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External parasites

WHAT IS A FLEA?

The adult Fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are small and brown insects that feed on the blood of the animal that hosts them permanently, unless they are removed by grooming, scratching, licking or biting. The blood is essential for the reproduction of the Flea. The egg-laying takes place in the fur (up to 60 eggs per day), afterwards they fall off into the environment and hatch into larvae.

The larvae are 5 mm and feed on organic debris and move away from light. They are therefore in dark places (in the bottom of carpets, rugs, flooring or furniture). The final stage of the life cycle before adulthood is called pupa (cocoon or nymph), and it’s highly resistant to both external conditions (heat, drought, cold), but also to many treatments. The hatch of the young adult flea from the pupal cocoon is triggered by heat, vibration, or the presence of carbon dioxide. As soon as it is free the young flea jumps onto animals or humans and start feeding immediately.

The flea infestation should be suspected as soon as an animal starts scratching frequently or the presence of small brown grains are noticed in his fur, which are flea feces. If you are in any doubt concerning the nature of those small grains, put some of them over a white piece of paper and pour down a few drops of water, if it turns red, it is flea feces.

 
WHAT TO DO?

An effective flee-fighting strategy takes into consideration both the treatment of the animal but also its environment in order to avoid a repetitive infestation.

On the animal, it’s necessary to wipe out as many fleas as you can. With the help of an external antiparasitic, preferably one with a long action duration (Frontline, Advantage, Advantix). The spot-on flea control provides a very practical and effective way to handle delicate animals. They contain a very small amount of liquid and a few drops are placed on the scruff of the neck, under the pet’s fur. The sprays are also very effective but you should pay special attention to their application since it requires more perseverance.  You must respect the prescribed doses (which is tedious sometimes).

In the environment, you can eliminate the flea larvae in two ways:

By treating the animal itself with a product combining an adulticid compound (which kills adult fleas), a compound that prevents the larvae growth (e.g.: Frontline Combo),

or you can deal directly with the environment by applying tailor-made products to prevent the larvae growth(Tiquanis Habitat)

WHY TREAT MY ANIMAL AGAINST FLEAS?

THE F.A.D (Flea allergic dermatitis).

By their presence the Fleas spark off risks of diseases for your pet, they are indeed responsible for the F.A.D.

The F.A.D.( Flea allergic dermatitis) is an allergic reaction to flea bites. It’s the reason behind most veterinary consultations in France. Some dogs or cats are allergic to certain substances in the fleas’ saliva. The allergy can be triggered by a single flea bite and cause several days of itching for the allergic animal.

The F.A.D. trigger usually starts at the age of 6 months and occurs mainly when the weather is mild (late spring, summer, autumn).

 

WHAT ARE  THE F.A.D. SYMPTOMS

In dogs:

 Itching at the base of the tail, over the hind end, up the back, over the perineum, in the thighs, ventral abdomen, and injures: small buttons, scabs, hair loss, redness

The F.A.D. can be combined with other allergies (atopy), and complicated by a bacterial infection.

In cats:
Itching can be milder and more moderated. The cat presents many small pimples, hair loss and red highlighted spots on the skin.

DIAGNOSIS

Only the veterinarian can make a diagnosis with certainty, a clinical examination and possible complementary testing (skin tests). However, we have to keep in mind that the flea is the first itching cause for your cats.

THE TRANSMISSION OF SOME TAENIAS (DIPYLLIDIUM)

The dipyllidium is a tapeworm that lives in cats and dogs intestines. The transmission occurs when an animal (dog or cat) swallows an adult flea that contains the tapeworm larvae...

 
Infestation by the Taenias is often asymptomatic but sometimes may cause mild weight loss. Other possible signs include scooting or dragging the rear end across the floor due to mild irritation, and "white rice-like pieces" seen in the stool or around the anus. These segments can be moving or pasted to the fur.