Like all other species of fleas, dog fleas (Ctenocephalides canis), are parasitic insects that feed on the blood of their host.  They are primarily found in the fur of canines. You can find them on the fur of many wild canines such as wolves or foxes and also the common house dog.  However, they can also be found in the fur of many wild and domestic felines like bobcats or a domestic house cat.  They are not only limited to just cats and dogs but can be found on almost any mammal species or even birds. Keep Reading

HOW to GET RID of FLEAS

Habits
Fleas are hard to control in that they are so small and can hitch a ride to almost any location.  When there is an infestation, fleas can be found anywhere and everywhere.  A common misconception is that fleas only come about when there are pets or animals in the building or home, however, vacationers can easily bring them home by carrying them in the shoes or on the clothes.  When a person brings home a new pet, they might find that they are suddenly attacked by a flea infestation because fleas may emerge even after a few months of being dormant, when they notice that a host is nearby.

Fleas are typically found in resting areas, where your pet sleeps or areas that your pet travels frequently, especially along their usual paths of travel in the home.  These areas are where eggs will roll off easily and where most of the breeding will occur.  They hide deep in the carpets and can be found in virtually any crack and crevice area. Environments that are high in moisture is key to their survival.  Larvae will die if it is too cold or dry and so they will rarely be found outdoors. They will die at humidities that are relatively below 45% and also above 95% and they fail to develop at temperatures that are below 55 degrees F or above 95 degrees F (13 degrees C or 35 degrees C).

Treatment and Control

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Rat Fleas

Even though there are over 250 species of fleas, only a few have frequently come in contact with humans.  These include the cat flea, dog flea, human flea, and rat flea.

Rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) are blood-sucking parasites.  Keep Reading

Cat Fleas

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are small and externally parasitic insects, meaning they spend their life feeding on the outside of their host. They primarily feed on the blood of cats, hence the name, cat flea. However, they are not limited to cats. Cat fleas are also commonly found on dogs. They can also bite humans, however they cannot survive with human blood and therefore will not infest humans but merely cause irritation and become a nuisance. Transfer between host to host for cat fleas are very low and most cat fleas will spend their entire lifespan on their host. Keep Reading

FLEAS

Fleas are blood-sucking parasites.  They live off the blood of their host and cannot reproduce without it. Fleas are not only a nuisance, but because they are blood sucking parasites, flea bites can cause irritation to almost all mammals, including humans.  They are considered dangerous because they are vectors for diseases like murine typhus or plague.  Full grown fleas are not able to reproduce without feeding.  Therefore, in order for their survival, it is crucial for fleas to find a host to feed on.

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