Details about fleas in dogs and their potential danger

 

Among the variety of different types of fleas, the dog flea is one of the most common. However, fleas in dogs are not only insects belonging to the dog flea species Ctenocephalides canis proper.

In fact, small bloodsuckers running and jumping over a dog can belong to a variety of species - human fleas, cat, rat, etc. willingly feed on the blood of a four-legged friend. All these types of parasites are difficult to distinguish from each other without a microscope and special skills, therefore, understanding the general issues of flea control, dog owners usually refer to all of them simply as dog fleas.

It is dog fleas, as a separate species, that are slightly less common than cat fleas. They have a smaller range of possible hosts, do not multiply as quickly, but at the same time they quite successfully infect all “falling to hand” dogs. In general, they disturb a person with about the same frequency as cat parasites.

 

Appearance of dog fleas: adult insects, larvae and eggs

Dog fleas look the same as most of their relatives: small insects 2-3 mm long, dark brown in color with a shiny body.An enlarged photo of a dog flea clearly shows the oblong and laterally flattened body of the insect:

And in the photo of a dog flea under a microscope, the exorbitantly elongated hind legs of the insect are the first to catch the eye. It is they that allow parasites to jump a distance exceeding the length of their body by 100-150 times:

Even with the naked eye, you can see that these insects do not have wings. This is an important evolutionary adaptation that ensures ease of movement of parasites in the coat and minimal risk for the flea to be caught and crushed.

Fleas in dogs and cats are very similar to each other almost when choosing a food source: just as cat pests easily jump on dogs, so dog parasites are not averse to feeding on cats. However, in general, cat fleas are more numerous, and even on dogs they are somewhat more common than dog fleas themselves.

It is interesting

Outwardly, dog and cat fleas are clearly distinguishable only under a microscope. Canine parasites have a slightly more rounded and blunt head, and have eight setae on their hind legs instead of the six found on cats.

The larva of a dog flea looks like a small caterpillar, and looks a bit like a maggot fly. In the photo under a microscope, her digestive tract is clearly visible:

The main food of flea larvae is various organic remains, up to rotting grass, and only in the nests of mammals and birds can they feed on the excrement of adult fleas, overflowing with undigested blood.

In general, finding flea larvae anywhere is quite difficult. They certainly won't be on the animal's fur: fleas usually lay their eggs outside the host's body.However, with a strong infection, flea eggs in dogs can also be found in the coat: in this case, the insects simply do not have time to jump off the animal.

The photo below shows flea eggs:

In length, each egg is less than a millimeter, and they are visually detected only with a large number.

Adult insects are well distinguished from other parasites on dogs by their size: even a hungry young tick is larger than an adult flea. In addition, no parasite on a dog can jump as far and high as fleas do.

The only insects with which fleas share some external features are lice and withers. Nevertheless, no matter how small the lice are, fleas in dogs are well distinguished from them by their dark color (white lice) and by the fact that they are always found on the skin of the animal, but not on the hairs. Lice, on the other hand, spend their entire lives attached to the host's hairs.

On the same basis, fleas are easily distinguished from lice eaters. In addition, neither lice nor lice can jump. And if the parasite abruptly disappeared from sight, as if it were not there, it is definitely a flea.

 

Details about the lifestyle of fleas on dogs

Fleas don't actually live long on dogs. Here they only feed, spending most of their lives in dark secluded places, from which it is very easy for them to get close to the source of food.

Most often, between meals, parasites are found in booths and places where dogs rest. Usually their eggs develop here and the larvae grow. And it is these places that should be checked if there are symptoms of fleas in a dog.

Fleas multiply quickly, one might say like an avalanche.One female literally sprays eggs around her every few days, pushing them out of her body under great pressure, thereby increasing the area of ​​​​distribution of her offspring. Even if she does this directly on the dog, most of the eggs will fall on the floor or ground. Larvae hatch from them, molt three times, pupate and turn into adult insects.

It is interesting

Under ideal conditions, the flea can live up to two years, including three weeks of the larval stage. Usually, the life span of the parasite is only a few weeks. An adult female is, in principle, capable of laying up to 5,000 eggs in a lifetime.

Adult insects leave the dog's body as soon as possible after feeding. They cannot move far and hide in a shelter that has come across with a feather - under a stone, in the grass, in a carpet. And where a flea dog ran, the entire route will surely be littered with well-fed parasites.

It is interesting

Fleas can recognize different levels of cortisol and corticosteroids in a dog's body. Accordingly, fleas in a pregnant dog “know” when she should whelp, and by this time they are especially actively interested in her, in order to subsequently move to puppies, as a more favorable and safe source of food.

Do not puzzle over the question of where fleas come from in dogs - a pet can pick them up everywhere:

• when walking through the forest (the burrows of wild animals can be full of fleas)
• from another dog in the street (either from a cat or a rat)
• from a person whose clothes accidentally get parasites
• in any room infested with insects.

On a note

Very often, dogs catch fleas, falling out into the carrion. This instinct will not allow even the cleanest dog to pass by the "dead".And all the parasites that patiently waited for a new mobile restaurant after the death of the old one will attack the new animal with a frenzy.

 

Why are fleas dangerous for dogs?

Fleas on dogs are carriers of many dangerous diseases. For example, it is dog parasites that carry the eggs of the cucumber tapeworm, which grows up to 50 cm in length, and other worms.

Dogs themselves can become infected by eating parasites, and can infect humans accidentally if a flea from a dog enters a person's digestive tract.

When bitten, fleas can infect dogs with salmonellosis, brucellosis, plague, and other deadly diseases. In comparison, flea allergy in dogs, which affects one in four pets, does not seem so serious. However, fleas can cause dangerous dermatitis and anemia in puppies.

It should be remembered that dog fleas are dangerous to humans, to whom they can easily be transmitted.

At the same time, many diseases carried by parasites are deadly for humans. Among them are plague, anthrax and encephalitis. That is why when you find bloodsuckers on your pet, you need to immediately decide how to cure a dog from fleas.

 

Symptoms of the presence of fleas on a dog

The main signs of the presence of fleas on the dog are the following:

• itching in the animal, constant itching and anxiety
• detection of flea excrement in the dog's hair in the form of dark small grains
• dog allergies
• and, of course, the direct detection of insects on the pet's body.

The detection of abundant helminthic invasions in the body of a dog can also, to a certain extent, be a sign of infection of the animal with fleas.

 

Means for ridding a dog of fleas and their use

Treatment of a dog for fleas consists in processing its coat with special means. It can be:

• flea sprays for dogs, suitable for the most part only for adult and healthy animals and giving a quick and reliable result. Hartz and Frontline flea sprays are widely known today and very effective.
• Drops on the withers, allowing you to treat fleas for a dog that is acutely responsive to aerosol products. The most popular drops among dog breeders are Frontline, Stronghold and Advantage.
• Flea shampoos are perhaps the most gentle option. Even puppies and especially sensitive animals can be bathed with them. Well-known dog flea shampoos are Beaphar, Mr. Bruno, celandine.
• Flea and tick collars for dogs, considered particularly effective as a preventive measure.

From fleas, dogs can also be recommended folk remedies - decoctions of wormwood, lavender and tansy. To successfully control parasites, such products should be used in strict accordance with the recipes.

When choosing how to treat a dog for fleas, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the animal. Ideally, dogs should be treated for fleas and ticks with products recommended by a veterinarian.

 

Prevention of dog flea infestation

Given the high chances of a dog picking up parasites, flea prevention in dogs should be done constantly. There are several ways to protect your dog from fleas:

• Minimize contact with homeless animals.
• Regular treatment of dogs from fleas before the warm season with special drops or the use of a flea collar.
• Cleaning the place where the dog is resting - booths, beds, rugs. It must be done at least once a week.
• Regular combing of the dog with a fine comb.

Such measures will reliably protect the dog from fleas, even if she accidentally brings them from the street.

 

What fleas can lead to in a dog: it is important for every owner to know