How Do Fleas Travel? Itch-Hiking!

​Fleas, fleas, fleas and more fleas! "Why does my pet have fleas in the middle of January, Dr. Ashton?!" This is a very common question that I hear year after year. Living in Nova Scotia and having four seasons, people do not expect to see insects in the winter.

​To fully answer this question, let's first talk about the flea's lifecycle and why they like your cat or dog so much! The flea's life cycle is highly dependent on humidity and temperature. The flea needs to take a blood meal from the host (usually a cat or dog), to feed itself and its eggs. Eggs are laid around 20hrs after the feeding, then they fall off the animal into the environment (outside or inside). 

​The eggs begin to hatch into larvae or tiny worm like creatures that feed off their own egg shells, organic debris, flea excrement (poop), or other larvae.  The larvae like to develop in cool, undisturbed environments such as under the couch or in the baseboards. In ideal conditions, eggs will begin to hatch after 2 days; but can take up to 3 months to hatch!

​Once these larvae start forming cocoons, or pupae, they will emerge from this state as adult fleas.  A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. The entire lifecycle can be completed within 2 to 3 weeks in the summer or in ideal conditions. Once the colder weather comes, fleas look to go inside our warm home environments and that's when we as veterinary staff try to help clients understand flea infestations. I remember when both of my indoor cats had fleas from neighboring apartment cats!

Often, indoor cats contract fleas when they come in from the outside environment on other family pets or through doors or windows.  They can also be inhabitants on outdoor cats, dogs or rodents who roam around your home. Fleas are so tiny they can move about anywhere they detect a mammal. They are very elusive creatures. If you actually find one on your pet, there are likely thousands around that pet's environment and on itself. The flea will start feeding on their host within minutes. ​

​They mainly live on dogs and cats, but they can make a mistake and bite us humans too. To some of our pets, they can develop an intensely itchy flea allergy skin issue. This may look like fur coming out of their hind end and tail area, and sometimes face and armpits can get affected by it. An awful itch, rash and scabs can also be seen. 

​Pets can be so uncomfortable that pet-parents have often described their pet as having seizure like activity when in fact they were so itchy it looked like a seizure.

The best thing for these pets is year-round flea prevention as it is less expensive than treating the problem and better for the pet too! Fleas can also be vectors for disease, which means they can carry certain pathogens or bugs that may cause illness in our pets. They may seem like small annoyances, but they can be much more! 

Using safe, tested products from your veterinarian for preventing fleas is the best thing you can do for your pet. Products from the grocery or pet store can be harmful to your pet and generally do not work well. Even some “all-natural” products can contain garlic which can be extremely toxic to pets. Your veterinarian has products both prescription and over the counter that are very effective at both preventing and treating flea infestations.  ​