Where there is a pet or our furry companion, there is a flea. You might have noticed dogs being itchy sometimes in their crates or circling as if they are following their tail? It’s a good sign of a flea attack on you and your Pup’s territory. And trust me, it’s normal.
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Fleas are tinny tiny wingless critters that live in your Pup’s fur, replicate and multiply. Not only on dogs, but they also live on birds, rodents, and livestock. These critters live on mammals and are fed on the warm blood of dogs and cats. They are the cause of our canine friends being itchy and irritating. You must be wondering if they can attack you and live on you.
Let’s break this together; fleas live on humans only till they find any furry host to live and replicate in. It said that they need a furry place to live in and complete their life cycle. So they might stay on your skin till they find any cat and dog near you to jump on, and they will leave you happy.
According to scientists, there are 2500 different types of cats and dog fleas worldwide, but in the US, cat fleas are common, and they transmit to dogs. However, it’s mostly the cat fleas that transmit from cats to dogs and humans.
A lab study observed that a flea would have to feed on a human for 12 good hours to reproduce and complete its lifecycle.
Can flea live on me?
A flea can bite you, but it can not live on until a flea finds a perfect host or a pet to jump on as they are masters of jumping until 13 inches.
You can also say that any pet in the distance of 13 inches can transmit its fleas to you. Fleas, according to their habitat, love to live in moist and dark places, and that’s the reason they choose furry Pup to thrive. Common species of flea are
- Ctenocephalides Felis
- Ctenocephalides canis
They can get easily transmitted from one pet to another in the US by close contact.
DOES A DOG FLEA BITE ME?
The flea will bite you, leaving a red itchy spot on your skin and can be recognized by its appearance. If the spot is red, itching with a small scab on the skin, it’s a flea.
You will also notice a small red bite mark just like the bite of mosquitoes and a red spot in the center.
It’s even easier to know if fleas laid eggs on you or not. So if you notice any black specs that look like ground pepper, it’s their feces or eggs.
Initial bites won’t affect your skin too much by making lesions or wounds. However, the allergy develops after a repetitive exposure, resulting in hypersensitive reactions.
HEALTH RISKS TO HUMANS AND DOGS
Not only do they bite, but there are certain health risks involved once they start living on you.
- Inborne diseases: If these critters live on your skin, there are good chances that they will get into your Gastro-Intestinal TRACT by your mouth and cause serious health effects. These tiny wingless brown critters can cause diseases like typhus and plague.
- Allergic reactions to humans: You might be allergic to dust or pollen; being allergic to fleas is no different from those allergies. You can be severely allergic to flea bites, and you might notice red spots everywhere on your skin.
- Tapeworm infection: tapeworm infection can also be caused by fleas as they can easily carry a tapeworm parasite. If you got a flea from your Pup with a tapeworm parasite, there is a greater chance of you getting infected by that parasite if it manages to reach your gut. after reaching your gut, the flea will reside there till the infection occurs.
- Tapeworm infection to dogs: if the flea with a tapeworm parasite enters the dog’s gut, the same reaction will occur. A pup can be dead due to the chances of severity after infesting the parasite.
TACKLING A FLEA WAR- HOW TO GET RID OF FLEAS:
Making a flea-free zone is neither an easy nor a difficult job to do. Instead, it’s about maintaining consistency in some routines to eliminate fleas.
Here are some of the routines to follow to make a flea-free home and your surroundings.
- Cleaning your pet and all the places once in 2 days will make it free from fleas automatically.
- It will help if you clean the crates of your dog and your car where your Pup may have settled to avoid transmission of the fleas.
- You can clean your Pup by using medicated sprays and gels to get rid of fleas. However, make sure you never use these medications on yourself as they might have potential risks to your skin and overall health.
- Speaking to the healthcare professional or vet at the right time will save you from any harm.
- Consulting your vet for medicated topical creams to soothe the itching on your skin is the best way to deal with those marks or allergic patches.
- .If a flea has bitten you and you have recognized it, avoid scratching the place to prevent any open wound that might get more sensitive to your health.
- Tablets by a vet and free collars are highly recommended nowadays for fleas; make sure you get the right prescription at the right time for your Pup.
- Vacuuming regularly the room and the carpets or rugs you share will be in your benefit for the long term.
- Flea combs are easily available online and onsite; having one will make your life easy .you can comb your furry friend right after to get him out of the shower, and you are good to go.
- It is also said that leaving soap on your Pup for 15 minutes will automatically affect the flea if present on the skin.
CONCLUSION:
Fleas are the tiny critters that live on mammals to strive upon. They are produced on dogs due to close contact with other animals and the environment. Taking care of the environment and your Pup, it can be easily avoided by following simple routines. Being consistent is the key!
