Dog Flea Pest Control

Introduction

• Scientific name: Ctenocephalides felis
• Named because its primary hosts are varying species of cats
  • Will also go after dogs, other household pets, and humans
• Found worldwide except in Antarctica
• Reproduce rapidly

Identification

• Average size of one to two millimeters
• Reddish brown color
• Are compressed laterally to slip through hairs easier and to lower visibility

Mannerisms

• Are a parasite that feeds on the blood of cats, dogs, other household pets, and humans
• Females lay up to twenty to thirty eggs every day and can lay between two thousand and eight thousand eggs during their adult life span.
  • The eggs are dispersed into the environment and the larvae emerge from them after two to seven weeks.
• Live up to two to three months
• Use strong back legs to jump onto their hosts

Prevention

• Pets infected with fleas should be treated with over the counter anti flea treatments.
• Treating pet bedding and common lounging areas is also an excellent flea pest control method.
• Fleas are attracted to “hot spots” or areas that retain heat for a while after a pet has left them. Vacuuming rugs, carpets, the tops and bottoms of furniture is imperative.
  • Vacuuming picks up all stages of fleas and can expose other fleas to be directly hit by pest control products
• Flea traps can attract adult fleas with heat and light. Then the fleas get stuck on an adhesive surface.
  • These can be used to pinpoint areas of flea activity, but will not get rid of eggs and larvae.