been reading suggest it is not only very effective at getting the fleas to go away, but the animals appear healthier overall.

DO NOT USE POISON!I think this topic is large and obvious. Just take a look at the warning labels if nothing else.

In nearly every case, you end up poisoning yourself and your family along with the fleas. If you think I'm out of my gourd, please google ""MSDS"" and the name of your product of choice to get the facts BEFORE you poison yourself. ""MSDS"" is the ""Material Safety Data Sheet"" that is required by law to be provided with the product.

Although it turns out that actually providing that material cuts way back on the sales of these products, so it is ""forgotten. ""Use your brain before your flea control poison lowers your IQ by 20 points. DO NOT USE Borate Powder This is an edge case poison.

Often pushed as ""natural"" or ""least toxic"". I discuss it in detail here because, while it is a lot less toxic than other stuff, it is still toxic and if you are considering using it for flea control, you should get a grip on just how toxic it is. This stuff travels under a lot of names: Boric Acid, Fleabusters, Sodium Polyborate, Borax, Sodium Borate, Sodium Tetraborate, Disodium Tetraborate, Boracic Acid, Orthoboric Acid, Acidum Boricum and many other names.

Because this stuff is far less toxic than most other poisons, a lot of ignorant environmental groups have pushed it as a solution.

Of course, you need lots more of it (compared to the stronger poisons) to work against fleas. So in the end you may be about equally poisoned. Since this stuff can occur naturally, it is sometimes marketed as a ""natural"" product. Well, there are lots of powerful poisons out there that occur naturally (arsenic, cyanide and asbestos come to mind), that doesn't mean it's a good idea to bring it into your home and expose yourself to it.

A fascinating article at http://www.unexco.com/boric-op.pdf. As it introduces part 2, it says ""Part I of Mr. Cartwright's article addressed the use of Boric Acid (the main ingredient in many flea control products such as Fleabusters) in a method that is inconsistent with that recommended by the manufacturer * -- i.e. broadcast application, or spreading over a large area where there will be constant direct contact. This type of application can lead to exposure to the chemical which can have harmful effects. Particularly susceptible would be children and animals.

""* In this case, ""the manufacturer"" is ""U. S. Borax""Mr. Cartwright then says ""U. S. Borax has the only correct Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on boric acid that I have seen to date. Most, if not all, other manufacturers of pesticides that contain boric acid have incomplete information contained in their MSDSs about boric acid and/or borates. ""check the MSDS at http://www.anvilfire.com/21centbs/material/33850-usborax-borax.pdf Here is an excellent, scientifically backed, article on Boric Acid and Borates Toxicity DO NOT USE Pyrethrins/Pyrethrum This is another edge case poison.

Like borates, it is often pushed as ""natural"" or ""least toxic"". I discuss it in detail here because, while it is a lot less toxic than other stuff, it is still toxic and if you are considering using it, you should get a grip on just how toxic it is.

From this fantastic document on Pyrethrin/Pyrethrum Toxicity: ""Pyrethrins are a common cause of insecticide poisonings. According to a U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) survey of poison control centers, they cause more insecticide poisoning incidents than any other class of insecticides except the organophosphates.

Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. ""DO NOT USE flea bombs Think about how they work. They put poison on everything. If you touch a wall and then eat a grape, you just ate poison. Of course the product is labeled to say that you need to clean everything afterward so that you don't poison yourself.

Somehow I doubt folks clean everything that the flea bomb can reach. And besides, isn't the whole idea with the flea bomb is the convenience? Just set it off and come back the next day. Cleaning EVERYTHING doesn't sound really convenient. My reading suggests that for the flea bombs to work, you need to set a new one off once a week for three to six weeks.

That's a lot of poison. And even then. some people say that the fleas are still not gone. DO NOT USE flea collars Pretty straight forward.

Poison on your pet. And they stink!flea control summary With hardwood floors, I just toss out a little diatomaceous earth in the nooks and crannies. With carpets, you need to add in some regular vacuuming with some diatomaceous earth mixed in. The light traps help you to make sure you are making good progress.

After the fleas are gone, keep a little diatomaceous earth in nooks and crannies and in pet bedding - just as a preventative.

I have great hopes about the dehumidifier and the heat approaches. We'll see what information shows up on these fronts over the next few months/years.

Fleas are nothing more than a minor nuisance and are easily controlled with with some really cheap, safe products and a little patience.other articles about flea control Most of the information I can find seems to be selling something. And the primary ingredient to get you to part with your money is to freak you out. Even the articles that aren't selling something seem to want to sensationalize a bit.

I've tried to pick out a couple that are more reasonable. Natural Flea Control (motherearthnews.com): I've subscribed to mother earth news off and on for years. I generally like the mag, but their web site is just way too commercial for my tastes. The article is first rate.

I especially like how the statements are not exaggerated and are well qualified. There is a focus on general cleanliness, vacuuming and diatomaceous earth. Unfortunately, there is a recommendation for flea bombs, which I don't agree with. Natural, Non-toxic Flea Control (eartheasy.com): For a commercial outfit, this is really good.

I think they are pushing a little bit of panic when they say ""A single flea can lay as many as 60 eggs per day"" instead of something like ""The average adult flea lays an average of 2 eggs per day"" (figuring in the males, and the older females). There is good stuff about how to deal with fleas for your pets, advocating good overall health. While they sell the sticky flea traps, they do mention the home made soapy water flea traps. Comments? Questions? Rude gestures? Discuss this article in the flea control thread. "

If host animals are treated with a good flea control product that kills all adult fleas within 2 days ofthe flea/s reaching the host animal, then no flea eggs will be produced (after all, it takes 2 days for adult fleas to create eggs after jumping into a host and feeding on its blood).

The Flea Life Cycle and How It Guides Effective Flea Control and Prevention.

"The Flea Life Cycle and How It Guides Effective Flea Control and Prevention. Flea infestation is one of the great banes in life for many pet and poultry owners. These rather-common insect parasites pose a variety of problems for pets and pet owners including:flea bites - adult fleas bite pets and humans, causing pain, redness and itching of the bite site;flea allergy dermatitis - pets who are severely allergic to flea saliva can become so itchy (pruritic) as a result of flea bites that they literally tear their skin and fur apart with their scratching and chewing activities;coat damage - breeding and showing pets (e.g.

Because of the many problems posed by fleas (above), there is, naturally, a lot of vested interest in the control and prevention of flea parasites, both in the home and commercially.

Many millions of dollars are spent each year in the manufacture and production of newer, safer, better flea control and flea killing products and, in their turn, pet owners and commercial producersof animals (animal breeders, animal showers, poultry farmers, rabbit producers and so on) spend even moremillions buying these newer, better, safer flea prevention products in the hope of preventing and/or eradicating their flea infestation problems. In order for pet owners and commercial animal producers to fully grasp how it is that flea infestations can become so large and so persistent, it is important for themto understand the flea life cycle.

In particular, they need to know how and where theflea parasite reproduces and also where the juvenile forms (egg, larva, pupa) of the lifecycle hide outand evade treatment.

The flea life cycle is very important to know if a flea infestationis to be controlled adequately and permanently (after all, much of the flea life cycle occurs in the animal's environment, not on the animal itself, and so environmental flea control is very important). The fleas life cycle can provide important clues as to why a particular flea control regime is not working and an explanation as to why the fleas keep on coming back.

The flea life cycle forms the basis of it all for it is the complete cycle of a flea's existence: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage, to egg stage again with the next generation.

Stopping an infestation of fleas from persisting involves breaking the flea life cycle at any pointin the flea life cycle chain: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage (see diagram in section 1).

The more points that can be broken in that chain or lifecycle, the faster flea control will be achieved and the more permanent the results will be. This flea life cycle page contains a detailed, but simple-to-understand explanation of thecomplete flea life cycle.

It comes complete with a full flea life cycle diagram for ease of understanding. As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how itcan be managed and manipulated to achieve better flea control and flea prevention is also discussedin full.

This page should contain plenty of information for those of you interestedin preventing flea infestations from establishing and also for those of you looking tocontrol pre-existing problem flea infestations on pets, inside the home (e.g. carpet fleas) and outside the house, in the yard, lawn or garden. All flea control revolves around an understanding of the flea life cycle. Enjoy. The Flea Life Cycle and How It Guides Effective Flea Control and Prevention - Contents:1) The flea life cycle diagram - a complete step-by-step diagram of animal host flea infestation; flea reproduction and environmental flea contamination with juvenile flea life cycle stages (eggs, larvae and pupa

e). 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full.2a) Fleas life cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal. 2b) Fleas life cycle 2 - The egg falls off the animal's skin and into the local environment of the host animal. 2c) Fleas life cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea larva.

2d) Fleas life cycle 4 - The first stage flea larva develops and grows and undergoes two molts to become a final stage flea larva.

2e) Fleas life cycle 5 - The final stage flea larva spins a cocoon and becomes a pupa. 2f) Fleas life cycle 6 - The cocoon hatches and an adult flea comes out, looking for mates and a host animal to feed on. 2g) Fleas life cycle 7 - The adult male and female fleas jump onto the host animal to feed, mate and lay eggs.

The significance of each step in the flea life cycle as it relates to the treatment, control and prevention of flea infestations in pets and commercial animal production units is also explained in detail in this section.3) Your Flea and Flea Control Links.1) The flea life cycle diagram: Flea life cycle diagram: This is a diagram of the flea lifecycle as it applies to the majority of flea species types.the flea life cycle diagram is divided into two sections: a white section and a grey section, which represent respectively the stages of the flea life cycle that occur on the host animal's skin (in this case: the dog's skin) and in the host animal's environment (in this case: the carpet of the house, the dog's bedding, the dog's kennel and so on).

The timing of the various stages: Egg - The flea egg hatches in 2-21 days, depending on environmental conditions. Three larval stages - The larval stages grow and undergo their moults over about 9-15 days.

The pupal stage (cocoon) - The cocoon is the crux of flea infestation persistence in the house-hold. It generally hatches in 1-2 weeks, but can last up to a year. The adult flea - Adult fleas can live for some weeks (maximum of about 2 months if no host is present) in ideal, cool, moist conditions.

This particular diagram illustrates the life cycle of the dog or cat flea ( Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis ), however, the diagram would also be appropriate to a vast range of other flea types, including: Echidnophaga gallinacea (the poultry ""sticktight"" flea - discussed in the paragraph below); the rabbitfleas - Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi; the rat flea ( Xenopsylla cheopis ); the human flea ( Pulex irritans) and various other flea species.

The main difference between these other flea life cycle situations and that of Ctenocephalides (pictured) would be the host animal species infested by the flea (e.g. the rabbit host instead of the dog for Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi) and the nature of theenvironment in which the flea larvae and pupal stages underwent development (e.g. the dirt rabbit burrowinstead of the household carpet in the case of Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi ).

Author's note - In the case of Echidnophaga gallinacea, the poultry stickfast or sticktightflea, the male and female fleas mate in the flea's environment (soon after hatching from their pupal cocoons), not on the host itself as occurs with many other flea species.

After mating has occurred, the female flea attaches herself strongly to the skin of a passing animal host and remains in that one place for about 6 weeks, feeding and laying eggs.

She does not move from the spot she has chosen. The eggs she produces drop from the animal host's skin and into the soil environment where they undergo hatching, a 2-4 week larval development period and pupation. Echidnophaga pupation occurs in a burrow underground and hatching of the adult fleaoccurs in around 2-3 weeks.

The total Echidnophaga flea life cycle is about 4-6 weeks long. 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full. The following subsections (subsections 2a - 2g) of this flea life cycle page contain detailed, but simple-to-understand information about each of the steps outlined inthe fleas life cycle diagram above (section 1).

The following discussion of each of the individual steps in the flea life cycle aims to add more to your understanding of host fleainfestation; flea reproduction and how severe environmental flea contamination and subsequent host animal flea re-infestation occurs and builds-up.

As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how eachstage can be managed and manipulated to achieve better long-term flea control and flea prevention is also discussed in full in each subsection.

These sections should contain plenty of information for those of you interested in preventing flea infestations from establishing and also for those of you looking to control pre-existing problem flea infestations on pets; inside the home (e.g. carpet fleas) and outside the house in the yard, lawn or garden. Knowing the flea life cycle is very importantif flea control measures are to be implemented successfully in a household or commercial premises.

2a) Flea Life Cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal: In the case of Ctenocephalides (the dog or cat flea), both the male and female adult fleas are present on the host animal's skin, living, feeding and breeding there.

Of the two sexes, however, it is the female flea that is the bigger blood-sucker, drinking farmore of the host's blood than any of the male fleas that climb on board. Conversely, in certain other flealife cycles (e.g. Echidnophaga ), the adult male flea remains in the host's environment and only the adult female flea actually inhabits the furcoat of the host animal.

Either way, the most important thing to remember is that it is the female flea who is the major animal hostparasite and the predominant blood-sucker of the two flea sexes. The main reason why the female flea needs to parasitize the host animal is because, after breeding with the male flea, she needs a blood meal in order for her eggs to develop fully.

Without a host, adult female fleas will starve and be unable to produce any viable eggs. The adult flea lays her eggs on the host's skin.

She does not bother getting off the host to lay them. The flea eggs are shiny, white, ovoid eggs, about 0.5mm in length.

The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain, the adult fleas on the pet have to be removed and/or any flea eggs that they lay have to be rendered sterileand unable to hatch.

Adult fleas can be killed and otherwise removed from the petchemically or manually (steps 4 and 5); the number of eggs in the environmentcan be reduced by environmental rest (step 1) and the flea eggs can be rendered sterilethrough the use of insect growth inhibitors and various chemicals that sterilize the femaleflea (steps 2 and 3).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycleare discussed below.1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea is unable to reproduce or lay any eggs without the presence of a host animalin which to derive a blood meal from, adult, egg and larval flea numbers can be greatly reduced by depopulating and resting an area, which hosts have previously occupied, fora period of time.

This means removing all of the host animals (e.g. cats and dogs)from the infested environment for a long enough period of time that any eggs and larvaein the environment become pupae and any newly-hatched adult fleas in the environmentstarve to death. Note that, under optimal conditions of coolness and humidity, just-hatched adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months, so this period of environmental depopulation should thus beat least 2 months long (3-4 months if playing it safe).

Author's note: As will be explained later (in sections 2e and 2f), the flea cocoon stage of the fleas life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to trigger it to hatch.

Resting the environment of hosts for only 2-4 months will kill off (starve) the environmental adult fleas and deplete the numbers of any viable eggs and larvae in the area (these will have progressed to the cocoon stage by 2 months), however, it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns,if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

The environment therefore needs to be thoroughly treated to get rid of any cocoons (flea pupae) before a clean host (obviously, the host animal must also be clean of fleas before being reintroduced to a de-fleaed environment)is reintroduced into the rested environment after 2-4 months.

2) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal. If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

It does not kill the adult fleas, just their offspring. Another canine flea product, Cyromazine (tradenames include - Decaflea), is also an insect growth inhibitor product that works by preventing flea eggs from hatching. Likewise, the canine and feline flea product, Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), is also an insect growth inhibitor that prevents flea eggs (and also flea larvae) from developing.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, Pyriproxifen (and its relative, Fenoxycarb) is sunlight stable and should last up to a year before needing reapplication.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Frontline Plus) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability. If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks.

Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.3) Female flea sterilisation: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs if she is infertile.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the flea control product: Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood.

The chemical sterilises and damages the eggs within the female flea's body, rendering her infertile.4) Adult flea killers: Adult female and male fleas are required in order for flea egg production to occur and for subsequent environmental contamination with eggs, flea larvae and flea pupae (cocoons) to occur. No reproducing adult fleas eventually means no flea life cycle and no fleas on the host animal/s and no fleas in the house, carpet, commercial premises, yard or lawn.

If host animals are treated with a good flea control product that kills all adult fleas within 2 days ofthe flea/s reaching the host animal, then no flea eggs will be produced (after all, it takes 2 days for adult fleas to create eggs after jumping into a host and feeding on its blood).

Many flea products are on themarket, which kill adult fleas very rapidly (many kill adult fleas well within 24 hours of them touching the host animal). Routine, preventative application of an adulticide flea control product whenever a 'clean' (flea-free)pet goes into an environment with fleas or a high likelihood of encountering flea-carrying hosts (e.g. dog-shows, boarding kennels, agility trials, bushland, wilderness with wild and feral animals,multiple-dog and multi-cat households, farmland etc.) can prevent a non-flea-infested household from ever having fleas brought into the home by the dog or cat. The adult fleas die immediately upon contact with the host animal's treated coat and never make it into the home to lay any eggs.

The ""Big 5"" Adult Flea Killers: Nitenpyram (tradenames include Capstar) - This product kills adult fleas fantastically well as a once-off, oral tablet. The product is often used by vets as a fast knock-down to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs and cats. Nitenpyram starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the pet. The product is short-lasting, however, and needs to be given daily to have any ongoing effect (unlike many of the spot-ons below, which last for up to 1 month).

Pet owners often dose pets with Nitenpyram once or twice to get rid of large flea infestations (massive flea burdens) on their pet and then follow up with a monthly flea control product for ongoing flea protection. Nitenpyram is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 4 weeks of age so long as they weigh over 2 pounds.

Imidacloprid (tradenames include - Advantage Duo, Advantage for Dogs and Cats, Advantix, Advocate) - This product kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Imidacloprid is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the body within 12 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

Its effect lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" is safe to use on kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age (Bayer the manufacturer says the product can be used in pups and kittens from day 1, but that only treatment of the lactating bitch is needed to ensure that the pups/kittens are covered).

""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" can also be used in pregnant dogs and cats as well as rabbits and ferrets (exercise caution with dosing).

""Advantix"" is not safe for cats. Advantage DUO is no longer manifactured. Fipronil (tradenames include - Frontline Spray, Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Plus) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Fipronil is a very safe product (distributes over the body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

The effect of the 'spot-on' formula lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Frontline Spray"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 2 days of age (be careful of correct dosing, though, if used in the very young) and needs to be reapplied more regularly than the spot-on. ""Frontline Top Spot"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 8 weeks of age. Fipronil is toxic to rabbits and ferrets.

Selamectin (tradenames include - Revolution) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Selamectin is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the host's body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals. It lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Revolution"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age. Animals should be tested for heartworm if the product is to be administered to pets over 6 months of age, which have not previously been on heart worm prevention.

It is safe to give to rabbits and ferrets and birds, including chickens and other poultry (ask your vet for doses and for with-holding times on meat and eggs, if using the product on production birds). Spinosad (tradenames include - Comfortis) - This relatively new product kills adult fleas fantastically well as an oral tablet. The product has a fast knock-down effect to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs. Spinosad starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the dog.

The product is also long-lasting, maintaining its effect for up to 1 month after dosing. ""Comfortis"" is safe to use on puppies over 14 weeks of age. It should not be given to pregnant animals. It is not registered for cats. It also should not be given to animals with allergies to pork or those that have a history of epilepsy.

Note that some of these products (especially the spot-ons) will require up to 24 hours to distribute all over the host's body (and therefore kill all of the fleas) if they have never been used on the pet before. Other adulticide (adult flea killer) flea control options: Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - coumaphos, chlorpyrifos, flumethrin, fenthion, maldison, diazinon, temephos, cythioate, carbaryl and others) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently. Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea powders are occasionally used to treat fleas in poultry.

Most, but not all, of the organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely. Permethrin-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - permethrin, cypermethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Permethrin-based flea control products are often used to manage poultry flea infestations. Some, but not all, of the permethrin-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely.

Pyrethrin product flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - pyrethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off application. Flea control products containing this insecticide often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Pyrethrin is often used in the treatment and control of flea infestations on poultry. Although most of the pyrethrin-based flea control products available on the market are not toxic to kittens and puppies over 3 months of age, some of them will produce toxic side effects in some cats.

Please read the flea control product labels closely to be sure. Piperonyl butoxide, contained in some flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars, does have some insect killing and flea repellant properties. Although the insecticide has a low toxicity for animals, it is generally not that useful or effective at killing fleas on its own.

It tends to be mostly used as an adjunct to permethrin or pyrethrin in many flea control products. It is important to note that many of these organophosphate-based, carbamate-based, permethrin-basedand pyrethrin-based flea control products do not have a long-acting effect (only days in some cases) and will require regular retreatment to maintain an adult flea killing action.

Regular reapplication increases therisks of toxicity to both pets and their owners. Additionally, some of these product formulations do not distribute their active ingredients all over the pet's coat, ensuring thatsome adult fleas will still be able to find safe harbors on the treated host's body to live and feed and breed.

Flea collars (the bane of all vets) are a good example of this - they kill all of the fleas on the front half of the pet, but do nothing to the fleas on the animal's bottom, thighs and tail.

Hence, the flea life cycle is able to continue and environmental contamination with eggs, larvae and pupae is able to occur. 5) Regular combing with a flea comb in short-haired animals: Grooming short haired animals (e.g. short-coated dogs and cats) systematically from top to tail with a fine-toothed flea comb can remove over 80% of adult fleas from that animal's body. The process is time consuming and must be done carefully, ensuring that every patch of skin on the animal's body is groomed out, but it can help to reduce adult flea numbers on the coat dramatically.

Reducing adult fleas on theanimal's coat will reduce the number of flea eggs laid and those fleas' contribution to the flea life cycle and the overall flea population.

2b) Flea Life Cycle 2 - The egg falls off the fur into the environment of the host animal: The white flea eggs are laid on the host animal's skin, however, they usually fall off the hostanimal's coat and into the host animal's environment prior to hatching.

These flea eggs (and the flea larvaethat subsequently hatch out of them) contaminate the host animal's environment. As expected, environmental flea egg numbers and environmental flea infestations are generally most concentrated in regions of the household where the flea-infested pet spends most of its time.

Common sites of egg and flea concentration include: pet beds and pet bedding; owner beds (if the pet sleeps on the human beds); carpet (carpet fleas or house flea infestations are a huge nuisance because they can be difficult to get rid of); pet houses or kennels; human couches and outdoor settings (if the pet has access to these furnishings) and cool, moist, humid, outdoor regions of the yard that the pet spends lots of time in (e.g.

garden beds, places under the house or verandah and so on). Author's note: Because cats will tend to patrol and take-over an entire house, including amazingly elevated places (e.g. the tops of wardrobes and cupboards) and hidden, often-enclosed places (e.g. the inside of pantries, walk-in-robes, linen closets and so on), every room and part of a housethat an indoors, flea-affected cat has access to should be considered contaminated with flea eggs.

This can make flea control in a house with flea infested cats very difficult and expensive to manage. Author's note: Because it only takes about 2 days for flea eggs to hatch, once they have been laid, some flea eggs will manage to avoid falling into the pet's environment and will hatch on the pet's coat.

It is not that uncommon to have flea larvae (small flea maggots or grubs) turn up on the animal's coat. These flea larvae will usually drop off the host animal's coat soon after hatching and enter the host's environment to continue the ""off-host"" part of the fleas life cycle.

Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal. A huge part of the flea life cycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board.

You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain: the adult fleas, which are responsiblefor laying the eggs, must be destroyed prior to reaching egg-laying capacity; any flea eggs that the adult fleas have produced have to be rendered sterile and unable to hatch and any viable eggs that do manage to reach the environment need to be removed or destroyed prior to hatching.

Adult fleas can be killed prior to egg production using a range of insecticide flea control products (step 1); the number of viable eggs in the pet's environment can be reduced by various means of environmental decontamination (steps 2, 3, 4 and 6) and the flea eggs laid by the adult fleas on the coat can be rendered sterile through the use of insect growth inhibitors (step 5).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycle are discussed below. 1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea generally lays her eggs on or in the presence of a host animal (she needs a blood mealin order for the eggs to develop), egg numbers in the host's environment can be greatly reduced by removing the host animal from the environment for about 3 weeks; treating that animalwith a good quality adult flea killer (the Big 5 - above) and waiting until all of the adultfleas on the host have died before reintroducing the animal back into the original environment.

The reasonfor the three week environmental rest period is that it can take up to three weeks for anyeggs, already present on the host animal's coat, to hatch out into larvae (which willnormally be killed by topical spot-on treatments mentioned in the Big 5).

If animalsare re-introduced back into the environment prematurely, there is a possibility that long-lastingeggs that have not yet hatched could fall into the environment and contaminate it. The three week rest period will ensure that any adult fleas present on the host animal will bekilled off by the adulticide therapy (so that no more eggs can be laid on the host).

It willalso ensure that any eggs present in the host's environment and on the host itself will have hatchedinto larvae such that, in theory, there should no longer be any flea eggs on the host or in the host's environmentby the time the animal returns to the environment in question. Author's note: Resting the environment of hosts for only 3 weeks will deplete the host's skinand the host's environment of viable flea eggs (these will have progressed to the flea larvae stage by 3 weeks).

The three week rest period will not, however, do anything to deplete the numbers of flea larvae, flea pupae and environmentally-living adult fleas in the host's environment.

Environmentally-living adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months without a host animal to feed on - they will be waiting for the host when it returns, though theyshould die upon contact with the host animal if that animal has been treated correctly with a flea preventativeproduct.

More problematically, as will be explained in sections 2e and 2f, the flea cocoon stage (pupal stage) of the flea life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to induce it to hatch.

Resting the environment such that it is free of all host animals for only 3 weeks willdeplete egg numbers, but it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns, if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

The environment (carpet, yard, pet bedding, pet kennel, human couches and so on) therefore needs to be thoroughly treated whilst the host animal is away to get rid of any larvae and cocoons (flea pupae) before the clean host (obviously, the host animal must also be clean of fleas before being reintroduced to a de-fleaed environment) is reintroduced into the rested environment. The animal itself should be treated with a flea control preventative (BIG 5) just prior to re-entering the environment so that any newly hatched adult fleasthat do manage to hatch out of missed, surviving cocoons will not be able to access thehost's blood in order to keep the flea life cycle going.

2) Physical egg removal from the host environment by vacuuming: Never underestimate the value of simple, frequent, thorough vacuuming in helping to get rid offleas from a dog or cat's environment. Flea eggs and larvae in carpets, couches, human and pet beds and other indoorsareas can be sucked away by regular vacuuming, reducing the environmental flea burden overall. All regions of the house should be vacuumed, where possible, but important emphasis should be placed on carpets, soft furniture (e.g.

couches), floors underneath furniture, floors underneathremovable rugs and mats and gaps under side boards. Using a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar can help to shake flea eggs, larvae and cocoons out from places deeperwithin the carpet proper and improve the vacuum uptake of these flea life cycle stages.

Aftereach vacuuming, the vacuum bag should be disposed of, lest fleas start hatching and breeding insideof the vacuum bag! Don't forget the car! A significant source of reservoir environmental flea infestation and subsequenthost animal reinfestation is the car.

Flea infested animals drop eggs into the car during car trips - these flea eggs can hatch into larvae and go through the entire flea life cycle inside of the car. As it is often not a good idea to use pesticides inside of a car (pesticidesand insecticides can release toxic fumes that are poisonous to people when the car interior heats up) frequent vacuuming is one of the safer ways of ridding the car of flea eggs, larvae and cocoons.

In very hot, dry climates (e.g. Australia in Summer), persistent flea infestation of a car is not as likely because the car, when it is parked outside, will usually heat up to temperature levels beyond that of larvae and pupae survival.

3) Physical egg removal from the host's environment by removal and replacementof contaminated regions: In long-term, heavy flea infestations the pet's bedding, and various other cool, moist, indoors regions where the pet spends most of its time (like the couch and the carpet), can become veryheavily infested with eggs, larvae and pupal stages. These places may be very difficult to get the fleas out ofif they are heavily infested. Consequently, some owners are forced reduce their house flea populations by removing these environmental flea life cycle havens altogether and replacing them with clean ones - new carpet, new pet bedding, new couch and so on.

Even better, instead of replacing the old infested carpet and couch with more of the same (i.e. another flea-attractive carpet or couch to reinfest anew), many owners assist their flea elimination efforts by replacing their old carpets and couches and the like with floors, seating and bedding made from easy-to-clean, flea-unfriendlymaterials.

Flea unfriendly floors that do not support the flea life cycle include: linoleum, slate, stone, varnished floorboards and tiles. Flea unfriendly seating materialsthat do not support the flea life cycle include: non-porous vinyl, plastic and wood. Covering a new couch entirely (including underneath) with a clear plastic cover that is non-permeable to flealife cycle stages (including eggs) will ensure that the couch remains clean and does not becomea nursery for juvenile flea stages.

Author's note - complete removal and replacement of contaminated bedding and carpetand the like is a useful way of dramatically reducing the populations of the off-host stages of the flealife cycle in the host's environment.

It will not, however, do much for flea numbers in the long term if thefleas on the host (or hosts) are not eradicated too. Adult flea killing chemicals (the BIG 5 in section 2a) should be used on the host animal/s in conjunction with this environmental replacementmode of flea control, to avoid having the new carpet, new couch and so on re-infested with fleas. Author's note - removing and replacing an entire dog kennel is probably not warranted, unless thefloor of the kennel and/or its walls are made of a fabric that holds fleas.

If the walls and floor of thekennel are made of smooth, hard, easy to wash materials (metal, hard plastic) then only the pet's beddingneeds to be discarded and not the kennel itself. The kennel can be steam cleaned (>35 degrees-Celsius) and/or disinfected with a pyrethrin-containing wash and rinsed, dried and used again.

Open-floor kennels standing on grass or soil can be washed likewise and then the kennel should be relocated to a differentregion of the yard, well away from the original location, to let the sun and dry air kill the flealife cycle stages present in the grass and soil of the first area.

4) Reducing environmental egg contamination through careful pet grooming: Eggs fall from the coat of the flea-infested pet in large numbers during pet grooming and combing sessions.

Owners who groom their pets inside run a huge risk of combing massive numbers of flea eggsonto the floor carpet and host environment, therefore, aiding the environmental component of the flea life cycle.

If you are going to groom a flea infested pet, you should groom him or her outside in a bright sunny area, preferably on a day when humidity levels are very low (below 50%). Sunlight, drying and desiccationkills all of the flea life cycle stages and eggs and larvae groomed out into the open sun and dry airshould die rapidly.

Author's note - many owners mistakenly think that their pets get their fleas fromthe sand and soil of their back yards; that fleas live much of their flea life cyclein the dirt itself.

The fact is that they don't usually. Unless the sandy, soily regions of the yard are very cool (13-32 degrees-Celsius) and moist (humidity 50-90%) and sun-protected (i.e. covered soil areas under houses, verandahs and thick garden vegetation) and visited by the pet very often, fleas will not usually survive and replicate in outdoor soil.

Most of the fleas that infest pet dogs and catscome from the indoors environment or the outdoor pet's bedding, not the dirt of the yard. Pet owners who elect to groom their pets indoors should groom them on a non-carpet flooring, suchas linoleum, tiles or smooth floor-boards. The region can then be easily vacuumed immediately after the grooming session toremove any fleas, eggs or larvae that might have fallen from the host animal.

Author's note: Another common source of flea egg and flea larvae contamination of outdoor yards and lawns is flea infested stray, feral and wild animal intruders coming into theyard. These animals will drop flea eggs into your yard as they forage about for food and nesting sites. Discouraging these unwelcome flea-carrying creatures from coming into your yard can be an important way of preventing fleas from infesting your lawn and yard and soil. Discouragesuch animals from your turf by:ensuring that there is no food for them - e.g. lock garbage cans so that they are not attractive to critters, don't leave food bowls outside for them, don't leave uneaten pet food and half-chewed bones outside once your pet has finished with them and so on;ensuring that there are no nesting sites available for them (e.g.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.5) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

It does not kill the adult fleas, just their offspring. Another canine flea product, Cyromazine (tradenames include - Decaflea), is also an insect growth inhibitor product that works by preventing flea eggs from hatching. Likewise, the canine and feline flea product, Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), is also an insect growth inhibitor that prevents flea eggs (and also flea larvae) from developing. If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, Pyriproxifen (and its relative, Fenoxycarb) is sunlight stable and should last up to a year before needing reapplication.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Zodiac Flea Proof Spray for Cats and Dogs, Frontline Plus, Troy IGR, Quick-Kill Eclipse, Fido's Flea Bomb Insecticidal Fogger) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks. Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.

Any eggs that fall from the host animal after these products have been used should notbe viable (unable to hatch) and thus not pose an problem of environmental flea contamination.

6) Environmental flea egg dehydration and death, using sodium borate: Sodium borate compounds are crystalline compounds that have ovicidal (egg killing) and larvicidal (larvae killing) properties. They can be applied to a flea infested environment andare thought to kill flea eggs and flea larvae via a dehydration mechanism (the hypertonic crystals suck the water out of the flea eggs and larvae, resulting in severe dehydration and death ofthese flea life cycle stages).

Direct ingestion of the borates by the flea larva also results in deathby dehydration. Author's note: Some borates can be harmful to pets that ingest them. Cats in particularcan ingest borate salts if they walk across treated floors and pick up the powdery residueson their feet and coats (the cat will later groom or lick the salts off its coat, resultingin ingestion).

Read product labels carefully to ensure that they are safe around pets. The Fleabusters product: ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" used to only be available as a professionally-applied sodium borate carpet powder by the pest company that invented and utilised it. ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" is now available as a home-use product for household owners to apply to flea infested environments (e.g.

carpet) and comes with a 1 year guarantee of efficacy. I have included a link to their site at the end of this page. 7) The best yard treatment is flea prevention: It can be quite difficult to get flea life cycle stages out of a large back yard once theyhave become well-established there.

Once established, yard flea reservoirs can become a major source of flea reinfestation for pets and indoor regions. The best yardtreatment is prevention - don't let fleas get into the back yard in the first place. Ensuring that only flea-free animals are permitted into your back yard is a useful way ofpreventing yard flea infestation. Make sure that your pets are treated with flea prevention productsbefore they go anywhere where they could pick up fleas (e.g.

grooming salons, wilderness areas, dog clubs, dog shows, cat shows and so on) so that they do not bring fleas back into the yard. Make sure that friends' pets are treated with flea preventatives and that they are free of fleas before they are allowed access to your back yard.

A common source of flea egg and flea larvae contamination of outdoor yards and lawns is flea infested stray, feral and wild animal intruders coming into theyard. These animals will drop flea eggs into your yard as they forage about for food and nesting sites. Discouraging these unwelcome flea-carrying creatures from coming into your yard can be an important way of preventing fleas from infesting your lawn and yard and soil.

Discouragesuch animals (e.g. stray and feral cats and dogs) from your turf by:ensuring that there is no food for them - e.g. lock garbage cans so that they are not attractive to critters, don't leave food bowls outside for them, don't leave uneaten pet food and half-chewed bones outside once your pet has finished with them and so on;ensuring that there are no nesting and resting sites available for them (e.g.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.allowing your flea-free dog outside regularly if you have one (dogs generally discourage stray cats and other wild animals from coming into a yard, provided the presence of a dog does not result in copious amounts of food being left outside).2c) Flea Life Cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea lar

va. After about 2 days (range 2-21 days), depending on environmental conditions, the flea egg hatches torelease a first stage flea larva. This flea larva lives in the host's environment (it is part of the environmental stage of the fleas life cycle), where it feeds on fleadroppings (flea dirt) and dander.

Author's note: As will be explained later (in sections 2e and 2f), the flea cocoon stage of the fleas life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to trigger it to hatch.

"The Flea Life Cycle and How It Guides Effective Flea Control and Prevention. Flea infestation is one of the great banes in life for many pet and poultry owners. These rather-common insect parasites pose a variety of problems for pets and pet owners including:flea bites - adult fleas bite pets and humans, causing pain, redness and itching of the bite site;flea allergy dermatitis - pets who are severely allergic to flea saliva can become so itchy (pruritic) as a result of flea bites that they literally tear their skin and fur apart with their scratching and chewing activities;coat damage - breeding and showing pets (e.g.

Because of the many problems posed by fleas (above), there is, naturally, a lot of vested interest in the control and prevention of flea parasites, both in the home and commercially.

Many millions of dollars are spent each year in the manufacture and production of newer, safer, better flea control and flea killing products and, in their turn, pet owners and commercial producersof animals (animal breeders, animal showers, poultry farmers, rabbit producers and so on) spend even moremillions buying these newer, better, safer flea prevention products in the hope of preventing and/or eradicating their flea infestation problems. In order for pet owners and commercial animal producers to fully grasp how it is that flea infestations can become so large and so persistent, it is important for themto understand the flea life cycle.

In particular, they need to know how and where theflea parasite reproduces and also where the juvenile forms (egg, larva, pupa) of the lifecycle hide outand evade treatment.

The flea life cycle is very important to know if a flea infestationis to be controlled adequately and permanently (after all, much of the flea life cycle occurs in the animal's environment, not on the animal itself, and so environmental flea control is very important). The fleas life cycle can provide important clues as to why a particular flea control regime is not working and an explanation as to why the fleas keep on coming back.

The flea life cycle forms the basis of it all for it is the complete cycle of a flea's existence: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage, to egg stage again with the next generation.

Stopping an infestation of fleas from persisting involves breaking the flea life cycle at any pointin the flea life cycle chain: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage (see diagram in section 1).

The more points that can be broken in that chain or lifecycle, the faster flea control will be achieved and the more permanent the results will be. This flea life cycle page contains a detailed, but simple-to-understand explanation of thecomplete flea life cycle.

It comes complete with a full flea life cycle diagram for ease of understanding. As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how itcan be managed and manipulated to achieve better flea control and flea prevention is also discussedin full.

e). 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full.2a) Fleas life cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal. 2b) Fleas life cycle 2 - The egg falls off the animal's skin and into the local environment of the host animal. 2c) Fleas life cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea larva.

2d) Fleas life cycle 4 - The first stage flea larva develops and grows and undergoes two molts to become a final stage flea larva.

2e) Fleas life cycle 5 - The final stage flea larva spins a cocoon and becomes a pupa. 2f) Fleas life cycle 6 - The cocoon hatches and an adult flea comes out, looking for mates and a host animal to feed on. 2g) Fleas life cycle 7 - The adult male and female fleas jump onto the host animal to feed, mate and lay eggs.

The timing of the various stages: Egg - The flea egg hatches in 2-21 days, depending on environmental conditions. Three larval stages - The larval stages grow and undergo their moults over about 9-15 days.

The pupal stage (cocoon) - The cocoon is the crux of flea infestation persistence in the house-hold. It generally hatches in 1-2 weeks, but can last up to a year. The adult flea - Adult fleas can live for some weeks (maximum of about 2 months if no host is present) in ideal, cool, moist conditions.

This particular diagram illustrates the life cycle of the dog or cat flea ( Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis ), however, the diagram would also be appropriate to a vast range of other flea types, including: Echidnophaga gallinacea (the poultry ""sticktight"" flea - discussed in the paragraph below); the rabbitfleas - Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi; the rat flea ( Xenopsylla cheopis ); the human flea ( Pulex irritans) and various other flea species.

The main difference between these other flea life cycle situations and that of Ctenocephalides (pictured) would be the host animal species infested by the flea (e.g. the rabbit host instead of the dog for Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi) and the nature of theenvironment in which the flea larvae and pupal stages underwent development (e.g. the dirt rabbit burrowinstead of the household carpet in the case of Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi ).

Author's note - In the case of Echidnophaga gallinacea, the poultry stickfast or sticktightflea, the male and female fleas mate in the flea's environment (soon after hatching from their pupal cocoons), not on the host itself as occurs with many other flea species.

After mating has occurred, the female flea attaches herself strongly to the skin of a passing animal host and remains in that one place for about 6 weeks, feeding and laying eggs.

She does not move from the spot she has chosen. The eggs she produces drop from the animal host's skin and into the soil environment where they undergo hatching, a 2-4 week larval development period and pupation. Echidnophaga pupation occurs in a burrow underground and hatching of the adult fleaoccurs in around 2-3 weeks.

The total Echidnophaga flea life cycle is about 4-6 weeks long. 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full. The following subsections (subsections 2a - 2g) of this flea life cycle page contain detailed, but simple-to-understand information about each of the steps outlined inthe fleas life cycle diagram above (section 1).

The following discussion of each of the individual steps in the flea life cycle aims to add more to your understanding of host fleainfestation; flea reproduction and how severe environmental flea contamination and subsequent host animal flea re-infestation occurs and builds-up.

As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how eachstage can be managed and manipulated to achieve better long-term flea control and flea prevention is also discussed in full in each subsection.

These sections should contain plenty of information for those of you interested in preventing flea infestations from establishing and also for those of you looking to control pre-existing problem flea infestations on pets; inside the home (e.g. carpet fleas) and outside the house in the yard, lawn or garden. Knowing the flea life cycle is very importantif flea control measures are to be implemented successfully in a household or commercial premises.

2a) Flea Life Cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal: In the case of Ctenocephalides (the dog or cat flea), both the male and female adult fleas are present on the host animal's skin, living, feeding and breeding there.

Of the two sexes, however, it is the female flea that is the bigger blood-sucker, drinking farmore of the host's blood than any of the male fleas that climb on board. Conversely, in certain other flealife cycles (e.g. Echidnophaga ), the adult male flea remains in the host's environment and only the adult female flea actually inhabits the furcoat of the host animal.

Either way, the most important thing to remember is that it is the female flea who is the major animal hostparasite and the predominant blood-sucker of the two flea sexes. The main reason why the female flea needs to parasitize the host animal is because, after breeding with the male flea, she needs a blood meal in order for her eggs to develop fully.

Without a host, adult female fleas will starve and be unable to produce any viable eggs. The adult flea lays her eggs on the host's skin.

She does not bother getting off the host to lay them. The flea eggs are shiny, white, ovoid eggs, about 0.5mm in length.

The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain, the adult fleas on the pet have to be removed and/or any flea eggs that they lay have to be rendered sterileand unable to hatch.

Adult fleas can be killed and otherwise removed from the petchemically or manually (steps 4 and 5); the number of eggs in the environmentcan be reduced by environmental rest (step 1) and the flea eggs can be rendered sterilethrough the use of insect growth inhibitors and various chemicals that sterilize the femaleflea (steps 2 and 3).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycleare discussed below.1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea is unable to reproduce or lay any eggs without the presence of a host animalin which to derive a blood meal from, adult, egg and larval flea numbers can be greatly reduced by depopulating and resting an area, which hosts have previously occupied, fora period of time.

This means removing all of the host animals (e.g. cats and dogs)from the infested environment for a long enough period of time that any eggs and larvaein the environment become pupae and any newly-hatched adult fleas in the environmentstarve to death. Note that, under optimal conditions of coolness and humidity, just-hatched adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months, so this period of environmental depopulation should thus beat least 2 months long (3-4 months if playing it safe).

Author's note: As will be explained later (in sections 2e and 2f), the flea cocoon stage of the fleas life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to trigger it to hatch.

Resting the environment of hosts for only 2-4 months will kill off (starve) the environmental adult fleas and deplete the numbers of any viable eggs and larvae in the area (these will have progressed to the cocoon stage by 2 months), however, it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns,if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

The environment therefore needs to be thoroughly treated to get rid of any cocoons (flea pupae) before a clean host (obviously, the host animal must also be clean of fleas before being reintroduced to a de-fleaed environment)is reintroduced into the rested environment after 2-4 months.

2) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal. If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

It does not kill the adult fleas, just their offspring. Another canine flea product, Cyromazine (tradenames include - Decaflea), is also an insect growth inhibitor product that works by preventing flea eggs from hatching. Likewise, the canine and feline flea product, Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), is also an insect growth inhibitor that prevents flea eggs (and also flea larvae) from developing.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, Pyriproxifen (and its relative, Fenoxycarb) is sunlight stable and should last up to a year before needing reapplication.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Frontline Plus) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability. If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks.

Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.3) Female flea sterilisation: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs if she is infertile.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the flea control product: Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood.

The chemical sterilises and damages the eggs within the female flea's body, rendering her infertile.4) Adult flea killers: Adult female and male fleas are required in order for flea egg production to occur and for subsequent environmental contamination with eggs, flea larvae and flea pupae (cocoons) to occur. No reproducing adult fleas eventually means no flea life cycle and no fleas on the host animal/s and no fleas in the house, carpet, commercial premises, yard or lawn.

If host animals are treated with a good flea control product that kills all adult fleas within 2 days ofthe flea/s reaching the host animal, then no flea eggs will be produced (after all, it takes 2 days for adult fleas to create eggs after jumping into a host and feeding on its blood).

The ""Big 5"" Adult Flea Killers: Nitenpyram (tradenames include Capstar) - This product kills adult fleas fantastically well as a once-off, oral tablet. The product is often used by vets as a fast knock-down to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs and cats. Nitenpyram starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the pet. The product is short-lasting, however, and needs to be given daily to have any ongoing effect (unlike many of the spot-ons below, which last for up to 1 month).

Pet owners often dose pets with Nitenpyram once or twice to get rid of large flea infestations (massive flea burdens) on their pet and then follow up with a monthly flea control product for ongoing flea protection. Nitenpyram is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 4 weeks of age so long as they weigh over 2 pounds.

Imidacloprid (tradenames include - Advantage Duo, Advantage for Dogs and Cats, Advantix, Advocate) - This product kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Imidacloprid is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the body within 12 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

Its effect lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" is safe to use on kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age (Bayer the manufacturer says the product can be used in pups and kittens from day 1, but that only treatment of the lactating bitch is needed to ensure that the pups/kittens are covered).

""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" can also be used in pregnant dogs and cats as well as rabbits and ferrets (exercise caution with dosing).

""Advantix"" is not safe for cats. Advantage DUO is no longer manifactured. Fipronil (tradenames include - Frontline Spray, Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Plus) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Fipronil is a very safe product (distributes over the body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

The effect of the 'spot-on' formula lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Frontline Spray"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 2 days of age (be careful of correct dosing, though, if used in the very young) and needs to be reapplied more regularly than the spot-on. ""Frontline Top Spot"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 8 weeks of age. Fipronil is toxic to rabbits and ferrets.

Selamectin (tradenames include - Revolution) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Selamectin is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the host's body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals. It lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Revolution"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age. Animals should be tested for heartworm if the product is to be administered to pets over 6 months of age, which have not previously been on heart worm prevention.

It is safe to give to rabbits and ferrets and birds, including chickens and other poultry (ask your vet for doses and for with-holding times on meat and eggs, if using the product on production birds). Spinosad (tradenames include - Comfortis) - This relatively new product kills adult fleas fantastically well as an oral tablet. The product has a fast knock-down effect to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs. Spinosad starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the dog.

The product is also long-lasting, maintaining its effect for up to 1 month after dosing. ""Comfortis"" is safe to use on puppies over 14 weeks of age. It should not be given to pregnant animals. It is not registered for cats. It also should not be given to animals with allergies to pork or those that have a history of epilepsy.

Note that some of these products (especially the spot-ons) will require up to 24 hours to distribute all over the host's body (and therefore kill all of the fleas) if they have never been used on the pet before. Other adulticide (adult flea killer) flea control options: Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - coumaphos, chlorpyrifos, flumethrin, fenthion, maldison, diazinon, temephos, cythioate, carbaryl and others) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently. Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea powders are occasionally used to treat fleas in poultry.

Most, but not all, of the organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely. Permethrin-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - permethrin, cypermethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Permethrin-based flea control products are often used to manage poultry flea infestations. Some, but not all, of the permethrin-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely.

Pyrethrin product flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - pyrethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off application. Flea control products containing this insecticide often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Pyrethrin is often used in the treatment and control of flea infestations on poultry. Although most of the pyrethrin-based flea control products available on the market are not toxic to kittens and puppies over 3 months of age, some of them will produce toxic side effects in some cats.

Please read the flea control product labels closely to be sure. Piperonyl butoxide, contained in some flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars, does have some insect killing and flea repellant properties. Although the insecticide has a low toxicity for animals, it is generally not that useful or effective at killing fleas on its own.

It tends to be mostly used as an adjunct to permethrin or pyrethrin in many flea control products. It is important to note that many of these organophosphate-based, carbamate-based, permethrin-basedand pyrethrin-based flea control products do not have a long-acting effect (only days in some cases) and will require regular retreatment to maintain an adult flea killing action.

Regular reapplication increases therisks of toxicity to both pets and their owners. Additionally, some of these product formulations do not distribute their active ingredients all over the pet's coat, ensuring thatsome adult fleas will still be able to find safe harbors on the treated host's body to live and feed and breed.

Flea collars (the bane of all vets) are a good example of this - they kill all of the fleas on the front half of the pet, but do nothing to the fleas on the animal's bottom, thighs and tail.

Hence, the flea life cycle is able to continue and environmental contamination with eggs, larvae and pupae is able to occur. 5) Regular combing with a flea comb in short-haired animals: Grooming short haired animals (e.g. short-coated dogs and cats) systematically from top to tail with a fine-toothed flea comb can remove over 80% of adult fleas from that animal's body. The process is time consuming and must be done carefully, ensuring that every patch of skin on the animal's body is groomed out, but it can help to reduce adult flea numbers on the coat dramatically.

Reducing adult fleas on theanimal's coat will reduce the number of flea eggs laid and those fleas' contribution to the flea life cycle and the overall flea population.

2b) Flea Life Cycle 2 - The egg falls off the fur into the environment of the host animal: The white flea eggs are laid on the host animal's skin, however, they usually fall off the hostanimal's coat and into the host animal's environment prior to hatching.

These flea eggs (and the flea larvaethat subsequently hatch out of them) contaminate the host animal's environment. As expected, environmental flea egg numbers and environmental flea infestations are generally most concentrated in regions of the household where the flea-infested pet spends most of its time.

Common sites of egg and flea concentration include: pet beds and pet bedding; owner beds (if the pet sleeps on the human beds); carpet (carpet fleas or house flea infestations are a huge nuisance because they can be difficult to get rid of); pet houses or kennels; human couches and outdoor settings (if the pet has access to these furnishings) and cool, moist, humid, outdoor regions of the yard that the pet spends lots of time in (e.g.

garden beds, places under the house or verandah and so on). Author's note: Because cats will tend to patrol and take-over an entire house, including amazingly elevated places (e.g. the tops of wardrobes and cupboards) and hidden, often-enclosed places (e.g. the inside of pantries, walk-in-robes, linen closets and so on), every room and part of a housethat an indoors, flea-affected cat has access to should be considered contaminated with flea eggs.

This can make flea control in a house with flea infested cats very difficult and expensive to manage. Author's note: Because it only takes about 2 days for flea eggs to hatch, once they have been laid, some flea eggs will manage to avoid falling into the pet's environment and will hatch on the pet's coat.

It is not that uncommon to have flea larvae (small flea maggots or grubs) turn up on the animal's coat. These flea larvae will usually drop off the host animal's coat soon after hatching and enter the host's environment to continue the ""off-host"" part of the fleas life cycle.

Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal. A huge part of the flea life cycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board.

You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain: the adult fleas, which are responsiblefor laying the eggs, must be destroyed prior to reaching egg-laying capacity; any flea eggs that the adult fleas have produced have to be rendered sterile and unable to hatch and any viable eggs that do manage to reach the environment need to be removed or destroyed prior to hatching.

Adult fleas can be killed prior to egg production using a range of insecticide flea control products (step 1); the number of viable eggs in the pet's environment can be reduced by various means of environmental decontamination (steps 2, 3, 4 and 6) and the flea eggs laid by the adult fleas on the coat can be rendered sterile through the use of insect growth inhibitors (step 5).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycle are discussed below. 1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea generally lays her eggs on or in the presence of a host animal (she needs a blood mealin order for the eggs to develop), egg numbers in the host's environment can be greatly reduced by removing the host animal from the environment for about 3 weeks; treating that animalwith a good quality adult flea killer (the Big 5 - above) and waiting until all of the adultfleas on the host have died before reintroducing the animal back into the original environment.

The reasonfor the three week environmental rest period is that it can take up to three weeks for anyeggs, already present on the host animal's coat, to hatch out into larvae (which willnormally be killed by topical spot-on treatments mentioned in the Big 5).

If animalsare re-introduced back into the environment prematurely, there is a possibility that long-lastingeggs that have not yet hatched could fall into the environment and contaminate it. The three week rest period will ensure that any adult fleas present on the host animal will bekilled off by the adulticide therapy (so that no more eggs can be laid on the host).

It willalso ensure that any eggs present in the host's environment and on the host itself will have hatchedinto larvae such that, in theory, there should no longer be any flea eggs on the host or in the host's environmentby the time the animal returns to the environment in question. Author's note: Resting the environment of hosts for only 3 weeks will deplete the host's skinand the host's environment of viable flea eggs (these will have progressed to the flea larvae stage by 3 weeks).

The three week rest period will not, however, do anything to deplete the numbers of flea larvae, flea pupae and environmentally-living adult fleas in the host's environment.

Environmentally-living adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months without a host animal to feed on - they will be waiting for the host when it returns, though theyshould die upon contact with the host animal if that animal has been treated correctly with a flea preventativeproduct.

More problematically, as will be explained in sections 2e and 2f, the flea cocoon stage (pupal stage) of the flea life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to induce it to hatch.

Resting the environment such that it is free of all host animals for only 3 weeks willdeplete egg numbers, but it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns, if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

2) Physical egg removal from the host environment by vacuuming: Never underestimate the value of simple, frequent, thorough vacuuming in helping to get rid offleas from a dog or cat's environment. Flea eggs and larvae in carpets, couches, human and pet beds and other indoorsareas can be sucked away by regular vacuuming, reducing the environmental flea burden overall. All regions of the house should be vacuumed, where possible, but important emphasis should be placed on carpets, soft furniture (e.g.

couches), floors underneath furniture, floors underneathremovable rugs and mats and gaps under side boards. Using a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar can help to shake flea eggs, larvae and cocoons out from places deeperwithin the carpet proper and improve the vacuum uptake of these flea life cycle stages.

Aftereach vacuuming, the vacuum bag should be disposed of, lest fleas start hatching and breeding insideof the vacuum bag! Don't forget the car! A significant source of reservoir environmental flea infestation and subsequenthost animal reinfestation is the car.

Flea infested animals drop eggs into the car during car trips - these flea eggs can hatch into larvae and go through the entire flea life cycle inside of the car. As it is often not a good idea to use pesticides inside of a car (pesticidesand insecticides can release toxic fumes that are poisonous to people when the car interior heats up) frequent vacuuming is one of the safer ways of ridding the car of flea eggs, larvae and cocoons.

In very hot, dry climates (e.g. Australia in Summer), persistent flea infestation of a car is not as likely because the car, when it is parked outside, will usually heat up to temperature levels beyond that of larvae and pupae survival.

Even better, instead of replacing the old infested carpet and couch with more of the same (i.e. another flea-attractive carpet or couch to reinfest anew), many owners assist their flea elimination efforts by replacing their old carpets and couches and the like with floors, seating and bedding made from easy-to-clean, flea-unfriendlymaterials.

Flea unfriendly floors that do not support the flea life cycle include: linoleum, slate, stone, varnished floorboards and tiles. Flea unfriendly seating materialsthat do not support the flea life cycle include: non-porous vinyl, plastic and wood. Covering a new couch entirely (including underneath) with a clear plastic cover that is non-permeable to flealife cycle stages (including eggs) will ensure that the couch remains clean and does not becomea nursery for juvenile flea stages.

Author's note - complete removal and replacement of contaminated bedding and carpetand the like is a useful way of dramatically reducing the populations of the off-host stages of the flealife cycle in the host's environment.

It will not, however, do much for flea numbers in the long term if thefleas on the host (or hosts) are not eradicated too. Adult flea killing chemicals (the BIG 5 in section 2a) should be used on the host animal/s in conjunction with this environmental replacementmode of flea control, to avoid having the new carpet, new couch and so on re-infested with fleas. Author's note - removing and replacing an entire dog kennel is probably not warranted, unless thefloor of the kennel and/or its walls are made of a fabric that holds fleas.

If the walls and floor of thekennel are made of smooth, hard, easy to wash materials (metal, hard plastic) then only the pet's beddingneeds to be discarded and not the kennel itself. The kennel can be steam cleaned (>35 degrees-Celsius) and/or disinfected with a pyrethrin-containing wash and rinsed, dried and used again.

Open-floor kennels standing on grass or soil can be washed likewise and then the kennel should be relocated to a differentregion of the yard, well away from the original location, to let the sun and dry air kill the flealife cycle stages present in the grass and soil of the first area.

4) Reducing environmental egg contamination through careful pet grooming: Eggs fall from the coat of the flea-infested pet in large numbers during pet grooming and combing sessions.

Owners who groom their pets inside run a huge risk of combing massive numbers of flea eggsonto the floor carpet and host environment, therefore, aiding the environmental component of the flea life cycle.

If you are going to groom a flea infested pet, you should groom him or her outside in a bright sunny area, preferably on a day when humidity levels are very low (below 50%). Sunlight, drying and desiccationkills all of the flea life cycle stages and eggs and larvae groomed out into the open sun and dry airshould die rapidly.

Author's note - many owners mistakenly think that their pets get their fleas fromthe sand and soil of their back yards; that fleas live much of their flea life cyclein the dirt itself.

The fact is that they don't usually. Unless the sandy, soily regions of the yard are very cool (13-32 degrees-Celsius) and moist (humidity 50-90%) and sun-protected (i.e. covered soil areas under houses, verandahs and thick garden vegetation) and visited by the pet very often, fleas will not usually survive and replicate in outdoor soil.

Most of the fleas that infest pet dogs and catscome from the indoors environment or the outdoor pet's bedding, not the dirt of the yard. Pet owners who elect to groom their pets indoors should groom them on a non-carpet flooring, suchas linoleum, tiles or smooth floor-boards. The region can then be easily vacuumed immediately after the grooming session toremove any fleas, eggs or larvae that might have fallen from the host animal.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.5) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Zodiac Flea Proof Spray for Cats and Dogs, Frontline Plus, Troy IGR, Quick-Kill Eclipse, Fido's Flea Bomb Insecticidal Fogger) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks. Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.

Any eggs that fall from the host animal after these products have been used should notbe viable (unable to hatch) and thus not pose an problem of environmental flea contamination.

6) Environmental flea egg dehydration and death, using sodium borate: Sodium borate compounds are crystalline compounds that have ovicidal (egg killing) and larvicidal (larvae killing) properties. They can be applied to a flea infested environment andare thought to kill flea eggs and flea larvae via a dehydration mechanism (the hypertonic crystals suck the water out of the flea eggs and larvae, resulting in severe dehydration and death ofthese flea life cycle stages).

Direct ingestion of the borates by the flea larva also results in deathby dehydration. Author's note: Some borates can be harmful to pets that ingest them. Cats in particularcan ingest borate salts if they walk across treated floors and pick up the powdery residueson their feet and coats (the cat will later groom or lick the salts off its coat, resultingin ingestion).

Read product labels carefully to ensure that they are safe around pets. The Fleabusters product: ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" used to only be available as a professionally-applied sodium borate carpet powder by the pest company that invented and utilised it. ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" is now available as a home-use product for household owners to apply to flea infested environments (e.g.

carpet) and comes with a 1 year guarantee of efficacy. I have included a link to their site at the end of this page. 7) The best yard treatment is flea prevention: It can be quite difficult to get flea life cycle stages out of a large back yard once theyhave become well-established there.

Once established, yard flea reservoirs can become a major source of flea reinfestation for pets and indoor regions. The best yardtreatment is prevention - don't let fleas get into the back yard in the first place. Ensuring that only flea-free animals are permitted into your back yard is a useful way ofpreventing yard flea infestation. Make sure that your pets are treated with flea prevention productsbefore they go anywhere where they could pick up fleas (e.g.

grooming salons, wilderness areas, dog clubs, dog shows, cat shows and so on) so that they do not bring fleas back into the yard. Make sure that friends' pets are treated with flea preventatives and that they are free of fleas before they are allowed access to your back yard.

A common source of flea egg and flea larvae contamination of outdoor yards and lawns is flea infested stray, feral and wild animal intruders coming into theyard. These animals will drop flea eggs into your yard as they forage about for food and nesting sites. Discouraging these unwelcome flea-carrying creatures from coming into your yard can be an important way of preventing fleas from infesting your lawn and yard and soil.

Discouragesuch animals (e.g. stray and feral cats and dogs) from your turf by:ensuring that there is no food for them - e.g. lock garbage cans so that they are not attractive to critters, don't leave food bowls outside for them, don't leave uneaten pet food and half-chewed bones outside once your pet has finished with them and so on;ensuring that there are no nesting and resting sites available for them (e.g.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.allowing your flea-free dog outside regularly if you have one (dogs generally discourage stray cats and other wild animals from coming into a yard, provided the presence of a dog does not result in copious amounts of food being left outside).2c) Flea Life Cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea lar

va. After about 2 days (range 2-21 days), depending on environmental conditions, the flea egg hatches torelease a first stage flea larva. This flea larva lives in the host's environment (it is part of the environmental stage of the fleas life cycle), where it feeds on fleadroppings (flea dirt) and dander.

The pupal stage (cocoon) - The cocoon is the crux of flea infestation persistence in the house-hold. It generally hatches in 1-2 weeks, but can last up to a year. The adult flea - Adult fleas can live for some weeks (maximum of about 2 months if no host is present) in ideal, cool, moist conditions.

"The Flea Life Cycle and How It Guides Effective Flea Control and Prevention. Flea infestation is one of the great banes in life for many pet and poultry owners. These rather-common insect parasites pose a variety of problems for pets and pet owners including:flea bites - adult fleas bite pets and humans, causing pain, redness and itching of the bite site;flea allergy dermatitis - pets who are severely allergic to flea saliva can become so itchy (pruritic) as a result of flea bites that they literally tear their skin and fur apart with their scratching and chewing activities;coat damage - breeding and showing pets (e.g.

Because of the many problems posed by fleas (above), there is, naturally, a lot of vested interest in the control and prevention of flea parasites, both in the home and commercially.

Many millions of dollars are spent each year in the manufacture and production of newer, safer, better flea control and flea killing products and, in their turn, pet owners and commercial producersof animals (animal breeders, animal showers, poultry farmers, rabbit producers and so on) spend even moremillions buying these newer, better, safer flea prevention products in the hope of preventing and/or eradicating their flea infestation problems. In order for pet owners and commercial animal producers to fully grasp how it is that flea infestations can become so large and so persistent, it is important for themto understand the flea life cycle.

In particular, they need to know how and where theflea parasite reproduces and also where the juvenile forms (egg, larva, pupa) of the lifecycle hide outand evade treatment.

The flea life cycle is very important to know if a flea infestationis to be controlled adequately and permanently (after all, much of the flea life cycle occurs in the animal's environment, not on the animal itself, and so environmental flea control is very important). The fleas life cycle can provide important clues as to why a particular flea control regime is not working and an explanation as to why the fleas keep on coming back.

The flea life cycle forms the basis of it all for it is the complete cycle of a flea's existence: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage, to egg stage again with the next generation.

Stopping an infestation of fleas from persisting involves breaking the flea life cycle at any pointin the flea life cycle chain: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage (see diagram in section 1).

The more points that can be broken in that chain or lifecycle, the faster flea control will be achieved and the more permanent the results will be. This flea life cycle page contains a detailed, but simple-to-understand explanation of thecomplete flea life cycle.

It comes complete with a full flea life cycle diagram for ease of understanding. As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how itcan be managed and manipulated to achieve better flea control and flea prevention is also discussedin full.

e). 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full.2a) Fleas life cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal. 2b) Fleas life cycle 2 - The egg falls off the animal's skin and into the local environment of the host animal. 2c) Fleas life cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea larva.

2d) Fleas life cycle 4 - The first stage flea larva develops and grows and undergoes two molts to become a final stage flea larva.

2e) Fleas life cycle 5 - The final stage flea larva spins a cocoon and becomes a pupa. 2f) Fleas life cycle 6 - The cocoon hatches and an adult flea comes out, looking for mates and a host animal to feed on. 2g) Fleas life cycle 7 - The adult male and female fleas jump onto the host animal to feed, mate and lay eggs.

The timing of the various stages: Egg - The flea egg hatches in 2-21 days, depending on environmental conditions. Three larval stages - The larval stages grow and undergo their moults over about 9-15 days.

The pupal stage (cocoon) - The cocoon is the crux of flea infestation persistence in the house-hold. It generally hatches in 1-2 weeks, but can last up to a year. The adult flea - Adult fleas can live for some weeks (maximum of about 2 months if no host is present) in ideal, cool, moist conditions.

This particular diagram illustrates the life cycle of the dog or cat flea ( Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis ), however, the diagram would also be appropriate to a vast range of other flea types, including: Echidnophaga gallinacea (the poultry ""sticktight"" flea - discussed in the paragraph below); the rabbitfleas - Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi; the rat flea ( Xenopsylla cheopis ); the human flea ( Pulex irritans) and various other flea species.

The main difference between these other flea life cycle situations and that of Ctenocephalides (pictured) would be the host animal species infested by the flea (e.g. the rabbit host instead of the dog for Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi) and the nature of theenvironment in which the flea larvae and pupal stages underwent development (e.g. the dirt rabbit burrowinstead of the household carpet in the case of Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi ).

Author's note - In the case of Echidnophaga gallinacea, the poultry stickfast or sticktightflea, the male and female fleas mate in the flea's environment (soon after hatching from their pupal cocoons), not on the host itself as occurs with many other flea species.

After mating has occurred, the female flea attaches herself strongly to the skin of a passing animal host and remains in that one place for about 6 weeks, feeding and laying eggs.

She does not move from the spot she has chosen. The eggs she produces drop from the animal host's skin and into the soil environment where they undergo hatching, a 2-4 week larval development period and pupation. Echidnophaga pupation occurs in a burrow underground and hatching of the adult fleaoccurs in around 2-3 weeks.

The total Echidnophaga flea life cycle is about 4-6 weeks long. 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full. The following subsections (subsections 2a - 2g) of this flea life cycle page contain detailed, but simple-to-understand information about each of the steps outlined inthe fleas life cycle diagram above (section 1).

The following discussion of each of the individual steps in the flea life cycle aims to add more to your understanding of host fleainfestation; flea reproduction and how severe environmental flea contamination and subsequent host animal flea re-infestation occurs and builds-up.

As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how eachstage can be managed and manipulated to achieve better long-term flea control and flea prevention is also discussed in full in each subsection.

These sections should contain plenty of information for those of you interested in preventing flea infestations from establishing and also for those of you looking to control pre-existing problem flea infestations on pets; inside the home (e.g. carpet fleas) and outside the house in the yard, lawn or garden. Knowing the flea life cycle is very importantif flea control measures are to be implemented successfully in a household or commercial premises.

2a) Flea Life Cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal: In the case of Ctenocephalides (the dog or cat flea), both the male and female adult fleas are present on the host animal's skin, living, feeding and breeding there.

Of the two sexes, however, it is the female flea that is the bigger blood-sucker, drinking farmore of the host's blood than any of the male fleas that climb on board. Conversely, in certain other flealife cycles (e.g. Echidnophaga ), the adult male flea remains in the host's environment and only the adult female flea actually inhabits the furcoat of the host animal.

Either way, the most important thing to remember is that it is the female flea who is the major animal hostparasite and the predominant blood-sucker of the two flea sexes. The main reason why the female flea needs to parasitize the host animal is because, after breeding with the male flea, she needs a blood meal in order for her eggs to develop fully.

Without a host, adult female fleas will starve and be unable to produce any viable eggs. The adult flea lays her eggs on the host's skin.

She does not bother getting off the host to lay them. The flea eggs are shiny, white, ovoid eggs, about 0.5mm in length.

The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain, the adult fleas on the pet have to be removed and/or any flea eggs that they lay have to be rendered sterileand unable to hatch.

Adult fleas can be killed and otherwise removed from the petchemically or manually (steps 4 and 5); the number of eggs in the environmentcan be reduced by environmental rest (step 1) and the flea eggs can be rendered sterilethrough the use of insect growth inhibitors and various chemicals that sterilize the femaleflea (steps 2 and 3).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycleare discussed below.1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea is unable to reproduce or lay any eggs without the presence of a host animalin which to derive a blood meal from, adult, egg and larval flea numbers can be greatly reduced by depopulating and resting an area, which hosts have previously occupied, fora period of time.

This means removing all of the host animals (e.g. cats and dogs)from the infested environment for a long enough period of time that any eggs and larvaein the environment become pupae and any newly-hatched adult fleas in the environmentstarve to death. Note that, under optimal conditions of coolness and humidity, just-hatched adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months, so this period of environmental depopulation should thus beat least 2 months long (3-4 months if playing it safe).

Author's note: As will be explained later (in sections 2e and 2f), the flea cocoon stage of the fleas life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to trigger it to hatch.

Resting the environment of hosts for only 2-4 months will kill off (starve) the environmental adult fleas and deplete the numbers of any viable eggs and larvae in the area (these will have progressed to the cocoon stage by 2 months), however, it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns,if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

The environment therefore needs to be thoroughly treated to get rid of any cocoons (flea pupae) before a clean host (obviously, the host animal must also be clean of fleas before being reintroduced to a de-fleaed environment)is reintroduced into the rested environment after 2-4 months.

2) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal. If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

It does not kill the adult fleas, just their offspring. Another canine flea product, Cyromazine (tradenames include - Decaflea), is also an insect growth inhibitor product that works by preventing flea eggs from hatching. Likewise, the canine and feline flea product, Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), is also an insect growth inhibitor that prevents flea eggs (and also flea larvae) from developing.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, Pyriproxifen (and its relative, Fenoxycarb) is sunlight stable and should last up to a year before needing reapplication.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Frontline Plus) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability. If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks.

Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.3) Female flea sterilisation: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs if she is infertile.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the flea control product: Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood.

The chemical sterilises and damages the eggs within the female flea's body, rendering her infertile.4) Adult flea killers: Adult female and male fleas are required in order for flea egg production to occur and for subsequent environmental contamination with eggs, flea larvae and flea pupae (cocoons) to occur. No reproducing adult fleas eventually means no flea life cycle and no fleas on the host animal/s and no fleas in the house, carpet, commercial premises, yard or lawn.

If host animals are treated with a good flea control product that kills all adult fleas within 2 days ofthe flea/s reaching the host animal, then no flea eggs will be produced (after all, it takes 2 days for adult fleas to create eggs after jumping into a host and feeding on its blood).

The ""Big 5"" Adult Flea Killers: Nitenpyram (tradenames include Capstar) - This product kills adult fleas fantastically well as a once-off, oral tablet. The product is often used by vets as a fast knock-down to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs and cats. Nitenpyram starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the pet. The product is short-lasting, however, and needs to be given daily to have any ongoing effect (unlike many of the spot-ons below, which last for up to 1 month).

Pet owners often dose pets with Nitenpyram once or twice to get rid of large flea infestations (massive flea burdens) on their pet and then follow up with a monthly flea control product for ongoing flea protection. Nitenpyram is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 4 weeks of age so long as they weigh over 2 pounds.

Imidacloprid (tradenames include - Advantage Duo, Advantage for Dogs and Cats, Advantix, Advocate) - This product kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Imidacloprid is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the body within 12 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

Its effect lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" is safe to use on kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age (Bayer the manufacturer says the product can be used in pups and kittens from day 1, but that only treatment of the lactating bitch is needed to ensure that the pups/kittens are covered).

""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" can also be used in pregnant dogs and cats as well as rabbits and ferrets (exercise caution with dosing).

""Advantix"" is not safe for cats. Advantage DUO is no longer manifactured. Fipronil (tradenames include - Frontline Spray, Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Plus) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Fipronil is a very safe product (distributes over the body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

The effect of the 'spot-on' formula lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Frontline Spray"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 2 days of age (be careful of correct dosing, though, if used in the very young) and needs to be reapplied more regularly than the spot-on. ""Frontline Top Spot"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 8 weeks of age. Fipronil is toxic to rabbits and ferrets.

Selamectin (tradenames include - Revolution) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Selamectin is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the host's body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals. It lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Revolution"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age. Animals should be tested for heartworm if the product is to be administered to pets over 6 months of age, which have not previously been on heart worm prevention.

It is safe to give to rabbits and ferrets and birds, including chickens and other poultry (ask your vet for doses and for with-holding times on meat and eggs, if using the product on production birds). Spinosad (tradenames include - Comfortis) - This relatively new product kills adult fleas fantastically well as an oral tablet. The product has a fast knock-down effect to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs. Spinosad starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the dog.

The product is also long-lasting, maintaining its effect for up to 1 month after dosing. ""Comfortis"" is safe to use on puppies over 14 weeks of age. It should not be given to pregnant animals. It is not registered for cats. It also should not be given to animals with allergies to pork or those that have a history of epilepsy.

Note that some of these products (especially the spot-ons) will require up to 24 hours to distribute all over the host's body (and therefore kill all of the fleas) if they have never been used on the pet before. Other adulticide (adult flea killer) flea control options: Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - coumaphos, chlorpyrifos, flumethrin, fenthion, maldison, diazinon, temephos, cythioate, carbaryl and others) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently. Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea powders are occasionally used to treat fleas in poultry.

Most, but not all, of the organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely. Permethrin-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - permethrin, cypermethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Permethrin-based flea control products are often used to manage poultry flea infestations. Some, but not all, of the permethrin-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely.

Pyrethrin product flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - pyrethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off application. Flea control products containing this insecticide often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Pyrethrin is often used in the treatment and control of flea infestations on poultry. Although most of the pyrethrin-based flea control products available on the market are not toxic to kittens and puppies over 3 months of age, some of them will produce toxic side effects in some cats.

Please read the flea control product labels closely to be sure. Piperonyl butoxide, contained in some flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars, does have some insect killing and flea repellant properties. Although the insecticide has a low toxicity for animals, it is generally not that useful or effective at killing fleas on its own.

It tends to be mostly used as an adjunct to permethrin or pyrethrin in many flea control products. It is important to note that many of these organophosphate-based, carbamate-based, permethrin-basedand pyrethrin-based flea control products do not have a long-acting effect (only days in some cases) and will require regular retreatment to maintain an adult flea killing action.

Regular reapplication increases therisks of toxicity to both pets and their owners. Additionally, some of these product formulations do not distribute their active ingredients all over the pet's coat, ensuring thatsome adult fleas will still be able to find safe harbors on the treated host's body to live and feed and breed.

Flea collars (the bane of all vets) are a good example of this - they kill all of the fleas on the front half of the pet, but do nothing to the fleas on the animal's bottom, thighs and tail.

Hence, the flea life cycle is able to continue and environmental contamination with eggs, larvae and pupae is able to occur. 5) Regular combing with a flea comb in short-haired animals: Grooming short haired animals (e.g. short-coated dogs and cats) systematically from top to tail with a fine-toothed flea comb can remove over 80% of adult fleas from that animal's body. The process is time consuming and must be done carefully, ensuring that every patch of skin on the animal's body is groomed out, but it can help to reduce adult flea numbers on the coat dramatically.

Reducing adult fleas on theanimal's coat will reduce the number of flea eggs laid and those fleas' contribution to the flea life cycle and the overall flea population.

2b) Flea Life Cycle 2 - The egg falls off the fur into the environment of the host animal: The white flea eggs are laid on the host animal's skin, however, they usually fall off the hostanimal's coat and into the host animal's environment prior to hatching.

These flea eggs (and the flea larvaethat subsequently hatch out of them) contaminate the host animal's environment. As expected, environmental flea egg numbers and environmental flea infestations are generally most concentrated in regions of the household where the flea-infested pet spends most of its time.

Common sites of egg and flea concentration include: pet beds and pet bedding; owner beds (if the pet sleeps on the human beds); carpet (carpet fleas or house flea infestations are a huge nuisance because they can be difficult to get rid of); pet houses or kennels; human couches and outdoor settings (if the pet has access to these furnishings) and cool, moist, humid, outdoor regions of the yard that the pet spends lots of time in (e.g.

garden beds, places under the house or verandah and so on). Author's note: Because cats will tend to patrol and take-over an entire house, including amazingly elevated places (e.g. the tops of wardrobes and cupboards) and hidden, often-enclosed places (e.g. the inside of pantries, walk-in-robes, linen closets and so on), every room and part of a housethat an indoors, flea-affected cat has access to should be considered contaminated with flea eggs.

This can make flea control in a house with flea infested cats very difficult and expensive to manage. Author's note: Because it only takes about 2 days for flea eggs to hatch, once they have been laid, some flea eggs will manage to avoid falling into the pet's environment and will hatch on the pet's coat.

It is not that uncommon to have flea larvae (small flea maggots or grubs) turn up on the animal's coat. These flea larvae will usually drop off the host animal's coat soon after hatching and enter the host's environment to continue the ""off-host"" part of the fleas life cycle.

Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal. A huge part of the flea life cycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board.

You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain: the adult fleas, which are responsiblefor laying the eggs, must be destroyed prior to reaching egg-laying capacity; any flea eggs that the adult fleas have produced have to be rendered sterile and unable to hatch and any viable eggs that do manage to reach the environment need to be removed or destroyed prior to hatching.

Adult fleas can be killed prior to egg production using a range of insecticide flea control products (step 1); the number of viable eggs in the pet's environment can be reduced by various means of environmental decontamination (steps 2, 3, 4 and 6) and the flea eggs laid by the adult fleas on the coat can be rendered sterile through the use of insect growth inhibitors (step 5).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycle are discussed below. 1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea generally lays her eggs on or in the presence of a host animal (she needs a blood mealin order for the eggs to develop), egg numbers in the host's environment can be greatly reduced by removing the host animal from the environment for about 3 weeks; treating that animalwith a good quality adult flea killer (the Big 5 - above) and waiting until all of the adultfleas on the host have died before reintroducing the animal back into the original environment.

The reasonfor the three week environmental rest period is that it can take up to three weeks for anyeggs, already present on the host animal's coat, to hatch out into larvae (which willnormally be killed by topical spot-on treatments mentioned in the Big 5).

If animalsare re-introduced back into the environment prematurely, there is a possibility that long-lastingeggs that have not yet hatched could fall into the environment and contaminate it. The three week rest period will ensure that any adult fleas present on the host animal will bekilled off by the adulticide therapy (so that no more eggs can be laid on the host).

It willalso ensure that any eggs present in the host's environment and on the host itself will have hatchedinto larvae such that, in theory, there should no longer be any flea eggs on the host or in the host's environmentby the time the animal returns to the environment in question. Author's note: Resting the environment of hosts for only 3 weeks will deplete the host's skinand the host's environment of viable flea eggs (these will have progressed to the flea larvae stage by 3 weeks).

The three week rest period will not, however, do anything to deplete the numbers of flea larvae, flea pupae and environmentally-living adult fleas in the host's environment.

Environmentally-living adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months without a host animal to feed on - they will be waiting for the host when it returns, though theyshould die upon contact with the host animal if that animal has been treated correctly with a flea preventativeproduct.

More problematically, as will be explained in sections 2e and 2f, the flea cocoon stage (pupal stage) of the flea life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to induce it to hatch.

Resting the environment such that it is free of all host animals for only 3 weeks willdeplete egg numbers, but it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns, if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

2) Physical egg removal from the host environment by vacuuming: Never underestimate the value of simple, frequent, thorough vacuuming in helping to get rid offleas from a dog or cat's environment. Flea eggs and larvae in carpets, couches, human and pet beds and other indoorsareas can be sucked away by regular vacuuming, reducing the environmental flea burden overall. All regions of the house should be vacuumed, where possible, but important emphasis should be placed on carpets, soft furniture (e.g.

couches), floors underneath furniture, floors underneathremovable rugs and mats and gaps under side boards. Using a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar can help to shake flea eggs, larvae and cocoons out from places deeperwithin the carpet proper and improve the vacuum uptake of these flea life cycle stages.

Aftereach vacuuming, the vacuum bag should be disposed of, lest fleas start hatching and breeding insideof the vacuum bag! Don't forget the car! A significant source of reservoir environmental flea infestation and subsequenthost animal reinfestation is the car.

Flea infested animals drop eggs into the car during car trips - these flea eggs can hatch into larvae and go through the entire flea life cycle inside of the car. As it is often not a good idea to use pesticides inside of a car (pesticidesand insecticides can release toxic fumes that are poisonous to people when the car interior heats up) frequent vacuuming is one of the safer ways of ridding the car of flea eggs, larvae and cocoons.

In very hot, dry climates (e.g. Australia in Summer), persistent flea infestation of a car is not as likely because the car, when it is parked outside, will usually heat up to temperature levels beyond that of larvae and pupae survival.

Even better, instead of replacing the old infested carpet and couch with more of the same (i.e. another flea-attractive carpet or couch to reinfest anew), many owners assist their flea elimination efforts by replacing their old carpets and couches and the like with floors, seating and bedding made from easy-to-clean, flea-unfriendlymaterials.

Flea unfriendly floors that do not support the flea life cycle include: linoleum, slate, stone, varnished floorboards and tiles. Flea unfriendly seating materialsthat do not support the flea life cycle include: non-porous vinyl, plastic and wood. Covering a new couch entirely (including underneath) with a clear plastic cover that is non-permeable to flealife cycle stages (including eggs) will ensure that the couch remains clean and does not becomea nursery for juvenile flea stages.

Author's note - complete removal and replacement of contaminated bedding and carpetand the like is a useful way of dramatically reducing the populations of the off-host stages of the flealife cycle in the host's environment.

It will not, however, do much for flea numbers in the long term if thefleas on the host (or hosts) are not eradicated too. Adult flea killing chemicals (the BIG 5 in section 2a) should be used on the host animal/s in conjunction with this environmental replacementmode of flea control, to avoid having the new carpet, new couch and so on re-infested with fleas. Author's note - removing and replacing an entire dog kennel is probably not warranted, unless thefloor of the kennel and/or its walls are made of a fabric that holds fleas.

If the walls and floor of thekennel are made of smooth, hard, easy to wash materials (metal, hard plastic) then only the pet's beddingneeds to be discarded and not the kennel itself. The kennel can be steam cleaned (>35 degrees-Celsius) and/or disinfected with a pyrethrin-containing wash and rinsed, dried and used again.

Open-floor kennels standing on grass or soil can be washed likewise and then the kennel should be relocated to a differentregion of the yard, well away from the original location, to let the sun and dry air kill the flealife cycle stages present in the grass and soil of the first area.

4) Reducing environmental egg contamination through careful pet grooming: Eggs fall from the coat of the flea-infested pet in large numbers during pet grooming and combing sessions.

Owners who groom their pets inside run a huge risk of combing massive numbers of flea eggsonto the floor carpet and host environment, therefore, aiding the environmental component of the flea life cycle.

If you are going to groom a flea infested pet, you should groom him or her outside in a bright sunny area, preferably on a day when humidity levels are very low (below 50%). Sunlight, drying and desiccationkills all of the flea life cycle stages and eggs and larvae groomed out into the open sun and dry airshould die rapidly.

Author's note - many owners mistakenly think that their pets get their fleas fromthe sand and soil of their back yards; that fleas live much of their flea life cyclein the dirt itself.

The fact is that they don't usually. Unless the sandy, soily regions of the yard are very cool (13-32 degrees-Celsius) and moist (humidity 50-90%) and sun-protected (i.e. covered soil areas under houses, verandahs and thick garden vegetation) and visited by the pet very often, fleas will not usually survive and replicate in outdoor soil.

Most of the fleas that infest pet dogs and catscome from the indoors environment or the outdoor pet's bedding, not the dirt of the yard. Pet owners who elect to groom their pets indoors should groom them on a non-carpet flooring, suchas linoleum, tiles or smooth floor-boards. The region can then be easily vacuumed immediately after the grooming session toremove any fleas, eggs or larvae that might have fallen from the host animal.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.5) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Zodiac Flea Proof Spray for Cats and Dogs, Frontline Plus, Troy IGR, Quick-Kill Eclipse, Fido's Flea Bomb Insecticidal Fogger) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks. Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.

Any eggs that fall from the host animal after these products have been used should notbe viable (unable to hatch) and thus not pose an problem of environmental flea contamination.

6) Environmental flea egg dehydration and death, using sodium borate: Sodium borate compounds are crystalline compounds that have ovicidal (egg killing) and larvicidal (larvae killing) properties. They can be applied to a flea infested environment andare thought to kill flea eggs and flea larvae via a dehydration mechanism (the hypertonic crystals suck the water out of the flea eggs and larvae, resulting in severe dehydration and death ofthese flea life cycle stages).

Direct ingestion of the borates by the flea larva also results in deathby dehydration. Author's note: Some borates can be harmful to pets that ingest them. Cats in particularcan ingest borate salts if they walk across treated floors and pick up the powdery residueson their feet and coats (the cat will later groom or lick the salts off its coat, resultingin ingestion).

Read product labels carefully to ensure that they are safe around pets. The Fleabusters product: ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" used to only be available as a professionally-applied sodium borate carpet powder by the pest company that invented and utilised it. ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" is now available as a home-use product for household owners to apply to flea infested environments (e.g.

carpet) and comes with a 1 year guarantee of efficacy. I have included a link to their site at the end of this page. 7) The best yard treatment is flea prevention: It can be quite difficult to get flea life cycle stages out of a large back yard once theyhave become well-established there.

Once established, yard flea reservoirs can become a major source of flea reinfestation for pets and indoor regions. The best yardtreatment is prevention - don't let fleas get into the back yard in the first place. Ensuring that only flea-free animals are permitted into your back yard is a useful way ofpreventing yard flea infestation. Make sure that your pets are treated with flea prevention productsbefore they go anywhere where they could pick up fleas (e.g.

grooming salons, wilderness areas, dog clubs, dog shows, cat shows and so on) so that they do not bring fleas back into the yard. Make sure that friends' pets are treated with flea preventatives and that they are free of fleas before they are allowed access to your back yard.

A common source of flea egg and flea larvae contamination of outdoor yards and lawns is flea infested stray, feral and wild animal intruders coming into theyard. These animals will drop flea eggs into your yard as they forage about for food and nesting sites. Discouraging these unwelcome flea-carrying creatures from coming into your yard can be an important way of preventing fleas from infesting your lawn and yard and soil.

Discouragesuch animals (e.g. stray and feral cats and dogs) from your turf by:ensuring that there is no food for them - e.g. lock garbage cans so that they are not attractive to critters, don't leave food bowls outside for them, don't leave uneaten pet food and half-chewed bones outside once your pet has finished with them and so on;ensuring that there are no nesting and resting sites available for them (e.g.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.allowing your flea-free dog outside regularly if you have one (dogs generally discourage stray cats and other wild animals from coming into a yard, provided the presence of a dog does not result in copious amounts of food being left outside).2c) Flea Life Cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea lar

va. After about 2 days (range 2-21 days), depending on environmental conditions, the flea egg hatches torelease a first stage flea larva. This flea larva lives in the host's environment (it is part of the environmental stage of the fleas life cycle), where it feeds on fleadroppings (flea dirt) and dander.

A female flea will begin to lay eggs within 24-48 hours of her first blood meal. She defecates blood from her host that will fall off the host along with the eggs, re-starting the life cycle. Adult fleas can live for about 4-6 weeks depending on the environment.

All About Fleas on Dogs

"Dog Parasites Pets Dog Health & Wellness Dogs All About Fleas on Dogs By Jenna Stregowski, RVTUpdated 07/26/17Share Pin Email Ed Reschke/Photolibrary/Getty Images If you know about dogs, then you also know what fleas are.

You certainly know that you do not want to see fleas in your home, experience flea bites, or let their dogs go through the turmoil of fleas. However, these parasites are more than just a nuisance. Fleas pose a significant risk to dogs and other animals, even humans.

These tiny external parasites live off of the blood of mammals, and their bites can lead to major health issues. None of us wants to find fleas on our dogs, other pets or ourselves. As a dog owner, there are some basics you should know about the risks, prevention, and treatment of fleas.

With proper knowledge, you can help protect your dog from the threat of fleas. About the Flea The flea is a tiny wingless insect with a hard and laterally flat body designed to easily navigate through pet hair. The flea also has legs designed for jumping great distances and mouthparts designed to suck blood.

This external parasite feeds upon the blood of a host, usually a mammal. There are several species of fleas, but the one that most commonly affects dogs, cats, and other house pets in North America is the cat flea, also known as Ctenocephalides felis.

While this type of flea can bite humans, we're not at risk of infestation, as the human is not an ideal host. This flea prefers cats, dogs, rabbits and similar small mammals. The Life Cycle of Fleas The flea life cycle has four stages: Egg: An adult female flea can lay up to about 40 eggs a day.

The eggs are laid on the host but will dry and fall off that host into the environment. They land in pet bedding, carpet, wood floors, upholstery, etc. Eggs typically hatch within about two days. Larva: When the eggs hats, larvae emerge. These tiny worm-like creatures feed upon flea feces (basically dried animal blood) in the environment.

The larva goes through three molts before it can spin a cocoon and enter the pupal stage. The larval stage typically lasts from 5 to 15 days. Pupa: Once in the cocoon, the larva begins its transformation into the adult flea. The cocoons are nearly indestructible and attract dirt and debris that camouflage them.

Pupae can remain dormant in the environment for many months. Fleas in the pupa stage will not emerge until they sense a host. They are able to do this by sensing factors like warmth, vibration, and carbon dioxide (from host exhalation). Adult flea: A fully-developed flea only emerges from its cocoon when a host is available. The newly-emerged flea jumps on the host right away and begins the blood meal.

Now that you know the life cycle of a flea, you can understand why many dogs get infested with fleas soon after moving into a new home or even visiting a new place that has been free of pets for a few months.

The pupae emerge as soon as they sense a host. One dog can suddenly have hundreds of fleas that seem to have come out of nowhere! Within a couple of days, the fleas are reproducing like crazy and the infestation can feel out of control.

The Dangers of Fleas on Dogs Beyond the obvious fact that a flea infestation is ""gross,"" fleas also pose various health risks to you and your pets. Flea Allergic Dermatitis: Itching due to fleas is the result of a localized allergic reaction. Some animals are more sensitive than others, so flea bites can lead to severe itching, irritation, major skin infections in some pets.

Tapeworm infection ( Dipylidium caninum ): This type of tapeworm can be contracted by animals or humans after accidental ingestion of an infected flea.

Flea larvae often ingest the microscopic tapeworm eggs, causing adult fleas to be carriers. Anemia: If enough fleas infest the host, it is possible for the host animal to lose enough blood to become anemic.

Small puppies and weak or sickly dogs are especially at risk. If not caught soon enough, a dog can easily die or suffer other medical complications as a result of anemia. Not all dogs are allergic to fleas. Some dogs will ignore the fleas on them and you may not even notice there is a flea problem in your home.

However, these dogs can still get tapeworms and even anemia. It's important to check your dog for fleas periodically and give flea prevention to your dog regularly.

What To Do About Fleas on Your Dog The best way to keep your dog safe from fleas is to prevent a flea infestation in the first place. Learn how to prevent fleas on your dog and in your home. Keep fleas from disrupting your life and the lives of your pets and your family. "

eas Flea Life Cycle My Page on Fleas on cats has a more complete article on the life cycle of fleas and photos of fleas, and larvae. The short version of the flea life cycle is this: A flea has a blood meal and lays eggs on the cat. The eggs dry and fall off the cat onto spots where the cat hangs out.

Natural Non Toxic Control of Fleas

Natural Non Toxic Control of Fl

Soon the eggs hatch into larvae that eat organic matter including flea dirt (adult flea poo rich in blood) that has fallen off the cat previously. The larva pupates into a cocoon and stays dormant for a short while or longer if there is no cat around, and when it senses a cat, hatches into a very hungry flea that jumps onto your cat.

Understanding the life cycle means that we know we have to treat 4 separate stages of flea development. Adults on cats, eggs on bedding and wherever the cats goes, larvae, and pupa. Eggs and Pupae are quite a bit more resistant than larvae and adults.

In fact a pupa can hang around for several months just waiting for a nice juicy cat to come around before it comes out of its safe cocoon. This life cycle also means that we have to treat several different areas to control fleas effectively Although I speak of cat fleas, the cat flea is the flea that is most commonly found on dogs.

It can also infest raccoons, skunks, opossums and other animals. Because of the complex life cycle and wide range of locations it is unlikely that we can eradicate fleas completely. Most control programs aim at keeping flea population under control. Some insecticides are very effective but also highly toxic. Less toxic alternatives are available, ( less toxic, not non toxic) can be effective but may have serious side effect. Why use less effective non toxic flea control alternatives? When an animal is treated with an insecticide, everyone in the home gets treated.

Although many products now offered are not deadly, no one would suggest that they are harmless. Constant exposure to you, your children, and your animals to low dose toxins can add up to significant effect over 15+ years of a cat's life. Since the products are designed to stay on the animal for several weeks exposure remains over long periods. To this low level of exposure, add any residual exposure from eating fruits and vegetables which have been sprayed.

The same insecticide, imidacloprid, that is used in Advantage spot flea treatment is also commonly used in crops spraying all over the world. It has come under question by the FDA in 2009 after reports of nasty side effects started adding up.

I have a cat that cannot tolerate it and gets very sick, SO it's not just hearsay. Interesting article (item 12) on the safety of IMIDACLOPRID.

Other pesticides have been used to spray areas of bedding and floors. Some of these are considerably more toxic. Alternative Treatment for Flea Control Any successful flea control program will mean a battle on 3 fronts Getting fleas off the cat and keeping them off.

Getting rid of eggs/larva/pupa/ from the bedding and other areas Constant vigilance and ongoing regular treatment What can you do safely to control fleas on your cat? Keep her healthy A healthy cat is less likely to be overwhelmed by fleas. So step one is keep your cat healthy.

This means good food, good water, safe surroundings. Medical help when required. All the usual things. Keep your cat inside if possible. Most small animals around will carry fleas and your cat will get re infected when it goes out, it's not always possible but it helps.

A healthy energetic cat grooming properly can get rid of 50% of its fleas. Not bad. Older and younger cats are not so successful. It is possible that they don't have the skills, or the energy to be as successful. The immune system of a healthy cat has been shown to help combat fleas.

The immunity mechanism has not been clearly identified yet. Your vacuum is your best friend. Because eggs, larva and pupa all live off the cat you must get rid of these if you want to succeed.

Vacuum anything you can't wash regularly. Cracks in the floors, carpets, furniture, your bedding, these are all potential homes to immature fleas. Wash bedding and cat cushions regularly in hot water and dry in a hot dryer. If this is not possible dry in the hot sunshine.

It helps to keep your cat away from spots you can't easily reach to clean, otherwise fleas will accumulate there and re infect your kitty. When you vacuum don't forget the carpet covered cat tree. After vacuuming, dispose of the bag or content of the vacuum so that it does not re infect the cat.

Fleas are tough and can survive in the bag. If you don't object to mothball smell, putting a couple in the bag helps too. Thanks to the helpful reader who suggested this. Mothballs are toxic though so not too many. Doing only this regularly will significantly reduce the flea population.

I have heard of cats who enjoy getting vacuumed. Mine don't but it would work to get fleas off the cat if she lets you. Vacuum cleaning our cat Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats available.

Click here to visit our frequently asked questions about HTML5 video.0:00 / 1:22Wash bedding in Hot Water Washing your cat's bedding in HOT water and drying in a hot dryer can kill fleas. Larva are particularly sensitive to laundry but all phases of the life cycle can sometimes be killed. If laundry is not possible, ironing will help, just don't melt synthetic fabrics though. Freezing is not as useful.

I've seen adult fleas thaw out and jump around after spending several weeks in the freezer. Many sources recommend flea combs I have had no success at all using a flea comb except on a very small short haired kitten.

The infestation would have to be huge for a comb to have much effect. I simply cannot get the hair through the comb, too furry by miles.

It takes out the undercoat nicely though and I use it in the spring to great effect. If you have a short hair cat with a thin coat a flea comb can help.

Here is one on Amazon, Safari Flea Comb for Cats, Green If this works for you keep a bowl of alcohol or hot soapy water nearby to put the fleas you collect using the comb. Flea combs can be useful though, if you are trying to figure out if your cat has fleas. It can also be useful on kittens, or when you are bathing your cat.

The fleas will tend to go to the head and you can use the comb to catch them. Flea Traps Many flea traps have been devised and they will catch fleas. Typically a sticky sheet or a soapy dish of water is placed below a light. The flea is attracted to the light and heat, jumps up and lands in the water or sticky sheet and dies.

This is a method which can work to reduce the number of adults around but will not work on larva or eggs. it's an excellent way of figuring out if you have a lot of fleas around though. Here is a commercial version of flea traps: Victor M230 Ultimate Flea Trap (Pack of 2, Multy)Bathing is effective...but!If you can convince your cat, bathing can be effective.

It is sometimes possible to drown fleas if in the bath long enough. The flea will tend to run up to the head which is out of the water. They can be picked off with a flea comb. A mild shampoo helps but beware of strong anti flea shampoos.

They can be quite toxic. If you make a ring of suds around the cat's neck, it will help stop fleas from fleeing up the drier head. There is some suggestion that vinegar is somethings fleas don't like so adding some to the bathwater might help.

Rinse after and don't get it in the cats eyes. Don't use a strong solution. Some natural products will kill fleas Pyrethrins are made from chrysanthemum flowers Pyrethrins are potent insecticide acting as neurotoxins. At sub toxic level they act as insect repellant. They are non persistant because they biodegrade on exposure to light and oxygen. This helps prevent build up in the environment where it is used. It has a long history of use having been available for over 100 years.

FDA approves pyrethrins around food considering it as one of the safest insecticide around. It is quite toxic to fish though and care should be taken not to expose your pet fish to pyrethrins. When ingested in low levels by mammals it gets hydrolized and degraded by acids in the stomach. It has some toxicity and direct contact needs to be minimal.

Some cats are more sensitive than others and will show reactions at low level of exposure. Instructions need to be strictly followed. Products intended for dogs should NEVER be used on cats. Pyrthroids are synthetic substances with similar properties to pyrethrins but show significantly more toxic properties to cats.

Permethrin should never be used near a cat. Even exposure to a dog treated with it is dangerous. Here is an article on pyrethrin toxicity Here is another article comparing pyrethrin which is quite safe for cats and permethrin which is NOT at all safe. Although Pyrethrin is quite safe in recommended doses, it is often combined with piperonyl butoxide to increase stability and make it more effective, this increases risks of toxicity to cats and should be avoided.

Read the label carefully and follow instructions. Pyrethrins are often added to diatomaceous earth flea powders. Check ingredients carefully. Essential oils are effective insect repellant but MANY are toxic to cats. The reason is that cats do not produce a liver enzyme (glucuronyl tranferase) that allows many other animals and humans to break down the hydrocarbons and terpenoids present in most essential oils.

So it takes much longer for them to be eliminated from the cat's system. This slow elimination rate allows the toxic elements to accummulate faster than they can be eliminated by the liver. These substances can build up in the liver and become toxic. If the exposure is high then buildup can be dangerous and fast.

This can cause toxicity and liver damage. Because of this, many essential oils INCLUDING CITRUS oils can be toxic to cats. Lemon, orange, tangerine, mandarin, grapefruit, lime, bergamot, pine, spruce and fir, citronella, lavender, pennyroyal, rue, teatree oils are high in oils that should be avoided by cats. Linalool found in lavender and coriander is also toxic for the same reason, as is limonene and citronella. Phenols are also suspect and have been shown to be toxic to cats. Oregano, tarragon, savory cinnamon, clove and thyme oils all contain phenols.

Citronella, Limonene, Linacool all have flea repellant properties and are sometimes offered in flea preparations. They are quite safe for dogs because they can process them in the liver. They are much more toxic for cats and in lower doses.

Avoid them if you can. Citronella is extracted from various species of Cymbopogon trees found in Asia. It contains variations of: Geraniol, limonene, methyl isoeugenol, citronellol and citronellal. Sometimes geranyl acetate is present depending on the source.

The EPA has determined that citronella has little or no toxicity for humans Info article on Citronella used on humans. Linalool is extracted from citrus peel for flea control of premises. It should never be applied to a cat.

Note that just because a product is natural, it is not necessarily safe. There are plenty of plants toxic to cats and humans.

So beware of any supplier that claims a product is safe because it is natural. Some Essential Oils are somewhat SAFER for cats. These include Cedarwood, Peppermint, Rosemary, Catnip. Here are 2 articles that elaborate on toxicity of essential oils for cats: Essential oil world.com and Article on aromatherapy and use of essential oils on animals Keep in mind that essential oils are a CONCENTRATED form of bug repellant. Often the plant itself holds enough essential oils to be effective without any danger of toxicity.

Keep in mind also that there is not a great deal of formal scientific research that has been done about the toxicity of essential oils on cats. Much of what is claimed on the internet is merely copied from unproven sources. I try to use formal scientific studies when available, or try to quote reputable sources. There is not very much available on this subject. Catnip has been shown to be highly effective as an insect repellant and has not been blamed for high toxicity. Efficacy and safety of catnip University of Nebraska Here is my catnip page The bottom line on using essential oils on cats?

Cats are VERY sensitive to poisoning from essential oils. If you plan to use some choose a non citrus non phenol type.

Do not apply directly to the cat. Use only in highly diluted form. Borax Borax has been used for a long time as a way of killing fleas in carpets or in inaccessible spots. It is relatively safe and is commonly used to keep cockroaches away. It can be found in some laundry powders as well.

Borax should not be used directly on an animal. It should be used on carpets and cracks along floorboards, then vacuumed up. Borax will act as an herbicide so it should not be used outside. It will damage carpets if left in.

Borax can be toxic and should not be breathed in. Use a mask when applying and avoid raising dust while vacuuming. PETA recommends: Fleabusters Rx for Fleas Plus as being a less toxic form of borax. Diatomaceous Earth kills fleas on contact In order to be effective, diatomaceous earth must come in contact with the flea or the larvae. The sharp edges of the tiny shells that make up diatomaceous earth, pierce the flea and dry it out.

It is sometimes combined with pyrethrin for better effect. Food Grade Diatomaceous earth is not toxic on its own and can be safely used BUT it should not be breathed in as it can be quite irritating. It is listed for Organic Use. It can be combined with borax to treat carpets, but should be vacuumed up.

Avoid breathing the dust and wear a mask. Sometimes insecticide preparations are added to diatomaceous earth to make it more effective. Check the label. Table Salt Table Salt is sometimes added to diatomaceous earth and to borax to control fleas in carpets and in cracks. Insect Growth Regulators IGRInsect growth regulators are substances which disrupt the flea life cycle and stop its development.

Ask your vet. Some are sprayed for control of an area, others are intended to be ingested by the animal so that when the flea feeds the blood has the IGR and prevents flea development.

Insect Growth Regulators show a great deal of promise because they are not in themselves very toxic and specifically target a process in flea development. Developers try to identify processes that are unique to the flea and target these processes. This selective targeting can be chitin synthesis inhibitor or substances that interfere with insect hormones.

These processes do not exist in mammals and thus the IGR has no effect on them and this makes them safer. If you are desperate try IGR but keep in mind that they are not absolutely safe and are quite toxic to many aquatic creatures.

Best to use on pet's bedding than on the animal itself. Here is one brand: 4 oz Martin's I. G. Regulator (IGR) Insect Growth Regulator Concentrate 1.3% Nylar If you use IGRegulators limit the area because it will hurt beneficial insects as well as pests. Insect Growth Regulators for Insect Pest Control a pdf paper by the Imam University Faculty of Agriculture. This is a highly readable article and is not hugely long. Pest products has a page on IGR available.

Many links and names of commercial preparations. Precor IGR Insect Growth Regulator 16 Oz Pint Flea Control is one brand offered on Amazon. Here is a link to the EPA fact sheet on Methoprene which is the active ingredient. Insect Growth Regulators for Insect Pest Control a pdf paper by the Imam University Faculty of Agriculture. This is a highly readable article and is not hugely long. Pest products has a page on IGR available.

Many links and names of commercial preparations. Insect Growth Regulators are sometimes mixed with other insecticides and these can be quite toxic. Make sure that you don't use a combination that is dangerous for your cat. IGR are sometimes given internally.

The inhibitor gets into the bloodstream and when the flea feeds it gets a dose. The flea then passes on the IGR through the poo which gets eaten by larvae, and they cannot develop because of the inhibitor.

Most IGR are intended for application where fleas are found. They are sensitive to degradation and so are not suitable for outside applications. Fish can be sensitive to Insect Growth Regulators. PDF on Natural Approaches for Flea Control written by a vet.

From Colorado State University. Brewers yeast does not work Brewers yeast has been studied as a possible flea repellant when ingested. It showed no effect whatsoever and so is not recommended. Ultrasound Equally ineffective is ultrasounds which have been shown to have no effect in EPA and university studies. Magnetic fields Magnetic fields have not been shown to be effective. Vinegar Vinegar appears to have some effect HOWEVER cats PH is quite critical and adding acid to their water is NOT recommended.

It can be used in bathwater if your cat will allow you to bathe him. Alternatively it can be applied with a cloth on the fur. The vinegar should be diluted. Don't get it in your cat's eyes. Garlic Garlic is toxic to cats and dogs.

Do not treat your animals with garlic. It might repel fleas but it is poison. ASPCA page on garlic toxicity to dogs, cats and horses.

Onions are also toxic to cats and dogs and should not be fed to them. Nematodes for flea control Nematodes are a general name for a little worm. There are many thousands of different nematodes some beneficial some parasitic. THESE nematodes have been chosen because they target fleas. They are used outside in areas infested with fleas. The nematodes are applied and they go to work eating and killing fleas.

They are not interested in you or mammals so are perfectly safe to you. Because they are living, care must be taken to use quickly and not kill them before they can be applied. Nematodes are not applied to cats directly, only to areas where cats hang out outside. Nematodes can be sprayed in the yard and help control fleas.

They are harmless to pets. 10 Million Flea Killing Beneficial Nematodes - Ecomask - Easy Spray Formula Conclusions Flea control in cats is complex because cats are easily poisoned. Best practice starts with keeping your cat healthy and frequent and thorough cleaning of areas frequented by cats. Bathing the cat and vacuuming is an option if the cats will tolerate it. If insecticide is necessary because of the severity of the infestation then a low toxicity insecticide should be used such as pyrithrin.

Beware of other substances which are sometimes included. Mechanical Control such as diatomaceous earth is effective but should not be breathed in. Borax, salt and diatomaceous earth can be used in carpets then vacuumed up, but care should be taken not to breathe the dust.

Essential oils are tricky and some are very toxic to cats. Only highly diluted solutions should be used near cats. Aromatic herbs are safer, catnip is an effective repellant. Insect Growth Inhibitors are an emerging solution which have been effective and of low toxicity, Nematodes are effective outside. A final thought, because fleas are potentially health threatening because they can cause anemia, carry parasites and bacteria, a small level of toxic exposure is often better for the cat than a heavy flea infestation with resulting side effects.emails: Christine This article is provided for information only.

It is not to be used instead of consulting a VET. If your kitty is sick get some help. Research and information is often contradictory. Read labels carefully for other ingredients included. DO NOT use flea preparations marketed for dogs. Cats are much more sensitive to poisoning than dogs. Fleas, eggs and larva appearance Life Cycle Checking for fleas Treating Natural Control Home

e. If you do not have a serious flea problem, you will notice it working within a couple weeks, as the existing fleas and eggs go through their life cycles, coupled of course, with regular bathing, flea combing and vaccuuming. March 22, 2015 at 4:25 am #69234Report Abuse

Bravecto (chewable flea and tick)

Bravecto (chewable flea and tick)Dog Food Advisor › Forums › Diet and Health › Bravecto (chewable flea and tick)Viewing 50 posts - 1 through 50 (of 262 total) 1 2 … 6 →Author Posts September 1, 2014 at 1:31 pm #50903Report Abuse Ly Member Has anyone tried the new chewable flea and tick prevention medicine called Bravecto?

I’ve tried Parastar and Frontline Plus and have gotten fleas with both. Also does anyone know if I can use Comfortis and that together? September 1, 2014 at 3:59 pm #50909Report Abuse Hound Dog Mom Participant Hi T –I first heard of this product a few months ago. I have to say that I personally would be very leery not only of using a product so new to the market but also of using an oral product that could kill ticks.

Ticks are very hardy little buggers so if a dog can eat something that would then result in ticks dying I have to suspect that whatever that pill causes to circulate in the blood can’t be good for the dog either.

None of the vets in my area are recommending or selling this product yet due to it being so new. I actually talked to a (conventional) vet about it to see what he thought and he said he’s definitely going to wait it out to hear about how it goes before ever recommending it because after reading the product information he’s very apprehensive.

As for using it with Comfortis – why would you want to? If Bavecto protects against fleas why would you need Comfortis as well?

I highly doubt it would be advisable to use two forms of oral flea preventative. I prefer natural means of parasite prevention but I do realize that in certain areas of the country some chemical means may need to be employed. I live in the northeast in an area with a lot of ticks and high incidence of lyme. From what I’ve heard from several veterinarians, technicians and pet owners that I’ve spoken to the products that seem to be most effective and have the lowest incidence of side effects for ticks are the veterinary recommended collars (like Scalibor).

This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Hound Dog Mom . September 1, 2014 at 4:16 pm #50912Report Abuse Ly Member I actually bought the Seresto collar!

He has it on now, since I applied the Frontline Plus Sat and found a flea on him yesterday. I don’t prefer the collar and he isn’t much of a fan of it either.

And the topical is so messy and I seem not to have any luck with it. A chew just seemed perfect. I came across Comforis, that seems pretty promising for fleas too. So if I were to get that, I would need to buy a topical for just ticks then, is that right? I live in PA. I’m preventing year long.

He’s a flea magnet. I do everything I’m suppose to and they still find him. September 1, 2014 at 4:59 pm #50920Report Abuse Susan Member Hi T, alot of ladies from the dog park use Comfortis & swear by it, its used monthly….after apply for a couple of months the ladies said that they didnt have to re-apply some months as its was still working & the dogs still didn’t have any fleas…they just give the tablet now if they see a flea & the dog start scratching..they start giving Comfortis when spring starts then their dogs are flea free for the summer….1 lady said that she hasn’t needed to give any Comfortis for 6months & she has had no fleas….

Just be careful giving first dose, make sure you know your dogs weight & only give half the tablet with food in morning, if dogs shows no side effects, then give the other half of the tablet at night with their dinner.. Comfortis must be giving with food, as a few dogs have gotten real ill & some have died here in Austrailia when the drug first came out…. September 1, 2014 at 5:53 pm #50929Report Abuse Melissaandcrew Member Hi T.. I personally will not use an oral flea or tick preventative. Why circulate a flea product internally through the dog to get it to the skin level? I can not imagine it doesnt effect the organs.

If I would not swallow pesticide myself to kill and repel mosquitos or ticks why should my dog? One of my boarders had a horrible reaction to their glea/tick collar. Not sure which brand but it was one of the two mentioned above. September 3, 2014 at 8:09 pm #51101Report Abuse2nd2none Member^ same here. when it comes to chemicals and my dogs, less is more. years ago i was diligent about using a monthly preventative until one of my dogs tested positive for lyme. the vet i worked for said parasites can build up a resistance to the active ingredients in most products and that changing products, thereby the active ingredient, will help to prevent this.

i, however chose to discontinue them all and went with a spray for fleas: ACV=1 cup to 1 qt of h2o, mixed together in a spray bottle, then sprayed onto each dog. for ticks, since mine are all short haired i just check them and remove any i see. if your dogs are outside dogs add some DE to the dirt.

fleas despise it. it’s been 6 years now with no chemical products and ALL my dogs are still parasite free. This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by 2nd2none . September 3, 2014 at 11:25 pm #51114Report Abuse Akari_32Member Hey guys.

I’m currently interning with a vet that is very excited about Bravecto. He says it’s the same as Nex Guard, only it lasts longer.

I’ve not personally explored it myself, but he seems to be liking it. He believes in a “why use it if you don’t have to” approach to veterinary medicine, but living in Florida, you cannot skimp on flea control. That said, such a new product is a bit worrisome. Especially a product that’s got such a high dose of flea meds that it’s lasts three months. However, if it’s what works for you and your dog, go for it. I’m taking my dogs off Trifexis (Comfortis plus heartworm preventive) because it really bothers me, especially with my oldest dog.

For just fleas, I really like Little City Dogs (a sort of generic Program pill). Its safe even at extreme over doses, and it’s new enough that fleas are not yet immune to it, yet the active ingredient (lufenuron) is well known enough not to be sketchy. Not to mention, it’s extremely affordable, at just $25-80 a year for cats and dogs of all sizes.http://littlecitydogs.com/smallpetfleacontrol.html?

I will be trying Sentinel this go around as my new alternative to Trifexis. It’s $90 for a whole year for my 60 lb lab mix.

Seems like a safer and MUCH cheaper alternative. September 4, 2014 at 12:50 am #51116Report Abuse Dori Member I’ve been using Sentinel for my dogs for years and years with never an issue of any sort. Knock on wood!I wouldn’t try Bravecto, it’s just too new a product and lasts too long. Also the group of vets I see are all in consensus about new products. They like products to be around awhile to get a better feel for efficacy and side effects. I’ll stick with Sentinel.

We’ve never had a dog with HW. We’ve also never had a dog with fleas and that’s saying something considering we’ve been living in Georgia for a little over Georgia. The South is pretty well known for HW and an over abundance of fleas and Mosquitos. This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Dori .

September 4, 2014 at 6:16 am #51123Report Abuse Ly Member My dog is on Sentinel as well. So he got fleas, and the Parastar didn’t kill the adult fleas. But since I’m on Sentinel I have nothing to worry about because it’ll kill the eggs? Is that right?

So I tried Frontline Plus. I waited 24 hours, and the next day we went outside for a short walk and came home. He laid down and started biting his paw. I jumped up and grabbed the flea and tick comb and he had a flea on him.

But prior to that he’s been good for days without any fleas or flea dirt on him. He just got him from our short walk. He’s like a magnet. My friends don’t think that normal. I’m a little concerned. Should I be? I thought maybe it was me and putting the topical stuff on. Maybe I don’t do it well enough. Hence the research and finding a chewable alternative. He’s a yorkie.

I get him groomed every 4 weeks and keep his hair short. It’s too short to separate to apply it, but at the same time it’s like long and it seems to just go all over his hair.

That’s why my vet said to use the Seresto Flea and Tick Collar. He hated it and I didn’t care for it either.

After a few days I went out and bought the frontline plus and put that on him. At least it will be winter soon and I won’t have to worry about fleas. September 4, 2014 at 10:50 am #51151Report Abuse Dori Member Sorry T. I don’t use Frontline or any topicals on the dogs. IMO it’s just too much insecticide for my little girls what with them being on Sentinel the first of every month.

Above I meant to say that I’ve been living in Georgia a little over 12 years and no fleas. We also used to live in Cape Cod before that and they never got fleas there either.

You must be walking your dog in an area where there are a lot of fleas maybe. Could you change where you walk your dog and see if that helps. I don’t use flea collars either. I hate those. Unfortunately living in Georgia they’re on Sentinel 12 months of the year.

November 10, 2014 at 9:59 am #56770Report Abusejudy t Member Hi, all…new to this site, but found it doing a search on “Bravecto”. The little gal behind the front desk at my vet’s office told me that this was the best, absolute safest product from my old dog.

A few years ago, another receptionist told me the same thing about Comfortis, which killed my dog. I think I’ll pass. November 10, 2014 at 3:55 pm #56777Report Abuse Lynn BMember Hello,I work in an animal hospital and can tell you that Bravecto has made an amazing impact in the US flea and tick market. It was launched in Europe last March and in the US in June. This product has the FDA’s approval and works amazingly well in fleas and ticks.

Fleas start dying in 2 hours and ticjs are dead by 12 hours (faster than anything else on the market). Comfortis and Trifexis does not kill ticks at all and is more expensive per month. Bravecto has already sold tens of millions in the US since June.

The safety data is the most amazing. Bravecto even has a pregnant and lactating label which Most other flea and tick products do not have.

(That reflects the safety of this product). The best thing about the product is not only does it work super fast but it lasts 12 weeks. You only have to dose your dog 4 times a year! It is so easy with very little worries as a pet owner.

Both my dogs use Bravecto, and I have been so surprised at how well it works. No need to be weary with this product. We haven’t seen a flea and tick product with this kind of safety data in a long time. Plus, it’s economical. You can usually buy it from your vet for like $50 for 3 months. Buy 6 months and get $15 rebate. Net cost ends up around $85 for 6 months!

!November 10, 2014 at 4:22 pm #56778Report Abuse Susan Member Hi Lynn, is Bravecto a tablet or a spot on??? you mention Comfortis so Id say it’s a tablet, have you seen any problems with dogs that are very sensitive to tablets get ill from Bravecto….

My boy doesnt do to well on any medications & vet adviced against Comfortis so are the ingredients the same as Comfortis & Trifexis…. I even hate putting on the Frontline Plus spot on, I always check his paws after a walk as they are white & kill the flea as I dont have any fleas at home BUT I have a cat who brings home fleas, the vet said if you have a cat you’ll have fleas, do they make a tablet for cats, my cat has an iron stomach…. November 22, 2014 at 3:17 pm #58144Report Abuse Bee Bee Member Hi everybody, I gave my dog Bravecto at the beginning of November, and the other day found a bunch of ticks on her, and I am FURIOUS!

I promised myself that I will never use anything for my dog unless I absolutely have to, the groomer said that she found few fleas, few people thought I was irresponsible for not regularly giving my dog prevention from anything and everything under the sun… So I decided to give it a try.

My dog has a sensitive stomach, I made sure she ate well before I gave it to her and she tolerated it well.

No OBVIOUS side effects, but when I found couple of ticks 3 wks later, I was LIVID. It is really difficult to get honest information.

It is a new med and it is being pushed onto vets, who then push it on their customers… The only scientific info I found is a study from Australia stating that it is OK to use it with Scalibor…From now on, my darling will get regular checks and hygiene, and if necessary local preparation, no long acting chemicals… Thank you!December 11, 2014 at 3:07 am #59833Report Abuse Jenna MMember My 9 year old min pin recently got fleas for the first time.

We live in FL and went from living in a home with no other animals, to living in the city, where many other animals are walked in the neighborhood. Im not a fan of medications for myself or my dog, but seeing fleas swarming throughout my dogs hair and finding flea dirt (poop) everywhere freaked me out.

I actually didn’t know what was going on, since he never had fleas before. The vet I went to mentioned bravecto and said it was new and also mentioned frontline etc.

I ended up choosing bravecto because I wanted to get rid of the problem immediately. I was concerned if a medication that lasted so long would be good for my dogs organs etc. My dog did not have any adverse reaction and the fleas were gone within 1-2 days. The only thing I noticed about 2 weeks later, was on my dogs eyes. There were thin white marks on the outer corner of his iris. I know this could be related to my dog being 9 years old, but I didn’t see them before.

Anyway, I’m unsure if I will use the product again. I prefer a less aggressive approach. Also, even thought my dog is free of fleas, do the flea eggs still live in my house on the couch etc, waiting for bravecto to run out so they can hatch on my dog again?

Should I get my sofa steam cleaned etc? Pillows, blankets? I have no clue. I want to do all I can to prevent this from happening again. December 11, 2014 at 9:13 am #59841Report Abusejudy t Member Jenna…I wouldn’t use it again. I killed my elderly lab by giving her one of those oral flea medications.

It was too much for her kidneys. I’m still not over that. I did have to break down and give my four dogs Nexgard for fleas and I’m happy to say that it worked great and no one got sick at all. I probably wouldn’t use chemicals at all if we lived somewhere else, but here in the south inside/outside dogs are going to have fleas and mine were just covered up this year.

The house was also infested but I used diatomaceous earth (DE) and vacuumed often. Also, once the dogs were flea-free it didn’t take long before the house was also clear. Just vacuum everyday, including the furniture. I’d also put some DE in your vacuum bag. December 19, 2014 at 6:00 pm #60862Report Abuse Donna KMember HI I live in Australia and my dog Iggy did the Bravecto trial.

Iggy was covered in fleas a hundred plus it was horrible so I thought I d reply to a free trial that was in the local newspaper.

She qualified so we started the trial the fleas dropped off with no side affects. I ve just found out this product is finally a name not just a number so I`m going out to get it. December 19, 2014 at 6:10 pm #60863Report Abuse Susan Member Hi Donna, where in Australia are you from??

I live Newcastle NSW…December 19, 2014 at 6:37 pm #60869Report Abuse Susan Member I’ve been reading about Sentinal spectrum tasty chews & it has the same ingredients as Mibemax all wormer that Patch can stomach & does well on when I worm him.. I’m looking for something that kills worms, heartworms & fleas prevention & Sentinel looks real good….

Patch doesn’t have fleas only the odd hitch hiker that jumps on his leg on our walks, so maybe cause I use the Milbemax all wormer this has prevented any flea… Does anyone know much about Mibemax & Sentinal they both have the same ingredients…. December 19, 2014 at 7:20 pm #60873Report Abusefrostyrockyk Member FLEA TRAP ,, I have a part fix for fleas that works very well .

In a safe area put a sheet pan of water with about 1 or 2 drops of any soap in it , hang a bare light bulb over it , 6″ to a foot over the water .

Some people put it in front of a low TV set over night . At night when all the lights are out , they jump for the light & end up in the soapy water & sink to the bottom .

THIS MUST BE DONE IN A SAFE MANNER!! If you want to see if they are in an area TO TREAT and or to see if the treatment worked this is a good test .

My vet has also told me you must spray the yard also , depending on the area I think he is right . Fleas are attracted to heat & light . Keep in mind if the bulb gets in contact with carpet or wood or paper , it can start a fire , ( keep it out of the water also!! )

so keep all pets & kids away from it . I would only use this at night when all the lights are out . Depending on how many fleas there are , it is possible to catch a lot of fleas . December 19, 2014 at 7:37 pm #60874Report Abusethe BCnut Member Even a regular night light works for this method. December 22, 2014 at 9:00 pm #61188Report Abuse Donna KMember Hi Susan I`m on the central Coast ! !January 23, 2015 at 12:54 pm #64780Report Abuse Rick RMember We started using the Bravecto cookies about 6 months ago (3rd time now), and we love it!

And so does the dog Fleas and Ticks die within 2 hours, and the dog is protected for up to 12 weeks!Watch the video I made of my dog taking Bravecto: youtu.be/-Wgp4Dnkg3s You will also see me trying to use the spot on stuff that we used before, the dog remembers it well, and doesn’t like it / runs away :p This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Rick R .

February 6, 2015 at 9:26 pm #65963Report Abuse Amie WMember A simple google search of Bravecto (or any medicine, really) will bring up the scientific reports, trials and fda/cvm information. This is all honest, scientific information. Bravecto is extremely safe. Reading through this Freedom of Information Summary, you can read about all of the studies done and any and all adverse reactions.

For those who think oral is more dangerous than topical – topical soaks transdermally directly into the bloodstream. It also has the potential to be spread between animals, as well as humans. Some require placement in spots along the back. If the dog then licks around his back where he was treated, he has then taken the drug transdermally, as well orally.

I, for one, would rather know exactly the dose my dog is getting, without the fear of my children getting it on them by touching the dog, or touching the dogs bedding, etc. For those with dogs in the 75-80 pound range that claim this doesn’t work, your dog is at the very top of the dosage weight.

It is possible that the dose is just not strong enough for your dog and you should speak to your vet about using the next size up, which in this case would be for 88lbs. In most cases, this is perfectly acceptable. All flea and tick treatments are pesticides. No matter how they are administered.

If you are against chemicals completely, that is one thing. But, if you are against only particular chemicals, I would say do some research. Here is the link for the FOI Summary, provided by the FDA:http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Animal Veterinary/Products/Approved Animal Drug Products/FOIADrug Summaries/UCM399075.pdf February 7, 2015 at 12:22 pm #66003Report Abuse Lynn JMember I just want to comment, that although many of these products are effective at killing fleas and/or ticks, they often do not repel them.

So your dog may pick up parasites while out and about and get bitten by them. Hopefully, for ticks especially, parasites are killed before they are able to transfer pathogens such as Lyme Disease. Tick collars may offer some repellant activity, but in my case, when I was using the Preventatic collar, the ticks were dropping off in my house, some still alive, I was not happy about that. Everyone has to balance their dogs tolerance to chemicals, parasite levels where you live, dogs allergic reactions to flea/tick bites, other pets/children in the home, etc. March 22, 2015 at 12:49 am #69227Report Abuse Christal MMember First, I would like to explain something about sentinel and sentinel spectrum. These two drugs do NOT kill adult fleas or eggs. If a flea bites your dog, this drug simply sterilizes the flea, so that flea can no longer reproduce. Sentinel provides the flea sterilization, as well as prevention for heartworms, hookworms, roundworms and whipworms. It comes in a tablet form. Sentinel spectrum is a smaller chewy square that works for all of the above and tapeworms. Both are dosed monthly. Secondly, to the person who was livid because they found fleas and ticks on their dog after using bravecto, please understand that this drug does not repel parasites. It only starts to kill them after they bite. March 22, 2015 at 12:54 am #69228Report Abuse Akari_32Member The fact that lufenuron does not kill fleas is what makes it a safer product than other flea medications– because it’s not a pesticide, like the others ar

e. If you do not have a serious flea problem, you will notice it working within a couple weeks, as the existing fleas and eggs go through their life cycles, coupled of course, with regular bathing, flea combing and vaccuuming. March 22, 2015 at 4:25 am #69234Report Abuse

Anonymous Member I use k9Advantix II (topical monthly) on my dogs, but only during the summer. Heartworm pills every 6 weeks (not 4) during warm months, yearly testing, careful checking and avoidance of all tall grass, brush and woods. I also use Brewers yeast/garlic supplements as they are supposed to deter bugs, plus natural spray repellents.

I would not use an oral agent, wish I didn’t have to use anything, but the ticks are bad in my area. They all are pesticides/poisons. I have heard terrible things about this product http://vitalanimal.com/trifexis-hoax/March 22, 2015 at 4:35 am #69235Report Abuse Anonymous Member“Lufenuron, a benzoylurea pesticide, inhibits the production of chitin in insects.

Without chitin, a larval flea will never develop a hard outer shell (exoskeleton). With its inner organs exposed to air, the insect dies from dehydration soon after hatching or molting (shedding its old, smaller shell)”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lufenuron Just look up the ingredients of any flea/tick products or repellents, if you have any doubt about what they are.

March 30, 2015 at 1:43 pm #69674Report Abuse Susan FMember I use Mercola Flea and Tick Defense. It’s essential oil based, so no harsh, toxic chemicals. Yes, I need to apply about 2x per week, but at least I’m not poisoning my dog. http://smile.amazon.com/Mercola-Natural-Flea-Tick-Defense/dp/B004GTD3UK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427740941&sr=8-1&keywords=mercola+flea April 3, 2015 at 9:27 pm #69911Report Abuse Lauren YMember Hi,I know this is an old thread, but I thought I’d post my experience.

I’ve been using Bravecto for 6 months (2 doses). When I was using Advantix II, I would find dozens of flees on my dogs for days after visiting a highly infested area. After I started using Bravecto, I haven’t found a single flea on him that wasn’t dying…even after spending hours in the same infested area.

I comb him regularly and have never found a flea on him after leaving an infested area. My dog hasn’t had a single tick since using this medication, but he only picked up one in the previous 2 years so that doesn’t say much.

When I first started using this, my dog had picked up fleas from a friend’s house and the Advantix I had put on a week before wasn’t helping. My vet called the company, which said that Bravecto can be used concurrently with topical medications, so I gave him the Bravecto tablet immediatly.

There were no ill effects and the fleas all died. It’s not something I would do regularly, but it’s good to know that it’s safe. I do have 2 concerns with this product:1) This product does not repel and requires the flea/tick to bite before killing. This is okay for ticks because it takes ticks 24-48 hours to transmit diseases and Bravecto kills in a few hours.

Even better, they’re dead/dying when they drop off so they aren’t a danger to anyone else. However, it seems to make fleas sort of dizzy and easy to catch before they die. That means my dog is more likely to lick them up, and thus get worms.2) Bravecto is hard to get from a vet’s office. My vet likes the product but says there just isn’t enough demand for him to stock it. This means I have to get it from online distrubuters, and that makes me really nervous. It’s a new enough product that I HOPE there aren’t a lot of counterfeiters out there, but you can never be sure. Anyway, I hope this helps people decide if they want to use this product. I’d highly recommend it.

It seems as safe as the topicals and works better. Of course, if you can get away with not using any chemicals, I’d do that, but it’s not an option for me. April 4, 2015 at 8:12 am #69917Report Abuse Anonymous Memberhttp://store-kneew2.mybigcommerce.com/natural-flea-tick-mosquito-control-for-dogs-evolv/ Wondercide Seems to help, so that I can use less pesticides/poisons.

PS: Regarding flea/tick killing products. They are not medications. April 4, 2015 at 11:29 am #69932Report Abuse Lynn JMember While these oral tick/flea medications will kill fleas or ticks after they bite, they do not repel.

So unfortunately they don’t prevent your dog from picking up fleas or ticks. You shouldn’t find engorged ticks on your dog, but you might find them crawling around on the dog, or dead ticks where your dog sleeps or hangs out. April 13, 2015 at 11:46 am #70491Report Abusedavis h Member Hi All I once used a product Activyl Plus.

Didnt work..my Service Dog Booster had meningitis and came within 24 hours of death. He had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. http://www.cvm.missouri.edu/news/Booster2014.html Hes a cancer survivor that almost died from a tick bite! Harsh chemicals or death? Im trying Bravecto BUT the lesson is..dont rely on a new product until you know it works.

Be vigilant. In Arkansas and Mississippi where I live, ticks and heartworm equal certain death. My choice is chemicals. Sure side effects but Ive had it with fleas,ticks,heartworms. I have 7 Labs and i cant comb every day so a good preventative is necessary.

Its a rough alternative but beats what ive gone through due to perasites. May 23, 2015 at 3:11 pm #73003Report Abuse Cathy BMember I’ve used bravecto on my 110 lb male and 50 lb female dog for 3 doses, about 10 months.

No signs of any fleas or ticks. Before this I had used comfortis and before that trifectis with good flea results but because these meds are priced by the weight of the dog, bravecto works out to be much less expensive with the added benefit of no ticks which were still an issue.

I understand some pet owners concerns about giving such a strong medication but I trust my vets judgement and for me, nothing else but pills has worked.

Dips, topicals, nothing else even phases the amount of fleas we have in the warm weather months which is about 9 months out of the year. I’m in deep east Texas near the Louisiana border. We live on a lot of acreage that is heavily wooded.

My dogs run through the woods which are crawling with fleas and ticks. The dogs also come in the house when I’m home, sleep in the house at night and I’m not willing to risk a flea infestation.

Anyone who has ever dealt with that mess knows how horrible it is to get rid of them if they start laying eggs in your house. I have an indoor cat with skin allergies that can not be exposed to flea bites so for my situation and the quality of life I provide my dogs, pills are the best fit.

I’ve had no problems with bravecto. The pills are like a small round cookie, mine eat them like they’re a treat. My vet said they will really last more than 12 weeks so I re-dose about every 14. June 12, 2015 at 11:13 pm #74325Report Abuse Cathy BMember Pethelpers Inc have a posting on Facebook regarding one dog who died at four years old shortly after taking Bravecto of liver and kidney failure and one dog seriously ill from this medication.

They said other dogs have died from complications within 30 days of taking it. Personally, I would not give my dogs anything by mouth that kills fleas…. June 13, 2015 at 1:24 am #74329Report Abuse Jan YMember I’ve just read the posting on FB too from Pethelpers…. I certainly won’t be using Bravecto and I had been contemplating it. At the moment I’ve put the new Seresto collars on my dogs – has anyone heard anything against these?? June 13, 2015 at 6:09 am #74332Report Abuse Inked Marie Member We just ordered all natural flea collars from Holistic Familyand Pets dot com & they arrived yesterday.

They have a money back guarantee but am hoping they work. June 13, 2015 at 9:53 am #74337Report Abusecolleen h Member We gave our 7 year old dog Bravecto in March 2015 when she went for her checkup. We were told it was the latest and best for our girl. I wish I had found this site before giving it to her.

She weighed 65.9 pounds that day. We had to put her to sleep Memorial Day. She weighed 49 pounds, had stopped eating. She had a tumor that had spread throughout her intestines and it was cancer. She was perfectly healthy until that dose.

No one has even mentioned that it could have been this medicine. We are so upset. I wish we had not given it to her. She was the best dog anyone could hope for. I hope this helps someone else make a better decision about Bravecto.

June 13, 2015 at 1:14 pm #74346Report Abuse Patty DMember Well I just joined up for this Dog Food Advisory site. I have read all the threads about the flea and tick issues of Oral verses Topical verses collars choices.

I too have had questions about side affects (long or short) of these products. Whether your dog is small to very large, young to geriatric, I feel that Blood Screen Panels, commonly know as Sr. Wellness or Jr. Wellness Blood Screenings should be thought about doing at the least “Once a Year”. These Blood Screenings, I feel from past experiences with my 2 Silky Terriers. Both have pasted on now and were 16 1/4 yrs and 17 1/4 yrs ( both of which were rescued dogs).

My first sliky died of renal failure ( really had to put her down, horrible thing to had to do..) and the second silky died from pancreatitis, a horrible disease ( died at home in my husbands arms ).

Both were terrible to watch them go thru in 2011 and the other 2014. Great in hindsight now but unfortunately I did not do these Blood Screening Panels every year when I first got my silkies ( at different times).

Even worse I could have had this done well before either one ever got to 10 years old and could have foreseen any diet changes that could have been made or any other product changes or problems etc.

Us humans are told by our Dr’s that we should be having our blood screenings done each year or so to help in preventing certain problems or in adjusting all or any meds. So why not do this for our best friends also… I have now been very blessed with a rescued little Chihuahua as of last year (now is about 2 yrs old).

Sarah was about 3.5 #s when they found her abandoned in a parking lot in S. Fl. by a rescue group.

She was at 4.5# when I adopted her. She is now 5#s 3 ozs. Very happy, snuggly and very social little girl. I have done 2 Jr. Wellness Blood Screens on Sarah ( one at the first week I got her and the 2nd this month ).

I want to keep up on anything that she may come down with and to be able to catch it asap then to find out way too late in the game. These Blood Screens could be a tool in also in deciding what is working for your dog in the flea/tick meds and what is harmful. Each dog is different just as we are and not all things work the same and in all regions of our country ( or world ).

What kind of meds whether Oral or Topical…. single dosing of monthly, quarterly or all inclusive ( 2 or meds combined ) is your choice but please consider as well at least once a year a Blood Screen Panel be done.

These meds can be harmful whether the pet is small, young or getting into geriatric years. I choose to give Sarah her Flea/Tick ( Comfortis ) separate from her Heart Guard with several days apart. I feel that with her weight ( 5#s 3 ozs ) being the biggest concern to me being too much stuff all at once in such a small body.

I would feel the same if my dog weighed more But was in the geriatric years ( over stressing the system ). Ask questions and concerns at your vets ( write down all before you go in and jot down the answers as you go or use a ( tape, etc ) recorder of sorts ).

If you feel you aren’t getting answers then think about going to another Vet ( your friends could be a good source for this info.).

We do this for our family members and our selves when we go to the Drs… right, or really should. We plan to be vigilant with my 2 yr old Sarah ( Sarah has filled a great void in my husbands and my life ) and hope to keep her in great health as possible well into both our older years.

She is now my life insurance of such and Sarah will be our last. ** Blood Screens Panels at least once a year pet parents… could save you heartaches down the line… <3June 13, 2015 at 2:15 pm #74347Report Abuse Anonymous Member I agree, that at certain times in a dog’s life, lab work is important…but if the dog is displaying no symptoms of illness, maybe every 3 years or so, if the vet thinks it’s indicated is more like it.

Especially a geriatric work up at some point after the age of 7. Lab work, however, doesn’t always pick up potential problems.

And, not every pet owner can afford the $200-$400 bill for all the testing (ball park figure) once a year. Best to discuss with your vet, what you can skip here and there, and what’s most important. Of course there is heartworm testing every year, parasites, etc.

July 6, 2015 at 10:52 am #75485Report Abuse Gary LMember My wife is afraid of chemicals so we are trying the natural route. Its not working. The house is infested, the dogs are being eaten alive, and thier suffering is a fate worse than death.

Please dont ever let your pets suffer over foolish fears. Treat them with the meds they need. July 29, 2015 at 9:36 pm #76610Report Abuse Lazaro BMember Brave to only kills 4 species of ticks but not deer ticks. I’ll stick with Frontline Plus thank you. August 1, 2015 at 8:27 pm #76690Report Abuse Jill VMember Been trying to research this product but am just too skeptical to try it.

I have two senior chihuahuas and just cannot risk their health on this. They are not outside all that much so it just doesn’t seem worth it. I currently use Frontline Plus. Our vet was pushing us to try Vectra so I did and both the dogs were horribly itchy afterward and it made their coat extremely greasy so I moved them back to Frontline. I’d love to just not use anything but we’ve dealt with a flea infestation before when we moved into an infested rental house (it was awful!!!).

Took 3 months to get rid of them all. Don’t want to revisit that. August 12, 2015 at 12:56 pm #77059Report Abuse Allison MMember I have a horribly itchy dog.

Vet said it was most likely fleas and put her on Bravecto. She is still itchy but she doesn’t scratch herself till she bleeds now. Haven’t seen a tick on her in 2 months since we started using it. No ill side effects that I have noticed She probably still gets flea bites and is really sensitive to them, but they’ve been biting her less now.

The place where I live is perfect for tons of fleas so this is as good as it can get for my poor dog August 14, 2015 at 4:35 pm #77127Report Abuse Helen BMember Hi everyone, I have a 10 month old springer spaniel and live in the UK.

I was recently advised by our vet to change from frontline to Bravecto as it was “more effective”, I would like to add that we had never had issues with ticks or fleas prior.

It has been one month since his first dose however last week we noticed a significant lump in the skin tissue on his back thigh about 2.5cm diameter. I immediately took Harley to the vet as he was irritated by it and it was becoming sore within the day.

The vet put it down to a skin infection and gave a weeks worth of antibiotics 4 days in I have seen no immprovement. Harley has also been scratching a lot and seems generally irritated with his skin. It was my husband that pointed out that he only started scratching after his Bravector tablet.

I am now wondering whether Bravecto could be the cause of this lump which the vet is now suggesting he may surgically remove!!!!! And his poor constant itching. I wish I had done my research before trusting my vets advise. What I would like to know is, has anyone else experienced similar and is there any evidence to support my suspicions? August 17, 2015 at 10:24 pm #77231Report Abuse Susan WMember I am very concerned about this medication. I am hearing more and more stories about bad side effects but nothing is being done. Above, Colleen H comments that her dog died because of it.

I am concerned mine may have to. I urge anyone with negative side effects to please go to the Facebook group called Does Bravecto Kill Dogs and explain your dogs symptoms.

And make sure you report it to the FDA and the ASPCA poison control. August 28, 2015 at 5:23 pm #77634Report Abuse Jeni TMember Before you administer either NEXGARD or BRAVECTO to your loved ones…. I beg each and every one of you to check out the Facebook Groups…. Nexgard- Did it Kill my Dog and Bravecto – Does it Kill Dogs.

I know thousands of parents have given their dogs these new chewables and have had fabulous success – but others haven’t – please read first.

September 3, 2015 at 7:40 am #77785Report Abusematt f Member I know this is a old post but I have comfrontis and trifexis that I need to move my and my wife was doing fostering fordogs and we had bought aa lot of comfrontis and trifexis we found out that the rescue was using us so we are quitting and need to move what we have and we have a lot 2 for 100 any size plus shipping only in the great usa please help me move this all good dates a lot of it is 2018 please help my email is foster355@gmail.com please and thank you This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by matt f .

September 28, 2015 at 2:14 am #78794Report Abuse Melissa KMember Please do your research on this product!!

We did not and now we are faced with a terrible situation. We have a beautiful, gentle 2 year old golden retriever that lives in a household with multiple young children, in a neighborhood with even more and our yard boarders a elementary school where the children come visit her daily. Our dog has been the most passive easy going animal until one week after we administrated the Bravecto. Within a week after we gave her the med I witnessed her turn her lip up at a 12 year old for absolutely no reason. Three weeks later she was involved in a scuffle with another nonaggressive dog, and the following day bit a 4 year old who required stitches in his hand. She also experienced prolonged diarrhea and excessive salivation to the point that it woke me up at night. The ONLY thing that changed in her life was this drug. The drug has now worn off presumably, and she seems to be back to her normal self, but as her owners with young kids we are struggling to trust her again and are considering rehoming her where there are only adults. My children are devastated and so are we. I know this may work for some, but please be aware! !Author Posts Viewing 50 posts - 1 through 50 (of 262 total) 1 2 … 6 →The topic ‘Bravecto (chewable flea and tick)’ is closed to new replies.

y Fleas removed from their host will die of starvation within four days. Young fleas that haven’t fed can live slightly longer without a blood meal, around one week. Pre-emerged adults, remaining inside their cocoons, can enter into a dormant-like state. They can survive for up to 155 days without feeding.

How long can fleas live without host blood?

How long can fleas live without host blood? Summar

Details Adults within Cocoons After pupating, adult fleas can remain quiescent (dormant-like) within their cocoons for an extended period of time. Their metabolic activity is slowed down, allowing them to survive without food. Depending on ambient temperature, cocoon emergence can be delayed as long as five months. However, the quiescence quickly ends once a nearby host is detected. Emerged, Unfed Adults After emerging from their cocoons, adult cat fleas must quickly find a host. Without blood, they’ll die of starvation within a week in normal household conditions Fig 1.95°F 80°F 60°F2 33 50 75 92 10002.557.51012.51517.52022.52527.53032.53537.540Fig 1 Days it takes (y-axis) for 90% of newly-emerged, unfed adult fleas to die at various relative humidity percentages (x-axis).

Unfed adults can live slightly longer in more favorable, humid environments. They’re capable of surviving as long as 15 days at 75.2°F (24°C) and 78% relative humidity (RH).

And at 72.5°F (22.5°C) and 60% RH, they can live for 12.3 days. The best conditions for survival occur in cool, very humid environments. Some unfed fleas have been observed to live for up to 40 days. In one experiment, 62% of emerged adults survived up to 70 days in cool, saturated air.

These conditions rarely occur within homes or natural environments. Fleas Removed from their Host Malnourishment Fleas quickly begin feeding once a host is acquired, often in less than a minute. After 24 hours of feeding, a previously unfed flea will nearly double in weight and triple in soluble protein content. When removed from the host and starved for 12 hours, all of the gained weight and most of the protein is lost.

Thus, fleas must feed at least every 12 hours in order to stay well-nourished. Blood Dependency & Starvation Fleas typically die of starvation within four days of being removed from their host.

When a young flea acquires a host and begins feeding, it’ll cross a threshold of dependency within a few days. Once this point is reached, the flea requires a constant source of blood for survival. One study observed previously unfed fleas. When the fleas fed from a host for five days, and were then removed, death occurred within 2-4 days.

When the feeding time was restricted to 12 hours, the fleas didn’t reach the point of dependency, and some lived as long as 14 days after being removed from the host. Females Starve Sooner than Males Fleas are anautogenous, which means they require host blood to successfully mate and reproduce. And females need a blood meal before every egg deposition. As a result, actively reproducing females must feed continually in order to keep their metabolism in balance for egg production.

These females may die in as little as 24 hours after host removal. References Have an unrelated question?ask a question Discussion Name Email Commentgeorge July 7, 2016, 2:35 pm Our house is flee infested and has been for a long time, is it possible to leave our house for a week to starve them from blood, can anyone contribute some constructive ideas to help rid our house of flees.

HELP. Reply Link Adam Retzer July 8, 2016, 8:35 pm Hi George. Sorry to hear about your flea problem. Unfortunately, leaving the house for a week won’t end the infestation or starve the fleas. After adult fleas acquire a host, they stay there.

So, most adult fleas live permanently on pets. Additionally, adult fleas only make up 1-5% of the total infestation. The remaining 95-99% are eggs, larvae, and pupae. In most circumstances, these immature stages live in carpeting.

Even after proper treatment is in place, it can take 8 weeks (or longer) for all the immature stages to become adults and die. Possibly the biggest challenge in dealing with fleas is the pre-emerged adult stage. After pupating, adults can remain in their cocoons for up to 5 months.

They enter into a quiescent (dormant-like) state, waiting to detect a nearby host before they wake up and emerge. View our page on How to Get Rid of Fleas. (I apologize the formatting is poor right now, as the site is being redesigned).

Reply Link Alicia May 14, 2017, 8:00 am Hello George I lived with a horrofic suituation which caused our home to be infested over 2 years so i can imagine what your going through…I learnt that there is a lot misinformation online about ways to eliminate fleas & about fleas themselves….

Im new to this site & cant see a date of when your post was but if your still fighting that battle im more than willing to share anything that may help, but i really do hope your battle is over. Alicia Reply Link Sarah Colsrud August 2, 2017, 7:26 am I had 2 cats. Now the house has the fleas… What to do ?

Reply Link Adam Retzer August 13, 2017, 4:35 pm Visit our page on how to get rid of fleas for more info Reply Link Crystal August 12, 2017, 6:08 am Hi Alicia, im in a bad situation. Ive tried all the trick, traps, and even had someone come spray our home. Ive been dealing with this about 3 weeks.

We do not have any animals anymore. Also we have had to leave and stay with family . Ive put down many things and cant seem to be working like i hoped it would. I put sault, the dawn in a plate of water in many rooms. Ive been so upset over it, its made me sick .

Any advice of how to help befor i go back for the fist time to day its 8:05 here ib sweet home. I cant go back untill 4pm. Ive been to my home about every day but the last 72 hours like the exterminator tell me to do. Please HELP!!

I HAVE A 9 YEAR OLD GIRL THAT IS SAD AND SCARED. Reply Link Tara July 17, 2016, 5:35 pm There is some kind of flea like insect in my basement… My dog doesn’t enter the basement and what ever this is it burns and hurts when it bites, it leaves little red dots but goes away in like 20 minutes… Very curious…Reply Link Adam Retzer July 17, 2016, 9:21 pm Tara, that is curious.

Based on the bite reaction, it doesn’t sound like fleas. Flea bites don’t subside in 20 minutes. The bite reaction typically lasts a few days, and gets very itchy on the second day.

Reply Link Kim July 24, 2016, 10:48 pm I have fleas in my basement. My dog and cat have been treated and don’t go in the basement.

I have a litter box down there but it rarely used. My basement is partially finished, meaning there are walls. I have 3 areas only using the laundry room, the rest is just storage. We bombed the laundry area about 10 days ago and when I went down there today, it was just as bad as before.

Am I wrong in thinking that even without the bomb they should have died with no food source? Reply Link Adam Retzer July 25, 2016, 9:26 pm Kim,Adult fleas which have previously fed often die within 10 days of being removed from their host. However, as the article mentions, they can survive slightly longer if they haven’t fed yet. Still, the bug bomb likely had a significant effect on killing the emerged adults.

Keep in mind, 95-99% of fleas are in immature stages (eggs, larvae, and pupae). These stages eventually mature and emerge as adults, which may be what you’re seeing.

Immature stages are also more resistant to adulticides (e.g. the bug bomb). If there aren’t animals in the basement, the fleas won’t have food and won’t be to able to survive or reproduce. They’ll die out on their own eventually. But you may have to be patient, waiting for all the immature stages fully mature and perish. And, cocooned pre-emerged adults sometimes go quiescent for up to 5 months, waiting to detect a host before emerging. As an extra precaution, ensure that urban wildlife aren’t seeking refuge in your basement, as they can harbor fleas.

Common examples are feral cats, opossums, and raccoons. Reply Link Terry August 1, 2016, 1:58 am I placed foggers in my basement, more than required and it did nothing. I had the bug guy spray. Nothing. He suggested putting Borax down so I have and still there are fleas.

I know that salt in carpet dries up the eggs and that has worked. If you do not flea comb your pets every morning and night, you will never get ahead.

Place the fleas in soapy water. I roll them between my fingers to break their legs so they can’t jump out of the water and they drown immediately.

Eggs put in the soapy water immediately turn to blood so you know that next generation – won’t be!Reply Link Alicia May 14, 2017, 1:41 pm Fleas are attracked to light & heat, try putting candles in the middle of the area (if its quit big or has lots of stuff placed place some in different areas) fleas will jump into the flame, they can miss so maybe sprinkle some Borax (lab grade) on the floor before placing the candles its not an instant resolve to a flea problem as nothing is but it will help.

Reply Link Keith August 19, 2016, 6:20 am I gave my dogs to my sister because I can’t take care of them with my new work schedule. On the second day, I’ve realized that my living room is now full of fleas without a host. What can I do or buy to get rid of them?

I wont be having any pets for a long time, no kids and I’m pretty much living alone so I don’t mind if I have to buy something so strong that even if I lick the floor, I’ll end up dead.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Reply Link Adam Retzer August 21, 2016, 9:50 pm Adult fleas live on hosts and rarely leave. They make up 1-5% of infestations. Eggs, larvae and pupae live in carpets. Immature stages make up 95-99% of the population.

The adults you’re seeing are emerging from carpets and looking for a host. They’ll soon die off without host blood for sustenance and reproduction. The main problem you’ll need to address is the immature stages. Without a host, these stages will go away on their own as well.

However, it will take up to 8 weeks for them to be completely eradicated, as they still have most of their life cycle to develop through. Vacuum at least every other day, especially in areas where the dogs liked resting. Vacuuming removes some (not all) eggs, larvae, and pupae.

It also forces cocooned adults to emerge. The vacuum’s pressure and heat makes fleas think a host is nearby, so they emerge. Without this trigger, they can remain cocooned and quiescent for up to 5 months. Conventional insecticides aren’t too effective on carpets against fleas.

This is mainly because they live deep within the fibers, where sprays can’t penetrate. And generally, pre-adult stages are less vulnerable to pesticides than emerged adults. Insect growth regulators (IGR) are a better option. They be sprayed onto carpets to kill the immature stages. These compounds mimic the naturally occurring hormones in insects, specifically the hormones which deal with development.

When eggs and larvae are exposed to an IGR, they’re unable to complete their metamorphosis into adults. Common IGR ingredients are pyriproxyfen (Nylar) and (s)-methoprene (Precor). Most premise sprays contain an adulticide and IGR, such as Precor. However, you can also go with IGR concentrate, forgoing the adulticide. IGRs are considered safer than conventional adulticides, so this may be desirable, especially since you’re mainly targeting the immature stages.

Reply Link Meagan August 23, 2016, 6:42 pm We live in a small apartment and my roomates cat kept getting fleas by leaning on the screens of open windows since we’re in the basement right by the lawn. She just moved out a few days ago and without the cat all the fleas are targetting me. All blood sucking insects seem to love my blood and being the target of these fleas is driving my crazy.

We dont have any carpets nut theyve gotten into our clothes and bedding. I’ve been using spray every few days on all the furniture and deet spray on myself plus a citrus moisturizer since I read they hate the smell but I still have been physically seeing 3+ fleas on me every day for almost a week now.

I usually manage to kill 2 of them a day but it doesnt seem to be helping. We are planning to put 90% of our clothes into garbage bags and throughly washing the 10% we decide to wear for a couple weeks in hopes killing the fleas from our bedroom.

We try to vacuum often but our apartment is so congested its hard to get around all the furniture.

My spouse says he’s had less fleas landing on him by accident than when the cat was here so the population has gone down but now that theyre specifically targetting me I have 50+ bites on my legs and even some on my arms. What more can we do to kill the population? Is there anything else I can use to get them to stop biting me? A specific diet or cream? I used a spray called sergeants and another called sentry that are safe for cats and furniture and comtain pyrethrins and permethrin.

Do these only kill adults that ingest it or are sprayed with it directly?? Thank you very much for your help Reply Link Adam Retzer August 23, 2016, 10:23 pm Sorry to hear you’re getting bitten more.

Luckily, without the cats, you should be flea-free soon. Fleas can’t survive or reproduce on human blood. So, without a pet, the fleas will go away on their own. Fleas become ravenous once the primary host disappears. They’re starving and desperate for blood, so it makes since that you’re getting bit more. Emerged adults will die of starvation in around 7 days.

However, over 95% of the population consists of eggs, larvae, and pupae in the environment. As these pre-adult stages reach maturity, you’ll continue seeing adults emerge (for around 8 weeks).

Adult fleas live on pets, laying eggs there. The eggs fall off within a couple hours, ending up where the hosts frequently rest. Carpeting the most common place to find developing fleas. Pet bedding is also common. Fleas don’t typically develop on clothing or beds.

The exceptions are if clothes are laying on the floor, or if the animals are allowed onto the owner’s bed. That said, washing garments and bedding will kill any fleas on them. The bites on your arms are unusual.

Fleas can only jump to the height of a human ankle. They bite readily without wandering around, and leave the person after feeding. I’d assume you’re getting bitten when sitting on furniture or sleeping in bed. Regarding furniture, remove cushions and pillows, then thoroughly vacuum. Focus on crevices and folds in the fabric. Regarding the bed, launder all the bedding. Afterwards, make sure the sheets aren’t draping down onto the floor.

Normally, fleas can’t get into beds without a pet there. They can’t jump high enough. However, if the sheets hanging near the ground, it gives them a route. To prevent flea bites, it can help to wear long socks and pants. Tuck the pant legs into the socks. Fleas can’t bite through clothing (exceptions are thin, tight-fitting fabrics). For added protection, permethrin clothing repellent can be sprayed onto the garments.

This should help eliminate the need for disagreeable smelling/feeling lotions. I’ve never heard of a specific diet preventing flea bites, or anything similar. The best topical deterrents are standard insect repellent ingredients (DEET, IR3535, or picaridin).

Permethrin and pyrethrins are adulticides. Exposed adult fleas are killed. (By the way, permethrin is highly toxic to cats.) This presents a problem, because adult fleas live permanently on their acquired host. Fleas in the environment are eggs, larvae, and pupae.

Adulticides have little effect on eggs. They have limited effect on larvae and pupae. And this effect is greatly diminished, because pre-adult stages are found deep within carpeting where sprays can’t penetrate well. Continue vacuuming, even if it’s difficult with all the obstacles. Vacuuming is one the most effective ways to speed up the eradication process.

You may want to switch to a spray with an insect growth regulator (IGR). IGRs mimic the natural hormones in insects, specifically those regulating development. Exposed eggs and larvae won’t be to able to successfully pupate. IGRs are considered safer than traditional insecticides. Plus they have longer residual activity, persisting for 7 months indoors, which helps prevent re-infestation. Look for the ingredients pyriproxyfen (Nylar) or (s)-methoprene (Precor). Your spray may contain an IGR already.

You can find IGR sprays coupled with adulticides. These are often called premise sprays. Or you can purchase the IGR concentrate, without the adulticide. Reply Link Tran July 5, 2017, 2:35 am Dear Meagan, My apartment having fleas too cuz previous residents having pets. I got bites badly too, about 20 to 30 bites during the first 3 weeks living in this APT. I called Pet Control company to spray my APT, but the fleas had still survived and I got some more bite.

Now I rarely get bites from fleas cuz I have followed my own methods as below: 1) I used to take shower twice a day, clean my body with soap.

And using some pieces of lemon to rub on red spots where you got bites…cuz lemon has an acid will kill bacteria, then apply hydrocortisone on red spots afterward…do this everyday when you feel itchy … It will help to reduce itchy. 2)apply baking soda (buy from cvs or other stores) on your carpet and around corner of carpet or hardwood floor, then do a deep vacuum.

3) go to Home Depot or somewhere to buy either plastic sheet cover or weave sheet cover (people usually use to cover the floor for painting the house), then cover all of your floor, the fleas does not like to live on top of the plastic or weave sheet cover, then you will get reduced bites.

Check to see if there are some fleas jump on top/surface of the white plastic cover, use wet towel paper to kill them… They are easy to be seen on top of the white plastic cover since they are black. After I have done these above method, currently I don’t get bites any more. I still have seen 2 or 3 fleas dying on the hardwood place near the front door every day.

I don’t know why they are dying every day and not biting/attacking me any more… Good luck, Tran2)Reply Link Christi August 25, 2016, 2:42 pm I have seen no signs of fleas in our home, and our dog is treated with Advantix. However, the other evening, I noticed my dog suddenly attacking herself as if she were being bitten.

I bathed her, where I found one flea and a lot of flea poop, and then re-treated her with her Advantix. I have vacuumed my house thoroughly, and washed all blankets and pillows on which the dog lies. Our entire house is (unfortunately) carpeted – have I done enough to get rid of the flea issue?

Now that my dog has been bathed and retreated with her pesticide (I suspect it may have washed off in the pool), will she continue to fend off the new generations, eventually killing off the entire population, or should I suspect the fleas around here have become immune to Advantix?

Are we going to require some assistance from Orkin, or the like? And for future reference, as soon as I can get rid of all this carpeting, what do you recommend we do in the event of fleas, but with no carpeting present?

Please help, my sanity depends on it! I have 3 children at home, and don’t have time to lose myself in basically picking eggs out of my 2400sqft of carpet. Why, oh why, is carpeting even a thing?! I’m already starting to freak out!Reply Link Adam Retzer August 26, 2016, 10:21 pm It sounds like you have taken all the correct procedures.

And you’ve been proactive, so you shouldn’t be dealing with much of an infestation. Contacting an exterminator shouldn’t be necessary. Advantix and other flea drops (Advantage II, and Frontline) are “water-proof”. Still, it’s recommended not to bathe, or let pets swim, more than once weekly.

It’s possible for the treatment it to lose it’s effectiveness with continued submersion in water. Fleas currently show no signs of resistance to the modern adulticides used in flea drops (e.g. imidacloprid in Advantix). There have been multiple studies done on this. Advantix also contains an insect growth regulator (pyriproxyfen) which will sterilize female fleas.

They can’t lay viable eggs even if they survive the adulticide. Thus, it’s unlikely that new generations will survive in your home. We’re in the heart of flea season right now. Your dog probably picked up the flea outside. Perhaps the Advantix just hadn’t killed the flea you found yet, as it can take many hours.

Regardless, retreating your dog should provide sufficient protection now, for both control and prevention. Continue using the flea drops every 30 days, for the recommended duration on the packaging (often 3 to 4 months).

Flea drops alone can end an infestation, though concurrent vacuuming is strongly recommended. Continue vacuuming regularly. Vacuuming is an important part of flea control, as it removes some of the immature stages and emerging adults from the carpets. It doesn’t sound like you’re dealing with many fleas, but this is still a good preventative measure.

Focus on areas where your dog rests. Without carpets, areas where immature fleas can develop are limited. Some of the common locations include rugs, pet beds, and kennels. Larvae may also survive in floorboard cracks or crevices around baseboards.

Vacuuming/mopping is useful on non-carpeted areas. Pet beds and rugs can be laundered. Reply Link Christi August 29, 2016, 2:38 pm Thank you so much! Per a recommendation I saw on someone else’s post on here, I decided to also spray the carpeting with Precor. We have yet to treat, as I’m waiting for this to arrive in the mail, but I’m assuming this might be considered overkill, which is fine by me!I have a new question, however.

I’m noticing little white things in my dog’s bed (probably in the carpet, too, but they’re tiny and would be well hidden).

They’re not soft or smooth, which is what I’ve read about flea eggs. They’re hard, and look like little half pieces of rice, actually. What might those be? Reply Link Adam Retzer August 29, 2016, 11:11 pm Treating carpets with an IGR, like (s)-methoprene found in Precor, is always good idea.

Not only will it help end a current infestation more rapidly, but the IGR will remain residually active for 7 months indoors, preventing re-infestation. I’m not sure what those white things are in your dog’s bed. It doesn’t sound like they’re flea related.

As you mentioned, the eggs are smooth and collapse when pressed. Larvae are mobile and also soft-bodied. It’s possible that they’re flea cocoons or naked pupae. However, these stages usually aren’t white. The lion’s share of pupae develop in cocoons. Larvae spin sticky silk-like material around them, and because it’s sticky, debris from the environment adheres and camouflages it.

Finding cocoons is very difficult. Reply Link Cassie November 18, 2016, 11:52 pm Christi, the white rice-like things are tapeworms, which the pet can get when they ingest fleas because the fleas carry tapeworm. You can easily treat the tapeworm with a pill, but if you aren’t rid of the fleas, then you may need to treat for the tapeworm more than once.

Link Maxine October 12, 2017, 6:50 pm The white things that look like rice are tape worm segments. That is how they spread. They came out of your dogs anus. The fleas can give your dog tape worms.

You need to get a tape worm wormer from your vet. Regular wormer won’t get rid of tape worms. Link Karen September 29, 2017, 4:03 pm Christi, You might want to put some of the white rice looking things in a baggie and take them to your vet.

They should be able to tell you what they are. I have heard that some worms looks like that but I didn’t think they were hard. Good luck Reply Link Sheri August 29, 2016, 4:30 am My dog used to have fleas. In December when I sold my house I put everything in storage until April.

Now almost September I have found 4 or 5 fleas. I got rid of all my rugs all my furniture except for my bed and a chair. Is there a chance that I still have them?? I’m so frustrated! Why would I just now be getting them if I haven’t seen any since I moved. Please help!! !Reply Link Adam Retzer August 30, 2016, 12:30 am Hi Sheri,It’s highly unlikely that the fleas survived on your belongings in storage for that long.

Pre-emerged adults, the most hardy life stage, can only remain quiescent and survive for up to 5 months. Plus, most immature fleas live in carpets and pet beds. Though, some can be found on rugs and furniture.

The fleas you’re currently seeing are likely from a completely new infestation, acquired from your dog while outdoors. We’re in the midst of flea season right now. Unfortunately, it sounds like you’re dealing with a new flea problem. Reply Link Alicia May 14, 2017, 1:48 pm Fleas can remain in pupae stage for a year & rare cases even longer.

Reply Link Sherry September 10, 2016, 9:50 am I have used every home remedies from Lemons to Apple cider nothing works it’s a lie to get you to buy these products I know I have tried them all on my Shih Tzu the fleas live him he must have a certain type of skin cause there will be over 50 on him an I had to put the little guy outside my home was getting to many fleas, no I can’t get rid of them.

Help! What to do, Does bombs really work? I am running out of options Reply Link Adam Retzer September 10, 2016, 10:15 am Hello Sherry,Natural remedies, even if they did work, rarely take into account the entire flea life cycle.

Adult fleas only account for 1-5% of the total population and live permanently on their host. 95-99% of the infestation are eggs, larvae, and pupae living in the carpets. If these pre-adult stages aren’t targeted, they’ll mature and continue emerging from carpets to infest the dog. Bug bombs may work, depending on the ingredients. However, a better option is to use a spray that can be directed specifically at the carpets.

You’ll want to find a spray with an insect growth regulator. Look for the ingredients pyriproxyfen (Nylar) or (s)-methoprene (Precor). For more information, please visit our page on How to Get Rid of Fleas. It goes into the detail on how to effectively eliminate fleas.

Reply Link Devonia September 15, 2016, 12:54 pm First time ever with fleas, we moved from Hawaii to Georgia yard had fleas day one. We fogger the house 4 cans upstairs in 3 downstairs. Now I see tiny fleas have used vinger spraying Please Help!! !Reply Link Adam Retzer September 15, 2016, 3:15 pm I’m sorry to hear about your flea problem, Devonia.

Please see our page on How to get rid of fleas for a comprehensive guide. Unfortunately, your current control methods have a slim chance of getting rid of the fleas.

Reply Link Katie September 20, 2016, 10:43 am We received a hand me down baby bouncy seat. We had it in our possession for at least for months, 3 months at a new home. We kept it in a room that has been used infrequently, and we have no pets. When we decided we didn’t want the chair we gave it to friends who have a cat.

During the time we brought it over they had lots of guest coming and going from their house and soon had a flea problem. The pest control thought the fleas originated from this chair, saying most of the fleas or flea activity was on it.

I am concerned we may have a problem with cocoons, larvae, and eggs. We have noticed no fleas, once a few months ago i had weird bites around my ankle, but i was told they were chigger bites and once treated with nail polish they went away.

My husband has never had any bites, nor my newborn. Nor the two guests who slept in that room on two different weekends.

Or our niece who played with the toy. Or myself when i put the toy back together. I guess my question is what constitutes as a “nearby host”? Is it only a cat who may be spending significant time directly on the chair- in their situation. Or is it unlikely it came from that toy/our home. I called pest control and they told me to vacuum the room and put a shallow bowl with water/dish soap and light- so i am currently doing that trap.

Also, myself and my husband spent lots of time on the floor puttinf together furniture, going through baby clothes, we both even fell alseep on the floor for an hour or so. I should also mention i recieved many things from the same friend who gave me the bouncy chair. Thank you in advance!

Katie Reply Link Adam Retzer September 21, 2016, 1:32 pm Hello Katie. It’s highly unlikely that the chair was the cause of your friend’s flea problem.

First, you don’t have pets. Second, you don’t have fleas (haven’t noticed fleas). Third, it’s doubtful that fleas would survive 3 months on an item like that, even if they got on it in the first place. Fourth, we are in the midst of peak flea season right now. September and October are the worst months for fleas in the United States.

In all likelihood, your friend’s infestation came from a nearby outdoor source. One of their many guests coming and going probably brought in a flea and it quickly reproduced. They are seeing fleas around the baby bouncy seat because it’s likely to be on the floor in a bedroom or living room, where the cat spends a lot of time.

This is where fleas develop. It doesn’t sound you like have fleas. You should be in the clear, and don’t need to take any precautionary steps. Your friend’s infestation likely didn’t come from the chair you gave them. It sounds like they are frustrated by the appearance of the fleas and are looking for something/someone to blame.

A nearby host in homes is most often a cat or dog. But the stimuli that trigger cocoon emergence are heat and physical pressure. So, any warm-blooded animal resting on the cocoon would trigger emergence. People walking on carpets can cause emergence, as well as vacuuming. Reply Link Katie September 21, 2016, 8:58 pm Thank you so much! That was kind of what i thought/hoped.

But seeing we recieved the chair from a friend who has pets and lives on a farm, and cocoons can last uo to 5 months without a host, plus those weird bites i got one time. I thought that it may be possible. I really appreciate your help with this! Guess I can cancel my pest control apt?

Reply Link Adam Retzer September 23, 2016, 2:49 pm No problem. I don’t think you need any pest control, as it doesn’t sound like you have fleas.

Reply Link TRACY September 29, 2016, 11:35 am I have two dogs that slept in my unfinished concrete basement, they are treated for fleas and have not been in my house for over two months. And we are have a huge problem with fleas in my basement, we have had orkin treat the area 3 times and we still get fleas daily in the homemade water/light traps we have made…how is it possible there are fleas down there when no one or animal is ever in the basement?

I’m going crazy over this…HELPReply Link Adam Retzer September 29, 2016, 3:08 pm So the treated dogs were sleeping in the basement? How often do they sleep in the basement? What were they treated with? I’m not sure what’s meant when you say “no one or animal is ever in the basement”, when you also say your dogs sleep there.

It’s possible that urban wildlife have taken refuge in the basement and initiated an infestation. Raccoons, opossums and feral cats are common hosts of cat fleas. If an infested animal enters the basement, it won’t take long before an infestation starts. Each female flea lays around 25 eggs a day.

The eggs are laid on the host, but fall off within a few hours. Immature fleas develop in the environment. Even after proper treatment is in place, fleas will continue emerging for many weeks. Immature stages make up 95-99% of the infestation and are somewhat resistant to chemical treatments.

The flea life cycle, from egg to adult, often completes in 17 to 26 days. Though, as this article mentions, pre-emerged adults can stay quiescent for up to 5 months. Reply Link Tracy September 29, 2016, 3:23 pm Sorry that was confusing, my dogs slept in my basement up until two months ago when we noticed fleas down there.

They are treated with nexgaurd chewable tablets and bathed frequently. Since the fleas were spot I moved the dogs to our garage not attached to my house and I have made my family avoid the basement, hoping to keep the problem in the basement.

I’m just confused as to where they could be living there or laying dormant, we have vacuumed multiple times as well…any ideas what we could do to eliminate them?

I have little kids I hate orkin spraying all these chemicals in my home. Thanks in advance!Reply Link Adam Retzer September 30, 2016, 2:04 pm If all animals are kept out of the basement, the fleas will go away on their own. 5 months is the maximum they can survive. However, most will die within a month. You can speed up the process by continuing to vacuum.

Flea larvae seek refuge in dark areas. They actively avoid light. Plus, larvae require adult flea feces (flea dirt) for nutrition. Thus, focus the vacuuming on areas where debris collects on the floor. Common areas would be cracks in the concrete, corners of the room, or crevices near baseboards.

You may want to contact Orkin and ask if they sprayed an insect growth regulator (IGR), such as pyriproxyfen (Nylar) or methoprene (Precor). These compounds mimic natural insect hormones and prevent immature fleas from maturing into adults.

Plus, they stay active for longer than conventional insecticides. An IGR will remain effective for 7 months indoors. If they didn’t spray one, you can purchase IGR concentrate relatively cheaply, for example Martin’s IGR on Amazon.

Reply Link ME ? ???? September 30, 2016, 7:10 pm Hi, I don’t understand! I live with my parents and our pets have fleas and they turn down my ideas of vaccuming everyday, using flea combs, using flea bombs, and checking our pets for fleas everyday.

They don’t think it’s a big deal at all and they say,” Oh we have had a MAJOR flea problem in South Carolina with our past dog and we had to call an exterminator all the time,” and things along the line of that.

They go about their day like nothing has happened! They haven’t even taken our cat to the vet to get not over the counter flea medicine!! How can I convince them we need to take more action? Reply Link Adam Retzer October 1, 2016, 3:48 pm I’m not sure I can help much.

It sounds like they don’t mind having a flea infestation. The best argument you can make is that it isn’t fair to your pets. Adult fleas live permanently on the host once it’s acquired, and they are continually feeding. This bites cause a lot of discomfort for the animal, especially if they have flea allergy dermatitis.

It’s also possible for the fleas to be vectors for disease. Reply Link Stacie October 2, 2016, 8:12 pm I am having a problem with cat fleas in my house. I have 3 cats, one of them goes outside and bright the fleas back in with him. They are all now treated with advantage ll.

I have 2 questions for you. 1. I found what I think is fleas on my daughters heads, both on different days, but both of the fleas I found where very big compared to all the other ones I have been finding either on the cats or in the house.

Could these be a different kind of flea? Or could they just be feeding off my daughters heads? My second question is once the cats are treated and I’m vacuuming every day about 3 times a day everything is being washed, the sheets and blankets and pillows, if the cats still have eggs on them, are the eggs dead or are they still alive and going to hatch?

And once they do hatch if I don’t get them all will they eventually die off because the cats are treated? Thanks for your time I’m really hoping for some kind of answer with this, I’ve never had fleas before so I’m lost here.

Reply Link Adam Retzer October 3, 2016, 4:00 pm Fleas don’t usually go in people’s hair. However, they may if the cats rest on the person’s bed, or if the person lays on the floor.

When fleas bite people, they leave immediately afterwards. So, though they may bite, they won’t be living in your daughter’s hair. Fleas are often close to the same size, regardless of the species that infest domestic settings. This website focuses on cat fleas ( C. felis ), which is by far the most common species. There are human fleas ( P. irritans ), but they are much more rare. If what you found is “very big” compared to the other fleas, then they may not be fleas at all.

View our article: How big are fleas. Advantage II contains the active ingredient pyriproxyfen (Nylar). This is an insect growth regulator (IGR). IGRs mimic natural insect hormones that regulate development. When adult females are exposed to an IGR, they’ll become sterile. When eggs (and larvae) are exposed to an IGR, they won’t be able to complete their metamorphosis into adults. It’s possible that some of the females/eggs will avoid exposure to the IGR on the pet. That’s why vacuuming and laundering is important as well.

This is also why it may be a good idea to spray the carpets with an IGR. For example, Precor premise spray contains an adulticide and IGR. You can also find the IGR alone in concentrate form, if you don’t want to spray conventional insecticides inside your home. If the eggs do survive to adulthood, they will eventually jump onto the treated cats, and then they will die. This is why it’s important to continue treating the cats for the recommended duration on the packaging.

If there is a lapse in treatment, or if the treatment is halted early, then this will give the few surviving fleas a chance to procreate. If the cats don’t sleep on your bedding, or are restricted from entering bedrooms, then you won’t need to launder your bedding. However, laundering rugs and pet beds weekly is still advisable. Reply Link ALICIA October 3, 2016, 12:25 pm Please help!

I have a vacant house. We have been remodeling for a year and 1/2. However, 2 months ago, my husband decided to let the neighbor’s feral cat in and feed it. He was roaming through our house for about 15 minutes on 3 different occasions. I know for a fact it has fleas, because our neighbor said it did.

At this time, all the floors are concrete (awaiting new carpet and hardwood), except the tile in the kitchen. Some of the baseboards are also pulled up because they are to be replaced. We have not worked at the house for 2 months after my husband let the cat in. However, this weekend we worked over there for 5 hours. I noticed a couple of bites on my legs, but no one else noticed anything.

What are the chances that eggs fell off this cat in his 3 quick visits, and how do I get rid of any kid of infestation on concrete flooring if I can’t vacuum every day? I also read that concrete is absorbs sprays and won’t leave a residual. I am also treating our current house and have had exterminators out 2 times. I need to make sure the bites aren’t from our current house. They used Ultracide with IGR and we vacuumed for 14 days everyday, then resprayed per directions and have vacuumed everyday again, but we are only 1 week into the 2nd spray.

We have not had any bites since the first spray, that’s why I’m scared it came from the vacant house? Please help! I’m scared to lay new floors in case these little boogers are laying dormant and decide to pop out after the new carpet and hardwood is laid. Reply Link Adam Retzer October 3, 2016, 4:17 pm It’s possible that eggs fell from the infested cat when it entered your home.

However, the eggs will have a difficult time developing on concrete or tiled floors. Upon hatching, the larvae also require adult flea feces (flea dirt) to consume or they’ll starve. So the flea dirt would have had to fall from the cat along with eggs, in the same locations. Fleas need a host for the infestation to continue.

Once they reach adulthood, in 17-26 days, the majority will starve within a couple weeks. However, the quiescent (dormant-like) cocooned adults may survive for a maximum for 5 months. Though you can’t vacuum daily, it may be a good idea to vacuum when you visit the house. Focus on areas where debris collects, such as cracks in the floor or crevices near baseboards.

Utlracide contains the IGR pyriproxyfen. A study showed that pyriproxyfen remains residually active on a variety of construction materials (wood, metal and concrete).

Reply Link ALICIA October 5, 2016, 6:57 am So, when you say the quiescent (dormant-like) cocooned adults may survive for 5 months…..does that mean that eggs actually hatched, went through the larva stage, and then went into the cocoon stage? I’m just trying to find out how realistic that this would have happened from a cat walking through a few times. So if they never had a host there, most would starve, so how would there be any that could go into a cocooned stage?thank you so much, these fleas are driving me crazy!Reply Link Adam Retzer October 5, 2016, 4:12 pm Yes, the quiescent pre-emerged stage comes after metamorphosis into an adult.

Here’s how the flea life cycle is roughly broken down: Egg Larva Pupa (in cocoon)Pre-emerged adult (in cocoon)Emerged adult It may not be likely that fleas are developing in the home. But it is possible. If the cat already had fleas when it entered the home, then eggs probably fell in there.

Each female flea lays around 25 eggs a day. The eggs aren’t sticky and fall from the animal within a few hours of being laid. Upon hatching from eggs, the larvae require adult flea feces (which accumulates on the cat and falls off) and other eggs to feed upon. Both of these nutritional components would be available in the environment if the cat rested in one particular location, especially if it groomed there.

Or debris could move around and accumulate in cracks and corners (along with eggs and flea dirt). If the larvae were able to feed, they would eventually pupate into adults. After which, some of the adults may remain inside their cocoons in a quiescent state, waiting for a host. The emerged adults will starve within a week or two. But the cocooned quiescent adults can survive for up to 5 months.

Reply Linkheather October 16, 2016, 8:58 pm This is a great site and I have learned a lot from reading the discussion posts.

But I still have a few questions. My mom was visiting with her dog until about 5 weeks ago. She stays in our basement which is partially finished and the rest is storage. About two weeks ago I noticed I was getting lots of bug bites. Finally a week ago we saw fleas in our living room. We realized that the basement was hopping with fleas, likely from the dog that is no longer here. We put all blankets, pillows, clothes and bedding in the wash. And the clean stuff is being kept in bags so no fleas can get back in.

I have vacuumed everything and everywhere I can everyday. We have small children so I didn’t want to use any chemicals to treat for fleas unless absolutely necessary.

So I covered all the floors with diatomaceous earth. I left it in upper levels for 12-24 hours before vacuuming. We see only maybe 2 fleas day upstairs now and I don’t know if I have more bites because I have so many I don’t know if they are new.

Our biggest problem is the basement. the basement has been covered with diatomaceous earth for 4 days now and every time we go down there (using the pants tucked into sock trick) there are fleas on us. It’s less than before. Now it might be 5-6 each trip down to do laundry but I am not looking at my feet the whole time.

But they are still there. The diatomaceous earth doesn’t seem to be killing them. And I am really worried about all the stuff in storage and all the places they could be laying eggs that I cannot get to with the vacuum.

We have a lot of stuff crammed in the storage areas. I have a dehumidifier down there to lower the humidity to hopefully dry out the eggs. All this extra work every day is a lot of stress. What else can I do? Do I need to call pest control or will things start to resolve soon? How can I kill the larvae in hard to reach places? Reply Link Adam Retzer October 17, 2016, 5:11 pm Heather, thanks for the compliments on the site.

The fleas are likely starving to death and are thus becoming ravenous, causing them to immediately jump onto and bite you upon entering the basement. The good news is that fleas can’t survive and reproduce without a pet in your home. You don’t need to worry about them laying new eggs or infesting anything in storage.

Diatomaceous earth is lauded online as an effective natural solution for killing fleas. However, there haven’t been any studies done to prove this. It probably has a moderate efficacy at best. Regardless, without pets, the fleas will die out on their own in your home.

In your situation, vacuuming is all that’s necessary and you won’t need to use chemicals. The fleas should be gone soon. The flea life cycle, from egg to adult, completes in 17 to 26 in days. So the last eggs laid in your home should have reached adulthood already.

The main problem is the pre-emerged adult stage. Cocooned adults can stay quiescent (dormant-like) for up to 5 months while waiting for a host. They’ll immediately emerge upon detecting heat and physical pressure (indicative of a host). Vacuuming is a good way to force cocooned adults to emerge, and it will then suck them up when they do.

Also, as you’ve noticed, walking around with the pants and tucked socks is also a good way to force cocooned adults to emerge. They’ll jump onto you and can then be killed. Using a dehumidifier isn’t an effective control measure, because immature stages develop in micro-habitats with their own regulated micro-environments.

The larvae actively seek out dark, humid, protected areas. And, in your case, the immature stages should all be gone by now. Hope this helps! Warm regards, Adam Reply Link Heather October 17, 2016, 7:49 pm Thank you SOOO much for your quick response! My original message was still on my phone for some reason so I just resubmitted it and then I saw your response so you can disregard that.

As for your response. Great info, but if you are able to stick with me, I have some follow up questions. If the fleas are biting me, won’t I be providing the blood they need to reproduce and begin the life cycle all over again?

Also, I have read that adult fleas can go 7 months without feeding again. Is that true?? Although I suppose the vacuuming will eventually get them. And to get the cocooned fleas to reemerge, I can try working my way through boxes in the basement and throwing stuff in the dryer to get them to emerge.

Would spraying some steam in boxes of stuff that I cannot put into the dryer also work? I also got some of the electric flea traps. I can move them around to see if that helps. they have caught about 40 fleas so far although I still have fleas jump on me within feet of the traps so maybe that doesn’t work so well.

I am seeing a glimmer of hope here. Thank you so much Adam!Reply Link Adam Retzer October 18, 2016, 1:14 pm Fleas can’t survive and reproduce on human blood. Without pets, a flea infestation can’t continue. After adult fleas emerge from their cocoons, they’ll die of starvation within a week or two.

They can’t survive for 7 months without eating. The only stage that can survive for an extended period of time (up to 5 months) is the cocooned pre-emerged adult in a quiescent stage. Flea eggs fall from infested animals, and in most circumstances develop somewhere on the ground. It’s doubtful that the eggs fell onto the items in your storage boxes.

The exception would be if an infested animal laid on the items, which would give the eggs a chance to fall there. If you truly believe fleas have developed on these stored items, than laundering them will kill the fleas.

Steaming will also likely have a detrimental effect on the fleas. Flea traps aren’t all that effective for controlling fleas.

They are useful for assessing flea populations, and for determining when the infestation is over. That said, the traps are useful for attracting and trapping some of the emerging fleas, so there will be less to jump onto you when you enter the basement.

Reply Link Heather October 18, 2016, 6:05 pm Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Reading all the other sites I have encountered over the past few weeks were really freaking me out, well that and the fleas themselves. Your advice is thorough and very comforting! Wish I had found this site first! Thank you!! !Link Candice October 20, 2016, 4:32 pm I am 6 months pregnant, and my cat has fleas that are now biting me.

Doyou have any suggestions for treating my cat and home for fleas safely? Reply Link Adam Retzer October 20, 2016, 5:20 pm I’ve never read anything saying that topical flea treatments, if used properly, are unsafe for pregnant women.

However, if you want to completely forgo using chemical treatments, then the best procedures you can take are: Removing all fleas from the cat with a flea comb daily Vacuuming every other day Laundering rugs and pet bedding weekly If it isn’t a light infestation, then these steps may not be enough.

You may want to consider spraying the carpets with an insect growth regulator (IGR), such as Martin’s IGR.

IGRs are considered safer than traditional insecticides, because they mimic natural insect hormones, specifically those that regulate development. Exposed eggs and larvae won’t be able to reach adulthood. Keep in mind, only 1-5% of the fleas are adults. And they live on the cat. The other 95-99% are eggs, larvae and pupae in the environment. Both the cat and the environment need to be dealt with.

If the fleas aren’t removed from the cat, then the females will each lay around 25 eggs a day, which then fall into the environment. If the environment is ignored, then there will always be new adults springing up to infest the cat.

Reply Linkkittycatmeow October 23, 2016, 9:12 amhello my cat has fleas what remedy should I use?!? Reply Link Adam Retzer October 29, 2016, 3:23 pm Check out our page on How to get rid of fleas for a comprehensive guide.

Reply Link Haley October 24, 2016, 6:22 pm I had a cat a few months ago with a flea infestation. She’s since been rehomed and treated, my house was infested. We bombed and treated as much as we could afford, & they’re mostly gone but there are a few strays when it gets warm during the day. It’s been a month or 2 since the peak of infestation but I’m worried that since its cold season they’re only sleeping.

Is there anyway I can get rid of them while they are dormant? Reply Link Adam Retzer October 29, 2016, 3:52 pm You shouldn’t have much of a problem now that the cat is gone.

No life stage has a true dormant or hibernation period related to cold weather. The closest thing are pre-emerged adults, which can go quiescent for up to 5 months while they wait for a host. Once they detect heat and pressure, which indicate a host, they’ll wake up and emerge from their cocoons within seconds.

Vacuuming simulates these host cues and can force the quiescent fleas to emerge. Reply Link Gina November 12, 2016, 12:20 pm I put down my dog almost 2 weeks ago. I’m still seeing flees. Even though, I flee bomb, sprayed flee Raid and pour salt over everything inch of the floor. How long will I continue to see Flees? Reply Link Adam Retzer November 12, 2016, 4:14 pm It usually takes around 8 weeks for the fleas to completely disappear.

Immature stages (eggs, larvae, pupae) make up 95-99% of the infestation and live in carpets. They develop at the base of the carpeting where insecticide treatments can’t penetrate well, so many will avoid being killed. These stages have to emerge as adults and die before the infestation completely ends. The flea life cycle, from egg to adult, completes in 17-26 days in homes.

However, once metamorphosis is complete, the adults can stay quiescent within their cocoons for up to 5 months while they wait for a host. They will emerge within seconds once they detect heat and pressure, which indicate a host resting on the cocoon. Vacuuming is best way to simulate these host cues and force emergence. One of the best ways to speed up the eradication process is vacuuming.

It will remove some of the eggs, larvae, pupae and emerging adults from the carpets. And it will force the pre-emerged adults to emerge from their cocoons.

Reply Link Frank November 17, 2016, 7:23 pm My dog was old and died at home. I went down and the morning about 3 a.m. to check on her because we decided to put her down the next day. When I went to check on her, her body was cool. So I’m assuming that because her body cool down the fleas left from The Host.

Now I have the problem of fleas being in my house and trying to bite on us. How do I fix this problem. Reply Link Adam Retzer November 19, 2016, 5:19 pm I’m sorry to hear about your dog. Yes, the fleas will abandon the host once it dies and the body cools.

They’ll try to find a new host. If you don’t have any other pets in the home, then these fleas will die on their own. Adult fleas usually die of starvation within 2 weeks. Though fleas can’t survive or reproduce on human blood, they will sometimes bite people. A good way to prevent the bites is to wear pants and socks, and then tuck the pant legs into the socks.

Fleas can’t bite through most fabrics. Alternatively, permethrin insect repellent for clothing can be used.95-99% of the flea infestation consists of eggs, larvae and pupae in the environment.

There will eb no new eggs laid, but the immature stages currently in the carpets will need to reach maturity and then die before the infestation completely ends. This usually takes around 8 weeks. Vacuuming regularly is one of the best ways to speed up the eradication process.

These stages live at the base of carpets, so insecticide sprays aren’t all that effective because they can’t penetrate through the fibers. Sprays will kill the emerged adults in the home, but they only make up 1-5% of the population, and they can be removed by vacuuming.

Reply Link Peggy December 5, 2016, 11:01 pm Thank you for this very informative article! There’s a lot of misinformation on the internet regarding flea prevention and control and this article helped to clarify some things for me. Having said that, I’d like your opinion on our situation. While playing with our five month old Havanese puppy about a month ago, I noticed a flea crawling across his exposed belly.

I was able to pluck it out with a pair of tweezers and flush it down the toilet. This was on a Saturday and we couldn’t see our vet until the following Tuesday.

During that time, I saw two smaller fleas crawling around underneath his chin. We bathed him in his regular shampoo, keeping him in the water for a good ten minutes, and saw no fleas.

We also vacuumed the carpet and washed his bedding and toys. When we finally saw the vet, she put him on Advantage Multi and suggested that we spray our house with Siphotrol.

Because we were desperate, we agreed to treat our puppy, even though he was very young and small, and he didn’t react well to the treatment. However for a variety of reasons, we are strongly opposed to the use of pesticides in our home. So we went to route of vacuuming daily with a Dyson vacuum cleaner, washing bedding, toys, area rugs etc.

several times a week and used a combination of diatomaceous earth, salt and baking soda on the carpets upstairs. We bought four Victor flea traps and placed them where we thought there may be fleas and so far, no fleas have been caught.

We thought we were in the clear, but about a week ago (right around the time that the Advantage would have worn off) I noticed flea dirt in our puppy’s bedding. We have decided to get rid of the wall to wall carpeting upstairs and lay engineered hardwood flooring instead.

We have a two story house with a finished, walk out basement (a total of three floors). The upstairs floor has wall-to-wall carpeting but the other two have a combination of hardwood, laminate and tile with area rugs. We keep a very tidy home, with nothing lying around on the floors etc. Our puppy sleeps in a crate on my nightstand, next to our bed.

So here are my questions… -do you think that by removing the carpeting upstairs we will increase our chances of controlling the fleas in our home? -do you have any suggestions around how and when to most effectively remove the carpeting and ensure that no fleas in any stage remain?

(We would of course maintain regular vacuuming, washing of bedding etc. once carpet is removed.) – Given that our puppy is currently being treated, our vet suggested that we let him wander the house, picking up and killing adult fleas as he goes. But I’m wondering if it would be better to limit his activity to the main floor for now. I can carry him up to his crate at night.

I have looked into some highly recommended natural sprays formulated by Dr. Karen Becker (using essential oils etc.) are available for flea prevention, but I’m wondering if that would apply to flea treatment as well.

Or would you suggest that r puppy continue to be treated? If so, for how long? I forgot to add that when we found the flea dirt in our puppy’s bed, we did treat him a second time, so he is currently on Advantage Multi, plus we are washing, cleaning and vacuuming on a regular basis. We live near Toronto, Canada so it is currently cold and fairly dry. We will have the carpet removed within the coming few weeks.

Any other suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!Reply Link Adam Retzer December 7, 2016, 1:45 pm Removing the carpeting will make controlling fleas a bit easier.

But there are still areas of other floor types that fleas can develop in, namely cracks in the flooring, crevices around baseboards, and other areas where debris collects.

If you want to completely avoid using any chemicals in the home, then it sounds like you’re doing everything right for eliminating the fleas (vacuuming and laundering pet bedding). Letting the treated puppy wander the house will help him pick up emerging fleas, and the fleas will then die.

This is especially useful for causing pre-emerged adults to emerge. These stages can otherwise stay dormant for up to 5 months. But they readily emerge when they detect a host resting on the cocoons (heat and pressure). However, vacuuming can also simulate these host cues.

You could quarantine his activity if you wanted, as long as you’re diligent with vacuuming. Natural flea sprays formulated with botanical ingredients, such as essential oils, aren’t proven to be effective. I’ve never been able to find any studies done with these compounds and fleas. The reports of success are all anecdotal.

They may offer some benefit, but I wouldn’t solely rely on them for control. I’d suggest continuing the treatment of Advantage for the recommended duration on the labeling or advice from the veterinarian. Usually this is 3-4 months. Flea infestations take this long to end, because all of the immature stages in the environment need to mature, emerge and die.

Usually this takes at least 8 weeks, sometimes longer. Even with regular vacuuming, laundering, and using insecticide sprays, some of the immature stages will survive. If the pet is untreated, it only takes a couple of fleas to survive and begin laying eggs to continue the infestation. This is also why it’s important not to allow a lapse in monthly treatments. The good news is your infestation sounds to be mild, because you aren’t finding any fleas in the traps.

It shouldn’t be difficult to bring it under control. Reply Link Cindy December 7, 2016, 12:15 am We got my daughters cat about 5 months ago. Right before we got him we baby sat a kitten. She had fleas. My daughters cat was grieving very bad.

We got him because she’s pregnant and was told not healthy to be around. He put himself in her old bedroom where he was last with her. We had no idea he was being pleaged with fleas. He stopped eating and wouldn’t come near us. I would go in the room every day try petting he’s a Maine coon so he’s rather large.

As soon as I realized I treated him and put a light over a bowl of soapy water. I started seeing a few. After I removed him from that room and shut it off with a towel blocking under door. He hasn’t been in that room in 5 months and I go in about every three weeks.

Put new water down and dump well over 50 or more fleas. Nothing has changed its still getting a bowl full and to leave the room my husband sits outside the door with a bowl of soapy water and we pull them off of me usually have atleast 5 on me.

I continue to treat the cat. He won’t even go down the hall way. I’ve got a light in here in the living room and we might get two fleas every month.

I put drops on him every three weeks. He scratches I search him I can’t find any bug he has sores on him from scratching. I don’t know what to do to get rid of them. There in no way slowing down in that closed off room. Help. If my daughter sees him with these sore all over him she will die. He only makes it three weeks after the drops.

He will start looking better feeling better then it hits the third week and he goes to scratching all over. No flea is getting on us at all unless we go in that room. Reply Link Adam Retzer December 7, 2016, 12:53 pm Hello Cindy.

It sounds like the control is working is you aren’t finding any fleas on the cat. As far as eliminating the fleas from the environment, specifically the one room, it would be a good idea to vacuum regularly.

Another option is to spray it with an premise spray, such as Precor 2000. View our article on How to get rid of fleas for a comprehensive overview. Reply Link Alysen December 7, 2016, 5:23 pm Cindy, research Capstar. It’s cheap and amazing. You can now buy it over the counter. Reply Link Valerie December 9, 2016, 3:09 am This is the first time I have experience flea infestation.

I have a 12 years old mini poodle. I’m going crazy, not getting much sleep and constantly thinking about fleas! This happened on the middle of October. While bathing her, I noticed she had a few fleas on her, I thought nothing of it.

A few weeks later, I noticed waking up in the morning, I was getting bites from fleas. She sleep with us in her own bed. So I removed her out of the room and now she’s at the living room. I was using organic flea spray and it wasn’t that much help!

I also treated my dog with advantix and give her a flea bath every two weeks. When I checked her now I’m finding one flea a day. I’m still continually vacuuming my house and especially my room. Then I decided to bomb our room.

It helped a bit but I’m still getting bites from fleas! So I decided to hire a exterminator and he was using a chemical called Zanproc ec? I also noticing when I’m vacuuming I still see fleas after the extermination! Please help!Reply Link Adam Retzer December 12, 2016, 4:19 pm What you’re experiencing is fairly normal. It sounds like the fleas went untreated for a while. This means they were freely reproducing and laying many eggs.

Each female produces around 25 eggs a day. The eggs are a laid on the host, but they aren’t sticky and fall off within a few hours.

When you started treatment, you likely had a large reservoir of developing fleas in your carpets. And eggs, larvae and pupae in the environment account for 95-99% of the total population. The monthly Advantix treatments will kill emerging adults as they jump onto the dog. You may be noticing a flea here or there on the dog, because the treatment doesn’t kill them instantly.

It can take a few hours. However, they will succumb in time, and before they do, the insect growth regular in the Advantix will sterilize the females so they can’t lay eggs. So, there’ll be no new generation to continue the infestation. You’ll just have to contend with fleas already developing in the environment.

The infestation will be over once they all mature, emerge, and die. Usually this takes around 8 weeks, but it can be longer. Unfortunately, applying insecticides won’t be able to kill all the fleas. Most immature stages develop at the base of carpets where sprays can’t penetrate.

The adulticide treatments are most effective at killing emerged and emerging adults, but there won’t be many at any given time.

You’ll likely continue to see fleas emerge from the environment for some weeks, with diminishing numbers as time goes on. Maintain the monthly schedule for Advantix, for the labeled recommended duration. And continue vacuuming regularly. Vacuuming will remove emerging adults, and also forces cocooned adults to emerge (otherwise they could stay quiescent for up to 5 months).

Reply Link Finlay January 11, 2017, 12:58 pm I’ve just moved into a static caravan that’s been empty for some considerable time with no heating on but my dog now has fleas could they have been in the caravan all the time? Reply Link Adam Retzer January 11, 2017, 2:25 pm It depends upon how long the caravan was empty, or how cold it got inside.

The longest fleas could survive is 5-6 months. This extended longevity is due to cocooned adults going quiescent until they detect a host.

And freezing temperatures will kill any flea stage. So, if the caravan was vacant for more than 6 months, or it got to near-freezing temperatures inside, then it’s highly unlikely that the fleas came from the caravan. Reply Link Kellie Bodine January 24, 2017, 11:13 pm Will regular vinager kill fleas, how often should it be used?

Reply Link Adam Retzer January 25, 2017, 5:59 pm Please view our page Does vinegar kill fleas? Reply Link Margherita Cardone January 29, 2017, 5:12 am I apologize I wasn’t done when I accidentally submitted my comments before: I have a 12 and a 10 years old dogs… Since Monday I’ve been also fostering another 2 years old dog… I took my dogs to the vet on Wednesday and the vet noticed between their fur some black “debris” and told me that they had a little bit of fleas…for how long could they had fleas to show this black “debris” (which I supposed is from the cocoons but I am not sure)?

I am trying to figure out how long ago the problem started to determine how bad can the infestation be … They sleep in the bed with me but only tonight I saw the 1st flea…I applied Frontline to all 3 dogs on Wednesday night but I can still see the black “debris” is on them, I didn’t want to give them a bath until be sure the treatment had enough time on them (I know it won’t wash but I don’t want to take the chance to diminish its efficiency).

I am washing or throwing away their beds, my bedding, and so on… I am doing laundry with hot water but I just moved and I don’t have a dryer (will washing still kill fleas in all their stages even though I don’t have a dryer?

)… Only 2 bedrooms have carpet (one is the guest bedroom and we don’t go in there very often) and mine where we sleep… My foster dog is now sleeping on the carpet of my bedroom but after reading about the topic tonight I am not sure if that’s ok or not… Also, for what I understand keeping up the monthly Frontline in all 3 dogs the fleas will eventually be gone but washing and vacuuming will help to accelerate the process…correct?

Should I put baking soda on the carpet before vacuuming or anything else that Pet friendly that you could recommend? My 2 dogs seem to be scratching less while the foster was more bothered yesterday… How do I know if the patio is what it needs an exterminator?

I hear that there are seasons when fleas are more of a problem than others, when? Thank you so much for your help…Reply Link Adam Retzer January 30, 2017, 2:54 pm Hello Margherita,The black debris is actually the fleas’ poop (flea dirt).

It’s hard to know exactly how long the dogs had fleas based on this. Fleas will begin feeding and defecating shortly after acquiring a host. Washing the items should kill any fleas on them, even without the dryer. The hot water, detergent, and vigorous agitation shouldn’t allow any to survive. Frontline alone can end mild to moderate infestations. It quickly kills adult fleas that jump onto the dogs. They won’t have time to lay eggs before succumbing. However, for the infestation to end, all of the immature stages living in the environment need to mature, emerge, and die.

95-99% of the infestation consists of eggs, larvae, and pupae in the environment. So, yes, washing, vacuuming, and other environmental control will greatly speed up the process. Despite what some websites claim, there’s no scientifically-backed evidence that baking soda has any affect on fleas.

Using an insect growth regulator (IGR) is a better option. Frontline already contains an IGR, but applying some to the carpets is often a good idea.

IGRs mimic natural insect hormones that regulate development. When eggs and larvae are exposed, they’re unable to reach adulthood. Plus, IGRs remain active for 7 months indoors, which is great for preventing re-infestations. Look for the active ingredients pyriproxyfen (Nylar) or methoprene (Precor).

There are many sprays containing an IGR. You can also find IGR concentrates without any other chemicals. For example, Martin’s IGR comes in a good size for indoor use. In most locations, fleas can’t survive outdoors during winter. Temperatures near freezing kill all life stages. To determine if fleas are living in your yard, ensure your dogs are flea-free. Then let them outside for a while. Upon permitting them re-entry into the home, carefully check them with a flea comb.

See if they picked up any fleas outside. Fleas begin becoming a problem around April, and their numbers gradually increase throughout the summer and fall. Flea season peaks during September and October. The lowest amount of fleas are found December through March.

Of course, fleas can survive year-round on warm-blooded animals or in warmed homes. In some regions, temperatures are warm year-round, and fleas can be troublesome throughout all months. Reply Link Margherita Cardone January 31, 2017, 10:47 am Thank you so much for your help! Have a wonderful week Reply Link Jo February 27, 2017, 12:45 am My cat had a flea problem a few months ago.

We took all the usual steps, treated the cat etc. My youngest daughter, age 7, has been bitten to bits. It seemed to happen when she was in bed. Although the cat doesn’t go anywhere near her bed. I replaced all the quilts, sheets etc and for 6-8 weeks it seemed to have worked.

However she woke yesterday and was covered again. I found a flea in her pyjama bottoms. I was devastated, I fell I have failed in my care. Once again, I have stripped everything and I smoke bombed her bedroom. I am so confused as the cat doesn’t go on her bed, she shares with her older sister and she hasn’t been bitten, not has anyone else in the family.

What else can I do? Will they be a forever cycle whilst we have the cat? Reply Link Adam Retzer March 2, 2017, 6:08 pm Finding fleas in areas that aren’t frequented by the primary host is unusual. It’s also strange that no one else in the family is being bitten. Does the cat still show signs of fleas?

Are you positive it was a flea you found in her pajama bottoms and not a bed bug (or other pest)? Cat fleas ( C. felis) are by far the most common species found on dogs and cats, and in homes.

However, you may be dealing with human fleas ( P. irritans ), which is a more rare species. Unfortunately, I am not as well versed in this species. Regardless, the treatment regimen you’ve employed (pet treatments, vacuuming, environmental treatments, laundering) should eliminate fleas of any species.

Flea can’t usually get onto beds unless the primary host brings them there. Fleas can’t jump high enough to reach the mattress. The highest they can jump is around the height of a human ankle. They may crawl onto a bed if a sheet is hanging low to the ground.

So, ensuring that the bedding is tucked in can help prevent access. Along with the environmental treatment (bug bomb), laundering the bedding and vacuuming the carpets are best courses of actions to help eliminate the fleas.

However, if the pests aren’t fleas, then these actions may not be enough. I’m not sure what other advice I can give, as you’ve seem to have taken all the proper steps. You may want to consider hiring a professional exterminator to take a look. I’d recommend ensuring you have a specimen of the pest for the exterminator to see.

If they can’t make an identification, treatment becomes much more difficult. Reply Link Helen April 26, 2017, 9:50 am I have had my house treated for fleas The guy said wooden floor didn’t need treated as fleas only live on fabric He said not to vacuum for 2 weeks to let spray work He is going to respray in 3 weeks as he said pupae will have hatched I thought the vacuum was your best friend with fleas Is this right Reply Link Adam Retzer April 26, 2017, 4:14 pm Most fleas do indeed develop in fabric, namely deep within carpets.

However, he was incorrect in saying that they don’t live on wooden floors. They can, it’s just more rare. The eggs and larvae can develop in cracks and crevices in the flooring, or places where debris collects.

Many exterminators will say not to vacuum for days to weeks, to ensure the effect of the insecticide spray isn’t diminished. However, there have been multiple studies showing that dry vacuuming doesn’t reduce insecticide activity against fleas. You can read more about this (with sources) at the bottom of our page on Flea Vacuums, in the Vacuuming & Insecticides section.

This page also contains a comprehensive report of why vacuuming is so important for flea control. Still, it may be a good idea to follow the exterminator’s advice, especially if he is guaranteeing control at a certain price. Reply Link Debra Wilson June 11, 2017, 4:15 am I recently moved into a new residence. It’s s been 3 months. O don’t have any pets, bit my house is flea infested. I have hard wood floors. Is it possible they are living in between the floor boards.

I’ve bombed. I’ve sprayed. Even my furniture I vacuum floor and furniture every day Sometimes 2 and 3 times a day including the furniture especially around the stitching on my couch and pillows.

It’s been 3 weeks of doing this routine daily, but as soon as I put my feet on the floor they are all over my feet. What else can I do?. The bombs and spraynexpense is adding up. Please help me with any information you can.

Reply Link Adam Retzer June 13, 2017, 4:31 pm Yes, it’s likely the fleas are in the hardwood floor’s cracks and crevices, or near baseboards, or corners where debris collects.

The previous tenant probably had a flea-infested pet. The eggs fell onto the floor and developed in the cracks. Now there are fully mature fleas waiting inside their cocoons to emerge. When you walk on them, heat and pressure trigger emergence.

Until they emerge, they will be difficult to kill. Vacuuming frequently is one of the best ways to force the pre-emerged fleas to emerge. Your daily vacuuming has likely gone a long way in dealing with the problem already. Another thing you can do is wear long socks and slowly walk around the home.

You’ve mentioned they jump on your socks when you walk around. So, you can exploit this and force them to emerge and jump onto you.

This can help speed up their removal. The good news is they shouldn’t be able to survive without a pet in the home, if they are cat fleas ( C. felis) or dog fleas ( C. canis ), the two predominant species.

So, in all likelihood, the fleas you are currently seeing are the last generation and they won’t be able to lay eggs without an animal host. The exception could be in they are human fleas ( ( P. irritans ), but this species is much more rare.

To identify the species, take a close look at their head. Cat and dog fleas will have dark bristles called combs on their heads ( see fig A and B here ). Cat fleas are the most common species, and are identifiable by their elongated head. Human fleas don’t have the combs and their heads are shorter (Fig H). Reply Link Teres July 7, 2017, 11:45 pmcan fleas survive on a dead and burried animal? we burried three (3) ft down with coffee/dirt mix. Will they die? Reply Link Adam Retzer July 30, 2017, 1:55 pm Yes, they should die underground. Even if they could survive the environmental conditions, they will die without food. They won’t be able to feed on a dead animal. In fact, they’ll abandon a host as soon as it’s body temperature begins dropping.

Reply Link Michele July 20, 2017, 6:44 pm Okay we have a bad flea infestation in every single room of our house which is a four bedroom an two bath home you will have fleas on you can’t even go to the bathroom without being attacked how can I get rid of them without hiring someone to come their expensive need them gone now Reply Link Adam Retzer July 30, 2017, 2:42 pm Michele, please see our page on How to get rid of fleas.

I’ve tried to make this guide as comprehensive as possible. Reply Link Sue August 6, 2017, 12:53 am I don’t have pets but my daughters father had a cat a a few months ago.

He brought fleas into my house a couple of times. I have just taken a fluffy blanket back out of my wardrobe that has been sat there a few months and pretty sure just found a flea on my daughter which now appears to have a red mark on her. I have thrown the blanket straight in the washing machine and hoovered the room it was found in. Is there anything else I can do??

I really don’t want an infestation with my baby getting bitten Reply Link Adam Retzer August 13, 2017, 4:58 pm I think you should be in the clear, especially without pets. The washing machine will kill any fleas on garments. If you are really worried about an infestation, an insect growth regulator (IGR) can be applied to the carpets.

IGR mimics natural insect hormones, preventing eggs and larvae from reaching adulthood. It remains active for 7 months indoors, so it is a good choice for prevention. Check out Martin’s IGR. Reply Link Sarah Black August 7, 2017, 12:39 pm I have an indoor cat, and she was a rescue cat.

The place we adopted her from treated her with frontline. Since she is indoor, we didn’t spray her, and she had gotten fleas somehow. We rent a two bedroom apartment, and there are people living above us and next to us. They said they don’t have any fleas.

We can only guess that maybe she got it from the window screen since we are on ground level? It freaks me out bc I don’t know where they came from.

No pets have beeen here. We treated her with front line, and paid the high price to bring her to the vet. We fogged our house three times bc I had no idea that a flea had such a long life cycle. I have two small children, and we have been staying at my mother’s for almost a month now bc I have a phobia of mosquitos and fleas.

I have vacuumed every other day, even under the furniture. I washed all toys, bedding (multiple times), cleaned anywhere the cat went when it had fleas like under the sink, kitchen cubberd ect.

I even washed the curtains. I have taken to wearing long white socks tucked into my pants, and again, bc I’m scared, I’m carrying the kids from the coach to their beds the few nights we have been home. With the exception of the first day it had fleas, we have had no bites. My husband had had just one or two. We even paid $295 for an exterminator by week two. He just came back yesterday and sprayed the carpets and used another fogger.

I came home today and it’s been 29 days since this started. I literally had a flea on my sock within the first five mins of being home.

I see an average of two on my sock per day. I’m putting them in a cup with soapy water. How much longer am I going to have to deal with this? With the vacuuming, washing, coat of vet and exterminator, I’m feeling really down. Any other advice? Reply Link Adam Retzer September 28, 2017, 10:22 am It sounds like you’ve taken all the correct actions.

But it usually takes around 8 weeks before fleas are completely eliminated from the premises. Reply Link Patrick Burns August 8, 2017, 10:30 pm How long can an adult flea live if it is allowed to stay on the pet and feed normally? Reply Link Adam Retzer August 13, 2017, 4:48 pm Usually they live for about a week. Their primary cause of death is host grooming.

However, if the host is restricted from grooming in artificial environments, a flea has been seen to live up to 185 days.

Reply Link Jenniffer Rivera August 13, 2017, 3:27 pm I had a friend who was staying here with me and my kids she had a cat she moved out and now i have fleas we been doing treatment and now i have no big fleas just a few little ones so what i want to know is how long will it take for us to be flea free cause I’m scare for my kids safey and health?

Reply Link Adam Retzer August 13, 2017, 4:52 pm It usually takes around 8 weeks for the fleas to completely disappear after proper treatment begins. Reply Link Kerry August 27, 2017, 2:52 am Hi. Ive recently moved in to house with no pets and for the first 2 weeks everything was okay then suddenly Ive got bitten on ankles and leggs and spots were increasing everyday.

Then I saw flea on my socks and freaked out. There are 4 bedrooms and 4 people living in this house and no pets and I am the only one who gets bitten.

Ive tried washing everything and sprinkling tons of salt and vacuuming and using johnsons 4flea spray with igr but I am still gettig bites every two or one day Reply Link Adam Retzer September 28, 2017, 2:56 pm Perhaps they are human fleas (P. irritans), which is a somewhat rare species that this site isn’t focused on.

However, control should be similar as cat and dog fleas. Namely, vacuuming regularly and applying an IGR, which it sounds like you’ve done.

It’ll still take a bit of time after treatment begins for the infestation to resolve. Sometimes it even appears to get worse in the first weeks because eggs and larvae (making up the bulk of infestations) are maturing and emerging as adults. Once they’ve all emerged, the infestation will be over. The IGR spray won’t affect many of the fleas already developing in the environment.

They’re protected deep within carpet fibers or other refuges. However, any new eggs laid will be affected and won’t be able to mature. So while IGR is very effective and long-lasting (6-7 months), it won’t end the problem immediately.

I’ve never read any literature stating that salt is effective, though there are anecdotal reports that it is. Reply Link Bunny August 27, 2017, 12:00 pm Hi I’ve been battling fleas for the last month and a half.

It’s not serious (yet) but I’m worried because I found two rogue fleas on my bed after I swept, vacuumed and mopped several times with bleach!I have 3 cats (2 males/1 female). It happened back in July around the 17th or 24th. I let the boys go outside to the porch for awhile after I cleaned up for garbage that day.

Then later I let my female upstairs from the basement (she has a behavior problem) and I found something crawling on the kitten (3-4mos old) and I started going at his fur and saw “things” which I then assumed was fleas and gave him a flea bath immediately.

Fleas are gone. What was weird is that I gave him a flea bath at the end of June. So that day I bathed him again. I checked the other two and no fleas no dirt. By the second or third day kitten had fleas again. I bathed him.

Checked the other two again. Oldest boy had a few fleas. Female had none again. Now I’ve been in this battle every two days I gotta give the boys a bath because they have fleas and I don’t know where they’re coming from or getting them from.

The kitten is all over the place and into everything. The oldest he stays upstairs in the closet.

So what do I do?? I’m not trying to be vacuuming and cleaning for nothing only to have them appear 2 days later nor am I trying to get rid of the pets either.

But it seems like I may have to because I can’t afford a vet visit for all three! The kitten isn’t mine he was left here when my roommate moved out. I think she maybe the cause of the flea problem because she was always talking about having bites and itching all the time.

And mentioned one of our friends dog had fleas (well why are you bringing them home??) but she had the itchiness way before then. And I think she gave the kitten a flea and it either died or laid eggs and now it’s a problem (or at least I think so).

What else works?? Reply Link Adam Retzer September 28, 2017, 3:04 pm It sounds like you have a mild infestation in the home now. Fleas lay eggs on their hosts, but the eggs aren’t sticky so they fall into the environment within a few hours of being laid.

Eggs, larvae, and pupae live in carpets (and other refuges), and they make up 95-99% of infestations. Eventually they will mature and emerge to find a host. This is likely why your pets are continually getting re-infested every few days. Flea shampoo and baths won’t end an infestation. They are useful for removing the current fleas from the pet and for providing some soothing relief, but eventually more fleas will emerge from the environment.

The shampoos don’t provide lasting protecting. Please see our page on How to get rid of fleas. Reply Linkjudy September 19, 2017, 7:16 am I have a friend that has several dogs and cats living in their home I recently went to visit and stayed the night now my little yorkie has several fleas could I have brought them home? My main question I have treated my dog if I go back to visit will the fleas be a problem in my home from their home please help Reply Link Adam Retzer September 29, 2017, 11:00 am If your dog was untreated when you visited, then you could have brought fleas into your home.

If your dog is properly treated, then you shouldn’t have a problem visiting. The fleas won’t be able to survive long enough to lay eggs. Reply Link Sean September 20, 2017, 3:16 am An effective product I found for reducing flea population is “The Ultimate Victor Flea Trap”.

You can buy it online or through Home Depot. It is a small housing device that comes with a light and fly paper on the bottom. Fleas are attracted to the light and they jump right into it. After I bought mine and set it up, it was filled up within 10 days.

So I replaced the insert (comes with 3) and it in turn was filled up again after another 10 days. After replacing with the 3rd insert the amount of fleas caught lessened.

So, this thing really works. You can buy additional inserts for it, or alternatively, simply buy fly paper. If your house is badly infested, you may want to buy several of them and place them in different locations.

Reply Link Adam Retzer September 29, 2017, 11:05 am Thanks Sean. Flea traps are especially useful for assessing populations and identifying fleas. However, it’s important to keep in mind that they won’t an infestation on their own. I’ve written a comprehensive page on flea traps for anyone looking for more info. Reply Link Buena Plant September 25, 2017, 4:37 am How long will fleas live inside the human body? How do you get rid of them from humans when the skin care physicians prescribed medication does not work? Their has to be a cure for this. Please help. It’s been driving me crazy for 3 months. Thank You.

Reply Link Buena Plant September 25, 2017, 4:56 am I am NOT speaking of pets, I am only speaking of Human Beings. How long can Fleas or Mites or Scabies live inside HUMAN BEINGS? I HAVE BEEN TREATED BY SKIN CARE PHYSICIANS & NOTHING IS WORKING.

BEDDING WASHED IN HOT WATER DAILY. I VACUUM DAILY. HOUSE IS SPOTLESS. 7 NEIGHBORS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. NOTHING IS WORKING. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. Reply Link Adam Retzer September 29, 2017, 11:13 am Fleas don’t live inside human beings.

So, this doesn’t sound related to fleas. I’m not sure about other pests. I suggest you see a medical professional to assess your problem. I’m sorry I can’t offer more help. Reply Link Karen October 1, 2017, 5:25 pm Hi Adam. First let me say I love your web site.

It has been more help than you can imagine. I moved into an apartment at the 1st of September. Within 24 hours my poor little dog was scratching and biting like crazy.

I started looking closely at her back and she was covered in fleas. I know she did not have any when I moved in here because she had just gone to the groomer and my groomer confirmed that she didn’t. I gave her the flea pill she takes but that didn’t help at all. There were just too many of the little blood suckers. The management sent pest control in but I still have a lot of boxes I’m trying to unpack. I asked the technician if he was also using a growth regulator and he didn’t even know what that was. Then I found out he told the manager that what he sprayed wouldn’t kill them but it would stun them.

I was furious. He also told them I would need to vacuum twice a day. Well needless to say I still have fleas. My dog has been bathed and given her flea pill. Once I was sure she didn’t have any more live ones on her she has been kept either on the bed or in the bathroom for 2 weeks. The bug man is due back tomorrow and I am going to demand that he use something that will kill them and a growth regulator.

I plan to call his office if he gives me a hard time. I am disabled so I have only been able to vacuum once a day for the past 2 weeks. I am still getting very small live fleas when I vacuum. I also put borax in my carpet which has helped kill some of them.

How much longer will I have to keep my dog off the carpet and how much longer can these guys live without a blood host?

I know what your article says about feeding but these things seem to just not stop. Please help. My back is not going to be able to take much more of this vacuuming every night on top of trying to unpack.

Thanks for any advice you can give Karen Kelly Reply Link Adam Retzer October 2, 2017, 10:56 am Karen, you can cut back the vacuuming a bit. Vacuuming every other day is ideal. But once proper treatment has been implemented, you can dial it back to a few times a week. You can read our article on it here: How often to vacuum for fleas. I’m not sure what flea pill you are using, but you should be able to allow the dog back onto the carpet.

This can actually help speed up the eradication process, because your dog will go back to its favorite resting places (flea hot spots), then the remaining fleas in that area will jump onto the treated dog and die. Heat and pressure are the two stimuli that force cocooned fleas to emerge. Vacuum simulates these cues, but the behavior is believed to originate from hosts resting on the cocoons.

Definitely ensure the pest control specialist is using an insect growth regulator, either pyriproxyfen (Nylar) or methoprene (Precor). These compounds remain active for 7 months, preventing future infestations. It usually takes around 8 weeks for infestations to go away after all proper treatment is in place.

This is because most of infestation are eggs, larvae and pupae living deep within carpets. They are somewhat protected from insecticides there. For the infestation to end, these stages need to mature, emerge, and die. Reply Linklaura October 4, 2017, 6:57 pm A kitten died under my home and I could not find it.

My home is infested with fleas and so is my yard. The yard is really bad. I have used everything natural and unnatural.

Bombs, powders etc. This has been going on for weeks. Please, what can I do? Reply Link Adam Retzer October 5, 2017, 11:26 am Fleas immediately leave dead animals, so the infestation shouldn’t continue into the future without a host around. Still, it will likely take around 8 weeks for the infestation to end. Please see out page on How to get rid of fleas for comprehensive control information.

For info related to yard treatments, please visit our page on Outdoor flea control. Let me know if you still have questions after referring to these pages. Reply Link Patricia J Hanson October 16, 2017, 4:46 pm Our couch had fleas about 2 months ago. At that time the cats have been permanently removed from our home.

I have seen no fleas in the last 3 weeks as we treated the house. I am moving and a neighbor has asked for my couch.

How can I be sure all fleas are gone? Reply Link Adam Retzer October 17, 2017, 11:16 am It’s difficult to know if the fleas are completely gone. Up until 5-6 months, there may be quiescent cocooned adults. Ensure the couch is thoroughly vacuumed, especially beneath the cushions and in dark folds of the fabric.

Have your neighbor keep a close eye to catch any signs of fleas early, especially if they have pets. It would also be wise for them to treat any pets with flea drops as a precaution. Reply Link Kate November 14, 2017, 10:21 am I moved into a house a month ago.

The previous owner is a pet groomer somehow the house in infested with fleas. Pest control has come out twice to treat the house. We don’t have pets. The first time I didn’t see any difference. A week later I could see that it worked I’ve been vacuuming the whole house and mopping floors everyday.

But these past two days I’ve notice flea bites on me and my kids. I have also seen about three fleas on soapy water dish. Can they survive and reproduce on our blood. Or are they the last round of emerging fleas. Also do I need to get pest control to come again?

Reply Link Adam Retzer November 14, 2017, 11:09 am They shouldn’t be able to survive on human blood. You shouldn’t need to do another professional treatment. The infestation should end on it’s own if you don’t have pets. Usually this takes around 8 weeks from the time treatment begins or pets are removed. It’s not uncommon to see a flea here or there until the infestation completely ends. 95-99% of infestations are eggs, larvae, and pupae. Adults will continue to emerge from this last generation.

However, they shouldn’t be able to lay new eggs. The problem stage is the cocooned adult. Pre-emerged adults are capable of remaining quiescent inside their cocoons for up to 5 months. Heat and pressure trigger emergence, so vacuuming is one of the best ways to speed up the eradication process. Reply Link Heidi December 9, 2017, 7:39 pm Hi there, I’ve been pouring over flea websites and coming back to this one, hoping I’ll find some relief.

Nearly two months ago my indoor dog passed away. Accidentally, we’d let her frontline treatment lapse and she apparently had fleas towards the end of her life. Immediately following her passing, we noticed fleas in our home. We have hardwood floors and some rugs.

We have been vacuuming frequently, per your advice. I am also pregnant so I’m very reluctant to use any chemicals of any kind to rid ourselves/home of fleas. I’m 100% sure they are fleas (they jump, I saw them on my dog at the end, and they are shaped like a flea).

Unfortunately, I’m still getting bitten nearly every night, I find fleas on my toddler and myself at least every other day… I’m wondering when I’ll see some relief.

There are no other stray animals near by, either. This all brings me to my questions: You say that they “can’t” survive on human blood. Why not? Is it just that they’d have to feed longer? (Bc if that’s the case and I’m asleep, then I’m feeding new adult females who will continue the cycle).

Will the hatching eggs begin to subside at some point? You say the eggs can lie dormant for 5+ months. Will this mean that I’ll see stragglers emerging intermittently until then or will I see an exponential drop off? Is there anything else I can do as a natural deterrent/removal? (I know so many Pest Companies that claim “safe” products, but I’m always leery, especially when pregnant and a toddler. Many thanks, Heidi Reply Link Adam Retzer December 11, 2017, 2:20 pm Different flea species have different preferred hosts they’ve evolved with.

Cat fleas ( C. felis) account for nearly all domestic infestations on dogs and cats, and dog fleas ( C. canis) are the second most common. Humans aren’t a preferred host of these species. Our blood isn’t sufficient for their survival and reproduction. I am not sure exactly why. Feeding duration plays a role. But even when they are able to feed freely for days in artificial settings, they produce a very small numbers of eggs. Regardless, this shouldn’t be a concern in natural settings, even if they are feeding at night. On humans, these species feed and then leave immediately. They don’t stay on people, as we aren’t their preferred host. The only species of flea that can reproduce on human blood in a natural setting is the human flea ( P. irritans ), but this is a fairly rare species. Still, you may want to ensure you aren’t dealing with this species. View my answer here for how to identify species. In most cases, fleas shouldn’t be biting people in their sleep. They can only jump to the height of a human ankle, so it is difficult for them to reach beds. The exceptions are if the bed is sitting low to the ground, or if sheets are hanging to the ground. Fleas shouldn’t be developing on your bed though. The eggs are laid on the animal host, and they fall where ever the animal goes. So the eggs could fall on the bed’s sheets, but laundering the bedding with kill them. And without the dog, there shouldn’t be any new eggs. Fleas don’t infest mattresses. Are you positive you aren’t also dealing with bed bugs? The cocooned adults can go quiescent for up to 5 months, not the eggs. And most won’t enter this dormant-like state. So, if pre-emerged adults were all that remained of the infestation, you would have already seen a substantial drop-off in numbers. To answer your question: You may continue to see a flea here or there until the 5 months has elapsed. Heat and pressure help force emergence, so vacuuming can help speed this up. Since you don’t have pets, the infestation should go away on its own in time. You shouldn’t need to use any chemicals. The best thing you can do to speed up the eradication process is to vacuum regularly. On hard floors, focus on cracks, crevices around baseboards, and other areas where debris collects. Covering exposed skin can help prevent bites until the infestation ends (e.g. tucking pant legs into socks). If you identify the species as human fleas ( P. irritans ), then you may want to apply an insect growth regulator (IGR) to the floors. IGRs are considered safer than other insecticides, because they work my mimicking insect hormones. Exposed eggs and larvae can’t reach adulthood. Most flea treatments contain an IGR. However, you can find concentrates without any other chemicals, like Martin’s IGR. It’s strange that you are seeing fleas and getting bites every other day now that your dog has been gone for 2 months (sorry to hear about that). Most infestations resolve in around 8 weeks. Something seems odd with that. If the infestation doesn’t start to diminish soon, it may be a good idea to have a pest control specialist come take a look in person. Even if they don’t do any treatments, they should be able to evaluate what is going on (identify the species, the habitat, host, etc). Reply Link

The flea's host is a warm-blooded animal such as a dog or cat (or even humans!) However, the various flea stages are quite resistant to freezing temperatures. The adult female flea typically lives for several weeks on the pet.

How to Handle Fleas on Dogs

"Articles Quizzes Slideshows Infographics2018 Flea & Tick Survival Guide How to Handle Fleas on Dogs When pet owners are asked what they dread most about the summer months, the topic that invariably comes up most is fleas

!Fleas on dogs and cats! These small dark brown insects prefer temperatures of 65-80 degrees and humidity levels of 75-85 percent -- so for some areas of the country they are more than just a ""summer"" problem. Dogs and cats often get infested with fleas through contact with other animals or contact with fleas in the environment. The strong back legs of this insect enable it to jump from host to host or from the environment onto the host.

(Fleas do not have wings, so they cannot fly!) The flea’s bite can cause itching for the host but for a sensitive or flea-allergic animal, this itching can be quite severe and leads to hair-loss, inflammation and secondary skin infections. Some pets, hypersensitive to the flea's saliva, will itch all over from the bite of even a single flea!The flea information presented here will focus on how to treat fleas on dogs and how to prevent fleas in the first place, which, let’s face it, is just as important to the pet as it is to the pet's caretakers!

If your dog or cat is having problems with ticks, another similar parasite, check out our article on how to safely remove ticks from your pets. How do you know if fleas are causing all that itching – formally known as pruritus? Generally, unlike the burrowing, microscopic Demodex or Scabies Mites, fleas can be seen scurrying along the surface of the skin.

Dark copper colored and about the size of the head of a pin, fleas dislike light so looking for them within furry areas and on the pet's belly and inner thighs will provide your best chances of spotting them. Look for ""flea dirt"", too. ""Flea dirt"" looks like dark specks of pepper scattered on the skin surface.

If you see flea dirt, which is actually flea feces and is composed of digested blood, pick some off the pet and place on a wet paper towel.

If after a few minutes the tiny specks spread out like a small blood stain, it's definitely flea dirt and your pet has fleas!What to Do if You Spot Fleas on Your Pet If you've discovered that your dog or cat has fleas, there are a few things you can do to provide your pet with immediate relief. CHEMICAL FLEA REMOVAL OPTIONSUnfortunately, fleas are annoying and persistent, so there is no instantaneous way to remove fleas from your dog or cat.

However, pills and other spot-on chemical treatments have proven to be some of the fastest ways to rid your pet of fleas. Capstar is one option to remove fleas from dogs and cats. It's a tablet that when taken orally, begins to work within 30-minutes and kills 90% of all fleas within four hours.

Spot-on flea treatments tend to take a few days to work, and some only target flea eggs while other target adults, so it's important to buy the right one. NON-CHEMICAL FLEA REMOVAL OPTIONSIf you'd prefer to go the more natural route, there are several flea removal shampoos for dogs and cats on the market that are quite effective.

You'll need to consider whether or not your pet can stand being soaking wet and lathered up for ten minutes though, since that's how long the shampoo takes to sink in.

Following a nice warm bath, you'll have killed the fleas and will be able to use a flea comb to remove the fleas from your dog – don't worry, they're dead.

Understanding the Flea Life Cycle In order to understand how and why treatment options work, we must first understand the flea’s life cycle since the various modern treatment and prevention products work on different parts of this life cycle. There are several stages to its life cycle: egg, larva or caterpillar, pupa or cocoon, and adult. The length of time it takes to complete this cycle varies depending upon the environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and the availability of a nourishing host.

In homes, flea larvae live for 7-11 days before pupating. In ideal environments, they can fully develop in 4-7 days. In poor conditions, it may take 28-45 days for flea larvae to mature. How quickly they develop depends upon ambient temperature, relative humidity, and food availability.

How long do flea larvae live for?

How long do flea larvae live for? Summary

Details Larval Growth Rates In Homes In the average home environment, the larval stage of cat fleas typically lasts for 7 to 11 days. Modern carpeting provides a favorable habit for developing flea eggs and larvae (baby fleas). In Ideal Conditions Ideal flea larvae environments are warm, humid, and contains plenty of food.

Under these conditions, the larvae can fully mature in as little as five days Fig 1.90°F 80°F 70°F 55°F2.557.51012.51517.52022.52527.530Fig 1 Days it takes (y-axis) for 50% of flea larvae to form cocoons at different ambient temperatures (x-axis) while relative humidity is held constant at 75%. In Poor Conditions In unfavorable conditions, flea larvae may live for 28 to 45 days before pupating.

Prolonged development occurs due to low humidity, cool temperatures, oxygen tension, and food shortages. Temperature, Humidity & Food The two primary factors governing how quickly larvae develop are relative humidity (RH) and ambient temperature. However, surrounding conditions are somewhat irrelevant, because flea larvae live in protected microhabitats. These areas have their own sheltered microclimates, where humidity is maintained and temperature is moderated. Fig 2 Environmental conditions required for flea larvae to survive, and days it takes the larvae to fully develop from egg to cocoon.

Relative Humidity A relative humidity of 75-92% is optimal for immature fleas. Larvae begin forming cocoons in 5 days at 90% RH, while taking twice as long at 50% RH. In a similar study, larvae raised at 65-85% RH took 4-5 days to develop, while taking 12 days at 50% RH.

The ideal RH occurs above 80%. Only 30% of larvae survive at 70% RH, while over 60% reach adulthood at 80-90% RH.

Additionally, larvae are able to actively uptake water from the air when RH exceeds 75%. The larvae exposed to a higher RH develop into larger, healthier adults. Ambient Temperature The optimal temperature for flea larvae occurs between 80.6°F and 89.6°F (27°C and 32°C).

88% of larvae survive at these temperatures and 75% RH. Many complete development within five days. Other studies corroborate this data. In one, the ideal temperature occurred between 77°F and 86°F (25°C and 30°C). In another, 99% of larvae survived at 90°F (32.2°C) and 80% RH. Some reached maturity in as little as four days. Time to maturity progressively increases as temperature is lowered. At 69.8°F (21°C), 50% of larvae mature within 12 days.

At 55.4°F (13°C), larvae don’t form cocoons until day 28. A different study found complete development took 45 days at 59°F (15°C). Food Shortages Food shortages can result in insufficient nutrition and nearly double the time it takes larvae to develop. Additionally, malnourished larvae become slightly smaller adults. Desiccation & Death Humidity Extremes Of all life stages, larvae are most susceptible to death from desiccation. This makes them very sensitive to humidity. Extremes occur at 50% and 95% RH. Low-End All flea larvae will desiccate when exposed to a RH below 50%, regardless of temperature.

One experiment saw a slightly higher low-end extreme, with a RH of 60% being lethal. However, a different study showed that at 50%, 55%, and 65% RH, larval survival was 24%, 77% and 91%, respectively Fig 3.35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100%0102030405060708090100Fig 3 Percent of flea larvae that survive (y-axis) at different increments of relative humidity (x-axis) while ambient temperature is held constant at 90°F. High-End At the other extreme, no larvae can survive at 95-100% RH, because of fungal growth on their substrate and food.

Temperature Extremes Flea larvae can only survive at temperatures between 55.4°F and 95°F (13°C and 35°C). Low-End Larvae die at any temperature below 55.4°F (13°C). Similarly, one study found the low-end temperature occurred at 59°F (15°C).

At 50°F (10°C), flea larvae die within 10 days of hatching from eggs. At 46.4°F (8°C) and 75% RH, 65% of larvae die within 10 days, and all perish by day 20. At 37.4°F (3°C), 37% die within a day, and 100% die within five days. High-End Temperatures above 95°F (35°C) are lethal to flea larvae. Only 30% live long enough to form cocoons, and they’ll never emerge to complete their development into adults.

Outdoors, when temperatures exceed 95°F (35°C) for more than 40 hours a month, there’s complete mortality in flea larvae.60°F 80°F 95°F2% 33% 50% 75% 92% 100%06.2512.518.752531.2537.543.755056.2562.568.757581.2587.593.75100Fig 4 Percent of flea larvae that survive (y-axis) throughout different increments of relative humidity (x-axis), at three constant ambient temperatures. Starvation Unfed cat flea larvae will die from starvation within three days if they’re unable to find food. References Have an unrelated question?ask a question Discussion Name Email Comment Sherry November 25, 2016, 2:58 pm I have a slight flea problem with my dog.

I put all his toys and clothes in a garbage bag in the freezer to kill the fleas. My question is how long should I keep these items in the freezer so the eggs and larvae die.

I bought precor and have not received it yet and that is to spray the house. I also got pills from the vet that will start killing the fleas on my dog withing 30 minutes.

I am washing all bedding, vacuum everything. Reply Link Adam Retzer November 26, 2016, 1:59 pm Hello Sherry, it sounds like you should have the fleas under control soon. To answer your question: No fleas, regardless of life stage, should be able to survive long in a freezer. Eggs are larvae are the most vulnerable stages. Nearly all should be dead within a day. However, you may want to leave the items in the freezer for up to 5 days, just for the extra degree of certainty. Reply Link Christine Watson February 5, 2017, 8:33 pm My home has been cat free for nearly 7 months.

I had a heavy infestation of fleas while my cat was alive and I treated all rooms with fumigators and sprays. I have not seen any fleas or flea dirt for approx 5 months. I am due to have a kitten in a few weeks time and I want to know if any fleas, flea eggs or pupa will still be surviving in my home after this length of time without a host. Thanks. Reply Link Adam Retzer February 6, 2017, 6:44 pm You should be in the clear. The longest a flea could survive for is around 6 months. In homes, the life cycle from egg to adult completes in 17-26 days. Mature adults can stay inside their cocoons in a quiescent state for up to 5 months (most don’t). The pre-emerged adult is the only stage that can enter into a dormant-like state with extended longevity. Reply Link

A flea is a A blood-sucking insect, which feeds on animals. Fleas can bite humans and is capable of jumping from 14 to 16 inches. Female fleas begin laying eggs within 48 hours of their first blood meal and can lay as many as 200 eggs in a matter of days. Adult fleas can survive for a few months without feeding.

Insect Aphids Bee stings Flea bites Prevent insect bites Protect your pet from fleas Scale bugs Ticks and Mosquitoes Links Promote your product Summer safety for children How to protect yourself from fleabitesby Raquel Hunter What are Fleas?

The flea uses its jaws to cut through skin, usually on accessible parts of the body such as the legs or feet. Flea saliva contains anticoagulants to encourage the blood to keep flowing. Female fleas lay their eggs soon after feeding. Flea eggs are light colored and oval-shaped. The larvae cocoon themselves within weeks of hatching.

Vibration, such as footsteps, prompts adult fleas to emerge from their cocoons. Fleas use a wide range of hosts and can transmit diseases from one host to another.

Some of the diseases that fleas transmit are murine typhus and bubonic plague. Fleas also transmit tapeworm larvae. Fleas that bite humans There are three main species of flea that infest humans: Cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis)Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis)Human flea (Pulex irritans). Flea bites A flea bite is extremely itchy. Complications of flea bites Infections caused by scratching are very common.

Symptoms of a flea bite Some of the most common symptoms of a flea bite are:rash with small bumps that itch and may bleedsevere itching in a specific areahives Can flea bites be treated?

Yes. If you frequently get bitten by fleas, it is best to break the flea life cycle by treating the home, the pets, and the outside environment with insecticide. Home foggers and flea collars are not always effective. Birds and fish must be protected during spraying.

If home treatments are ineffective, professional extermination may be needed. An over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream can help relieve itching. Other common treatments for flea bites are:wash the bites with antiseptic soap to reduce the risk of infection.apply an ice pack frequently to help relieve swelling.use calamine lotion, anesthetic creams or similar to treat the itching. Sign up for #Living To100

Flea pupae account for around 10%; fleas in the larval stages around 35%; whilst flea eggs make up a whopping 50% of the total! Adult fleas will die naturally within one or two weeks following their arrival on your dog or cat.

Siphonapterology made simple!

Siphonapterology made simple!by Nick Mc Glennon MA Vet MB DVR Cert SAO MRCVSThe Flea - What is it? Fleas are parasites. Defined by the Concise Oxford English Dictionary as 'self-seeking hangers-on' or 'toadies', they live by living on something else, drawing nutriment directly from it.

In the fleas case, this means drinking the 'host' animals blood. Siphonaptera is the Latin name for the collective species of flea and there are around 3,000 different species currently recognised by Siphonapterists in Britain.

95% of these occur on mammals with around 5% occurring on birds. Whatever an adult flea is living on is referred to as the 'host' and different species of flea are usually named after the 'host' on which they were first discovered or are most usually found - cat flea, dog flea, hedgehog or rabbit flea for example.

However, fleas are not always peculiar only to their namesakes. For example, the most common flea on both dogs and cats is Ctenocephalides felis - the cat flea, but both cats and dogs can also occasionally be affected by other fleas such as rabbit and bird fleas.

Ctenocephalides canis - the dog flea (which was previously found in great numbers on dogs, but rarely on cats) is becoming more scarce as dogs are more frequently kept in environments similar to that of our pet cats.

Fleas have been around for millions of years - a fossil flea found in Australia is claimed to be 200 million years old and it doesn't differ significantly from modern fleas. Different species can be found from the Arctic Circle to the Arabian deserts - even penguins have fleas which counteract the cold by ensuring that their growth into adulthood coincides with the time when penguins are sitting firmly on their eggs, thereby keeping both fleas and their young in a warm environment!Adult cat fleas are generally around 2mm long, with females being larger than males.

The largest species of flea is Hystrichopsylla schefferi - a flea found in the nest of a mountain beaver in Puyallup, Washington, USA in 1913.

The female can grow up to 8mm long!During their life cycle, cat and dog fleas undergo complete metamorphosis, going through four developmental stages from egg to larvae, pupae and on to adulthood. As adults, once they have found a suitable host - your dog or cat for example - they will remain there until they die, or are groomed off - their life on your pet is only about 1-2 weeks.

It is a misconception that they jump freely to other hosts. Fleas, in all stages of development, are affected greatly by humidity and temperature - they need water in their environment just as we do and will die without a suitable relative humidity and temperature.

The higher the humidity and temperature, the more the fleas like it. The most important thing to learn about the flea is that it is not the adults that present the main problem in flea control. Research has shown that, in an average household, adult fleas only represent around 5% of a total flea population.

Simply treating your dog or cat with an adulticide to kill the adult fleas, therefore, means that 95% of the flea population are unaffected and are simply left to develop into new adults all around your home.

Dogs and cats, especially those in rural areas, occasionally pick up fleas other than Ctenocephalides felis or Ctenocephalides canis, such as those listed, through burrowing into the living quarters and living environments of the different host species, where newly hatched fleas may be waiting.

Bird fleas can be collected by pets because they are very common in nesting boxes and often migrate out of them. Many drop to the ground from where they can be picked up by our pets. The Flea life cycle Understanding how fleas live, and breed, makes it easier to understand the best methods available to eradicate a flea problem.

EGGSOne female adult flea can lay anything from four to 40 eggs a day, with the highest concentration of egg-laying occurring in the final two to three days of life.

Eggs are oval, around 0.5mm long, white and rounded at both ends. The eggs are non-sticky and so, once laid, they immediately fall onto the ground, wherever the pet travels. Depending upon the temperature and humidity, the eggs will hatch into larvae within one to ten days. Humidity below 50% will cause desiccation and destruction of eggs. The environment in which the eggs are deposited is therefore of prime importance to survival rates and helps to explain why warmer winters and hot summers have increased flea populations considerably in recent years.

LARVAEA larva will hatch from an egg using a chitin tooth - an egg splitting spine on its head. This disappears when the larva changes into the second of its three 'moults' or development stages. It is this tooth that is affected by modern, oral flea treatments which contain an insect development inhibitor, as the treatment renders the chitin tooth ineffective and prevents the larvae hatching from the egg.

Larvae are semi-transparent and sparsely covered in short hairs. They are usually white with a yellow-brownish head and are generally quite active. They are dependent on a diet of adult flea faeces (which consists mainly of dried blood) for survival, but will also feed on other organic debris in your carpet. In a home environment, flea larvae are found at the base of the carpet pile, where they can encounter food, are sheltered by the canopy of carpet fibre and can keep away from direct light.

The larvae develop through three moults, or changes, before reaching the pupal stage. The time this takes varies from 7-18 days and is once again dependent on the environmental temperatures.

Moisture is vital and relative humidity below 50% will cause desiccation and death. After the third moult, the larva moves to a quiet, undisturbed place to begin spinning a silk cocoon coated with particles of debris picked up from its surroundings for use as camouflage.

PUPAEIt is within the cocoon that the larvae turns into the next stage of development - the pupa. From this stage, the adult flea develops. The fully formed adult flea remains in the cocoon until stimulated to hatch by, for example, warmth, vibration and exhaled carbon dioxide from a passing pet - or even human!Development of the flea within the cocoon is also affected by temperature and humidity.

Low relative humidity is harmful to the cocooned adult whereas higher relative humidity and higher temperatures result not only in speedier hatching but in bigger fleas!Pupae subjected to suitable hatching conditions can emerge as adult fleas as early as three to five days following pupation.

However, be warned - they can also remain unhatched for up to a year and can cause a re-occurrence of a flea problem if you relax your guard. This phenomenon is known as the 'pupal window' and you need to be aware of it before effective flea treatment can begin.

The pupal window. The pupal window is defined as the period in which fleas are still seen to hatch once an effective flea control regime has been started. By 'effective', we mean a regime that includes an oral insect development inhibitor with or without a household spray.

Environmental sprays and powders can't readily penetrate the cocoon and therefore have no effect on the maturing adult inside if used on their own.

These fleas continue to hatch from their protective cocoons and, unless the flea control regime is maintained, will be the source of the next generation of fleas ready to cause you and your pet more problems!The pupal window usually only remains 'open' for 1-2 months following the start of a flea control regime but, in some extreme cases, fleas, in their protective cocoons, have been known to live within a house without food for considerable periods of time.

This means the pupal window period may extend for several more months after treatment is started. This cunning feature of the flea is the reason why continuous flea control is needed - the easiest method is to use the new monthly flea treatments simply given to pets in their food.

ADULTSAs soon as possible after the adult flea has hatched from the cocoon, it will begin looking for its first blood meal. Unlike the flea larva, which tends to move downwards and away from light towards protective covering (e.g.

the carpet base), adult fleas move upwards and towards the light, in order to be in a better position to locate a suitable host. A flea's eyesight is not brilliant and so air currents and carbon dioxide in the air appear to be responsible for helping the flea find a target. Air currents will be caused by a cat or dog moving past the adult flea, whilst the carbon dioxide increases are caused by the cat or dog breathing in close proximity to the waiting adult.

Adult fleas have been known to jump as many as 10,000 times in succession, whilst trying to leap onto a passing cat or dog - the flea knows they are close by but it's more a question of luck than judgment when trying to make a successful connection between the hooks on the flea's legs and the fur on the cat or dog.

However, once satisfactorily 'anchored', the flea will immediately begin to feed with females starting to lay eggs within 48 hours of the first feed. Before taking in blood, the flea secretes saliva into the wound. This contains a substance that softens and spreads the skin tissue, assisting with penetration.

The saliva also contains an anticoagulant to help with the feeding. It is flea saliva that is usually the cause of allergic reactions in cats, dogs - and humans. Once on a suitable host, the adult fleas will remain there until they die, which is usually within one to two weeks.

Unfortunately for the pet (although fortunately for the flea population) female fleas tend to live longer than males - there are also more females than males. If a dog or cat is left to groom itself normally (and cats groom more thoroughly than dogs on the whole), many adult fleas will also be dislodged or swallowed naturally.

However, if for any reason, a cat or dog is unable to groom itself - it may be ill for example - then the owner should groom it more frequently than usual, to mirror the pet's natural methods of flea control.

Has your pet got fleas? In all likelihood, the answer is 'yes' even if it's not immediately obvious. There are around 14 million cats and dogs in Britain today and all pets will, at some time in their lives, be irritated by fleas.

Fleas are the most common cause of skin disease in cats and dogs. Many vets confirm that up to two thirds of their time, especially in the summer, is spent treating flea-related conditions in pets. THE FIRE ENGINE APPROACHEveryone believes in the logic of using a smoke-alarm as an early warning system for a fire - the same logic should be considered when dealing with fleas.

Don't wait until you have to call out the fire brigade to deal with a 'flea fire'. Don't leave the problem until it has become so serious that your pet is really uncomfortable and you have fleas jumping all over the place-household infestations can be very difficult to control. More importantly, the longer you wait the more seriously your pet will be affected and the longer it will take to clear the problem. Do check your pet regularly for fleas through careful and frequent grooming Do ask your vet for advice about a sustainable treatment that will be suitable for you and your pet's circumstances e.g.

living conditions, rural or urban surroundings, proximity to other, possibly untreated pets Don't rush off and smother anything and everything in sight with the first or cheapest flea treatment that you find - insecticides may kill adult fleas but they are just the tip of the flea 'iceberg'Don't think just about your pet but also about the areas in which it walks, plays and sleeps, where the other 95% of the 'iceberg' lives HOW TO SPOT A FLEA PROBLEMAside from suffering from flea bites yourself (guaranteed to make any pet owner address the problem rapidly!

), there are three easy 'early warning systems' you can use to check for the presence of fleas on your pet: The pet will be scratching itself frequently or in a very agitated manner.

All animals - like humans - will itch occasionally but you should be able to recognise if a pet develops a recurring and irritating itch from having fleas. A flea itch is not usually caused by the adult flea moving around on the animal's skin. It is more normally caused through the pet developing an allergy to the flea's saliva.

Not all pets will show an allergic reaction however. Just like humans, some are affected and some not. So another way to spot a flea problem is by recognising flea droppings in the pet's coat. If you groom your pet regularly, you may find flea droppings amongst their coat.

These are small and black, and resemble ground pepper. They are made up of blood and secretions from the adult flea and should not be confused with live adult fleas which are bigger and move considerably faster! Droppings will dissolve on a moist piece of cotton wool, leaving a red dot. Any evidence of skin disease can have fleas as the primary cause.

So if your dog or cat exhibits any hair loss, soreness or skin problems, take it to your vet. Don't just hope it might 'go away' - it will probably get worse. Grooming. If possible, always groom a pet outside as newly laid flea eggs will then fall off outside.

The lower temperature and relatively low humidity levels will help to ensure that fleas - in all stages of development - will find it that much harder to live. Environmental 'Hot Spots'TREATING WHERE YOU, YOUR PET - AND THE FLEAS - LIVEAn 'environmental hot spot' is an area where flea eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults waiting to hatch, are more likely to be lurking.

The basic rule is that not all areas of the house and surrounding area will be suitable for fleas to breed but a careful eye should be kept on anywhere where the pet is a regular visitor. HOT SPOTS INSIDE THE HOUSEAreas that are good for flea development in the house are the pet's bedding, thick carpeted areas which the pet frequents regularly, and carpeted or dirt floor basements. Anywhere the pet sleeps - on throw rugs, blankets, or in baskets - will be a prime candidate for a hot spot.

If you allow your pet to lounge around on sofas and chairs, then these could be 'hot spots' as well. Places such as tile floors are less likely to support development as they can be more easily kept clean. Well traveled hallways are also less likely 'hot spots' as the constant vibrations and air currents will ensure that fleas hatch quickly and can find a suitable host in a shorter time, thereby not lurking around for long.

HOTS SPOTS OUTSIDEThese are very uncommon in the UK climate, but potentially favourable areas where the flea life cycle could develop are where there is moist soil and shade.

Areas like this might include an outside dog house, flower beds and damp areas under bushes. Any other shady places where pets might rest during the heat of the day could also become hot spots for fleas; occasionally it has been known for the car to become a breeding ground!ELIMINATING HOT SPOTSTry and identify as many 'hot spots' as possible before any treatment of the animal or the environment begins.

Start your flea control offensive inside the house but ensure that you regularly vacuum chair covers and rugs, and any bedding used by your pet.

Regular washing of bed linen and loose covers also sorts the problem out. Vacuuming, especially if you have a 'beater bar', will remove some flea eggs and a certain percentage of flea larvae (although spines on the larvae's bodies can make them difficult to dislodge). The vibrations will also stimulate adult fleas to emerge from their cocoons but make sure that you empty out the bag every time you vaccuum otherwise the fleas will simply continue their life cycle inside it.

Remember to vacuum down the sides and underneath sofas and chairs and in dark corners. Flea larvae move away from the light and so, although most larvae will be found where the flea eggs are deposited, they can travel up to half a metre away from these areas.

Environmental flea sprays, containing long acting insecticides or insect growth regulators are useful and s hould be used according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fleas in their larval stages, hiding deep down in carpet fibres and in dark nooks and crannies, are much more difficult to get at with conventional sprays and the silken cocoons spun during the pupating stages are impervious to them.

Unlike larvae, adults move upwards towards light as this makes it easier for them to locate a host.

It also means that they are more easily affected by household insecticidal sprays. Outside the house, mow or clip the areas under bushes and remove leaves and other debris to allow these places to dry out. Try and keep piles of refuse or wood to a minimum and keep them as dry as possible. Flea Treatments Flea treatment has undergone many changes, with some products disappearing and others emerging. Now that the full story behind the flea and its remarkable lifestyle has been explained, we hope that it will be easier to understand why some methods work better than others.

EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONSHaving established that adult fleas represent only 5% of the total flea population and that female fleas lay their eggs not only very quickly after finding a host, but also in large amounts, it is easier to understand why simply killing off the adult flea is not an efficient method of flea control.

Dr John Maunder of the Medical Entomology Department at the University of Cambridge, is one of Britain's leading flea experts.

He has this to say about the successful treatment of fleas: 'Flea control is best directed at the free- living stages, which is the one thing that until now has been difficult to do.

Insect growth regulators are a new feature in the flea control area and a new compound, lufenuron, a systemic insect development inhibitor seems to provide the answer. It is the effect of lufenuron against the immature stages of the fleas which is the most effective plan of attack.

'THE BATTLE PLANThe way in which our dogs and cats live with us - inside; outside; in rural and urban environments; able to roam freely or being taken for walks; restricted to certain rooms in the house or allowed access to everywhere - will have an effect on the way fleas are able to breed.

It will also make a difference to the type of flea problem that you and your pet are suffering from. The following offers advice on the most effective means of attack - from taking preventative measures to a void a flea problem altogether to tackling a severe infestation of both pets and household.

GROUND RULESYou must treat all your dogs and cats for fleas at the same time, in the same way. Simply treating one pet, and ignoring the others, will be a waste of time and energy for all of you, as will using one treatment on one pet and a different one on another.

Make sure that you strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions for any treatment you decide to use - failure to do this may not only be dangerous but will usually result in the treatment being ineffective.

TAKING PREVENTATIVE ACTIONThe best method of defence is attack! Even if you don't see any evidence of fleas on your dog or cat, the chances are that fleas will occur, picked up from anywhere the pet visits, or from flea eggs dropped by another pet visiting them.

The colder, damper winters may lull you into a false sense of security but, once the warm weather starts, fleas will become more and more evident. Use of an insect growth inhibitor before a flea problem begins is therefore the best way to counteract the chances of infestation.

Insect growth inhibitors, such as Program from Ciba Animal Health, are available from veterinary surgeons and are simply given to your dog or cat, once a month, in their food. Safe enough for use on puppies, kittens and pregnant pets, the use of Program will ensure ensure that any adult fleas which do manage to get to your pet, will lay eggs which are unable to hatch, thereby stopping the life cycle in its tracks.

Monthly use throughout the year will keep your home from becoming a 'home from home' for these unwelcome 'flea loaders'!Check for any new 'hot spots', groom pets, wash their bedding and any loose covers, and vacuum regularly - clever they might be but with a little thought and advance planning, fleas can be beaten - for good!MILD INFESTATIONThis can happen at any time of the year. With central heating, carpeting and, therefore, higher humidity, in many pet-owning households around the country, fleas are finding it easier to breed.

You may have suddenly noticed an increase in scratching from your cat or dog and may have actually spotted one or two fleas. Could this be because you thought winter would see off the flea problem and so stopped any treatment of your pet? Probably!Start your pet on lufenuron and, at the same time, use an 'adulticide' flea treatment on the pet until the infestation is under control.

This will have the effect of killing off as many adult fleas as quickly as possible whilst rendering any that have the chance to feed off the pet infertile and unable to continue the life cycle. Insecticides for use on pets come in many types, presentations and duration of action. All on-animal insecticides are licensed and are therefore safe to use as directed.

The choice of preparation tends to be due to either vet or pet owner preference. Sprays or low volume 'spot-on' formulations are the most popular compared with powders or collars. In the past the on-animal insecticide approach to flea control has had the most attention. However, as knowledge of flea biology has increased, the realisation that the key to effective flea control was to effectively break the life cycle rather than just kill the 5% of adults on the pet has focused the attention on the newer insect development inhibitor approach.

All insectides have the same weakness in that efficacy gradually wanes and at some stage viable flea eggs are once again dropped off into the environment to start the life cycle again.

Owners are reluctant to continually coat their pets with insecticides, however the concept of the continuous protection that can be given using a product that acts only on insect tissue has found favour and is now a market leader in flea control.

Keep up the regular washing of your pet's bedding and clean and vacuum around the house. Continue to use lufenuron monthly to prevent the problem happening again. SEVERE INFESTATIONOK - you left it too late again! Your pet and your house are literally jumping and the fleas are leaping up and down with excitement - you may even be being bitten yourself!The best method for an emergency like this is a three-pronged battle plan: start your pet on lufenuron, to ensure that any new flea eggs are infertile when they are laid.

This is the beginning of the end of the infestation. Use an adulticide on the pet to help rid it of as many adult fleas as quickly as possible.

At the same time, use an environmental spray treatment around the house. Pay particular attention to the hot spots where the pet frequently goes.

Continue to regularly wash bedding, and clean and vacuum clean. In cases of severe infestation, don't be discouraged if it takes a couple of months or longer to rid the pet and house completely - fleas are incredibly tenacious but they will disappear eventually. The most important piece of advice to remember is don't leave it too late again! Just because you can't see fleas jumping, it doesn't mean they are not there.

If you have a pet, always assume that the fleas are lying in wait and treat them accordingly. The monthly use of an insect development inhibitor throughout the year will ensure that, when the summer arrives next year, you will have peace of mind that your house will no longer be a sanctuary to fleas - the flea explosion won't even be a damp squib!The final word!This must go to Don Marquis, who wrote in 'Archy and Mehabitel' in 1927: 'Insects have their own point of view about civilisation; a man thinks he amounts to a great deal, but to a flea or a mosquito, a human being is merely something good to eat'.

If you have any queries about the use of the product Program mentioned in the article then contact Ciba Animal Health on 0345 573912 9am to 6pm Mon-Friday (UK only)Return to Pet On-Line All pages copyright © Priory Lodge Education Ltd 1994-2000.

"How long is the life span of a flea?30-90 Days (Average). A flea might live a year and a half under ideal conditions. These include the right temperature, food supply, and humidity. Generally speaking, though, an adult flea only lives for 2 or 3 months. Without a host for food, a flea's life might be as short as a few days. But with ample food supply, the adult flea will often live up to 100 days.

How long is the life span of a flea?

Related Web Sites Cornell Entomology Fact Sheet on Fleas - This fact sheet provides the basics on the flea species, behavior, ecology, life history, and management.

Iowa State Entomology Index of Internet Resources - This is a directory and search engine of insect-related resources on the Internet. National Park Service: Integrated Pest Management- Fleas - This manual provides helpful information on identification and biology of fleas, as well as the control (non-chemical and chemical) of fleas.

University of Florida: Fleas - This site sponsored by the Institute of Food and Agriculture Services provides comprehensive information about fleas as well as information about pesticides used in the control of fleas. Zoological Institute, St. Petersburg Fleas (Siphonaptera) Homepage - This site is solely devoted to information about fleas.

It contains extensive information about the biology, morphology, distribution, taxonomy, hosts, images, importance, and control of fleas. It also contains a database, references, and links. Further Reading Cole, Joanna. Fleas. New York, Morrow, 1973. 62 p. (Juvenile)Krasnov, Boris R. Functional and evolutionary ecology of fleas : a model for ecological parasitology. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008. 593 p. Lehane, Brendan. The compleat flea.

London, Murray, 1969. 126 p. Stevens, Kathryn. Fleas. Chanhassen, MN., Child's World, c.2001. 32 p. (Juvenile)For more print resources... Search on the word ""flea"" in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Adult Cat Flea. Photo from the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet "

In order to develop, flea eggs need a warm, moist environment: a temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) and 70 to 85 percent humidity. In these conditions, the eggs hatch in about 12 days. This 12-day window is one of the reasons why it can be hard to get rid of fleas. Some insecticides kill adult fleas but not eggs, which means a whole new set of fleas can emerge after the adults have died.

How Fleas Work

The Flea Life Cycle Prev NEXTFleas reproduce much like butterflies do. Females lay eggs, which hatch into worm-like larvae.

The larvae spin cocoons and become pupae. An adult flea emerges from the cocoon. In a population of fleas, about half are eggs, and about five percent are adults. Female fleas can lay eggs only if they've had a meal. If a female emerges from her cocoon and isn't able to find food, she'll die without reproducing.

But once she's eaten, a flea can lay close to 20 eggs at a time, for a total of 500 eggs during her lifetime. Most of the time, fleas lay their eggs on their host. The eggs are completely smooth, so they slide off of the host and land in its environment. In people's homes, the eggs sink deep into carpet fibers and into floor cracks. Outside, flea eggs settle into the soil.

Flea eggs are white -- the black specks you see on flea-infested animals and their bedding are particles of dried blood and flea droppings.

Flea larvae are about 1.5 millimeters long and look like white, segmented worms. They avoid light and migrate toward cracks in the floor, where they remain for their development.

Unlike their parents, the larvae don't eat blood. Instead, they eat skin cells, flea droppings and other debris. Larvae develop through three stages, or instars, molting after each. After a week or two, flea larvae spin silk cocoons.

They attach pieces of dirt and debris to their cocoons as camouflage. If food is plentiful, the adult flea emerges after about a week. Otherwise, the flea may stay in its cocoon for up to a year. Although flea larvae and adults have completely different eating patterns, what they eat has a big impact on the diseases fleas can carry.

Next, we'll take a look at flea-borne illnesses and complications from flea bites.

The fleas you see on your cat are adult fleas, which are only about 5 percent of the flea population in an environment. The other fleas are scattered about as eggs, larvae or pupae. Adult fleas generally live two to four weeks, although in a hospitable environment they may live up to four months.

Can There Still Be Flea Dirt After Fleas Are Gone on Cats?

"Flea dirt can remain even after the fleas are gone. Fleas are unwelcome, unpleasant pests for our pets. Even when the fleas are finally dead and gone, your feline friend may still have evidence of their visit in the form of flea dirt.

Luckily, flea dirt is much easier to get rid of than fleas. The Life of an Adult Flea on Your Cat Fleas are one of the world's peskiest animals.

During the time the adult flea is on your cat, he will bite your feline friend up to 400 times a day. During those bites, a flea can consume up to his full body weight in your kitty's blood. Female fleas will also lay eggs constantly, which fall off of your kitty and are scattered throughout your environment.

Flea Dirt is Flea Waste Flea dirt is the nice name for flea waste. Flea dirt looks like tiny flakes of black pepper on your cat's fur and skin.

These tiny black flakes are actually flea excrement and consist mostly of digested blood. Many cats will groom themselves to remove the flea dirt, but if your kitty's flea problem is severe, she may not be able to keep up with the problem. If you aren't sure if what you are seeing is flea dirt or not, wipe your cat with a damp paper towel.

Since flea dirt is made of mostly digested blood, it will turn blood red when it comes in contact with water.

If it turns red on the paper towel, you've got your confirmation. Fleas are Gone But Dirt Isn't Flea dirt will stick around on your cat even after you have killed all of the fleas. Although the dirt is not as dangerous as the fleas themselves, this unwanted reminder of the fleas may irritate your feline friend's skin or cause stomach upset from grooming.

The most effective way to get rid of the flea dirt is to give your cat a bath. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done, so be prepared for a struggle.

If you have just given her topical flea medication, wait at least 48 hours before trying a bath. If the bath is too stressful for you or for your cat, try rubbing your cat with a damp towel or brushing her with a soft, moist brush.

Both of these methods will help clear the flea dirt from your cat. In mild cases of fleas, your cat may take care of the flea dirt herself through her regular grooming. Controlling Fleas After the Dirt is Gone The key to getting rid of flea dirt permanently is to get rid of the fleas. As long as your cat is hosting any of these irritating pests, you'll see the evidence on her skin and fur.

One of the most effective methods of controlling fleas for an indoor cat is to comb her every day with a flea comb. If you see more than two or three fleas in any one combing session, you should talk with your vet about monthly preventative options like Advantage or Revolution.

Don't use the inexpensive medications or flea collars, as both can be dangerous for your cat and the rest of your family. You can also try alternative flea control products, such as diatomaceous earth or peppermint oil. Many health food stores, organic gardening stores or independent pet stores carry natural flea control products and can help you learn how to use them.

References Pet MD: Fleas on Dogs and What You Can Do About Them FDA: Taking The Bite Out Of Fleas And Ticks Novartis Animal Health: The Flea Life Cycle Resources Cat Channel: Ten Signs Your Cat Has Fleas Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images MORE MUST-CLICKS: Home Remedies for Dog Skin Rash From Fleas""How to Get Rid of Fleas, Dirt & Stains From a Maltese""Can a Puppy Get Sick From a Flea & Tick Collar? Natural Flea Killer for Kittens "

. The easiest way to kill fleas is when they are at their most vulnerable—in the egg and larval stages of their development. An adult flea will live only about a week without blood from its host, while a flea larva can live several months, so it's important to attack the larvae first.

How to Kill Fleas in a Home

"Reader Approved How to Kill Fleas in a Home Two Parts: Treating Your Home for Fleas Treating Your Pet for Fleas Community Q&AFleas are small, agile insects that live by feeding on the blood of other animals, usually your furry and harmless cat or dog.

This wiki How will give you some tips on how to kill fleas at home. In a Hurry? The best way to kill fleas at home is to treat any pets with a monthly spot-treatment flea product like Advantage or Frontline.

Once your pets are free of fleas, spread fine-grain salt over any carpeted areas. Vacuum the carpet thoroughly after 7 days, and immediately discard the vacuum bag. For more flea-preventing advice, including how to tackle problem areas, read on!Did this summary help you? Yes No Part 1 Treating Your Home for Fleas1 Use botanical dust mixed with a borate powder or boric acid

This mixture will help prevent a full bloom of fleas. Botanical dusts are perhaps the oldest natural insecticides. Borates are minerals that are used widely as wood preservatives, detergents, and insecticides, acting as stomach poisons to fleas. [1]Care should be taken not to breathe in the botanical dust and borate mixture. Use a mask when applying the dust mixture in the home. Dust the carpet, the furniture, the bed, the dog or cat's bed. It's best to do this when you're leaving your house for a good while, say 24 hours.

Let the mixture settle for a day. When you come back, vacuum the carpet, the furniture, and wash the sheets on both beds.2 Fill shallow bowls of water with dish detergent.

The water and dish detergent mixture is like a toxic swimming pool for fleas. When they jump into the mixture, they die. Place the water and detergent mixture in a very shallow bowl, low enough to the ground so that the fleas accidentally hop into it.

An old frisbee does the job quite well. Place the mixture next to a low-hanging light source, preferably a night-light. The fleas are attracted to the light. Approaching the light, many of them will fall into the mixture, dying in the process.3 Use a lemon solution in affected areas. Thinly slice one whole lemon and drop it into a pint of water. Bring the water to a boil. Then, let stand overnight for maximum potency.

Pour into a spray bottle and spray onto affected areas.4 Use cedar chips in affected areas. Cedar chips are available in your local pet or home improvement store. Fleas hate the smell of cedar and will do almost anything to avoid it. Make sure your pet isn't allergic to cedar.

Many dogs can be allergic to cedar. So while shooing the fleas away is a good thing, making your dog miserable clearly isn't. Place cedar chips in the corners of rooms, in the dog pen or bed, and under furniture. Place cedar chips in a cotton cloth underneath your pillow and, if possible, in your bedding.

This will ensure that your bed remains pest-free. Plus, it will make your bed smell nice and fresh.5 Spread salt over the surface of your carpet. Salt is a desiccant, meaning it saps the moisture from things and dries them out. When a salt crystal attaches itself to a flea, it will cause chafing and scraping on the flea, essentially bleeding the flea to death as it walks.

Use very fine-grained salt for this. The finer the better; you want it to be small enough to attach itself to the flea. After 7-10 days, vacuum the salted area very thoroughly, making sure to pick up all the salt and flea carcasses from the carpet area.

Repeat the process one or two more times. When you're done vacuuming, discard the old vacuum bag and replace it with a new one.6 Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.

Vacuum over any affected areas, including high-traffic areas where the pets usually roam. Most fleas will not be able to survive a good tornado of a vacuum!People often go for high-powered, super-suction vacuums, but the average vacuum should do the trick perfectly. [2]Place moth flakes down on the carpet (or inside the vacuum bag) and vacuum them up. This will help kill any fleas you vacuum up!Always discard the vacuum bag after you vacuum. This will help discourage re-infestation.7 Purchase flea traps. Flea traps work in much the same way as the lighted detergent water combo (above) works.

Fleas are attracted to the heat and the brightness of the light, and fall into the trap.8 Spray floors and bedding with an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR). IGRs, such as Nylar, stop the fleas from developing, thereby breaking the reproduction cycle. This is a blessing when attempting to bring large infestations under control.

The most economical method is to buy a concentrate and mix according to the directions that come with the product. Typically, the application will need to be applied twice, at a minimum—about three and a half weeks apart.

Often it is advantageous to spray the areas of the house frequented by your pets on a monthly basis during flea season. IGRs are not poisonous to mammals. This makes IGRs a good option around a house that has kids or small animals such as hamsters, reptiles, or fish.

Part 2 Treating Your Pet for Fleas1 Clean your pet regularly. Washing your pet will help kill the fleas that are living on it. There may be a host of other fleas in various stages of their life cycle waiting to hop onto your pet, so be sure to use this method with other preventative measures, such as vacuuming, borate mixes, and cedar chips.

Prepare your dog for the bath by applying the flea soap near the dog's ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and butt.

When fleas feel water, they immediately look for safe places on the dog to hide out, such as around the neck, on the head, and near the anus. Do this before you get the dog wet. After you've applied the soap to the dog's vulnerable areas, get the dog wet and lather the whole body up. Let the solution stand for at least ten minutes, working in the soap as much as possible. Comb out the dead fleas when dried.

If your dog doesn't react well to flea soap, try acquiring soap that has eucalyptus, tea tree oil, or cedar oil in it.

Fleas don't like the oils of these trees, so use them to your benefit.2 Use a flea product on your cat or dog. Flea products, such as Advantage or Frontline, are spot-treatments that are applied to pets monthly.

Usually, these spot-treatments are dropped directly onto the skin of your pet, usually between the shoulder blades and at several spots down the spine. The treatment will then work its way through the skin (integumentary system).3 Rotate the skin treatments and always use them in tandem with an IGR (insect growth regulator).

This will prevent flea adaption to the treatments. You may find that the use of some of the standard flea treatments are ineffective because the local flea population has adapted to a particular treatment (including the chemicals in flea collars).

In this case, switch among other treatments and use an insect growth regulator (IGR) such as Nylar. The use of an IGR will not allow propagation of succeeding generations and will prevent, in large measure, adaptation to the treatments.4 Administer Capstar initially to rid your pet of a flea infestation quickly.

Capstar is given orally and takes effect within several hours. For some reason the Capstar causes fleas bite in their death throes.

Washing the animal to rid it of the dying fleas may help relieve the associated itching. Some cats may become hyperactive, vocalize more, or show panting. If this happens, try cutting the recommended dose, but you may have to discontinue use of Capstar with sensitive cats.5 Add deterrents to the pet's meal.

Since fleas feed on the blood of animals, you can treat fleas by manipulating what your pet eats. There are oral tablets that you can give your pet. These tablets attack the flea’s nervous system via the bloodstream and tissue of your dog or cat. While they kill all the fleas feeding on your pet, they do not prevent fleas. Mix vinegar into their water. Don't try this with cats, as their p H is much more sensitive than dogs'.

Mix a tablespoon of apple-cider vinegar into the dog's water bowl, or bathe the animal using water and vinegar. You're helping people by reading wiki Howwiki How's mission is to help people learn, and we really hope this article helped you.

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Click below to let us know you read this article, and wiki How will donate to Water.org on your behalf. Thanks for helping us achieve our mission of helping people learn how to do anything. Yes, I read the article Community Q&AHow can I stop them from biting me?wiki How Contributor Fleas do not like coconut oil, so apply it or a coconut oil lotion every day.

They also do not like eucalyptus oil. Not Helpful 55 Helpful 167Can fleas jump into beds or on humans?wiki How Contributor Yes, fleas excel at jumping.

Not Helpful 34 Helpful 109My cat leaves behind lots of small black flea eggs where he sleeps. Did they fall off because they are dead?wiki How Contributor Those are not flea eggs if they are black. Flea eggs are white. The black bits are just flea feces that the larval stage will eat. Not Helpful 69 Helpful 191Can a house without pets still have fleas?wiki How Contributor Yes.

Fleas can come from plants and the outdoors. If you spend a lot of time outside or buy potted plants, you might bring some fleas into your home.

Not Helpful 60 Helpful 162Will salt kill fleas in the carpet?wiki How Contributor It will slowly but surely do the job to kill fleas and larvae by drying them up as they walk on the salt. Not Helpful 68 Helpful 178Do fleas die in the cold weather?wiki How Contributor Most of the time fleas die because the weather is too cold for them. Not Helpful 35 Helpful 99What can I do for hardwood floors?wiki How Contributor For wood floors, cut a lemon in half and add it to 2 cups of water.

Let it come to a boil, cool, and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the floor and let dry. Not Helpful 14 Helpful 47Will a heavy-duty steamer (like for wallpaper removal) kill fleas?wiki How Contributor Yes. Flea larvae can be dealt with by having your carpets steam-cleaned. The steam will kill every stage of flea except eggs.

Not Helpful 55 Helpful 137How is it possible to have found a flea in our home when we do not have pets?wiki How Contributor If you are near animals or went near another animal, fleas can jump into your clothes and to your house.

Or, maybe a visitor who has pets called by and a flea hopped off their clothing. Are you sure it is a flea though? Not Helpful 26 Helpful 67How far and how high can a flea jump?wiki How Contributor Their legs are long, the hind pair well adapted for jumping; a flea can jump vertically up to 7 in (18 cm) and horizontally up to 13 in (33 cm).

That is why they were once popular in flea circuses in Victorian times, because they are amazing jumpers and entertaining to watch. Not Helpful 32 Helpful 75Show more answers Ask a Question Submit Tips Cover or relocate your pets to a safe area when bombing the house.

Always read the label as some Are harmful to small animals, fish, birds etc. Avoid leaving salt in your rug for too long. Salt is hygroscopic and will absorb moisture and become distributed throughout the carpet fibers. It is best not to use salt in homes where the air conditioner is not running continuously. Because of the long flea life cycle, two or three treatment spaced three weeks apart are often needed to completely rid your home of a flea infestation.

Be sparing with the use of insecticides. Use in well-ventilated areas and wear gloves. If possible, seek natural alternatives and try to keep bedding clean. Repeated exposure to insecticides can be harmful to pet and human health. When you give your dog/cat flea medicine, the fleas tend to jump on humans, as mentioned earlier.

However, it is extremely important to take a bath and get rid of any signs of fleas before they reproduce. If you have a small amount of fleas, put large white sheets or an old shower curtain on the ground around you & put on white jeans so you can see them jumping on your clothes or skin.

When searching for fleas, you may also find something called ""flea dirt."" It's black and coarse and if you put it on a moistened towel, it will turn red. Flea dirt is the blood that fleas expel as waste from their bodies. It's a good indication of where they've been.

Buy a flea collar for inserting it inside the vacuum cleaner bag. Cut it into inch long pieces and save them in a baggie. Put one piece in a new vacuum cleaner bag. This will kill any fleas that survive being vacuumed off the floor, furniture, etc.

Before giving your pet a flea bath, wash your hands and arms (up to the elbow) with the pet's flea shampoo. This will prevent fleas from jumping on you during the bath, biting you, and then re-infecting the pet.

Take a shower immediately after washing your pet because some flea shampoos can cause irritation when left on human skin for prolonged periods of time.

Lavender or Rosemary-mint products (shampoo & body wash) are good flea repellents as well. Get a very wide strong white masking tape & double wrap it round your hand so you have the sticky side on the outside & trap them with the tape by just slapping them with your taped hand when you see them jump on you or the white sheet on the ground & they will stick.

Show 3 more tips Warnings Get out of the house when you are bombing the infected areas. Edit Related wiki Hows How to Kill Fleas and Ticks in Your Home How to Kill Fleas With Dawn Dishsoap How to Eliminate a Flea Infestation in Your Home How to Get Rid of Fleas Naturally How to Get Rid of Fleas How to Get Rid of Fleas in Carpets How to Get Rid of Fleas on a Puppy Too Young for Normal Medication How to Make a Flea Trap How to Flea Bomb a House Sources and Citations↑ http://www.livingwithbugs.com/use_dust.html↑ http://thehousingforum.com/how-to-get-rid-of-fleas-in-carpet/Made Recently Did you try these steps? Upload a picture for other readers to see. "

. The easiest way to kill fleas is when they are at their most vulnerable—in the egg and larval stages of their development. An adult flea will live only about a week without blood from its host, while a flea larva can live several months, so it's important to attack the larvae first.

How to Kill Fleas in a Home

"Reader Approved How to Kill Fleas in a Home Two Parts: Treating Your Home for Fleas Treating Your Pet for Fleas Community Q&AFleas are small, agile insects that live by feeding on the blood of other animals, usually your furry and harmless cat or dog.

This wiki How will give you some tips on how to kill fleas at home. In a Hurry? The best way to kill fleas at home is to treat any pets with a monthly spot-treatment flea product like Advantage or Frontline.

Once your pets are free of fleas, spread fine-grain salt over any carpeted areas. Vacuum the carpet thoroughly after 7 days, and immediately discard the vacuum bag. For more flea-preventing advice, including how to tackle problem areas, read on!Did this summary help you? Yes No Part 1 Treating Your Home for Fleas1 Use botanical dust mixed with a borate powder or boric acid

This mixture will help prevent a full bloom of fleas. Botanical dusts are perhaps the oldest natural insecticides. Borates are minerals that are used widely as wood preservatives, detergents, and insecticides, acting as stomach poisons to fleas.

[1]Care should be taken not to breathe in the botanical dust and borate mixture. Use a mask when applying the dust mixture in the home. Dust the carpet, the furniture, the bed, the dog or cat's bed. It's best to do this when you're leaving your house for a good while, say 24 hours.

Let the mixture settle for a day. When you come back, vacuum the carpet, the furniture, and wash the sheets on both beds.2

Fill shallow bowls of water with dish detergent. The water and dish detergent mixture is like a toxic swimming pool for fleas. When they jump into the mixture, they die. Place the water and detergent mixture in a very shallow bowl, low enough to the ground so that the fleas accidentally hop into it. An old frisbee does the job quite well.

The adult cat flea can survive on the host and maintain some reproduction for 2-4 weeks under most natural conditions, but if not killed prematurely an adult flea may live as long as 4 months. For the full life cycle please see the link. Source (s):http://www.flea-info.com/about_fleas/en/lif

Can Fleas live?

"Science & Mathematics Zoology Can Fleas live? Is it true that fleas can live and breed in a carpet without any animals or people to feed off for up to two years before they will die off? Follow 7 answers Answers Relevance Rating Newest Oldest Best Answer: Yes, not sure on how long but i know it's a surprisingly long time.

They normally live around the edges of carpet near the skirtings. If you think you got them you can buy a spray from the vet.tiger! · 1 decade ago0 0 Comment I'm so sorry about your loss. No, I don't know how long the flea season lasts, but I think I can help you a little. They can't really live on humans for long periods of time, as they could on a cat or dog or any other animal, seeing as we don't have a much fur to hide in.

But they can give out nasty bites. I would suggest using Raid Flea spray around the house, as you had when you had your cat.

Try buying some human flea shampoo or body wash to get them off of you. You should also do a cleaning/inspection of your house. Vaccuum and clean sheets and other bed clothes. This should kill most of them. Without the cat in the house any longer, the flea's reign on your house would go down soon anyway, but these will hopefully help you.

Once again, so sorry for the loss of your cat. I hope that this helps, good luck!brigida · 2 years ago0 0 Comment I can only speak for cat fleas as I we have had plenty of opportunity to study these in our house.

These are the common, small, mahogony coloured fleas that live on cats, bite people and cause dogs to have flea alergies. Thse lay eggs in the beds of their host. Carpets, dog beds, cat beds. Wherever the host lies most frequently. They also produce a special type of poo. This is curly. ""a bit like a tiny black pudding ring. It also consists mainly of blood.

It goes red when wet. The eggs hatch into larvae which live on this poo pudding in the bed. These complete their development in the bed. Fleas are insects and change their skin in order to grow. All insects do this five times before becoming adult.

Each stage is called an instar. When the larval fleas complete their fourth instar they pupate (Turn into a kind of chrysalis) They can stay in this tage for a long time, waiting for the right conditions to start the cycle again.

If you want to get rid of fleas on you cat, dog treat your pet with a proprietry flea killer from the vet. You can`t buy anything that really works over the couter in the UK. You also need to treat your carpets at the same time.

You CAN buy a decent flea spray from good petshops. This way you will kill all adult fleas on your pets, you will also kill larval fleas in your pets bed and carpet. Repeat this process as soon as you see you pet scatching again and you will have killed all adults hatching for the carpet as well.

As far as I know, unless you live in a country where you acn still get Vapona or similar nerve gas based products. This is the only effective way to treat cat fleas. In my experience, dog fleas are quite rare. If you live in a place where your pet catches rabbits your pet may have dark, shiny fleas attached to the edges of his ears.

These will be rabbit fleas and will die off before long without any treatment Anonymous · 1 decade ago0 0 Comment Tricky question this as there are four stages in the flea life cycle, egg, larvae, pupae and adult flea. The fully formed adult flea residing in the cocoon (pre-emerged adult) is the stage that can extend the longevity of the flea, and makes it the most troublesome from a control standpoint. If the pre-emerged adult does not receive the proper stimulus to emerge, it can remain dormant in the cocoon for several weeks and possibly as long as one year in rare conditions, until a suitable host arrives.

e_cycle.shtml Anonymous · 1 decade ago0 0 Comment Actually, fleas eggs do live for long periods of time in carpet and bedding without pets or humans to feed off of.

They sense the vibrations of your footfalls and know when to hatch. Source (s): Discovery Channelazteck23 · 1 decade ago0 0 Commentyes, but the question is, for how long ... that im not sure. I was at my friends one day and her dog has bad fleas... i noticed a few dark things on my sock and they jumped around !

she said they were fleas, but she also said her dog hadnt been upstaires in weeks. so Im assuming they can live a long time. Ashley · 1 decade ago0 0 Comment I know that they live in carpets and that is fact but regarding the rest I don't know.

They are actually called mites and they also live in bed matresses and soft furnishings by their millions. Tango · 1 decade ago0 0 Comment Perhaps you would like to learn more about one of these? Psoriatic arthritis symptoms? Find Moving Container Services Portfolio Management Options Consolidate Your Student Loans "

Fleas can survive in pupa stage for more than 1 year. Therefore it it important to treat the cat's environment as well. Either by vacuuming frequently. You can put some flea powder in the dust bag to kill larvae or adult fleas who might hatch within the bag; In general, 5 fleas found on your pet come along with 20 fleas in pupa stage, 25 larvae and 50 eggs within the pet's environment (usually our homes). Here is a general info about fleas:

How long can fleas live in carpet or furniture even after the cat's been?

Pets Cats How long can fleas live in carpet or furniture even after the cat's been?de-flea'd Follow 7 answers Answers Relevance Rating Newest Oldest Best Answer: For quite awhile cause the fleas have laid a bunch of eggs also.

If they get on your cat they will die but as far as you go if your able and they are biting you you should get one of those flea defoggers for your place. Nancy · 7 years ago3 0 Comment Can Fleas Live In Carpet Source (s):https://shorte.im/a8TYJperceval · 1 year ago0 0 Comment

http://www.flea.net/http://frontline.us.merial.com/fle_menac... Best option for cats are still the spot on treatments like Front Line and Advantage which should be repeated at least 2 times to cover 3 months. Those flea treatments will make adult fleas sterile to make sure they can not produce a next generation.

Additional to that you can use an enviroment spray or fogger to treat your home. Please stick the instructions since that stuff is toxic and could lead to severe health issues if inhaled or ingested by not sufficient sealed food while flea bombing the home.

Even if I am not a fan of chemical bombs - when it comes to fleas I have no mercy and prefer to be safe than sorry. Please be carefully with natural remedies. While they are safe for us and dogs, many of them have ingredients which are toxic to cats.cheetah · 7 years ago2 0 Comment Sorry to say this but a friend of mine had a stray mom who she took in.

She had babies and the babies had fleas for the next two years no matter how she tried to rid them.

They moved all the way to Cali before the fleas suddenly absolved. That was in Georgia btw. Christal J · 7 years ago0 0 Comment Fleas are sneaky little critters. They can survive without a meal, for 1-2 months. And not only that, they're eggs and larvae are a contributing factor as well.

Larvae can go without a meal for about a week. Anonymous · 7 years ago2 0 Comment It's not the fleas you have to worry about; with no food source they will simply leave the residence.

What you have to be concerned about are the eggs, and they will lay dormant for months before something will cause them to hatch.0NE TRl CK P0NY · 7 years ago2 0 Commentfor a while, but they will need to leave that area since they feed on blood 5 times a day Me · 7 years ago0 0 Comment Maybe you would like to learn more about one of these? Looking for a new chandelier? How to order contacts online? Find Email Marketing Software Interested in dating sites?

a. Life Cycle (Back to Top)The cat flea life cycle is one of complete metamorphosis, involving the stages of an egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This cycle usually lasts 30 to 75 days, yet may vary due to external factors, such as temperature and humidity.

"common name: cat flea scientific name: Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché) (Insecta: Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)Introduction - Distribution - Description - Life Cycle - Medical and Economic Significance - Action Threshold - Management - Selected References Introduction (Back to Top)There are over 2,000 described species of fleas. The most common domestic flea is the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché). The adult cat flea, unlike many other fleas, remains on the host.

Adults require a fresh blood meal in order to reproduce. Figure 1. Adult cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché). Photograph by University of Florida. The dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis (Curtis), appears similar to the cat flea, but is rarely found in the United States. Cat fleas are commonly found on both cats and dogs in North America, while dog fleas are found in Europe.

The two species are distinguished by a slight morphological difference which is detectable only under high magnification. Distribution (Back to Top)Although it exists worldwide, the cat flea is most commonly found in the United States, in and around homes with pets. Description (Back to Top)Adults: Adults are stimulated to emerge by vibration or an increase in carbon dioxide.

They are about one to three mm in size, reddish-brown to black in color, wingless, and are laterally compressed. They possess powerful hind legs which allow for running and jumping through hair, fur, and feathers. Adult cat fleas require fresh blood to produce eggs. This is the only stage in the cat flea life cycle when the fleas live on the pet.

Adults live four to 25 days. Eggs: Cat flea eggs are laid at the rate of up to one egg per hour. They are oval, smooth, and about 0.5 mm in size.

Due to their dry, smooth surface, the eggs easily fall out of the animal's hair. Though otherwise visible, the white eggs are nearly impossible to see against surfaces such as carpet, bedding, and lawn. It is here where the eggs will remain until the larvae emerge. Figure 2. Cat flea eggs (white ovals) and feces, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché). Photograph by University of Florida. Larvae: Within two days of oviposition, wormlike larvae hatch from the eggs.

They range from 1.5 to 5 mm in length. This stage lasts five to 15 days. Larvae lack eyes, legs, are covered with few hairs, and possess dark guts, visible through their thin translucent exoskeleton. Larvae feed on almost any organic debris in the floor covering, but their main dietary component is dried adult cat flea fecal matter.

Adult flea feces, also known as ""flea dirt"", consist of relatively undigested blood which dries and falls from the pet to serve as food for the newly hatched larvae. The larvae prefer to develop in areas protected from rainfall, irrigation, and sunlight, where the relative humidity is at least 75 percent and the temperature is 70 to 90°F.

Figure 3. Larva of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché). Photograph by University of Florida. Pupae: Before becoming adults, the larvae spin silk cocoons in which they will develop. Because of the sticky outer surface of the cocoons, dirt and debris are attracted to them and provide camouflage. The pupae remain in the cocoons until they have fully developed into adult fleas. Figure 4. Pupae of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché). Photograph by University of Florid

Medical and Economic Significance (Back to Top)Cat fleas are capable of transmitting plague and murine typhus to humans, though such reports are rare. There are also varied allergic responses to their bites, depending upon the sensitivity of the host. Cat fleas serve as the intermediate host to an intestinal parasite, the dog tapeworm ( Dipylidium caninum ), which is transmitted to the pet when a flea carrying a tapeworm cyst is ingested.

Mostly, fleas simply act as a nuisance, since they feed on any warm-blooded animal. A common problem for the host is flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), which pet owners in the United States annually spend millions of dollars to treat. An estimated $2.8 billion is spent annually on flea-related veterinarian bills. Pet owners spend an estimated $1.6 billion annually for flea treatment through groomers, $4 billion for over the counter treatments, and $348 million for professional flea control.

Action Threshold (Back to Top)Fleas can be detected early on by observing the behavior of the pet (i.e.. noticing the pet scratching).

Flea allergy dermatitis is a costly and uncomfortable ailment for both animals and humans, and early detection and treatment is the key to minimization of suffering. Though cat fleas can act as vectors for disease, action is usually taken due to the great annoyance caused by the itching and biting of the fleas, rather than for health purposes. Management (Back to Top)Cultural control. In order to effectively control an infestation, fleas must be removed from the pet, the home and the yard.

Removal of fleas from the animal alone is futile. Immature fleas which have developed into adults off the animal simply jump on, causing subsequent reinfestation.

Flea combs may be used to treat the pet, yet they only remove ten to sixty percent of the fleas. However, by shampooing the animal, the dried blood and skin flakes which provide food for the larvae are removed. Scientific evidence regarding dietary supplementation with vitamin B, Brewerâ€™s Yeast or garlic suggest these methods are of little value. Scientific evidence has also shown that ultrasonic and insecticidal flea collars are not very effective.

Cedar chips and leaves from wax myrtles have repellent properties according to some homeowners, but have not been scientifically proven. If possible, control access of feral animals, such as skunks, opossums, raccoons and cats to your yard as they bring new fleas with them. Light traps placed around the home, especially where the pet frequents, may collect fleas upon emergence from their cocoons. Yet it is doubtful that this type of trap will attract fleas off the pet. Chemical control. Advances in flea adulticides are topical treatments, such as imidacloprid or fipronil.

When using a pesticide, always consult the label. Insect growth regulators (IGR) and insect development inhibitors (IDI), administered as a daily or monthly dose, will disrupt egg and larval development but not kill adult fleas.

Methoprene and pyriproxyfen are active ingredients of IGRs sold through veterinarians and pest control operators which are available in sprays and fleas collars. Lufenuron, an IDI sold through veterinarians, is orally administered to the pet. Insecticidal shampoos contain certain pesticides such as pyrethrins, carbamates, and citrus peel derivatives.

Pennyroyal oil, another natural product, is also available in shampoos. However, pulegone, the active ingredient in the oil has dose related toxicity to mammals and may induce lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, nose bleeds, seizures and possibly death due to liver failure.

For effective control, the home must also be treated, primarily in areas most frequented by the animal as the eggs and larvae are developing here. This can be done by vacuuming, washing bedding and rugs, and using sprays containing insecticides on the carpet. However, vacuuming will only remove eggs and food sources from the carpet. Larvae curl up around carpet fibers and pupae stick to the carpet.

It is important to restrict pet access from areas that are hard to treat, such as childrenâ€™s playrooms, crowded garages and work areas. Sheds and dog houses should be treated the same way and at the same time as the home. Borate carpet treatment, applied either by the home owner or a professional, works as an intestinal poison upon ingestion by the flea larvae. Diatomaceous earth has been used as a chafing agent to control larvae in carpets, but it contains silica which is known to cause lung disease in humans if inhaled in excessive quantities.

To treat the outdoors, pyrethroids may be sprayed in dry shaded areas which the animal frequents, as well as insect growth regulators such as pyriproxyfen and fenoxycarb, which are the most effective outdoor treatments. Methoprene is also commonly used outdoors, but is not stable in sunlight. Since larvae prefer shaded, dry areas, spraying the entire yard is wasteful and irresponsible. For outdoor areas which are difficult to treat (i.e. under decks), pet access should be restricted. Outdoor treatment is primarily used in severe cases of flea infestation and may not be necessary if fleas are controlled on the pet and in the home.

Biological control. The use of the beneficial nematode Steinernema carpocapsae has been investigated in several areas around the United States. These nematodes are applied to the lawn as a spray to destroy the flea larvae by parasitizing them.

If label directions are followed carefully, this should reduce flea populations. However, these nematodes work best in sandy soils and lose effectiveness if such soil is not present. Selected References (Back to Top)Dryden MW, Reid BL. 1996. Insecticide susceptibility of cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) pupae. Journal of Economic Entomology 89: 421-427. El-Gazzar LM, Milio J, Koehler PG, Patterson RS. 1986. Insecticide resistance in the cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 79: 132-134.

El-Gazzar LM, Patterson RS, Koehler PG. 1988. Comparisons of cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) adult and larval insecticide susceptibility. Florida Entomologist 71: 359-363. Hinkle NC, Koehler PG, Patterson RS. 1995. Larvicidal effects of boric acid and disodium octaborate tetrahydrate to cat fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology 32: 424-427. Hinkle NC, Wadleigh RW, Koehler PG, Patterson RS. 1995.

Mechanisms of insecticide resistance n a strain of cat fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 30: 43-48. Hinkle NC, Koehler PG, Patterson RS. 1995. Residual effectiveness of insect growth regulators applied to carpet for control of cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) larvae.

Journal of Economic Entomology 88: 903-906. Kern WH Jr, Koehler PG, Patterson RS. 1992. Diel patterns of cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) egg and fecal decomposition. Journal of Medical Entomology 29: 203-206. Koehler PG, Moye HA. 1995. Airborne insecticide residues after broadcast application for cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) control. Journal of Economic Entomology 88: 1684-1689. Lemke LA, Koehler PG, Patterson RS. 1989. Susceptibility of the cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) to pyrethroids. Journal of Economic Entomology 82: 839-841. Moser BA, Koehler PG, Patterson RS. 1992. Effect of methoprene and diflubenzuron on larval development of the cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 85: 112-116. "

Fleas can lay 20 to 40 eggs per day, and 10 female fleas can create almost a quarter of a million different life stages in a month. Newly emerged flea larvae can survive two weeks without a blood meal, and pre-emerged fleas (pupae/cocoon stage) can survive six months without feeding.

Puppy Fleas

"Puppies Getting Started Puppy Fleas Flea Treatment for Puppies By Amy Shojai Updated 10/03/17Share Pin Email Photodijo/E+/Getty Images There are more than 2,200 species of fleas recognized worldwide, but actually, only a handful of those affect dogs in North America.

The cat flea most often infests dogs and causes more than itching. Fleas can cause allergies, anemia and transmit tapeworms as well as the agent that causes cat scratch disease.

To pick the best bug weapons, you must first understand the enemy. The adult flea you find crawling through your puppy’s fur represents only the tip of the buggy iceberg. Symptoms of Fleas Puppies with fleas become quite itchy and they can drive your pet nuts. Fleas seem to prefer the back end of dogs, so your pet may chew the flanks and above the tail region.

Parting the fur also often reveals ""flea dirt""--it looks like tiny black specks caught in fur. This digested blood is flea poop and it turns red when placed on a damp cloth.

With pets that are allergic, a single flea bite can cause all over itching. These pups become sensitive and react to flea saliva. Products that don't just kill but also repel fleas work best for allergic pups. Flea Life Cycle Adult fleas don’t hop on and off your pet.

They stay there unless involuntarily dislodged, but they represent only five percent of the total flea population. The remaining 95 percent, composed of flea eggs, larvae and pupae, lurk in the environment and are poised to belly up to the furry banquet.

Flea products may address the egg, larvae and adult stages, but no insecticide can kill the cocoon stage. You must wait until it hatches to kill it. It takes 14 to 21 days for the lifecycle to be complete.

Pet Lifestyle Fleas hate direct sunlight and prefer outdoor shaded areas with sand, leaves or other debris, so the lifestyle of your puppy determines their exposure. Indoor couch potato pups won’t need the same protection as hunting dogs that roam the field. But even pups that visit the yard on leash have enough exposure to warrant flea protection. Age and health also influence the type of product you should choose. Look at the label to make sure the flea or tick protection says it’s safe for your individual pets.

Some are not safe for puppies. While the extreme cold can kill parasite s and they remain active only during warm months, it's hard to predict and anticipate a weather change that brings out the bugs.

Thus, the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) recommends year-round protection against fleas and ticks. Natural Flea Treatment The safest and most “natural” flea control technique involves using a flea comb.

Frequent vacuuming of the carpet removes up to 90 percent of flea eggs and 50 percent of larvae. Don’t neglect washing pet beds, carriers, blankets and throw rugs as well as any sofa cushions or other favorite pet resting places. For outdoor habitats, cut the grass short to allow sunlight to shoo away the bugs. Keeping your pets from problem areas and treating the bug habitats helps reduce the pest population.

Nematodes—worms that eat immature fleas—are available from lawn and garden supply outlets. Bathing puppies can get rid of existing fleas but won't necessarily keep them off. Be cautious of so-called ""natural"" flea products as they may still be dangerous for youngsters. Spray products do a better job and have some residual effect.

Products that contain insect growth regulators (IGRs) are the best choice for precise control because they prevent immature fleas from maturing into biting adults. They typically last a long time with a single application, some as long as seven months. Modern Pest Advances IGRs attack insects but not the pet and are one of the safest of the flea ingredients around.

For instance, methoprene fools flea larva into thinking it’s a larva forever, so it never turns into a biting adult flea. Another early IGR called lufenuron (once monthly pills) inhibits the development of the exoskeleton of the flea and sterilizes the bug so it can’t reproduce.

Pyriproxyfen (Nylar) works like methoprene but with increased potency that also kills flea eggs and larva. A better understanding of flea biology also helped develop active ingredients that attack the flea nervous system.

These include fipronil (Frontline), imidacloprid (Advantage), nitenpyram (Capstar), and selectamin (Revolution) applied as spot-on treatments once a month. Each offers slightly different benefits. Imidacloprid kills adult fleas and has a month-long effect. Fipronil also kills adult fleas for a month as well as ticks. Selamectin protects for a month against a host of pests including fleas, ear mites, heartworms and certain types of ticks.

All four of these active ingredients take 24 to 48 hours to be effective. Nitenpyram, taken as a pill, kills adult fleas that feed on a treated pet within 20 minutes but is only effective for 24 hours and isn’t helpful for flea-allergic animals.

Some of the most effective flea and tick products today combine an adulticide to kill adult fleas with an IGR to control the immature bug population. You can find a fipronil and methoprene combination product that kills fleas and ticks (Frontline Plus), as well as etofenprox partnered with Nylar or methoprene in various over-the-counter spot-on products that help control fleas and ticks.

Products that contain imidacloprid with permethrin (K-9 Advantix, for dogs only) or spinosad (Comfortis for dogs) also are available. New products are coming out all the time. Consult with your veterinarian about how to best to protect your puppy in the bug wars. Some products only are available by prescription. If you choose an over-the-counter product, look at the label and follow product instructions to ensure the health and safety of your pets. "

Female fleas will usually start laying their eggs in just a single day after coming into contact with your pet. Once the eggs have hatched into larvae, they feed on the dried remains of the adult fleas (blood and feces) and in some circumstances, also tapeworm eggs that was transferred from another pet or animal.

Why Flea Eggs Must Be Destroyed Before They Hatch

Why Flea Eggs Must Be Destroyed Before They Hatch Last updated: December 15, 2017 at 10:21 am By Natasha Anderson Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest E-mail Comments Summary: Dealing with flea eggs is a critical part of removing fleas from your home.

In fact, if the eggs are not removed, you will have another flea infestation within a couple weeks! After giving your carpets a good vacuum, make sure that your flea product of choice contains IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) to stop their eggs from hatching. Since a female flea can lay about 40 eggs per day, a few case studies have shown that for each flea you find, there are an estimated 120 eggs (or a further stage of the flea development cycle) around your home or garden.

Your efforts to combat fleas will be useless if you don’t stop the flea life cycle. Before we look at the removal process, what do these eggs look like on your pets and other places in your house? What Do Flea Eggs Look like? While fleas don’t always come from pets, usually a flea problem starts with them so they may require an immediate inspection.

Can you see fleas or their eggs? Well since they are very small, they can often be rather hard to find. These eggs are about 0.4mm in size and are completely white and sometimes slightly see-through. I personally think that they look like little grains of salt but I have heard a few people say it looks like dandruff.

One of the most common mistakes is confusing flea dirt for these eggs. Always remember that this dirt is often a sign of fleas as it contains their feces.

However, these are not eggs! Their eggs also don’t stick to animal fur (or any surfaces for that matter) and this allows them to fall off rather easily and land in your carpets, couches, bedding and other concealed places. Also, if your pet does have fleas, chances are that he or she will be scratching the bite marks as they are very itchy and this can also spread the eggs around.

Environmental Conditions That Speed Up Reproduction Flea Eggs Picture Temperature has a direct effect on the rate in which fleas complete their reproductive cycle.

Generally speaking, if you live in a hot environment, this will speed up this process, which gives you less time to put an end to all forms of flea life before the next wave arrives. The ideal temperate for fleas is about 25°C at an estimate of 70% humidity. How do fleas reproduce so quickly?

Well in these conditions, fleas will reproduce fast (provided they have a host available), their eggs will hatch after only a couple days and will take extra effort to get them under control because they thrive in warmth.

However in colder regions, its noted that adult flea eggs take much longer to hatch and female fleas do not lay a large amount of eggs each day. Any temperatures that fall below 0°C usually results in the developing fleas becoming dormant but unless its below freezing, they can survive about 7 months without food.

Quite a scary thought! Also, even though fleas prefer animals, remember that human fleas are rather common so don’t be too alarmed if you find one on yourself. Treating Flea Eggs on Your Dog or Cat While there are a number of natural and product based solutions for getting rid of fleas on dogs, remember that flea eggs also need to be removed!

While adult fleas cannot transmit these tapeworm eggs by feeding on the animals blood, they can be swallowed by your dog when it licks or bites itself (or during grooming, this is rather common with cat fleas). This will result in your pet contracting tapeworms, which can pose a fairly serious health risk if ignored.

The most common form of tapeworms on dogs and cats are referred to as “ Dipylidium Caninum “. As previously mentioned, your pets are often responsible for bringing fleas and their eggs into your home so if you are currently dealing with a flea attack, make sure that you treat them on your animals otherwise you will be fighting a loosing battle.

If you are unsure if your pet has fleas, signs of their presence can often be found in their sleeping areas, whether it be adult fleas, their poo or their eggs.

How to Get Rid of Flea Eggs in Your Home The Bug Squad has a number of detailed removal methods for adult fleas. However, in this section, we are going to explore a few ways to kill their eggs to stop the flea life cycle from causing repeat flea infestations. Here are some things that you can use right away: Give your pet bedding (blankets, etc.) a good, hot wash.

This will get rid of both the eggs and any lingering fleas. Vacuum your carpets and couches. If possible, try and use a water based model as these do an excellent job at removing the eggs. This also removes flea dirt and ensures that the larvae doesn’t wake up to find a tasty meal nearby. Use an IGR flea spray (natural ones are fine as well, just make sure it has a insect growth regulator) on your carpets and furniture.

If you have a dog and it has a kennel, also treat this area. Remember that this wont actually kill fully developed fleas in your home. If you require this as well, you may also opt to use a flea fogger/bomb in your home. These are slightly more aggressive methods but they definitely work.

Just make sure all the pets are out the house and you follow the instructions carefully. This step is extremely important as vacuuming doesn’t always cover all areas where eggs from fleas may be found and even if a small amount is left over, it could result in another generation of fleas.

Use a flea comb to remove any eggs off your pets. Make sure this is done outside. Its also important to treat your pet for fleas otherwise the female fleas will simply lay more eggs and the problem will persist.

You may also wash your animal with flea shampoo to get rid of eggs and even the adult fleas. Another optional step is to use a steam cleaner to remove adult fleas, eggs and larva. The hot steam kills fleas instantly and these devices can usually be hired at an affordable price, if you don’t have one already.

Finally, if you have a number of pets that frequently spend time inside your home, I highly recommend frequent vacuuming (every couple days) and checking your pets for fleas daily as a proactive measure to keep fleas away, especially during the warmer seasons.

However, please stay away from pet flea collars as they can be deadly to your furry friends. In conclusion, learning how to kill flea eggs is very important if you want to get your flea problem under control.

While you may have some success with various flea products on your pets, another generation could be waiting to bug you (literally) after a couple weeks if you do not remove the eggs as well. Many people spend hundreds of dollars getting rid of fleas but fail to ensure that the eggs are removed.

After reading this article, I hope this will never be you Thanks for reading my article about flea eggs!Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest E-mail Comments Bio Twitter Google+ Note Natasha Anderson Hi there!

My name is Natasha and I would like to thank you for reading this guide. If you have any concerns or would like to ask a question about this article, I encourage you to leave a comment below and I will provide a reliable answer within about 24 hours. Remember, all this information is provided at absolutely no cost and if you have enjoyed what you have read, please show your appreciation by sharing this post on your favorite social network below. I look forward to helping you!

s. LIFE CYCLEUnlike most fleas, adult cat fleas remain on the host where feeding, mating, and egg laying occur. Females lay about 20 to 50 eggs per day. Cat flea eggs are pearly white, oval, and about 1/32 inch long (Figure 3).

UC IPM Home > Homes, Gardens, Landscapes, and Turf > Fleas How to Manage Pests Pests of Homes, Structures, People, and Pets Fleas Revised 9/10In this Guideline: Identification Life cycle Associated problems Management Handling a flea emergency About Pest Notes Publication Glossary Figure 1. Adult cat flea. Figure 2. Sticktight flea. Figure 3. Cat flea eggs. Figure 4. Cat flea larva. Cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, are the most common ectoparasite on domestic cats and dogs (Figure 1).

Dog fleas, C. canis ,look like cat fleas but are rare in California. Sticktight fleas, Echidnophaga gallinacea, are commonly found on ground squirrels and poultry; the females firmly attach themselves along the ears and eyes of their host (Figure 2).

They can become a problem with pets that roam. The ground squirrel flea, Oropsylla montana, is found on ground squirrels and is the vector of sylvatic plague in California. However, fleas on cats or dogs in California most likely are cat fleas. IDENTIFICATIONAdult fleas are no larger than 1/8 inch long, so it is difficult to see a number of the characteristics used to describe them.

These reddish-brown, wingless insects are laterally compressed, so they look as if they are walking on edge. Cat fleas have both pronotal and genal combs. They have piercing-sucking mouthparts through which they obtain blood meals from their host

The eggs are smooth and readily fall from the pet and land on surfaces such as bedding and carpeting in the animal’s environment. They hatch in about 2 to 5 days. Flea larvae are no larger than 3/16 inch long, hairy, and wormlike with a distinct, brownish head but no eyes or legs (Figure 4). The larvae feed on dried blood and excrement adult fleas produce while feeding on the pet. Larval development is restricted to protected places where there is at least 75% relative humidity.

The larvae feed and crawl around for 8 to 15 days before building small, silken cocoons in which they pupate and develop into adults. Debris, such as pet hair or skin or carpet fibers, usually covers the pupae, providing visual camouflage.

Flea larvae develop more quickly at higher temperatures, preferring areas that are 70° to 90°F. At cool temperatures, fully formed fleas can remain in their cocoons for up to 12 months.

Warm temperatures and mechanical pressure caused by walking on or vacuuming carpet stimulate emergence from the cocoon. At normal room temperatures, the entire life cycle can occur in about 18 days. An adult cat flea generally lives about 30 to 40 days on the host.

When normal grooming activity is restricted, 85% of adult females survived for 50 days. You can find fleas on pets throughout the year, but numbers tend to increase dramatically during spring and early summer when conditions favor larval development. ASSOCIATED PROBLEMSRecent advances in molecular research indicate cat fleas are capable of transmitting a murinelike typhus disease in humans, cat flea rickettsiosis. The symptoms are similar to murine typhus but less severe, including headaches, chills, fever, vomiting, and rash. This rickettsial agent is widely found in cats and cat fleas worldwide. It is likely that many previously diagnosed cases of murine typhus actually might have been cat flea rickettsiosis.

Fleabites consist of a small, central, red spot surrounded by a red halo, usually without excessive swelling. They usually cause minor itching but can become increasingly irritating to people with sensitive or reactive skin. Some people and pets suffer from fleabite allergic dermatitis, characterized by intense itching, hair loss, reddening of the skin, and secondary infection. Just one bite can initiate an allergic reaction, and itching can persist up to 5 days after the bite.

Cat fleas serve as intermediary hosts of dog and cat tapeworms. Cats or dogs can acquire this intestinal parasite while grooming themselves if they ingest adult fleas that contain a cyst of the tapeworm. Children occasionally can acquire these tapeworms too. MANAGEMENTNew, safer, and more effective products aimed at controlling adult fleas on pets have made cat flea management without pesticide sprays, shampoos, and dusts feasible in most situations. Management of fleas on pets must occur in conjunction with regular, thorough cleaning of pet resting areas indoors and out.

Once fleas infest a home, control will require a vigilant program that includes vacuuming, eliminating fleas on pets, and cleaning up and possibly treating shaded outdoor locations where pets rest. On the Pet Several types of products are available to control fleas on dogs and cats. The newer products are either applied topically to the body of the pet or provided orally (Table 1).

Products containing fipronil, permethrin, or amitraz also are designed to control ticks. Products containing the insect growth regulators (IGRs) methoprene and pyriproxyfen are designed to provide long-term control of flea eggs and immatures in the environment. If you administer oral or topical products early in the year before flea populations begin to build, the products can prevent fleas from establishing themselves in your home.

Contact your veterinarian for advice in selecting the best flea-control product for your situation. Supplement the use of these products with good housekeeping in areas where the pet rests. Table 1.

Active ingredients and some of the products available for on-animal control. Active ingredient Product Application—oral or topical Dinotefuran 1 4.95% (w/v), Vectra 3D®, Summit Vet Pharm topical Fipronil 10% (w/v), Frontline ® Plus, Merial Ltd topical Imidacloprid 9.1% (w/v), Advantage®, Bayer Animal Health topical Lufenuron 1 90–205 mg/tablet, Program® Novartis Animal Health oral Nitenpyram 1 11.4 or 57.0 mg/tablet, Capstar®, Novatis Animal Health oral Pyriprole 1 12.5% (w/v), Prac-Tic ®, Novartis Animal Health topical Selamectin 1 7.4–14.2%, Stronghold®/Revolution™ Pfizer Animal Health topical Spinosad 1 140–1620 mg/ tablet, Comfortis®, Elanco Animal Health oral1 These products are FDA-registered veterinary drugs, not pesticides, and require a prescription from a vet On-pet Flea Treatment Products.

New product innovations have made it possible to effectively, conveniently, and safely prevent flea populations from building up on pets. These products are more effective than the traditional insecticide collars, dusts, shampoos, and sprays. The spot-on formulations available from veterinarians or via the Internet are much easier to use than baths or sprays and are more acceptable to the animal and pet owner.

A few drops of the spot-on formula applied to the animal’s shoulder blades move through the animal’s coat or are absorbed into the animal’s skin, providing whole-body treatment.

These materials kill adult fleas within hours of the flea jumping on the animal. Also, these compounds have lower toxicity to mammals than traditionally used flea-control products containing carbamates such as carbaryl and propoxur and organophosphates such as chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and tetrachlorvinphos, making them safer to use on pets.

Generally spot-on formulations can withstand bathing; check the label for specific instructions. There is no literature concerning the effectiveness of over-the-counter spot-on formulations. With increased EPA concerns about adverse effects reported with the use of topical flea control products, it should emphasized that not all products are safe for all animals.

Products containing permethrin and amitraz never should be applied to cats. Be sure to read labels carefully. Systemic Oral Treatments. Three flea-control products are internal medications administered as a pill or chewable food.

The insect development inhibitor lufenuron (Program) can be given as a pill to dogs or as a food additive for cats once a month to suppress flea populations. It also can be administered as an injection every 6 months. While this compound doesn’t kill adult fleas, it does prevent flea reproduction. Administration of nitenpyram (Capstar) provides rapid knockdown of the fleas on the host within 30 minutes.

The effects last about 48 hours. A newer product for dogs containing spinosad (Comfortis) also is fast acting, providing protection for 60 days. These oral treatments are especially appropriate for animals that swim or take frequent baths. Flea Collars.

Flea collars typically contain the IGRs methoprene and pyriproxyfen and insecticides such as permethrin and tetrachlorvinphos. The collar releases the IGR, which then distributes itself throughout the pet’s coat affecting eggs and female adult fleas. Very little information has been published concerning the efficacy of collars. Traditional Insecticide Products.

Until recently, pet owners had to rely on products containing conventional insecticides (pyrethrins, permethrin, d -limonene, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, carbaryl, and naled) to control fleas on their pets. These products were formulated as soaps, shampoos, powders, dusts, spray-on liquids, and dips. Although many of these products still are available, they aren’t as effective to use as the on-animal treatments above.

Some products aren’t labeled for cats. Be sure to read all labels carefully. Nonchemical Treatments. Special metal flea combs are available that help effectively remove adult fleas from the coat of pets.

Removing fleas can provide comfort to the animal and reduce flea breeding. Combing pets at regular intervals also is a good way to monitor the flea population and help you decide when other control measures might be necessary.

Studies have shown that neither Vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride) supplements nor brewer’s yeast prevents fleas from feeding. Herbal collars and ultrasonic devices aren’t effective flea repellents either. Environmental Treatments Indoors. Controlling cat fleas in buildings requires a variety of approaches. Before starting a control program, look through each room to determine areas where larval development occurs. Flea populations are highest in places where dogs or cats regularly sleep. You usually won’t find flea larvae in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic or locations that receive exposure to sunlight; they are likely to be present in areas where adult fleas have left dried blood and feces. Sanitation.

Thoroughly and regularly clean areas where you find adult fleas, flea larvae, and flea eggs. Vacuum floors, rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture, and crevices around baseboards and cabinets daily or every other day to remove flea eggs, larvae, and adults.

How Long Do Fleas Live Flea Life Span Fleas can live up to a year and a half when they have a food supply, the optimum temperature (70F to 85F), and ideal humidity (70%). In reality though, most live for an average of 2-3 months.

How Long Do Fleas Live

How Long Can Fleas Live Without a Host? Even if you remove the pets from your house for a time, the fleas can still survive for several months without feeding. How Long Do Fleas Live On Humans? Most fleas that we encounter because of our pets are cat fleas and dog fleas, which actually can not easily sustain live by feeding on humans.

According to laboratory experiments, fleas that fed on humans for a short amount of time were not able to produce viable eggs. The cat fleas were required to feed on human blood for a long time (12 consecutive hours) to produce viable eggs. By comparison, a cat flea can produce viable eggs after feeding on a cat for a much shorter period of time.

So while fleas often bite humans, the ones most commonly encountered cannot realistically sustain on humans. How Long Do Fleas Live In Carpet? Flea eggs can live in your carpet in a dormant state for up to a year depending on the environment. This is why it is important to vacuum frequently. Vacuuming can get rid of 30-60% of the fleas from carpeting.

ges Full Answer Fleas survive an average of eight days on a short-haired dog, and they typically last longer on a host with longer hair. Fleas need a food source to survive and reproduce to continue their life cycle, and a healthy flea can lay around 27 eggs each day.

How Long Do Dog Fleas Live in the Home?

Home & Garden Pest Control Fleas & Bedbugs Q: How Long Do Dog Fleas Live in the Home? A: Quick Answer

How long a dog flea survives depends on several factors. The average flea survives a few days to two weeks without a food supply, and they can live much longer with a host.

Continue Reading Keep Learning Can Dog Fleas Live in Human Hair? What Can You Use to Kill Fleas in a Dog's House? Can Dog Fleas Bite Humans? Credit: STUDIO TEC a.collection RF Getty Ima

How Long Do Dog Fleas Live in the Home?

They can live for up to 2 years and that is not counting the baby fleas that hatch in the mean time. Those little f*er's a pain to get rid of.

How long can fleas live in an empty house?

Business & Finance Renting & Real Estate How long can fleas live in an empty house? Follow 3 answers Answers Relevance Rating Newest Oldest Best Answer: maybe 18 monthsgeeta fookata · 5 years ago1 0 Comment

Source (s):experiencebarrudaki · 5 years ago0 0 Comment Forever. Unless they are treated they just continue to breed Classy Granny · 5 years ago0 2 Comment Maybe you would like to learn more about one of these? Explore Prepaid Gas Cards Want to buy a domain name? Try online nursing courses? Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms?

OMG yes! I had neighbors in the downstairs apartment move out with their dogs. Several weeks later the fleas were all over the building in their search for food. Newly hatched eggs, old fleas, young fleas. It was horrible. We flea bombed the place and then vacuumed good to get the eggs. They can live a long time without a blood meal.

Can fleas survive in empty house?

Pets Cats Can fleas survive in empty house?set off flea bombs at rental, no one lives there, can they survive there if theres no blood for them for them to thrive on.

Follow 11 answers Answers Relevance Rating Newest Oldest Best Answer: Absolutely! Adults can live 1-2 months without a meal and 7-8 months with just one meal.

The bombs should help, you may have to repeat the process as the fleas emerge from pupation. Good luck!Source (s): Zookeeper 17+ yrs. Invertebrates http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Fleas...spiderjane · 10 years ago0 0 Comment Fleas In Empty House Source (s):https://owly.im/a99Jwboree · 1 year ago0 0 Comment Adult fleas cannot survive without a blood source.

Unfortunately, adults are only 5% of the flea population. Eggs and larvae make up the other 95% and can survive for many months in a dormant state until they sense the presence of CO2 from a living animal or feel the body heat.

Then they are stimulated to hatch and attack! When treating an empty house, be sure to use a product that kills flea eggs and larvae. Source (s): CVTKimbee J · 10 years ago2 0 Comment

If you flea bomb, then do the carpets you should be ok. Anonymous · 10 years ago0 0 Comment Yes, fleas can survive but they'll be hungry. You'll know for sure when someone walks in the home and is bitten by a number of the starving bugs. I'd suggest spraying the yard as well and doing a follow up indoors. Make sure your insecticide also kills the eggs.

Amazing Grace · 10 years ago0 0 Comment As long as the house is empty You can throw a couple of boxes of moth flakes around.

In a couple of days go back and vacuum the whole house. By that time most of the flakes will have dissolved. This will kill the eggs too. Toss the bag when you are finished, by putting it in a large trash bag, tightly sealed.

Hope this helps you. WARNING Be sure to open the windows while you are doing this for proper ventilation. Doris T · 10 years ago0 1 Comment I read somewhere that dormant fleas can survive several YEARS without an animal to feed on.

Yuck. Sabine · 10 years ago0 0 Commentyes!Aaron · 4 years ago0 0 Commentyeah I'm pretty sure they can survive fora period of time, they live in the carpet and come from the grass outside.

I'm sure they wouldn't stay for too long considering there isn't anything to eat!Answerer · 10 years ago0 0 Comment Yes they can, as long as there was something there for them to feed off originally.

Source (s): Neighbours found their empty house COMLETELY over run with fleas after a kitten got in, even when they took the kitten out, the fleas continued to multiply...long story...three weeks + a visit from pest control later, the house was finally inhabitable again!good_golly_goodness! · 10 years ago0 0 Comment1 2 next Maybe you would like to learn more about one of these? Need an electronic signature? Need a DUI Attorney? Should you donate your car? Masters of marketing online

Fleas lay about five hundred eggs in their lifetime. At any one time, about 5% of the fleas associated with a pet are adults on the pet. The rest are about evenly divided between eggs, larva and pupa. So you are dealing with a lot more fleas than meet the eye.

"click to enlarge Pet got too plump on so called 'flea shots"" ? Nex Gard®, Bravecto®, Simparica® ? Thinking of having your pet allergy tested for fleas ? Cytopoint? Ron Hines DVM Ph DLots of my articles are plagiarized and altered on the web to market products and services. There are never ads running or anything for sale with my real articles. Try to stay with the ones that begin with http://www.2ndchance.info/ in the URL box or find all my articles at ACC.htm.

Never use supermarket ""flea-drops"" (permethrin products, spot-on) on cats. Even exposure of your cat to canine pets in the same household that have those products applied to them has been enough to cause severe seizures in felines.

Read about the problem here If you have both dogs and cats be sure flea and tick product you intend to use say they are safe for use on cats.

Fleas are the most bothersome external parasites of pets in most of the world. In northern climates they are especially troublesome from July through October. In the southern half of the Country or in pets kept in a heated environment they are a problem all year long. Fleas are one of the most common reasons pets are brought to animal hospitals. Often, owners have no idea that fleas are the root of their pet’s problems. Ear infections, personality changes, anemia, tapeworms and hair loss are just a few of the problems fleas can cause.

Flea bites are not in themselves painful or itchy. It is the saliva the fleas secrete that causes the irritation and itching. This itching varies from pet to pet depending on how sensitive they are and the number of fleas they have. Flea bites leave a small, reddish pimple at the site of the bite. For reasons that we do not know ,fleas tend to congregate on the rump and dorsal base of a pet’s tail.

Some people think this is because in those locations, the pets have problems catching them. Another common place to find fleas is around the neck. One or two fleas can be hard to spot. Fleas jump on and off pets so none may be present when you make your exam. Rather than look for the fleas themselves, look for the tell-tail pepper-like granules fleas leave on your pet’s skin.

This material is the pet’s blood that has passed through the digestive system of the flea. If you are uncertain if this material is “flea dirt” or just dirt, pick it up on a moistened toothpick and place the granule on a white paper towel along with a drop of water.

If the the rust color spreads over the paper, then your pet has a flea problem. If one pet in your family has fleas, then they all do. No pets are immune to fleas. But when they jump onto a human being, they usually jump off relatively quickly.

Flea Biology 101Adult fleas are about 1/16 to 1/8-inch long. They are dark reddish-brown, wingless and hard-bodied. They are amazingly difficult to crush between fingers. Fleas are flattened from side to side. They have three pairs of legs. The most rear set of legs are large, enabling fleas to jump amazingly far. It is said that fleas can jump 12 inches. That would be equivalent to a human being jumping over 400 feet!The flea’s narrow shape allows it to move rapidly through your pet's fur.

Fleas have mouthparts that pierce the skin and then siphon out blood. Fleas lay their eggs on the pet’s body. The eggs are smooth, oval and white. The flea larvae that hatch from these eggs are about 4 millimeters long. They are grub-like, slender, and off-white in color. Flea larva fall off of the pet and live in cracks and niches along the floor and in stuffed furniture where they feed on dead organic matter.

Out-of- doors, they prefer sandy, shaded soils. Flea larva do not suck blood. They do actively avoid light. After a time, these larva develop into pupae with a silken capsules covered with particles of the debris in which the larval fleas lived.

The time it takes a flea to complete this life cycle is extremely variable. It can be as short as two weeks or as long as eight month. The length of a flea’s life cycle is dependent on room temperature as well as a natural staggering of hatching time.

Fleas wait motionless on the ground or in bedding. When an object cuts off light shining on the flea - it hops. If it lands on a pet it is satisfied. If it lands on a person it usually leaves without biting. Certain people are more susceptible to flea bites than others. We do not know why. A rather unique characteristic of fleas is that a large portion of them will remain dormant in their cocoons until vibrations, body warmth, and carbon dioxide emanating from pets or people cause them to hatch.

This is why new occupants of apartments that appear free of fleas can suddenly be attacked by hoards of them a day or two later.

Adult fleas in this resting stage can live for up to one year. Once they have left their cocoons they can only survive about a week without feeding on a pet. The fleas usually encountered in the United States on all pets are cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis . This flea does not confine itself to cats. Fleas are the carrier of the most common tapeworm of dogs and cats, Dipylidium caninum. These tapeworms do not infect humans. Some pets are so efficient in catching fleas that none can be found in their coat.

But we know that they have a flea problem if we find the rice-like tapeworm segments in their stool. You can read about tapeworms in your pet here. How Can I Solve My Pet's Flea Problem? The best place to kill fleas is on your pet. I do not suggest that you have your house fumigated. None of the chemicals that are used are good for you or your pet.

If you use an effective, safe, flea-control product on all your pets, fleas will disappear from your house on their own in a month or two.

There are too many flea control products on the market for me to cover in this article. So I will mention some that have done a good job on pets in South Texas and South Florida. The mild climate and high humidity of these areas make them- two of the worst flea-infested areas in America.

If they work here, they will work for you. Fleas have been around forever. They are continually evolving resistance to products designed to kill them. So as time passes , the effectiveness of every product will decrease. In mild climates with high humidity, many products that were once excellent are no longer effective.

This includes Frontine and Advantage. Purchasing over-the-counter products from pet centers, retailers or online sources is a waste of time. None of them will be effective in solving your pet's flea control problem. Here are the products that you should try.

When you use them CAREFULLY FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS WRITTEN ON THE BOX . It is very important that the pet not be able to reach the spot where the medication is applied and lick it off.

Do Not Use Products On Cats That Are Labeled For Dogs Only. If you have a flea problem on a young puppy or kitten, you are always safest if you wet cotton with 70%alcohol and hold it over the flea until it no longer moves.

Then pluck it up with tweezers and drop it into a paper cup of alcoholic beverage or flush them immediately. Flea and tick control on your pet is Big Business. Because it is so profitable to the veterinary pharmaceutical industry, there is intense competition, products are rushed to market, formulas are constantly changing, and label directions frequently change as well.

I downloaded these product labels on October 8, 2011. I would much prefer that you carefully read the product instructions on the product you purchase rather than rely on my downloaded product information.

It is now 2013 and the major pharmaceutical companies have all introduced many more brands of flea and tick control products.

To the best of my knowledge, none are more effective than the previous ones. Their introduction and the re-formulation of older products under new names is primarily due to competition from generic products as the companies' patents on the effective drugs themselves ( like imidocloprid and fipronil) expire.

These new products often have traceable bar codes on each package to provide veterinarians with products that will not be available at discounted prices in ""Big Box"" stores or through internet pharmacies. ( ref)If you have a dog and you want a product that kills both fleas and resistant heartworms, the best at the moment is probably Advantage Multi® aka aka Advocate Spot On®.

You can read why here. Frontline: Frontline ( Merial Co.) is designed to be dripped on the scruff of your pet's back or misted into your pet's coat. It contains fipronil and methoprene. Frontline Spray, Top Spot and Frontline Plus are all approved for both cats and dogs. The basic ingredient is fipronil, The Plus formula also has methoprene to interrupt the flea's life cycle.

I prefer the drip-on formula. Follow the directions on the package. It works best if you allow some of the pet's natural oil to return to your pet's coat after bathing before you apply Frontline.

Frontline is not as effective as it once was. This is most noticeable if stray cats or dogs are passing through your yard, if you have large numbers of pets or if your pet roams loose. If Frontline still works well for neighbors whose pets live the same lifestyle your pet does, it may still work well for you. Advantage: Advantage ( imidacloprid, Bayer Co.) is also applied to the coat of your pet. It is about as effective as Frontline. However, Advantage, like Frontline, is loosing its effectiveness among resistant flea populations.

Revolution: Revolution ( selamectin, Pfizer Co. )is an excellent product for dogs and cats. Because it also prevents heartworms, it is especially useful in dogs. In most localities, it is still effective in controlling fleas. Pro Meris: Promeris ( metaflumizone,Wyeth Co/Ft Dodge ). There have been reports of nausea, vomiting and drooling following the use of this product in dogs and cats. These signs often occur with topical flea-control products when the pets mange to lick them off shortly after they are applied.

The use of Promeris has also been associated with a form of autoimmune skin disease. ( ref)Pyrethrin/ Pipronyl butoxide: Pyrethrin is an extract of the flowers of certain chrysanthemum plants grown in East Africa. It is the active ingredients in many supermarket flea powders, shampoos and sprays. Pipronyl butoxide is used to enhance its strength. These products do kill fleas and they are very safe. But they do not solve a flea problem in your home or yard because they have no residual activity.

Within a mater of hours, new fleas will jump on your pet from the environment. They are excellent to de-flea a pet before it moves to your home. Pyrethrin only kills adult fleas. So I prefer using shampoos to de-flea pets, because they will wash away the larva and eggs that are on the pet as well.

Comfortis Comfortis ( spinosad, Lilly/Elanco Co.) Spinosad is an agricultural pesticide derived from naturally occurring soil bacteria. It is used allot by organic gardeners. ( ref) The compound is considered very safe in agricultural applications.

However, I have reservations about giving any insecticide orally because we do not know what the long term side effects might be. I have been delighted with spinosad's its flea-killing ability when it is sprayed in the pet's yard environment according to directions. Flea control is not a government-approved use for these products, it is only a pleasant side effect. There have been reports of side effects when giving spinosad in pill form to pets that are taking ivermectin to prevent heartworms.

( ref)Vectra: Vectra Dog and Vectra Cat ( dinotefuran,Summit Vet Pharm Co. ). The active ingredient, dinotefuran is an agricultural pesticide with a history of low toxicity. Since fleas have had little exposure to dinotefuran, it should prove effective for a while. This product has become popular among certain veterinarians because Company policy prevents it from being purchased on the internet or elsewhere at a discounted price.

Packages of this product are imprinted with ""Blood Hound"" track-and-trace bar-code technology and the producer, quickly locates the veterinarian selling it in bulk to third parties. Vectra has not been in wide spread use long enough for information on its safety and effectiveness to become readily available.

I avoid the product because I do not like marketing techniques that attempt to restrict access to maximize profits. You have many other good products to choose from. You Didn't Mention A Flea-control Product I Heard about. Why is that ? I can't keep up with the large number of products on the market for flea control on dogs and cats.

The pharmaceutical industry is constantly introducing new ones and modifying older ones. The latest, Activyl, by Merck, ( announced April 12 ,2012 ) seems to have as its most important selling point, a new technology ( Track&Trace) that the Company hopes will prevent the product's diversion to online or retail sales ( at a reduced markup ).

Merck's limited in-house study indicates it is , perhaps, a bit more effective than Frontline-Plus.

Time will tell. What About Ticks? Ticks are much tougher to kill than fleas. Pet owners face two kinds of tick problems.1) In the first case, dogs or cats that roam or hunt bring the parasites back home with them. A similar situation occurs when wildlife pass through your yard frequently. In this case, you need a product that lasts a long time on the pet.2)The second case is when the ticks are actually breeding in your yard or home.

In these cases, the best approach is to remove or modify areas where the ticks are breeding. Shaded high grass and weeds, leaf litter and undergrowth are the areas where ticks successfully multiply. If you can keep these areas less hospitable to ticks, the problem should solve itself. Try to create a tick-free zone around your house.

In this area, keep the grass mowed short. Put bird and wildlife feeders in areas that do not offer cover for ticks to breed.

Feed your pets indoors and keep your trash bins closed tightly so as not to attract wildlife. Raccoons, opossums and deer often bring the ticks with them. Plant aromatic plants and trees that ticks don't like. These are plants and trees with few natural pests - like pines, daffodils, marigolds, mint and citronella.

Preventic collars: These collars are very effective in repelling ticks. They must be replaced every 1-2 months. They contain Amitraz which must not be used on cats. These collars are often used along with Frontline Plus for enhanced tick control.

Preventic collars may not protect the rear end of larger dogs. They are also not as effective if the pet swims or is bathed frequently. These collars must not be used on cats. Advantix: Advantix kills fleas, but primarily repels ticks. It is water-resistant and works well in most situations. It must not be used on cats. "

When you initiated treatment, it can be assumed that eggs were laid earlier that day. It takes around 2 days for those eggs to hatch, 7 days for the larvae to pupate, and another 7 days until the adult stage is reached. In homes, you can expect the full life cycle to complete in 17 to 26 days. While no new fleas should be able to successfully develop past 26 days, one life stage is a problem.

How long will it take for all fleas to die after treating my home and cat?

Anonymous on December 20, 2015How long will it take for all fleas to die after treating my home and cat? Login or register to comment, vote, answer, or ask a question.1Vote Up Vote Down Anonymous asked 2 years ago Hi, I discovered my cat had fleas and then discovered fleas in my home mainly upstairs.

I have now treated my cat with advantage and treated my home with indorex. It has been a week and I have found approximately 30 more fleas mostly adults I think and a few smaller ones and there are still fleas upstairs, I am hoovering regularly and have ordered another can of indorex. I am just wondering how long will the fleas that are left survive without my cat as the host as he has been treated.

And also if they bite humans can they reproduce? I am just at the end of my tether with it all and hope it would just end.

Hope you can help. Much appreciated. Many thanks Tori replied 2 years ago Hello , we currently have fleas in our house and have had them for probably a month in a half now … we treat our dog every month and have been treating him even more for the last 2 weeks , giving him multiple baths as well… we’ve swept , bombed our house about 3-4 times and have had an exterminator come out twice , even to spray our yard… yet we still keep seeing them ….

Sheila fallon replied 1 year ago Hi I have a small dog who we found had fleas at her grooming appointment. She has been dipped and given medication . She is on her second month of pills. I am full of flea bites .

Could they live in my bed and in my sofa . She sleeps with me . I vacuum everyday, wash my blankets , spray flea spray we got from vet. What else can I do . The bites are painful . She does not seem to have fleas on her but I am still getting bit.

Will I need to get rid of my mattress and sofa? Please help!Adam Retzer Staff replied 1 year ago Sheila,The fleas could be developing anywhere your dog has access.

The adult fleas permanently live on their host once it’s acquired. The eggs are laid on the host, but fall off within a few hours. So the eggs are falling anywhere the dog wanders. If your dog goes onto the sofa and bed, then eggs likely fell there. Laundering your bedding will kill any fleas found there. There’s no need to get rid of the mattress.

For the sofa, remove the cushions and pillows and vacuum thoroughly. Using a nozzle hose attachment, focus on the crevices and folds in the fabric. You may also consider spraying the carpets with an insect growth regulator (IGR), either pyriproxyfen or methoprene.

Most sprays come with one of these IGR ingredients. It’s good that the treatments seem to be working and you aren’t seeing fleas on your dog. That means no new generation of eggs are being laid. You just have to contend with the fleas already developing in the environment.

Continuing the vacuuming routine is the best way to control these until they are gone. Fleas can’t bite through most fabrics, so wearing long pants and socks can help stop bites. Tuck the pant legs into the socks.1 Answers0Vote Up Vote Down Adam Retzer Staff answered 2 years ago Hello!

Great questions. Short Answers: The infestation will take around 8 weeks to completely end, sometimes longer. However, most of the infestation will be gone within a month. Fleas can’t survive and reproduce on human blood. You can read our article on it here. Long Answers: When you treat your pet, the adult fleas on the animal will be killed. Any new adults that jump on the pet will be killed before they can reproduce. Unfortunately, the bulk of flea infestations are eggs, larvae and pupae living in the environment (carpets). Treating the environment and vacuuming will help speed up the elimination these environmental reservoirs, but it won’t eradicate them completely.

Flea pupae are fairly resistant to chemical treatments. And they can remain dormant for up to 5 months, waiting to detect heat and pressure before they emerge. Vacuuming will help stimulate their emergence. Generally, it will take 8 weeks, maybe longer, for fleas in your home to be completely eradicated.

r PS — knowing a fleas life cycle helps in going to battle with them.. The flea lays eggs and the eggs hatch (and look like tiny worms). The worms (called the larval stage) develop a cocoon type barrier (called the pupal stage) where they transform into an adult flea (like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly).

fleas! help!

fleas! help!Dog Food Advisor › Forums › Off Topic Forum › fleas! help!Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 40 total)Author Posts December 20, 2012 at 11:17 pm #11118Report Abusesophia Participant So I took my dog with me to visit my mom in another state.

AFTER we showed up she informed me that her pit bull had been itchy for a few days. Sure enough, since we have been home my poor pup has been scratching non stop. The kitten seems fine, she got a dose of revolution a few days prior (and did not come with us). I gave my dog front line the day we go back, waited two days then gave her an oatmeal bath, but she’s sill itchy.

She gets front line monthly, but I’ve heard before that it doesn’t always work great. I’ve never had flea problems before, I know they stay in your home even if you clean the dog, just reinfecting your dog.

Most answers online say to flea bomb the home and use flea shampoo on the dog, are there any safer/natural alternatives that actually work? I haven’t seen any fleas, but I read online to scratch her fur on to a wet paper towel, and if the black speckles turn red it’s most likely flea dirt, which has blood in it.

I did this and got red speckles, so I am assuming it’s fleas. She has allergies but since we got home her itching has been non stop, even in her sleep.

I’m even a little itchy!Thanks in advance for any help!December 21, 2012 at 11:08 am #11125Report Abuse Shawna Member H Sophia,I’ve had to fight fleas on my foster dogs. This is what has worked for me — first I wash the dog with a shampoo or soap that has tea tree in it (Dr. Bronner’s is a soap with tea tree that is the right ph for a dog’s skin – any castile soap is).

Toxed has recommended Dr. Bronner’s mint soap as well. When bathing you will want to wet the head first as I’ve read that the fleas will scury towards the ears for protection — starting with the head will block them.

Make sure to get soap everywhere but ears and eyes (in between toes as an example). Rince off and towel or blow dry. Once dry I apply food grade diatomaceous earth down to the skin by parting the fur and taking a pinch of the DE between my fingers and making sure it gets on the skin not just the fur.

Then I rub it in the area. (DE looks and feels like white flour but it actually has sharp edges. Those edges are harmless to us and our dogs (unless too much is inhaled) but are deadly to insects.

They damage the exoskeleton and cause the insect/flea to dehydrate causing death.) I apply the DE from the top of the head to the beginning of the tail and across the back.

If the dogs fur is light colored you can see the flea dirt and apply where it is seen. I have found that it is not necessary to do the entire dog — just head and back (I’m guessing this is the area where they feed?). I don’t spare the DE when I appy it but you do want to make sure to keep dust clouds down as breathing it in is not great for the lungs.

I rebath and reapply DE about once a week or evey other week. DE can be a bit drying but after the fleas are dead and no more is applied the coat will go back to normal. I also have a bottle of premade essential oils that are flea deterants. I’ll spritz some of that on all the dogs as a preventative.

Here’s a premade product (there are others available) http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/natural-flea-and-tick-control.aspx In the environment you want to vacuum (including baseboards and furniture that can’t be laundered etc).

You also want to wash any bedding. A few fleas is really not that hard to get rid of but if you don’t address it an infestation can develop and that can be a royal pain to battle.. Hopefully you have caught it early enough that one or two baths and one or two DE applications is all it will take along with vacuuming and laundering. If you end up with an infestation there’s more you can do but for now this, in my experiene, is a good start. Good luck!! !December 21, 2012 at 11:27 am #11126Report Abuse Shawna Membe

Once the transformation is done they emerge as what we know to be a flea. Most products will not kill a flea when they are in the pupal stage. And, the flea can stay in the pupal stage til the right conditions for emerging are present. IF you vacuum well, launder items you can that have been slept on you can eliminate a good deal of the fleas in the pupal stage.

The pupal stage is also why you want to rebath, reapply DE and relaunder at least once after a few weeks and then several times more if necessary. There are other natural things you can try if necessary. You can also try a different flea product but I would definitley wait until the body has been able to eliminate the Frontline. Applying too many chemicals weakens the immune system making it even harder to fight off fleas etc.

December 21, 2012 at 1:06 pm #11128Report Abuse Toxed2loss Participant Hi Sophia,Insects are far more resilient than mammals. So much so that by the over use of chemical insecticides we’ve inadvertently produced pests that are immune to them. The chemical companies keep producing and selling more harmful chemicals in response. These poison our pets.

So I’m copying a post that I originally shared on the Mercola Healthy Pets forum. Just in case you want to go that route.“IPM Fleas I use a method that my daughter and I developed when she went off to college (with her dog) and discovered her apartment and yard were infested from the previous renter’s cat and the abundance of ferel cats that frequented her yard. My daughter is an IPM entomologist and started her professional career at age 15. Here’s what we worked out.

: The first thing to consider is breaking the flea life cycle, which is: hatch out of eggs laid in textiles or litter, feed as nymph, metamorphasize to adult, hop on dog, mate/feed, hop off, lay eggs, repeat…Bathing your dog regularly is a great way to interrupt the flea reproductive cycle… if they don’t reproduce, no resident fleas.

I use a fragrance free, non toxic detergent. I am currently using naturoli’s soapnut shampoo. Its extremely mild and nourishes the skin and coat.

All the pet shampoos (even the hypo-allergenic ones) at pet stores have stuff I wouldn’t use, therefore, I won’t put it on my dogs. Occassionally I use a few drops of a REPELLENT, non toxic pet shampoo along with the detergent. I use Earthypet, for the drops. I get it at http://www.allnaturalcosmetics.com Its very fragrant, and more than 1 drop per small dog, 2 for med-large hurts me.

I can only imagine how much it offends the dog. (For your sick dogs, I’d avoid the aromatics until they recover!) One of the ways you can monitor if the VOCs are too high for your dog is, “do they rub their face on the carpet?” That indicates that it is hurting their noses.

Keep in mind that your dog could still have gotten flea born diseases when you used a pesticide, as it takes a while for the resident fleas to get killed. A repellent, like lavender and rosemary oils, keeps the blood feeders away, and therefore prevents insect vectored diseases.

When I bath my pom. I fill up the laundry sink and have her sit in it for 3-5 min. I protect the ears and nose. I also watch for fleeing fleas and squish ’em. Make sure they pop. You will also see them swimming in the tub.

Squish those too. Washing them down the drain isn’t enough. They hop back out. Also for the first several weeks, check your dog, down to the skin in a well lit area for fleas. Use a desk lamp. The fleas will come to the warmth. You’ll still have to comb through all her hair and examine all of her skin.

If she’s picked up a tick, or cheat grass, you will find it during this procedure. Don’t forget to squish the fleas. When you aren’t seeing them or their “dirt”, you can move your bath times to less frequently, but monitor to find the best schedule.

I bath more frequently during heavy hatches. Contact your State University, Experiment Station Entomologist for the timing of the heaviest hatch (es) in your area. Next: frequent laundering (weekly to every 2 weeks) of your dogs bedding, with borax as a laundry booster: 1/4 to 1/2 cup per load.

Borax residues form crystals in the fabric, which scratch through the exoskeleton and cause the adults to suffocate. I love that part! (dry on Hot) Fleas lay their eggs near where your dog habitates, in fibers: Carpet, upholstry, bedding. Flea nymphs hatch out and start feeding on what’s in their environment. Residual borax is consumed and kills the nymphs.

For control in carpets and upholstery, I wash them (steam clean) with borax solution. Its also a great way to get out petroleum and oil stains… as well as odors.

Unless something happens, I shampoo a couple of times a year, like during major hatch cycles. (spring) and at the end of the summer to minimize the indoor population. The borax crystalizes after this too, and kills both adults and nymphs. So, this method kills by drowning or suffocating the adults, poisoning the nymphs, and drowning/frying the eggs.

It is an intergrated, (non invasive) pest management practice or IPM. There are a number of things you can do to deter mosquitos from feeding on your pet. The aromatics work by repelling, but you can use garlic, (one of Shawna’s favorites!) Or complex Bs make the blood unpalatable to insects. I have frequently fed brewer’s yeast to get the Bs, but I’m hearing some downsides. Get a good supplement. Healthy raw foods with lightly cooked broccoli and other cruciferous veggies (see Dr. Becker’s book for amounts) are high in sulfur, and that repels mosquitos.

Tumeric and curry (garam masala) have healing properties as well as making you “not a biting insects preferred snack.” Hope that helps!I also mix up a spray bottle with water and some of Dr. Bronner’s Castile, mint oil soap.

It repels mosquitos. I use this as a spray-on during peak seasons or heavy hatches. I went to the coast a few years back in May. I used this and everyone else in the campground was slapping mosquitos, regardless of “off” and deet, and I didn’t have even one, near me.

It lasted all night. As you probably know mosquitos vector heartworm. So this little preventive measure goes a long way in protecting pups from heartworm.”Hope that helps!December 21, 2012 at 2:55 pm #11139Report Abusesophia Participant OK great, thank you both so much.

We just home earlier this week, and I can’t see the fleas, only dirt, so I’m hoping it’s just a few that I can take care of quick.

One more question, my mom uses apple cider vinegar for everything. She says I can spray down the cat and dog with a vinegar water mixture and this will repel the fleas while I take care of the house- does anyone know if this works or if it will harm either of them?

I know it’s not toxic, but I don’t know if it will affect their PH balances. I know my mom used to use it to bathe our boxer (she frequently chased down skunks,lol) but my dog is a bit older and has had her fair share of health problems so I’m a bit more gentle with her.

December 21, 2012 at 3:15 pm #11141Report Abuse Shawna Member Wow, that’s a good question!! ACV won’t hurt the dog — it actually helps with digestion (especially in senior dogs). All of my dogs get ACV, with their food, regularly. BUT, I don’t know if it will momentarily shift the skin ph.

My guess is yes it would — a dog’s skin is alkaline and ACV is definitley acidic. But, because it is also antiyeast, antibacterial etc I think the temporary ph shift would be of no concern.. Hopefully others will post if they disagree or have relavant info.. PS — Toxed is right!!!

I use garlic like your mom uses ACV :)…December 21, 2012 at 3:17 pm #11142Report Abusethe BCnut Member I can tell you it does not work for fleas in Florida, though some essential oils work this way.

Vinegar is very acidic and should be diluted 1 cup per gallon of water if it will be against the skin. December 21, 2012 at 3:23 pm #11144Report Abuse Shawna Member Thanks Patty Are Florida fleas more robust than Nebraska fleas? Hee hee I chuckle but makes me think of slugs. Slugs in Nebraska are tiny little dime, or smaller, size creatures.

First time I saw a slug in Seattle I bout fainted. Almost the size of a newborn human.. HOLY SMOKES!! !December 21, 2012 at 3:33 pm #11145Report Abuse Toxed2loss Participant LOL Shawna, Oregon’s the same. Those Nebraska slugs would be considered hatchlings. Florida fleas are more resilient. Their growing season is year round with one of the highest pesticide application rates in the Union.

Only the strong have survived! They also have more hatches per year than areas with cold winters. It’s a lot tougher to stay on top of them down there. There’s no respite. December 21, 2012 at 3:50 pm #11146Report Abusesophia Participant OK, I think I will give it a try since I have a bunch handy and don’t have too much time to be out searching today.

We’re in MI so maybe the fleas are different since the weather is so different. If it doesn’t work and I decide to try something like lavender and rosemary oils (as toxed mentioned), do I just apply these directly to the skin?

How much do I apply? Does anyone happen to know if either are safe for cats (she’s 4 months)? The dog is 50lbs, she’s a golden and either border collie or lab mix, but she has the coat of a golden retriever (if any of that makes a difference!).

I feel terrible she’s so itchy, as soon as she got done having a bathe yesterday she passed out for a few hours because she hasn’t been able to sleep well, so anything to keep her more comfortable while I’m trying to get rid of them! thanks so much!December 21, 2012 at 4:16 pm #11147Report Abuse Toxed2loss Participant Hi Sophia,I have small, glass 4 oz.

spray bottles that I use. I put sterilized (boiled – cooled) water in them then add the organic essential oil or soap to them. The mint oil soap spray, was just enough so that it doubled as a travel hand cleanser, and didn’t feel sticky or gummy.

When I mixed up a separate insect repellent for hatch seasons, I used mint oil soap, 3 drops, o. Essential: lavender, 2 drops, rosemary 3 drops, lemon grass 4 drops.

You can play with it, to see what you like and works. Spritz it on bedding and upholstery too. December 22, 2012 at 5:55 pm #11180Report Abusemomofmutts Participant Be very careful when using essential oils.

they are not safe to use on cats. I’m not sure of the reason why, or what exactly it will do to a cat, but any product we have in the store where I work that uses essential oils says clearly on the bottle that it is not safe for use on cats.

December 22, 2012 at 6:17 pm #11182Report Abuse Toxed2loss Participant Good reminder momofmutts,We were speaking specifically about dogs, but a cat owner might try it on their pet. I remember from my childhood that cats are much more sensitive. We knew a guy who found a flea bitten, filthy stray and thinking to adopt it he brought it in and bathed it using Lysol brown soap.

The cat died. The vet said their skins are so thin & porous it gets into their blood. Essential oils are very powerful.

I had read that, but you know how most of us are… We don’t believe it until we experience it. @ @ Well, I decided to try clove oil for something. It cautions that it can promote blood thinning, and bleeding/bruising, and to stop using it if you start bruising easily.

I thought, well I won’t have to worry about that, my bloods very thick. It wasn’t very long and, Dang! It was true!December 22, 2012 at 8:32 pm #11186Report Abusesophia Participant Thank you for clearing that up momofmuts!

I know cats can be very sensitive so I would of done a lot of research before trying anything. The kitten just got revolution, which apparently works much better than front line, because she hasn’t been itching at all. I have vinegar and water in a spray bottle and have just been spraying them both down when I notice the itching gets bad (only like once a day).

I also sprayed myself down, lol, but it seems to be working OK and from what I read online ACV is ok for cats as well-so I’ll stick to that.

I lined the ground, bed, and couches with food grade DE today, so hopefully this will clear up soon. I plan on putting it on the dog after I bathe her again this weekend. I’ll leave the kitten alone until I see any itching or fleas on her. December 28, 2012 at 6:14 pm #11302Report Abuse Dog Foodie Member Hi guys, Patty Vaughn was wanting to get a message to Weimlove.

Patty is having trouble posting in the forum so I’m hoping this message reaches you on her behalf. Pattyvaughn My posts are disappearing on the forum right now and there is a poster there, Weimlove, that lives in Florida that is asking questions involving heartworm prevention and flea prevention that I would love if someone would relay info to.

She is planning on going with Heartguard and there are a few dogs every year that turn up heartworm positive at the proper dose in Florida. Heartguard is losing its effectiveness, so she should discuss that with her vet too. December 30, 2012 at 1:29 am #11367Report Abusesophia Participant I think the fleas (maybe) are gone, however my dog did a number on her skin. She ripped fur from her legs and I can see clusters of flea bites there. She’s still very itchy, to the point where she’s causing bleeding in her ears (which WERE recovering from infection) and very red skin.

I am going to keep up with flea treatment as if they are still there, but is there anything safe to put on her skin for relief in the mean time? can you use benedryll ointment on a dog? She takes benedryl in the pill form for allergies, but I am not sure if there is a difference.

Neosporin? homemade creams? Anything safe to rub in her ear? I’ve got to get her to stop itching them before she bursts an ear drum.

December 30, 2012 at 7:20 am #11369Report Abuse Hound Dog Mom Participant I always keep a jar of Dr. Harvey’s healing cream on hand for any sort of skin irritation.http://www.drharveys.com/products/show/24-organic-healing-cream December 30, 2012 at 12:05 pm #11397Report Abuse Toxed2loss Participant Hi Sophia, I checked out the product that HDM recommended and its a very good product. Nice find HDM!I use a salve make myself with coconut oil, beeswax & essential oils, or a water based iodine salve.

I’ve also recently treated ear problems with astaxanthin. It works better than anything else I’ve tried. I get the caps from Dr. Mercola. Make a pin hole in one end & put one (5 lb Pom) or two (50 lb poodle) in each ear. I squeeze the rest in their mouths. Worked in just a few applications, with occasional follow ups as the toxins work their way out of the tissue.

The itching & “allergies” are more likely due to the frontline & vaccine reactions than anything else.

Hop over to the “vaccinating” thread and read my posts there, if you haven’t already. Then be sure to read my post on the “Detoxing” thread. If you clean up her diet & environment, and boost her immune system, you can relieve all those symptoms.

It will take time. But its worth it. May 6, 2013 at 9:30 pm #17710Report Abuse Dog Foodie Member Hey guys,We’re on the verge of flea season, aren’t we…As much as I’d like to avoid unnecessary chemicals, I plan to use up my on-hand supply of Trifexis for Sam and Heartgard / Frontline for Bella.

I was looking at the Mercola Natural flea and Tick Defense: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/natural-flea-and-tick-control.aspx I wondered if anyone here had ever tried it and if so, what did you think of the results? Thanks!May 6, 2013 at 11:16 pm #17711Report Abusepugmomsandy Participant Hi Betsy,I used it last year and didn’t have any problems.

I’m in TX. My senior girl also liked to sunbath and lay outside alot and she and others didn’t get fleas. I haven’t seen mosquitoes yet around here but I’m sure they’re coming! At the end of the year I also tried out Halo Herbal Dip. I used it concentrated and put a couple drops 4 or 5 on their harness. It can be put on cloth. And also mixed with water for a spray.

I would carry a collar with some drops on it out with me when I went out and I didn’t get bit either. I just bought some essential oil or eucalyptus citriodora to add a few drops to the mercola bottle.

I also put in a little neem oil. I treated my yard with garlic, neem and cedar oil sprays last year too and once maybe last month. I have about 6 bottles in the cupboard. And none of my pugs got heartworm or tapeworms since I don’t give anything for that. They all had their check-up in April. This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by pugmomsandy .

May 7, 2013 at 10:33 am #17720Report Abuse Cyndi Member I ordered that Mercola Natural Flea and Tick Defense the other day. It should be arriving today. I can’t wait to use it and I really hope it works. I am going to use that and I also have been using Diatomaceous Earth and give Bailey a bit of garlic.

I will NEVER use a topical flea treatment again, nor will I use a heartworm preventative. In doing all my research that I have been doing over the last few months, I have read alot of not so good things about both. I’ll be sticking to the all natural stuff. I’ll keep you posted about the Mercola stuff and let you know what I think about it. May 7, 2013 at 10:45 am #17721Report Abuse Inked Marie Member I don’t use topicals either but I do use Heartworm preventive.

Heartworm is not something I’m willing to chance. I do give it May to October, every 45 days. less than most people do.

May 7, 2013 at 12:15 pm #17723Report Abuse Hound Dog Mom Participant During flea season I bathe the dogs every 2 – 3 weeks with Dr. Harvey’s herbal protection shampoo, then I brush them with a flea comb and the next day I apply Sentry Natural Defense topical (comes in a tube like Advantix/Frontline, but it’s chemical free and contains only essential oils).

They get Earth Animal’s herbal flea and tick tincture in their food 6 days a week. I wash their bedding every 2 – 3 weeks and add borax to the detergent. I spray the yard every 2 – 3 weeks with Vet’s Best Flea & Tick Yard and Kennel Spray (has peppermint oil and clove extract). This will be my second summer going natural. Last summer I used no chemicals and had no issues with fleas or ticks (and my dogs are outside a lot).

I’m with Marie on the heartworm preventative deal – that’s something I’m not risking. There’s a story online somewhere (maybe dog aware?). About a woman who raised deerhounds – raw fed, no vaccines, no preventatives, etc. She had, I believe it was, two of her dogs get diagnosed with heartworm one summer.

Many will say dogs raised naturally and with a strong immune systems won’t get heartworm, but that’s not true. They may be less susceptible but they’re not immune. I work at a shelter and have seen too many dogs die of heartworm and many more that have had to endure the harsh treatment to get rid of the heartworm once they have it.

Not something I’m chancing with my crew. They get heartworm preventative May – October every 45 days.

I use the preventative that only does heartworm (not the preventative that also has a dewormer) and I administer milk thistle for one week after they receive the preventative. I also have them tested two weeks prior to receiving their first dose of the year and two weeks after receiving their last dose of the year.

May 7, 2013 at 12:29 pm #17726Report Abuse Cyndi Member Hound Dog Mom, what brand of heartworm preventative do you use for your dogs? I was on the fence about not giving it anymore, because I read alot about it, but the mosquitos are so bad in my neck of the woods.

I did start her last month on one dose, but I was very hesitant about giving it again. I have Tri-Heart Plus, that I bought from my vet. May 7, 2013 at 12:40 pm #17728Report Abuse Hound Dog Mom Participant In the past I’ve generally used regular Heartguard (not Heartguard Plus), but this year I got Valuheart (the generic).

I just look for one that only has Ivermectin and not Ivermectin/Pyrantel. It’s recommended to give every 30 days but I (like Marie) give it every 45, less total doses a year and the studies done on the product have shown them to be effective for 45 days.

The milk thistle is to help protect the liver. Dr. Becker has a map on her site that shows what month you should give the first dose and what month you should give the last dose depending on where you live. Remember – it’s a personal choice whether or not you want to give a heartworm preventative. I’m not trying to persuade you in either direction, just giving my point of view.

Whatever route you go make sure you do a lot of research on the pros and cons of not administering, limited administration (like what I do) and administration per manufacturers recommendations (every 30 days, year round) – there will be risks no matter what you do so it’s very important to make the most informed decision possible.

May 7, 2013 at 12:47 pm #17729Report Abuse Cyndi Member Well, from what I’ve read on this site, I personally trust your judgement 100%. I was skeptical about not giving heartworm preventative and have been doing every the natural way. And I know that heartworm is nothing to mess around with once a dog has gotten it. Thank you, once again, for your opinion and your help.

I am so glad I found this site, and all the knowledgeable people on it giving advice. Thank you again!May 7, 2013 at 12:51 pm #17730Report Abuse Inked Marie Member Ok, I se the Dr Becker map…. I’m in nh. First map says 7….that can’t mean to start in the 7 th month, can it? That would be July.

Second map says 10, which is October and makes sense. I forgot about the milk thistle last week. May 7, 2013 at 1:08 pm #17731Report Abusethe BCnut Member That doesn’t sound sensible to me. May 7, 2013 at 1:10 pm #17732Report Abuse Inked Marie Member I may not be understanding the map correctly. Unsure what the #7 means May 7, 2013 at 2:11 pm #17739Report Abuse Cyndi Member Yeah, it says 7 for my area too.

That doesn’t seem right to wait til July to start. I think in Northeast Ohio mosquitos are really bad by then… My vet has always said to start April or May. May 7, 2013 at 2:29 pm #17741Report Abuse Hound Dog Mom Participant The Heartworm “preventative” doesn’t really “prevent” heartworm – it kills existing immature worms.

So you start later than you’d think because you would be worming for an already existing infection (I hope that makes sense). Also – keep in mind just because there are mosquitoes there isn’t necessarily hearworm. If the temperature drops below 57 degrees at any point in time the heartworm development cycle (within the mosquito) will have to start again – it has to be over 57 degrees for two consecutive weeks.

Right now where I am it’s over 80 degrees during the day and I’ve seen mosquitoes but it still gets into the 40’s at night. The map is just a guideline – monitor the temperature. I usually end up starting at the end of May or very beginning of June.

May 7, 2013 at 2:33 pm #17743Report Abuse Cyndi Member Wow! You learn something new every day! Thanks for the education on that, really! I never knew all that. I just know that mosquitos get really bad around here. I didn’t know temperature had anything to do with them carrying heartworm. Thanks!May 7, 2013 at 5:30 pm #17748Report Abusethe BCnut Member I read that if the daytime temp was in the 80s you should not go by the night time temp.

May 7, 2013 at 5:42 pm #17749Report Abuse Hound Dog Mom Participant Really? I’m going to have to look into that. I know I’ve always read that if at any point in time the temperature dips below 57 the cycle needs to start again.

Dr. Becker’s article says: “During the time the heartworm larvae are developing from L1 to L3 inside an infected mosquito, which is approximately a two-week period, the temperature must not dip below 57°F at any point in time. If it does, the maturation cycle is halted. According to Washington State University heartworm report from 2006, full development of the larvae requires ‘the equivalent of a steady 24-hour daily temperature in excess of 64°F (18°C) for approximately one month.

'” So I suppose – according to Washington State University – if the overall temperature averages over 64 for a month you’d need the preventative even if it dips below 57 at times.

Well it’s only been up to the 80’s for about a week (it was snowing only three weeks couple weeks ago – north country lol) – definitely has not averaged over 64 for a month. I put my sticker on the calendar to start the first dose Thursday so I’m sure they’ll be fine either way. This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Hound Dog Mom . May 7, 2013 at 6:22 pm #17752Report Abusethe BCnut Member I think that if daytime temps are in the 80s, the overnight temp may not be assumed to be low enough long enough to affect the larva. May 8, 2013 at 12:16 pm #17765Report Abuse Hound Dog Mom Participant Well the heatwave was short-lived – I checked the forecast and it’s supposed to be back into the low 50’s (daytime) and mid 30’s (nighttime) by the weekend. So I may be able to postpone the first dose until the end of May after all. This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Hound Dog Mom . May 24, 2015 at 3:36 pm #73043Report Abuse Jose SMember For house and dog get diatomaceous earth at the garden center food/feed grade should be good enough even for you to eat some :]August 21, 2017 at 7:50 am #103752Report Abuse Shaun SMemberhelpful thread August 29, 2017 at 1:17 am #104034Report Abuse Shaun SMemberits all about pet vacuums September 21, 2017 at 2:12 am #104507Report Abuse Beatrice CMember Consult professionals flea exterminator. Author Posts Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 40 total)You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

Without effective flea control, fleas can multiply quickly on your dog. In fact, female fleas lay between 20 and 50 eggs in a single day. And these eggs hatch quickly! The flea lifecycle can be dangerous as rapid reproductions, especially under warm conditions, can lead to horrible infestations.

Top 3 Flea Control Pills for Dogs

6 comments Email Print Top 3 Flea Control Pills for Dogs

Flea control pills are a great way to combat infestations. The options available fall into one of two categories- they either inhibit the larvae from spreading, or kill adult fleas. After the flea pills are consumed by your pet, the ingredients mix with your pet’s bloodstream. The flea then ingests the medication when feeding on your dog. Below are by far the best flea control pills available over the counter that we’ve reviewed to date: Program Flavor Tabs: Program Flavor Tabs are the safest and most effective flea pills to protect your dog and cat from flea infestations for the long-term. They contain a powerful ingredient called Lufenuron, which is a flea growth inhibitor. This means that Lufenuron breaks the life cycle of fleas by preventing flea larvae from ever developing, rather than waiting to kill adult fleas.

Program Flavor Tabs are a non-prescription product that you only have to give once-a-month. This makes it very easy for pet owners and they are beef flavored, so your dog will love them too!Sentinel Flavor Tabs: The Sentinel flavored pills are designed specifically for dogs.

Like Program’s Flavor Tabs, Sentinel contains Lufenuron and prevents flea infestations rather than killing them. Where the two products differ is Sentinel also contains the ingredient Milbemycin oxime, which guards against heartworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. You only have to give Sentinel to your dog once-a-month, but it does require a prescription from your veterinarian.

However, if you like the convenience of just one pill for both flea and heartworm control, it is worth calling your vet. Capstar Flea Control Pills: Using a potent compound called Nitenpyram, Capstar is both quite effective and quick at killing adult fleas.

The compound affects a flea’s neurotransmission and kills it quickly. Capstar is a short-duration adulticide and cannot be used as a long term flea inhibitor. A single dose kills all adult fleas within 30 minutes, but there is the likelihood of a re-infestation.

If you have a really bad infestation and want quick relief for your dog from fleas, then this product will help. However, you will want to follow it up with a product like Program or Sentinel for safe and effective long-term flea control.

It is important to note that there is no single cure-all pill for fleas. You need to utilize a robust flea control plan that protects not only your dog, but your home and yard as well. This means using flea control pills in combination with other methods like carpet powders and yard sprays.6 comments | Share your experience!

r. )Flea Pupa The flea larvae spin cocoons around themselves in which they move to the last phase of the flea life cycle and become adult fleas. The larvae can remain in the cocoon anywhere from one week to one year. Temperature is one factor that determines how long it will take for the adult flea to emerge from the cocoon.

Treat the Complete Flea Life Cycle

"Treat the Complete Flea Life Cycle""Understanding each stage of a flea's life is the first step in total flea control. ""Here's Why Each Stage of a Flea's Life Must Be Treated If you have a flea problem, you'll want to address the entire flea life cycle and get rid of the pesky parasites in each stage.

Ignoring just one stage in your flea control efforts will result in the fleas just starting the cycle all over again. It's estimated that with any flea population, 95% of all these parasites are in a sub-adult stage ( i.e., eggs, larvae, or pupa).

These sub-adult fleas can lie dormant in your home for several months before they hatch and start the cycle all over again. Stages of a Flea's Life How Long is the Flea Life Cycle?

The whole cycle can be as quick as 20 days or can last up to one full year; this is because the flea may be in a dormant stage for a long time. The cycle can be interrupted at any stage, but some flea control methods are more effective than others depending upon the stage the flea is in.

Warm and humid weather will speed up the cycle and contribute to a larger infestation of fleas. Flea Eggs The adult female flea lays up to twenty flea eggs at a time (and this can be daily!).

The flea egg stage is the beginning stage of the cycle. The flea eggs may be deposited on your cat and in your cat's environment.

This includes your cat's sleeping area, your carpet, your furniture, floorboard crevices and other cracks and corners of your home. Eggs can also be deposited in your yard. Use diatomeceous earth to eliminate them in your yard. In addition to attacking your outdoor kitty, fleas deposited outside from other neighborhood animals may afflict your indoor cat.

Adult fleas are great little hitchhikers and can jump onto you while you're outside. The flea then jumps off of you and into your house and deposits her eggs! Flea eggs deposited directly onto your cat will usually fall off into your cat's environment fairly soon.

Flea control efforts must consider the flea egg stage to be effective. Flea Larvae Flea eggs will hatch into larvae 2 to 14 days after being laid. The larvae are small and white. Larvae rely on adult flea excrement for nutrition, so this is a good reason to keep suspected areas where there might be fleas clean.

Over the next two weeks to six months, the larvae will molt three times before entering the next stage of the flea life cycle. Flea control efforts must consider this aspect of the flea life cycle to be effective. Fleabusters Rx borate powder is a very safe method you can use to eliminate flea larvae in your home. ( Amazon may carry this product cheape

e). 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full.2a) Fleas life cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal. 2b) Fleas life cycle 2 - The egg falls off the animal's skin and into the local environment of the host animal. 2c) Fleas life cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea larva.

"The Flea Life Cycle and How It Guides Effective Flea Control and Prevention. Flea infestation is one of the great banes in life for many pet and poultry owners. These rather-common insect parasites pose a variety of problems for pets and pet owners including:flea bites - adult fleas bite pets and humans, causing pain, redness and itching of the bite site;flea allergy dermatitis - pets who are severely allergic to flea saliva can become so itchy (pruritic) as a result of flea bites that they literally tear their skin and fur apart with their scratching and chewing activities;coat damage - breeding and showing pets (e.g.

Because of the many problems posed by fleas (above), there is, naturally, a lot of vested interest in the control and prevention of flea parasites, both in the home and commercially.

Many millions of dollars are spent each year in the manufacture and production of newer, safer, better flea control and flea killing products and, in their turn, pet owners and commercial producersof animals (animal breeders, animal showers, poultry farmers, rabbit producers and so on) spend even moremillions buying these newer, better, safer flea prevention products in the hope of preventing and/or eradicating their flea infestation problems. In order for pet owners and commercial animal producers to fully grasp how it is that flea infestations can become so large and so persistent, it is important for themto understand the flea life cycle.

In particular, they need to know how and where theflea parasite reproduces and also where the juvenile forms (egg, larva, pupa) of the lifecycle hide outand evade treatment.

The flea life cycle is very important to know if a flea infestationis to be controlled adequately and permanently (after all, much of the flea life cycle occurs in the animal's environment, not on the animal itself, and so environmental flea control is very important). The fleas life cycle can provide important clues as to why a particular flea control regime is not working and an explanation as to why the fleas keep on coming back.

The flea life cycle forms the basis of it all for it is the complete cycle of a flea's existence: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage, to egg stage again with the next generation.

Stopping an infestation of fleas from persisting involves breaking the flea life cycle at any pointin the flea life cycle chain: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage (see diagram in section 1).

The more points that can be broken in that chain or lifecycle, the faster flea control will be achieved and the more permanent the results will be. This flea life cycle page contains a detailed, but simple-to-understand explanation of thecomplete flea life cycle.

It comes complete with a full flea life cycle diagram for ease of understanding. As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how itcan be managed and manipulated to achieve better flea control and flea prevention is also discussedin full.

2d) Fleas life cycle 4 - The first stage flea larva develops and grows and undergoes two molts to become a final stage flea larva.

2e) Fleas life cycle 5 - The final stage flea larva spins a cocoon and becomes a pupa. 2f) Fleas life cycle 6 - The cocoon hatches and an adult flea comes out, looking for mates and a host animal to feed on. 2g) Fleas life cycle 7 - The adult male and female fleas jump onto the host animal to feed, mate and lay eggs.

The timing of the various stages: Egg - The flea egg hatches in 2-21 days, depending on environmental conditions. Three larval stages - The larval stages grow and undergo their moults over about 9-15 days.

The pupal stage (cocoon) - The cocoon is the crux of flea infestation persistence in the house-hold. It generally hatches in 1-2 weeks, but can last up to a year. The adult flea - Adult fleas can live for some weeks (maximum of about 2 months if no host is present) in ideal, cool, moist conditions.

This particular diagram illustrates the life cycle of the dog or cat flea ( Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis ), however, the diagram would also be appropriate to a vast range of other flea types, including: Echidnophaga gallinacea (the poultry ""sticktight"" flea - discussed in the paragraph below); the rabbitfleas - Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi; the rat flea ( Xenopsylla cheopis ); the human flea ( Pulex irritans) and various other flea species.

The main difference between these other flea life cycle situations and that of Ctenocephalides (pictured) would be the host animal species infested by the flea (e.g. the rabbit host instead of the dog for Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi) and the nature of theenvironment in which the flea larvae and pupal stages underwent development (e.g. the dirt rabbit burrowinstead of the household carpet in the case of Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi ).

Author's note - In the case of Echidnophaga gallinacea, the poultry stickfast or sticktightflea, the male and female fleas mate in the flea's environment (soon after hatching from their pupal cocoons), not on the host itself as occurs with many other flea species.

After mating has occurred, the female flea attaches herself strongly to the skin of a passing animal host and remains in that one place for about 6 weeks, feeding and laying eggs.

She does not move from the spot she has chosen. The eggs she produces drop from the animal host's skin and into the soil environment where they undergo hatching, a 2-4 week larval development period and pupation. Echidnophaga pupation occurs in a burrow underground and hatching of the adult fleaoccurs in around 2-3 weeks.

The total Echidnophaga flea life cycle is about 4-6 weeks long. 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full. The following subsections (subsections 2a - 2g) of this flea life cycle page contain detailed, but simple-to-understand information about each of the steps outlined inthe fleas life cycle diagram above (section 1).

The following discussion of each of the individual steps in the flea life cycle aims to add more to your understanding of host fleainfestation; flea reproduction and how severe environmental flea contamination and subsequent host animal flea re-infestation occurs and builds-up.

As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how eachstage can be managed and manipulated to achieve better long-term flea control and flea prevention is also discussed in full in each subsection.

These sections should contain plenty of information for those of you interested in preventing flea infestations from establishing and also for those of you looking to control pre-existing problem flea infestations on pets; inside the home (e.g. carpet fleas) and outside the house in the yard, lawn or garden. Knowing the flea life cycle is very importantif flea control measures are to be implemented successfully in a household or commercial premises.

2a) Flea Life Cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal: In the case of Ctenocephalides (the dog or cat flea), both the male and female adult fleas are present on the host animal's skin, living, feeding and breeding there.

Of the two sexes, however, it is the female flea that is the bigger blood-sucker, drinking farmore of the host's blood than any of the male fleas that climb on board. Conversely, in certain other flealife cycles (e.g. Echidnophaga ), the adult male flea remains in the host's environment and only the adult female flea actually inhabits the furcoat of the host animal.

Either way, the most important thing to remember is that it is the female flea who is the major animal hostparasite and the predominant blood-sucker of the two flea sexes. The main reason why the female flea needs to parasitize the host animal is because, after breeding with the male flea, she needs a blood meal in order for her eggs to develop fully.

Without a host, adult female fleas will starve and be unable to produce any viable eggs. The adult flea lays her eggs on the host's skin.

She does not bother getting off the host to lay them. The flea eggs are shiny, white, ovoid eggs, about 0.5mm in length.

The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain, the adult fleas on the pet have to be removed and/or any flea eggs that they lay have to be rendered sterileand unable to hatch.

Adult fleas can be killed and otherwise removed from the petchemically or manually (steps 4 and 5); the number of eggs in the environmentcan be reduced by environmental rest (step 1) and the flea eggs can be rendered sterilethrough the use of insect growth inhibitors and various chemicals that sterilize the femaleflea (steps 2 and 3).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycleare discussed below.1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea is unable to reproduce or lay any eggs without the presence of a host animalin which to derive a blood meal from, adult, egg and larval flea numbers can be greatly reduced by depopulating and resting an area, which hosts have previously occupied, fora period of time.

This means removing all of the host animals (e.g. cats and dogs)from the infested environment for a long enough period of time that any eggs and larvaein the environment become pupae and any newly-hatched adult fleas in the environmentstarve to death. Note that, under optimal conditions of coolness and humidity, just-hatched adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months, so this period of environmental depopulation should thus beat least 2 months long (3-4 months if playing it safe).

Author's note: As will be explained later (in sections 2e and 2f), the flea cocoon stage of the fleas life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to trigger it to hatch.

Resting the environment of hosts for only 2-4 months will kill off (starve) the environmental adult fleas and deplete the numbers of any viable eggs and larvae in the area (these will have progressed to the cocoon stage by 2 months), however, it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns,if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

The environment therefore needs to be thoroughly treated to get rid of any cocoons (flea pupae) before a clean host (obviously, the host animal must also be clean of fleas before being reintroduced to a de-fleaed environment)is reintroduced into the rested environment after 2-4 months.

2) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal. If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

It does not kill the adult fleas, just their offspring. Another canine flea product, Cyromazine (tradenames include - Decaflea), is also an insect growth inhibitor product that works by preventing flea eggs from hatching. Likewise, the canine and feline flea product, Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), is also an insect growth inhibitor that prevents flea eggs (and also flea larvae) from developing.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, Pyriproxifen (and its relative, Fenoxycarb) is sunlight stable and should last up to a year before needing reapplication.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Frontline Plus) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability. If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks.

Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.3) Female flea sterilisation: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs if she is infertile.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the flea control product: Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood.

The chemical sterilises and damages the eggs within the female flea's body, rendering her infertile.4) Adult flea killers: Adult female and male fleas are required in order for flea egg production to occur and for subsequent environmental contamination with eggs, flea larvae and flea pupae (cocoons) to occur. No reproducing adult fleas eventually means no flea life cycle and no fleas on the host animal/s and no fleas in the house, carpet, commercial premises, yard or lawn.

If host animals are treated with a good flea control product that kills all adult fleas within 2 days ofthe flea/s reaching the host animal, then no flea eggs will be produced (after all, it takes 2 days for adult fleas to create eggs after jumping into a host and feeding on its blood).

The ""Big 5"" Adult Flea Killers: Nitenpyram (tradenames include Capstar) - This product kills adult fleas fantastically well as a once-off, oral tablet. The product is often used by vets as a fast knock-down to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs and cats. Nitenpyram starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the pet. The product is short-lasting, however, and needs to be given daily to have any ongoing effect (unlike many of the spot-ons below, which last for up to 1 month).

Pet owners often dose pets with Nitenpyram once or twice to get rid of large flea infestations (massive flea burdens) on their pet and then follow up with a monthly flea control product for ongoing flea protection. Nitenpyram is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 4 weeks of age so long as they weigh over 2 pounds.

Imidacloprid (tradenames include - Advantage Duo, Advantage for Dogs and Cats, Advantix, Advocate) - This product kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Imidacloprid is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the body within 12 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

Its effect lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" is safe to use on kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age (Bayer the manufacturer says the product can be used in pups and kittens from day 1, but that only treatment of the lactating bitch is needed to ensure that the pups/kittens are covered).

""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" can also be used in pregnant dogs and cats as well as rabbits and ferrets (exercise caution with dosing).

""Advantix"" is not safe for cats. Advantage DUO is no longer manifactured. Fipronil (tradenames include - Frontline Spray, Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Plus) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Fipronil is a very safe product (distributes over the body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

The effect of the 'spot-on' formula lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Frontline Spray"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 2 days of age (be careful of correct dosing, though, if used in the very young) and needs to be reapplied more regularly than the spot-on. ""Frontline Top Spot"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 8 weeks of age. Fipronil is toxic to rabbits and ferrets.

Selamectin (tradenames include - Revolution) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Selamectin is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the host's body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals. It lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Revolution"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age. Animals should be tested for heartworm if the product is to be administered to pets over 6 months of age, which have not previously been on heart worm prevention.

It is safe to give to rabbits and ferrets and birds, including chickens and other poultry (ask your vet for doses and for with-holding times on meat and eggs, if using the product on production birds). Spinosad (tradenames include - Comfortis) - This relatively new product kills adult fleas fantastically well as an oral tablet. The product has a fast knock-down effect to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs. Spinosad starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the dog.

The product is also long-lasting, maintaining its effect for up to 1 month after dosing. ""Comfortis"" is safe to use on puppies over 14 weeks of age. It should not be given to pregnant animals. It is not registered for cats. It also should not be given to animals with allergies to pork or those that have a history of epilepsy.

Note that some of these products (especially the spot-ons) will require up to 24 hours to distribute all over the host's body (and therefore kill all of the fleas) if they have never been used on the pet before. Other adulticide (adult flea killer) flea control options: Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - coumaphos, chlorpyrifos, flumethrin, fenthion, maldison, diazinon, temephos, cythioate, carbaryl and others) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently. Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea powders are occasionally used to treat fleas in poultry.

Most, but not all, of the organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely. Permethrin-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - permethrin, cypermethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Permethrin-based flea control products are often used to manage poultry flea infestations. Some, but not all, of the permethrin-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely.

Pyrethrin product flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - pyrethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off application. Flea control products containing this insecticide often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Pyrethrin is often used in the treatment and control of flea infestations on poultry. Although most of the pyrethrin-based flea control products available on the market are not toxic to kittens and puppies over 3 months of age, some of them will produce toxic side effects in some cats.

Please read the flea control product labels closely to be sure. Piperonyl butoxide, contained in some flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars, does have some insect killing and flea repellant properties. Although the insecticide has a low toxicity for animals, it is generally not that useful or effective at killing fleas on its own.

It tends to be mostly used as an adjunct to permethrin or pyrethrin in many flea control products. It is important to note that many of these organophosphate-based, carbamate-based, permethrin-basedand pyrethrin-based flea control products do not have a long-acting effect (only days in some cases) and will require regular retreatment to maintain an adult flea killing action.

Regular reapplication increases therisks of toxicity to both pets and their owners. Additionally, some of these product formulations do not distribute their active ingredients all over the pet's coat, ensuring thatsome adult fleas will still be able to find safe harbors on the treated host's body to live and feed and breed.

Flea collars (the bane of all vets) are a good example of this - they kill all of the fleas on the front half of the pet, but do nothing to the fleas on the animal's bottom, thighs and tail.

Hence, the flea life cycle is able to continue and environmental contamination with eggs, larvae and pupae is able to occur. 5) Regular combing with a flea comb in short-haired animals: Grooming short haired animals (e.g. short-coated dogs and cats) systematically from top to tail with a fine-toothed flea comb can remove over 80% of adult fleas from that animal's body. The process is time consuming and must be done carefully, ensuring that every patch of skin on the animal's body is groomed out, but it can help to reduce adult flea numbers on the coat dramatically.

Reducing adult fleas on theanimal's coat will reduce the number of flea eggs laid and those fleas' contribution to the flea life cycle and the overall flea population.

2b) Flea Life Cycle 2 - The egg falls off the fur into the environment of the host animal: The white flea eggs are laid on the host animal's skin, however, they usually fall off the hostanimal's coat and into the host animal's environment prior to hatching.

These flea eggs (and the flea larvaethat subsequently hatch out of them) contaminate the host animal's environment. As expected, environmental flea egg numbers and environmental flea infestations are generally most concentrated in regions of the household where the flea-infested pet spends most of its time.

Common sites of egg and flea concentration include: pet beds and pet bedding; owner beds (if the pet sleeps on the human beds); carpet (carpet fleas or house flea infestations are a huge nuisance because they can be difficult to get rid of); pet houses or kennels; human couches and outdoor settings (if the pet has access to these furnishings) and cool, moist, humid, outdoor regions of the yard that the pet spends lots of time in (e.g.

garden beds, places under the house or verandah and so on). Author's note: Because cats will tend to patrol and take-over an entire house, including amazingly elevated places (e.g. the tops of wardrobes and cupboards) and hidden, often-enclosed places (e.g. the inside of pantries, walk-in-robes, linen closets and so on), every room and part of a housethat an indoors, flea-affected cat has access to should be considered contaminated with flea eggs.

This can make flea control in a house with flea infested cats very difficult and expensive to manage. Author's note: Because it only takes about 2 days for flea eggs to hatch, once they have been laid, some flea eggs will manage to avoid falling into the pet's environment and will hatch on the pet's coat.

It is not that uncommon to have flea larvae (small flea maggots or grubs) turn up on the animal's coat. These flea larvae will usually drop off the host animal's coat soon after hatching and enter the host's environment to continue the ""off-host"" part of the fleas life cycle.

Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal. A huge part of the flea life cycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board.

You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain: the adult fleas, which are responsiblefor laying the eggs, must be destroyed prior to reaching egg-laying capacity; any flea eggs that the adult fleas have produced have to be rendered sterile and unable to hatch and any viable eggs that do manage to reach the environment need to be removed or destroyed prior to hatching.

Adult fleas can be killed prior to egg production using a range of insecticide flea control products (step 1); the number of viable eggs in the pet's environment can be reduced by various means of environmental decontamination (steps 2, 3, 4 and 6) and the flea eggs laid by the adult fleas on the coat can be rendered sterile through the use of insect growth inhibitors (step 5).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycle are discussed below. 1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea generally lays her eggs on or in the presence of a host animal (she needs a blood mealin order for the eggs to develop), egg numbers in the host's environment can be greatly reduced by removing the host animal from the environment for about 3 weeks; treating that animalwith a good quality adult flea killer (the Big 5 - above) and waiting until all of the adultfleas on the host have died before reintroducing the animal back into the original environment.

The reasonfor the three week environmental rest period is that it can take up to three weeks for anyeggs, already present on the host animal's coat, to hatch out into larvae (which willnormally be killed by topical spot-on treatments mentioned in the Big 5).

If animalsare re-introduced back into the environment prematurely, there is a possibility that long-lastingeggs that have not yet hatched could fall into the environment and contaminate it. The three week rest period will ensure that any adult fleas present on the host animal will bekilled off by the adulticide therapy (so that no more eggs can be laid on the host).

It willalso ensure that any eggs present in the host's environment and on the host itself will have hatchedinto larvae such that, in theory, there should no longer be any flea eggs on the host or in the host's environmentby the time the animal returns to the environment in question. Author's note: Resting the environment of hosts for only 3 weeks will deplete the host's skinand the host's environment of viable flea eggs (these will have progressed to the flea larvae stage by 3 weeks).

The three week rest period will not, however, do anything to deplete the numbers of flea larvae, flea pupae and environmentally-living adult fleas in the host's environment.

Environmentally-living adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months without a host animal to feed on - they will be waiting for the host when it returns, though theyshould die upon contact with the host animal if that animal has been treated correctly with a flea preventativeproduct.

More problematically, as will be explained in sections 2e and 2f, the flea cocoon stage (pupal stage) of the flea life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to induce it to hatch.

Resting the environment such that it is free of all host animals for only 3 weeks willdeplete egg numbers, but it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns, if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

2) Physical egg removal from the host environment by vacuuming: Never underestimate the value of simple, frequent, thorough vacuuming in helping to get rid offleas from a dog or cat's environment. Flea eggs and larvae in carpets, couches, human and pet beds and other indoorsareas can be sucked away by regular vacuuming, reducing the environmental flea burden overall. All regions of the house should be vacuumed, where possible, but important emphasis should be placed on carpets, soft furniture (e.g.

couches), floors underneath furniture, floors underneathremovable rugs and mats and gaps under side boards. Using a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar can help to shake flea eggs, larvae and cocoons out from places deeperwithin the carpet proper and improve the vacuum uptake of these flea life cycle stages.

Aftereach vacuuming, the vacuum bag should be disposed of, lest fleas start hatching and breeding insideof the vacuum bag! Don't forget the car! A significant source of reservoir environmental flea infestation and subsequenthost animal reinfestation is the car.

Flea infested animals drop eggs into the car during car trips - these flea eggs can hatch into larvae and go through the entire flea life cycle inside of the car. As it is often not a good idea to use pesticides inside of a car (pesticidesand insecticides can release toxic fumes that are poisonous to people when the car interior heats up) frequent vacuuming is one of the safer ways of ridding the car of flea eggs, larvae and cocoons.

In very hot, dry climates (e.g. Australia in Summer), persistent flea infestation of a car is not as likely because the car, when it is parked outside, will usually heat up to temperature levels beyond that of larvae and pupae survival.

Even better, instead of replacing the old infested carpet and couch with more of the same (i.e. another flea-attractive carpet or couch to reinfest anew), many owners assist their flea elimination efforts by replacing their old carpets and couches and the like with floors, seating and bedding made from easy-to-clean, flea-unfriendlymaterials.

Flea unfriendly floors that do not support the flea life cycle include: linoleum, slate, stone, varnished floorboards and tiles. Flea unfriendly seating materialsthat do not support the flea life cycle include: non-porous vinyl, plastic and wood. Covering a new couch entirely (including underneath) with a clear plastic cover that is non-permeable to flealife cycle stages (including eggs) will ensure that the couch remains clean and does not becomea nursery for juvenile flea stages.

Author's note - complete removal and replacement of contaminated bedding and carpetand the like is a useful way of dramatically reducing the populations of the off-host stages of the flealife cycle in the host's environment.

It will not, however, do much for flea numbers in the long term if thefleas on the host (or hosts) are not eradicated too. Adult flea killing chemicals (the BIG 5 in section 2a) should be used on the host animal/s in conjunction with this environmental replacementmode of flea control, to avoid having the new carpet, new couch and so on re-infested with fleas. Author's note - removing and replacing an entire dog kennel is probably not warranted, unless thefloor of the kennel and/or its walls are made of a fabric that holds fleas.

If the walls and floor of thekennel are made of smooth, hard, easy to wash materials (metal, hard plastic) then only the pet's beddingneeds to be discarded and not the kennel itself. The kennel can be steam cleaned (>35 degrees-Celsius) and/or disinfected with a pyrethrin-containing wash and rinsed, dried and used again.

Open-floor kennels standing on grass or soil can be washed likewise and then the kennel should be relocated to a differentregion of the yard, well away from the original location, to let the sun and dry air kill the flealife cycle stages present in the grass and soil of the first area.

4) Reducing environmental egg contamination through careful pet grooming: Eggs fall from the coat of the flea-infested pet in large numbers during pet grooming and combing sessions.

Owners who groom their pets inside run a huge risk of combing massive numbers of flea eggsonto the floor carpet and host environment, therefore, aiding the environmental component of the flea life cycle.

If you are going to groom a flea infested pet, you should groom him or her outside in a bright sunny area, preferably on a day when humidity levels are very low (below 50%). Sunlight, drying and desiccationkills all of the flea life cycle stages and eggs and larvae groomed out into the open sun and dry airshould die rapidly.

Author's note - many owners mistakenly think that their pets get their fleas fromthe sand and soil of their back yards; that fleas live much of their flea life cyclein the dirt itself.

The fact is that they don't usually. Unless the sandy, soily regions of the yard are very cool (13-32 degrees-Celsius) and moist (humidity 50-90%) and sun-protected (i.e. covered soil areas under houses, verandahs and thick garden vegetation) and visited by the pet very often, fleas will not usually survive and replicate in outdoor soil.

Most of the fleas that infest pet dogs and catscome from the indoors environment or the outdoor pet's bedding, not the dirt of the yard. Pet owners who elect to groom their pets indoors should groom them on a non-carpet flooring, suchas linoleum, tiles or smooth floor-boards. The region can then be easily vacuumed immediately after the grooming session toremove any fleas, eggs or larvae that might have fallen from the host animal.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.5) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Zodiac Flea Proof Spray for Cats and Dogs, Frontline Plus, Troy IGR, Quick-Kill Eclipse, Fido's Flea Bomb Insecticidal Fogger) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks. Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.

Any eggs that fall from the host animal after these products have been used should notbe viable (unable to hatch) and thus not pose an problem of environmental flea contamination.

6) Environmental flea egg dehydration and death, using sodium borate: Sodium borate compounds are crystalline compounds that have ovicidal (egg killing) and larvicidal (larvae killing) properties. They can be applied to a flea infested environment andare thought to kill flea eggs and flea larvae via a dehydration mechanism (the hypertonic crystals suck the water out of the flea eggs and larvae, resulting in severe dehydration and death ofthese flea life cycle stages).

Direct ingestion of the borates by the flea larva also results in deathby dehydration. Author's note: Some borates can be harmful to pets that ingest them. Cats in particularcan ingest borate salts if they walk across treated floors and pick up the powdery residueson their feet and coats (the cat will later groom or lick the salts off its coat, resultingin ingestion).

Read product labels carefully to ensure that they are safe around pets. The Fleabusters product: ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" used to only be available as a professionally-applied sodium borate carpet powder by the pest company that invented and utilised it. ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" is now available as a home-use product for household owners to apply to flea infested environments (e.g.

carpet) and comes with a 1 year guarantee of efficacy. I have included a link to their site at the end of this page. 7) The best yard treatment is flea prevention: It can be quite difficult to get flea life cycle stages out of a large back yard once theyhave become well-established there.

Once established, yard flea reservoirs can become a major source of flea reinfestation for pets and indoor regions. The best yardtreatment is prevention - don't let fleas get into the back yard in the first place. Ensuring that only flea-free animals are permitted into your back yard is a useful way ofpreventing yard flea infestation. Make sure that your pets are treated with flea prevention productsbefore they go anywhere where they could pick up fleas (e.g.

grooming salons, wilderness areas, dog clubs, dog shows, cat shows and so on) so that they do not bring fleas back into the yard. Make sure that friends' pets are treated with flea preventatives and that they are free of fleas before they are allowed access to your back yard.

A common source of flea egg and flea larvae contamination of outdoor yards and lawns is flea infested stray, feral and wild animal intruders coming into theyard. These animals will drop flea eggs into your yard as they forage about for food and nesting sites. Discouraging these unwelcome flea-carrying creatures from coming into your yard can be an important way of preventing fleas from infesting your lawn and yard and soil.

Discouragesuch animals (e.g. stray and feral cats and dogs) from your turf by:ensuring that there is no food for them - e.g. lock garbage cans so that they are not attractive to critters, don't leave food bowls outside for them, don't leave uneaten pet food and half-chewed bones outside once your pet has finished with them and so on;ensuring that there are no nesting and resting sites available for them (e.g.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.allowing your flea-free dog outside regularly if you have one (dogs generally discourage stray cats and other wild animals from coming into a yard, provided the presence of a dog does not result in copious amounts of food being left outside).2c) Flea Life Cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea lar

va. After about 2 days (range 2-21 days), depending on environmental conditions, the flea egg hatches torelease a first stage flea larva. This flea larva lives in the host's environment (it is part of the environmental stage of the fleas life cycle), where it feeds on fleadroppings (flea dirt) and dander.

The whole cycle can be as quick as 20 days or can last up to one full year; this is because the flea may be in a dormant stage for a long time. The cycle can be interrupted at any stage, but some flea control methods are more effective than others depending upon the stage the flea is in.

Treat the Complete Flea Life Cycle

"Treat the Complete Flea Life Cycle""Understanding each stage of a flea's life is the first step in total flea control. ""Here's Why Each Stage of a Flea's Life Must Be Treated If you have a flea problem, you'll want to address the entire flea life cycle and get rid of the pesky parasites in each stage.

Ignoring just one stage in your flea control efforts will result in the fleas just starting the cycle all over again. It's estimated that with any flea population, 95% of all these parasites are in a sub-adult stage ( i.e., eggs, larvae, or pupa).

These sub-adult fleas can lie dormant in your home for several months before they hatch and start the cycle all over again. Stages of a Flea's Life How Long is the Flea Life Cycle?

Warm and humid weather will speed up the cycle and contribute to a larger infestation of fleas. Flea Eggs The adult female flea lays up to twenty flea eggs at a time (and this can be daily!).

The flea egg stage is the beginning stage of the cycle. The flea eggs may be deposited on your cat and in your cat's environment.

This includes your cat's sleeping area, your carpet, your furniture, floorboard crevices and other cracks and corners of your home. Eggs can also be deposited in your yard. Use diatomeceous earth to eliminate them in your yard. In addition to attacking your outdoor kitty, fleas deposited outside from other neighborhood animals may afflict your indoor cat.

Adult fleas are great little hitchhikers and can jump onto you while you're outside. The flea then jumps off of you and into your house and deposits her eggs! Flea eggs deposited directly onto your cat will usually fall off into your cat's environment fairly soon.

Flea control efforts must consider the flea egg stage to be effective. Flea Larvae Flea eggs will hatch into larvae 2 to 14 days after being laid. The larvae are small and white. Larvae rely on adult flea excrement for nutrition, so this is a good reason to keep suspected areas where there might be fleas clean.

Over the next two weeks to six months, the larvae will molt three times before entering the next stage of the flea life cycle. Flea control efforts must consider this aspect of the flea life cycle to be effective. Fleabusters Rx borate powder is a very safe method you can use to eliminate flea larvae in your home. ( Amazon may carry this product cheape

r. )Flea Pupa The flea larvae spin cocoons around themselves in which they move to the last phase of the flea life cycle and become adult fleas. The larvae can remain in the cocoon anywhere from one week to one year. Temperature is one factor that determines how long it will take for the adult flea to emerge from the cocoon.

"The Flea Life Cycle and How It Guides Effective Flea Control and Prevention. Flea infestation is one of the great banes in life for many pet and poultry owners. These rather-common insect parasites pose a variety of problems for pets and pet owners including:flea bites - adult fleas bite pets and humans, causing pain, redness and itching of the bite site;flea allergy dermatitis - pets who are severely allergic to flea saliva can become so itchy (pruritic) as a result of flea bites that they literally tear their skin and fur apart with their scratching and chewing activities;coat damage - breeding and showing pets (e.g.

Because of the many problems posed by fleas (above), there is, naturally, a lot of vested interest in the control and prevention of flea parasites, both in the home and commercially.

Many millions of dollars are spent each year in the manufacture and production of newer, safer, better flea control and flea killing products and, in their turn, pet owners and commercial producersof animals (animal breeders, animal showers, poultry farmers, rabbit producers and so on) spend even moremillions buying these newer, better, safer flea prevention products in the hope of preventing and/or eradicating their flea infestation problems. In order for pet owners and commercial animal producers to fully grasp how it is that flea infestations can become so large and so persistent, it is important for themto understand the flea life cycle.

In particular, they need to know how and where theflea parasite reproduces and also where the juvenile forms (egg, larva, pupa) of the lifecycle hide outand evade treatment.

The flea life cycle is very important to know if a flea infestationis to be controlled adequately and permanently (after all, much of the flea life cycle occurs in the animal's environment, not on the animal itself, and so environmental flea control is very important). The fleas life cycle can provide important clues as to why a particular flea control regime is not working and an explanation as to why the fleas keep on coming back.

The flea life cycle forms the basis of it all for it is the complete cycle of a flea's existence: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage, to egg stage again with the next generation.

Stopping an infestation of fleas from persisting involves breaking the flea life cycle at any pointin the flea life cycle chain: from egg to larval stage (three larval stages) to pupa to adult stage (see diagram in section 1).

The more points that can be broken in that chain or lifecycle, the faster flea control will be achieved and the more permanent the results will be. This flea life cycle page contains a detailed, but simple-to-understand explanation of thecomplete flea life cycle.

It comes complete with a full flea life cycle diagram for ease of understanding. As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how itcan be managed and manipulated to achieve better flea control and flea prevention is also discussedin full.

e). 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full.2a) Fleas life cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal. 2b) Fleas life cycle 2 - The egg falls off the animal's skin and into the local environment of the host animal. 2c) Fleas life cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea larva.

2d) Fleas life cycle 4 - The first stage flea larva develops and grows and undergoes two molts to become a final stage flea larva.

2e) Fleas life cycle 5 - The final stage flea larva spins a cocoon and becomes a pupa. 2f) Fleas life cycle 6 - The cocoon hatches and an adult flea comes out, looking for mates and a host animal to feed on. 2g) Fleas life cycle 7 - The adult male and female fleas jump onto the host animal to feed, mate and lay eggs.

The timing of the various stages: Egg - The flea egg hatches in 2-21 days, depending on environmental conditions. Three larval stages - The larval stages grow and undergo their moults over about 9-15 days.

The pupal stage (cocoon) - The cocoon is the crux of flea infestation persistence in the house-hold. It generally hatches in 1-2 weeks, but can last up to a year. The adult flea - Adult fleas can live for some weeks (maximum of about 2 months if no host is present) in ideal, cool, moist conditions.

This particular diagram illustrates the life cycle of the dog or cat flea ( Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis ), however, the diagram would also be appropriate to a vast range of other flea types, including: Echidnophaga gallinacea (the poultry ""sticktight"" flea - discussed in the paragraph below); the rabbitfleas - Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi; the rat flea ( Xenopsylla cheopis ); the human flea ( Pulex irritans) and various other flea species.

The main difference between these other flea life cycle situations and that of Ctenocephalides (pictured) would be the host animal species infested by the flea (e.g. the rabbit host instead of the dog for Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi) and the nature of theenvironment in which the flea larvae and pupal stages underwent development (e.g. the dirt rabbit burrowinstead of the household carpet in the case of Cediopsylla simplex and Spilopsyllus cuniculi ).

Author's note - In the case of Echidnophaga gallinacea, the poultry stickfast or sticktightflea, the male and female fleas mate in the flea's environment (soon after hatching from their pupal cocoons), not on the host itself as occurs with many other flea species.

After mating has occurred, the female flea attaches herself strongly to the skin of a passing animal host and remains in that one place for about 6 weeks, feeding and laying eggs.

She does not move from the spot she has chosen. The eggs she produces drop from the animal host's skin and into the soil environment where they undergo hatching, a 2-4 week larval development period and pupation. Echidnophaga pupation occurs in a burrow underground and hatching of the adult fleaoccurs in around 2-3 weeks.

The total Echidnophaga flea life cycle is about 4-6 weeks long. 2) The fleas life cycle discussed - the flea life cycle diagram explained in full. The following subsections (subsections 2a - 2g) of this flea life cycle page contain detailed, but simple-to-understand information about each of the steps outlined inthe fleas life cycle diagram above (section 1).

The following discussion of each of the individual steps in the flea life cycle aims to add more to your understanding of host fleainfestation; flea reproduction and how severe environmental flea contamination and subsequent host animal flea re-infestation occurs and builds-up.

As an added bonus, the significance of each stage of the flea life cycle and how eachstage can be managed and manipulated to achieve better long-term flea control and flea prevention is also discussed in full in each subsection.

These sections should contain plenty of information for those of you interested in preventing flea infestations from establishing and also for those of you looking to control pre-existing problem flea infestations on pets; inside the home (e.g. carpet fleas) and outside the house in the yard, lawn or garden. Knowing the flea life cycle is very importantif flea control measures are to be implemented successfully in a household or commercial premises.

2a) Flea Life Cycle 1 - The adult flea lays her eggs on the host animal: In the case of Ctenocephalides (the dog or cat flea), both the male and female adult fleas are present on the host animal's skin, living, feeding and breeding there.

Of the two sexes, however, it is the female flea that is the bigger blood-sucker, drinking farmore of the host's blood than any of the male fleas that climb on board. Conversely, in certain other flealife cycles (e.g. Echidnophaga ), the adult male flea remains in the host's environment and only the adult female flea actually inhabits the furcoat of the host animal.

Either way, the most important thing to remember is that it is the female flea who is the major animal hostparasite and the predominant blood-sucker of the two flea sexes. The main reason why the female flea needs to parasitize the host animal is because, after breeding with the male flea, she needs a blood meal in order for her eggs to develop fully.

Without a host, adult female fleas will starve and be unable to produce any viable eggs. The adult flea lays her eggs on the host's skin.

She does not bother getting off the host to lay them. The flea eggs are shiny, white, ovoid eggs, about 0.5mm in length.

The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain, the adult fleas on the pet have to be removed and/or any flea eggs that they lay have to be rendered sterileand unable to hatch.

Adult fleas can be killed and otherwise removed from the petchemically or manually (steps 4 and 5); the number of eggs in the environmentcan be reduced by environmental rest (step 1) and the flea eggs can be rendered sterilethrough the use of insect growth inhibitors and various chemicals that sterilize the femaleflea (steps 2 and 3).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycleare discussed below.1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea is unable to reproduce or lay any eggs without the presence of a host animalin which to derive a blood meal from, adult, egg and larval flea numbers can be greatly reduced by depopulating and resting an area, which hosts have previously occupied, fora period of time.

This means removing all of the host animals (e.g. cats and dogs)from the infested environment for a long enough period of time that any eggs and larvaein the environment become pupae and any newly-hatched adult fleas in the environmentstarve to death. Note that, under optimal conditions of coolness and humidity, just-hatched adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months, so this period of environmental depopulation should thus beat least 2 months long (3-4 months if playing it safe).

Author's note: As will be explained later (in sections 2e and 2f), the flea cocoon stage of the fleas life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to trigger it to hatch.

Resting the environment of hosts for only 2-4 months will kill off (starve) the environmental adult fleas and deplete the numbers of any viable eggs and larvae in the area (these will have progressed to the cocoon stage by 2 months), however, it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns,if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

The environment therefore needs to be thoroughly treated to get rid of any cocoons (flea pupae) before a clean host (obviously, the host animal must also be clean of fleas before being reintroduced to a de-fleaed environment)is reintroduced into the rested environment after 2-4 months.

2) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal. If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

It does not kill the adult fleas, just their offspring. Another canine flea product, Cyromazine (tradenames include - Decaflea), is also an insect growth inhibitor product that works by preventing flea eggs from hatching. Likewise, the canine and feline flea product, Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), is also an insect growth inhibitor that prevents flea eggs (and also flea larvae) from developing.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, Pyriproxifen (and its relative, Fenoxycarb) is sunlight stable and should last up to a year before needing reapplication.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Frontline Plus) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability. If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks.

Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.3) Female flea sterilisation: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs if she is infertile.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the flea control product: Pyriproxifen (tradenames include - Duogard Band for Cats, Duogard Band for Dogs, Duogard Line On for Dogs, Protect-a-Dog Double Impact), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood.

The chemical sterilises and damages the eggs within the female flea's body, rendering her infertile.4) Adult flea killers: Adult female and male fleas are required in order for flea egg production to occur and for subsequent environmental contamination with eggs, flea larvae and flea pupae (cocoons) to occur. No reproducing adult fleas eventually means no flea life cycle and no fleas on the host animal/s and no fleas in the house, carpet, commercial premises, yard or lawn.

If host animals are treated with a good flea control product that kills all adult fleas within 2 days ofthe flea/s reaching the host animal, then no flea eggs will be produced (after all, it takes 2 days for adult fleas to create eggs after jumping into a host and feeding on its blood).

The ""Big 5"" Adult Flea Killers: Nitenpyram (tradenames include Capstar) - This product kills adult fleas fantastically well as a once-off, oral tablet. The product is often used by vets as a fast knock-down to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs and cats. Nitenpyram starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the pet. The product is short-lasting, however, and needs to be given daily to have any ongoing effect (unlike many of the spot-ons below, which last for up to 1 month).

Pet owners often dose pets with Nitenpyram once or twice to get rid of large flea infestations (massive flea burdens) on their pet and then follow up with a monthly flea control product for ongoing flea protection. Nitenpyram is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 4 weeks of age so long as they weigh over 2 pounds.

Imidacloprid (tradenames include - Advantage Duo, Advantage for Dogs and Cats, Advantix, Advocate) - This product kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Imidacloprid is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the body within 12 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

Its effect lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" is safe to use on kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age (Bayer the manufacturer says the product can be used in pups and kittens from day 1, but that only treatment of the lactating bitch is needed to ensure that the pups/kittens are covered).

""Advantage for Dogs and Cats"" can also be used in pregnant dogs and cats as well as rabbits and ferrets (exercise caution with dosing).

""Advantix"" is not safe for cats. Advantage DUO is no longer manifactured. Fipronil (tradenames include - Frontline Spray, Frontline Top Spot, Frontline Plus) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Fipronil is a very safe product (distributes over the body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals.

The effect of the 'spot-on' formula lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Frontline Spray"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 2 days of age (be careful of correct dosing, though, if used in the very young) and needs to be reapplied more regularly than the spot-on. ""Frontline Top Spot"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 8 weeks of age. Fipronil is toxic to rabbits and ferrets.

Selamectin (tradenames include - Revolution) - kills fleas as a spot-on skin treatment. Selamectin is a very safe, fast-acting product (distributes over the host's body within 24 hours) for wiping out large flea burdens on animals. It lasts for up to 1 month before needing reapplication. ""Revolution"" is safe to use in kittens and puppies over 6 weeks of age. Animals should be tested for heartworm if the product is to be administered to pets over 6 months of age, which have not previously been on heart worm prevention.

It is safe to give to rabbits and ferrets and birds, including chickens and other poultry (ask your vet for doses and for with-holding times on meat and eggs, if using the product on production birds). Spinosad (tradenames include - Comfortis) - This relatively new product kills adult fleas fantastically well as an oral tablet. The product has a fast knock-down effect to kill large infestations of adult fleas on dogs. Spinosad starts to kill fleas within 30 minutes of dosing the dog.

The product is also long-lasting, maintaining its effect for up to 1 month after dosing. ""Comfortis"" is safe to use on puppies over 14 weeks of age. It should not be given to pregnant animals. It is not registered for cats. It also should not be given to animals with allergies to pork or those that have a history of epilepsy.

Note that some of these products (especially the spot-ons) will require up to 24 hours to distribute all over the host's body (and therefore kill all of the fleas) if they have never been used on the pet before. Other adulticide (adult flea killer) flea control options: Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - coumaphos, chlorpyrifos, flumethrin, fenthion, maldison, diazinon, temephos, cythioate, carbaryl and others) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently. Organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea powders are occasionally used to treat fleas in poultry.

Most, but not all, of the organophosphate-based or carbamate-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely. Permethrin-based flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - permethrin, cypermethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off treatment.

Flea control products containing these insecticides often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Permethrin-based flea control products are often used to manage poultry flea infestations. Some, but not all, of the permethrin-based flea control products are toxic to cats, even in skin application or flea collar form, so please read the flea product labels closely.

Pyrethrin product flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars (active ingredients include - pyrethrin) - will kill adult fleas as a once-off application. Flea control products containing this insecticide often need to be applied regularly to have any reliable ongoing effect against adult fleas and many of these products have the potential to be quite toxic to pet owners and bathed animals (pet owners should wear gloves when using) if applied frequently.

Pyrethrin is often used in the treatment and control of flea infestations on poultry. Although most of the pyrethrin-based flea control products available on the market are not toxic to kittens and puppies over 3 months of age, some of them will produce toxic side effects in some cats.

Please read the flea control product labels closely to be sure. Piperonyl butoxide, contained in some flea rinses, flea sprays, flea powders and flea collars, does have some insect killing and flea repellant properties. Although the insecticide has a low toxicity for animals, it is generally not that useful or effective at killing fleas on its own.

It tends to be mostly used as an adjunct to permethrin or pyrethrin in many flea control products. It is important to note that many of these organophosphate-based, carbamate-based, permethrin-basedand pyrethrin-based flea control products do not have a long-acting effect (only days in some cases) and will require regular retreatment to maintain an adult flea killing action.

Regular reapplication increases therisks of toxicity to both pets and their owners. Additionally, some of these product formulations do not distribute their active ingredients all over the pet's coat, ensuring thatsome adult fleas will still be able to find safe harbors on the treated host's body to live and feed and breed.

Flea collars (the bane of all vets) are a good example of this - they kill all of the fleas on the front half of the pet, but do nothing to the fleas on the animal's bottom, thighs and tail.

Hence, the flea life cycle is able to continue and environmental contamination with eggs, larvae and pupae is able to occur. 5) Regular combing with a flea comb in short-haired animals: Grooming short haired animals (e.g. short-coated dogs and cats) systematically from top to tail with a fine-toothed flea comb can remove over 80% of adult fleas from that animal's body. The process is time consuming and must be done carefully, ensuring that every patch of skin on the animal's body is groomed out, but it can help to reduce adult flea numbers on the coat dramatically.

Reducing adult fleas on theanimal's coat will reduce the number of flea eggs laid and those fleas' contribution to the flea life cycle and the overall flea population.

2b) Flea Life Cycle 2 - The egg falls off the fur into the environment of the host animal: The white flea eggs are laid on the host animal's skin, however, they usually fall off the hostanimal's coat and into the host animal's environment prior to hatching.

These flea eggs (and the flea larvaethat subsequently hatch out of them) contaminate the host animal's environment. As expected, environmental flea egg numbers and environmental flea infestations are generally most concentrated in regions of the household where the flea-infested pet spends most of its time.

Common sites of egg and flea concentration include: pet beds and pet bedding; owner beds (if the pet sleeps on the human beds); carpet (carpet fleas or house flea infestations are a huge nuisance because they can be difficult to get rid of); pet houses or kennels; human couches and outdoor settings (if the pet has access to these furnishings) and cool, moist, humid, outdoor regions of the yard that the pet spends lots of time in (e.g.

garden beds, places under the house or verandah and so on). Author's note: Because cats will tend to patrol and take-over an entire house, including amazingly elevated places (e.g. the tops of wardrobes and cupboards) and hidden, often-enclosed places (e.g. the inside of pantries, walk-in-robes, linen closets and so on), every room and part of a housethat an indoors, flea-affected cat has access to should be considered contaminated with flea eggs.

This can make flea control in a house with flea infested cats very difficult and expensive to manage. Author's note: Because it only takes about 2 days for flea eggs to hatch, once they have been laid, some flea eggs will manage to avoid falling into the pet's environment and will hatch on the pet's coat.

It is not that uncommon to have flea larvae (small flea maggots or grubs) turn up on the animal's coat. These flea larvae will usually drop off the host animal's coat soon after hatching and enter the host's environment to continue the ""off-host"" part of the fleas life cycle.

Author's note: It is VERY important to consider the environment of the hostwhen attempting to eradicate and eliminate fleas from a host animal. A huge part of the flea life cycleoccurs off the host animal. If an animal has adult fleas on its coat, then the pet's environment has many more eggs, larvae and pupal fleas just waiting to develop into adults and hop on board.

You must treatthe host and the host's environment to get rid of fleas. The significance of this flea life cycle stage with regard to flea control and flea prevention: In order to break this link of the flea life cycle chain: the adult fleas, which are responsiblefor laying the eggs, must be destroyed prior to reaching egg-laying capacity; any flea eggs that the adult fleas have produced have to be rendered sterile and unable to hatch and any viable eggs that do manage to reach the environment need to be removed or destroyed prior to hatching.

Adult fleas can be killed prior to egg production using a range of insecticide flea control products (step 1); the number of viable eggs in the pet's environment can be reduced by various means of environmental decontamination (steps 2, 3, 4 and 6) and the flea eggs laid by the adult fleas on the coat can be rendered sterile through the use of insect growth inhibitors (step 5).

All of these options for breaking this part of the flea life cycle are discussed below. 1) Environmental rest: Because the female flea generally lays her eggs on or in the presence of a host animal (she needs a blood mealin order for the eggs to develop), egg numbers in the host's environment can be greatly reduced by removing the host animal from the environment for about 3 weeks; treating that animalwith a good quality adult flea killer (the Big 5 - above) and waiting until all of the adultfleas on the host have died before reintroducing the animal back into the original environment.

The reasonfor the three week environmental rest period is that it can take up to three weeks for anyeggs, already present on the host animal's coat, to hatch out into larvae (which willnormally be killed by topical spot-on treatments mentioned in the Big 5).

If animalsare re-introduced back into the environment prematurely, there is a possibility that long-lastingeggs that have not yet hatched could fall into the environment and contaminate it. The three week rest period will ensure that any adult fleas present on the host animal will bekilled off by the adulticide therapy (so that no more eggs can be laid on the host).

It willalso ensure that any eggs present in the host's environment and on the host itself will have hatchedinto larvae such that, in theory, there should no longer be any flea eggs on the host or in the host's environmentby the time the animal returns to the environment in question. Author's note: Resting the environment of hosts for only 3 weeks will deplete the host's skinand the host's environment of viable flea eggs (these will have progressed to the flea larvae stage by 3 weeks).

The three week rest period will not, however, do anything to deplete the numbers of flea larvae, flea pupae and environmentally-living adult fleas in the host's environment.

Environmentally-living adult fleas can survive for up to 2 months without a host animal to feed on - they will be waiting for the host when it returns, though theyshould die upon contact with the host animal if that animal has been treated correctly with a flea preventativeproduct.

More problematically, as will be explained in sections 2e and 2f, the flea cocoon stage (pupal stage) of the flea life cycle can lay dormant for a long period of time (up to 1 year), waiting for a host animal to come along to induce it to hatch.

Resting the environment such that it is free of all host animals for only 3 weeks willdeplete egg numbers, but it will do nothing to prevent a re-emergence of adult fleas when the host animal finally returns, if there are flea cocoons present in the environment.

2) Physical egg removal from the host environment by vacuuming: Never underestimate the value of simple, frequent, thorough vacuuming in helping to get rid offleas from a dog or cat's environment. Flea eggs and larvae in carpets, couches, human and pet beds and other indoorsareas can be sucked away by regular vacuuming, reducing the environmental flea burden overall. All regions of the house should be vacuumed, where possible, but important emphasis should be placed on carpets, soft furniture (e.g.

couches), floors underneath furniture, floors underneathremovable rugs and mats and gaps under side boards. Using a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar can help to shake flea eggs, larvae and cocoons out from places deeperwithin the carpet proper and improve the vacuum uptake of these flea life cycle stages.

Aftereach vacuuming, the vacuum bag should be disposed of, lest fleas start hatching and breeding insideof the vacuum bag! Don't forget the car! A significant source of reservoir environmental flea infestation and subsequenthost animal reinfestation is the car.

Flea infested animals drop eggs into the car during car trips - these flea eggs can hatch into larvae and go through the entire flea life cycle inside of the car. As it is often not a good idea to use pesticides inside of a car (pesticidesand insecticides can release toxic fumes that are poisonous to people when the car interior heats up) frequent vacuuming is one of the safer ways of ridding the car of flea eggs, larvae and cocoons.

In very hot, dry climates (e.g. Australia in Summer), persistent flea infestation of a car is not as likely because the car, when it is parked outside, will usually heat up to temperature levels beyond that of larvae and pupae survival.

Even better, instead of replacing the old infested carpet and couch with more of the same (i.e. another flea-attractive carpet or couch to reinfest anew), many owners assist their flea elimination efforts by replacing their old carpets and couches and the like with floors, seating and bedding made from easy-to-clean, flea-unfriendlymaterials.

Flea unfriendly floors that do not support the flea life cycle include: linoleum, slate, stone, varnished floorboards and tiles. Flea unfriendly seating materialsthat do not support the flea life cycle include: non-porous vinyl, plastic and wood. Covering a new couch entirely (including underneath) with a clear plastic cover that is non-permeable to flealife cycle stages (including eggs) will ensure that the couch remains clean and does not becomea nursery for juvenile flea stages.

Author's note - complete removal and replacement of contaminated bedding and carpetand the like is a useful way of dramatically reducing the populations of the off-host stages of the flealife cycle in the host's environment.

It will not, however, do much for flea numbers in the long term if thefleas on the host (or hosts) are not eradicated too. Adult flea killing chemicals (the BIG 5 in section 2a) should be used on the host animal/s in conjunction with this environmental replacementmode of flea control, to avoid having the new carpet, new couch and so on re-infested with fleas. Author's note - removing and replacing an entire dog kennel is probably not warranted, unless thefloor of the kennel and/or its walls are made of a fabric that holds fleas.

If the walls and floor of thekennel are made of smooth, hard, easy to wash materials (metal, hard plastic) then only the pet's beddingneeds to be discarded and not the kennel itself. The kennel can be steam cleaned (>35 degrees-Celsius) and/or disinfected with a pyrethrin-containing wash and rinsed, dried and used again.

Open-floor kennels standing on grass or soil can be washed likewise and then the kennel should be relocated to a differentregion of the yard, well away from the original location, to let the sun and dry air kill the flealife cycle stages present in the grass and soil of the first area.

4) Reducing environmental egg contamination through careful pet grooming: Eggs fall from the coat of the flea-infested pet in large numbers during pet grooming and combing sessions.

Owners who groom their pets inside run a huge risk of combing massive numbers of flea eggsonto the floor carpet and host environment, therefore, aiding the environmental component of the flea life cycle.

If you are going to groom a flea infested pet, you should groom him or her outside in a bright sunny area, preferably on a day when humidity levels are very low (below 50%). Sunlight, drying and desiccationkills all of the flea life cycle stages and eggs and larvae groomed out into the open sun and dry airshould die rapidly.

Author's note - many owners mistakenly think that their pets get their fleas fromthe sand and soil of their back yards; that fleas live much of their flea life cyclein the dirt itself.

The fact is that they don't usually. Unless the sandy, soily regions of the yard are very cool (13-32 degrees-Celsius) and moist (humidity 50-90%) and sun-protected (i.e. covered soil areas under houses, verandahs and thick garden vegetation) and visited by the pet very often, fleas will not usually survive and replicate in outdoor soil.

Most of the fleas that infest pet dogs and catscome from the indoors environment or the outdoor pet's bedding, not the dirt of the yard. Pet owners who elect to groom their pets indoors should groom them on a non-carpet flooring, suchas linoleum, tiles or smooth floor-boards. The region can then be easily vacuumed immediately after the grooming session toremove any fleas, eggs or larvae that might have fallen from the host animal.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.5) Egg hatching inhibitors: The female flea is unable to produce or lay any eggs without having first consumed a blood meal from the host animal.

If host animals (cats or dogs) are treated with the systemic flea control product: Lufenuron (tradenames include - Sentinel and Program), this chemical will be taken up into the female flea's body as it drinks the host animal's blood. Lufenuron is an insect growth inhibitor that damages the development of the larval fleas that form inside of the flea eggs, causing these larvae to be unable to hatch.

The drug, S-methoprene, is also contained in many flea prevention products (e.g. Zodiac Flea Proof Spray for Cats and Dogs, Frontline Plus, Troy IGR, Quick-Kill Eclipse, Fido's Flea Bomb Insecticidal Fogger) and has a similar mode of action against flea egg viability.

If used in flea products targeted towards controlling fleas in the host's environment, please remember that S-methoprene is sunlight sensitive and should be reapplied at least every 30 weeks. Revolution (active-ingredient selamectin) also has an inhibitory effect against flea eggs, rendering them sterile.

Any eggs that fall from the host animal after these products have been used should notbe viable (unable to hatch) and thus not pose an problem of environmental flea contamination.

6) Environmental flea egg dehydration and death, using sodium borate: Sodium borate compounds are crystalline compounds that have ovicidal (egg killing) and larvicidal (larvae killing) properties. They can be applied to a flea infested environment andare thought to kill flea eggs and flea larvae via a dehydration mechanism (the hypertonic crystals suck the water out of the flea eggs and larvae, resulting in severe dehydration and death ofthese flea life cycle stages).

Direct ingestion of the borates by the flea larva also results in deathby dehydration. Author's note: Some borates can be harmful to pets that ingest them. Cats in particularcan ingest borate salts if they walk across treated floors and pick up the powdery residueson their feet and coats (the cat will later groom or lick the salts off its coat, resultingin ingestion).

Read product labels carefully to ensure that they are safe around pets. The Fleabusters product: ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" used to only be available as a professionally-applied sodium borate carpet powder by the pest company that invented and utilised it. ""Rx for Fleas Plus Flea Powder"" is now available as a home-use product for household owners to apply to flea infested environments (e.g.

carpet) and comes with a 1 year guarantee of efficacy. I have included a link to their site at the end of this page. 7) The best yard treatment is flea prevention: It can be quite difficult to get flea life cycle stages out of a large back yard once theyhave become well-established there.

Once established, yard flea reservoirs can become a major source of flea reinfestation for pets and indoor regions. The best yardtreatment is prevention - don't let fleas get into the back yard in the first place. Ensuring that only flea-free animals are permitted into your back yard is a useful way ofpreventing yard flea infestation. Make sure that your pets are treated with flea prevention productsbefore they go anywhere where they could pick up fleas (e.g.

grooming salons, wilderness areas, dog clubs, dog shows, cat shows and so on) so that they do not bring fleas back into the yard. Make sure that friends' pets are treated with flea preventatives and that they are free of fleas before they are allowed access to your back yard.

A common source of flea egg and flea larvae contamination of outdoor yards and lawns is flea infested stray, feral and wild animal intruders coming into theyard. These animals will drop flea eggs into your yard as they forage about for food and nesting sites. Discouraging these unwelcome flea-carrying creatures from coming into your yard can be an important way of preventing fleas from infesting your lawn and yard and soil.

Discouragesuch animals (e.g. stray and feral cats and dogs) from your turf by:ensuring that there is no food for them - e.g. lock garbage cans so that they are not attractive to critters, don't leave food bowls outside for them, don't leave uneaten pet food and half-chewed bones outside once your pet has finished with them and so on;ensuring that there are no nesting and resting sites available for them (e.g.

gaps under sheds, loose woodpiles, old machinery, car bodies, dense garden vegetation, small forest patches, gaps allowing access under houses and verandahs and so on);putting up and maintaining good fences.allowing your flea-free dog outside regularly if you have one (dogs generally discourage stray cats and other wild animals from coming into a yard, provided the presence of a dog does not result in copious amounts of food being left outside).2c) Flea Life Cycle 3 - The flea egg hatches, releasing a first stage (stage 1) flea lar

va. After about 2 days (range 2-21 days), depending on environmental conditions, the flea egg hatches torelease a first stage flea larva. This flea larva lives in the host's environment (it is part of the environmental stage of the fleas life cycle), where it feeds on fleadroppings (flea dirt) and dander.