Flea, fi, foe, fum — pests love blood of Englishmen

By Beth Leermakers

Last month, I wrote about the importance of flea preventatives. But what can you do if your house is flea infested? To fight them effectively, it helps to understand how fleas live and reproduce. 

Fleas are small (about 1/8 inches long), wingless parasites that feed on animal or human blood. They have poor eyesight, so they detect hosts through movement, body heat and breathing (carbon dioxide). Adult female fleas lay as many as 50 eggs — in one day — on their hosts, and the eggs fall off as your pet moves around. Progressing through the life stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult) takes from two weeks to eight months, depending on the temperature, type of flea and availability of food. Warm weather and signs of a host cause adult fleas to emerge from their cocoons and jump onto their host’s skin, fur or feathers. Fleas can jump up to seven inches high and 13 inches across a flat surface. They don’t have teeth, so technically they don’t bite their host. Instead, they use their mouth to pierce the skin and suck blood. 

Fleas thrive in warm, humid environments — conditions created by fur or feathers, which also give them places to cling to, move through and hide. Fleas don’t live on humans because our body hair isn’t dense enough to provide a humid, protective climate. But fleas will suck human blood if there aren’t any animals around.  People are most likely to be bitten on the ankles, feet or calves. Flea bites on higher parts of the body are rare, unless you’re sitting in a flea-infested area. 

Fleas are more than just an itchy nuisance. They can transmit tapeworms, trigger flea allergy dermatitis, cause anemia in kittens and puppies and carry Bartonella bacteria, which cause cat scratch disease in humans.

Signs of Flea Infestation: Your cat or dog is scratching or biting at her fur; you see flea dirt (looks like pepper) on your pet’s skin, bedding or favorite spot on the couch; there are tapeworms (look like grains of rice) in your pet’s feces; your dog or cat is losing her hair. 

Take the white sock test. Put on white socks and walk around your house. Adult fleas are attracted to movement and warmth, so they will jump onto the socks. 

How to Get Rid of Fleas 

Daily: Vacuum regularly to get rid of eggs, larvae, fleas and flea dirt. Vacuum the areas where your pet sits, sleeps and eats: floors, rugs, pet beds and furniture. Throw away the vacuum bag or empty/wash the canister every time. 

Weekly: Wash pet bedding in hot water and dry it on the hot setting. Steam clean and shampoo carpets, rugs and furniture. Spray your house with insecticide or use a flea bomb or fogger. 

How to Keep Fleas Out of Your Yard: Mow your yard regularly, removing leaf litter and debris; trim overgrown plants; reduce shaded areas and don’t overwater your plants; apply beneficial nematodes. These microscopic worms live in the soil, eating flea larvae and pupae. They’re “beneficial” because they don’t harm plants, people, pets or beneficial insects like bees and butterflies. Use diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth, a natural rock substance made from fossilized algae, is a well-known product used to control insects and other pests. Diatomaceous earth is typically used to handle a flea infestation. Because it causes irritation and drying of the skin, products should NOT be applied directly to a dog’s skin or on their bedding.  

As discussed in my previous article, flea preventatives (topical treatments, oral medications or flea collars) that target all flea life cycle stages are the best way to protect your cat or dog from fleas. Flea shampoo kills adult fleas but doesn’t get rid of eggs, larvae or pupae. 

Dawn dish soap also kills adult fleas (by drowning them), but it cannot repel fleas. 

Capstar, an oral medication, provides fast relief by killing all adult fleas within a few hours. Capstar, however, is not a preventative, and it doesn’t affect eggs or larvae. 

To keep pets and people itch-free and comfortable, it’s crucial to take a multi-step approach — treating pets, the home and the yard. Consistent cleaning, flea preventatives and targeted treatments can help eliminate fleas and prevent them from returning.