Fleas thrive in the rain
Fleas are far more common in spring and summer months because they do best in warm, humid environments. Too hot or too dry, and these pesky parasites are less likely to survive, but rain creates the perfect breeding ground for the insects that so often plague dogs, cats and people.
Fleas are the most common external parasites of dogs and cats. For their entire lives – sometimes more than three months – adult fleas live on pets. Immature stages are more commonly found in the immediate environments of our furry friends. Household pets contract fleas from exposure to an infested environment rather than by contact with infested animals. Adult female fleas can lay 40-50 eggs per day while feeding on a host animal. These eggs drop off into the environment where they hatch into larvae which then develop into pupae inside a tough cocoon. Adult fleas can delay emergence from the cocoon for one year until conditions are right to find the next host. Typically, populations are higher in warmer, more humid months.
Adult fleas can be seen on pets – they are dark brown, flattened, wingless, and glossy. Flea “dirt” or feces may also be seen as reddish-brown flakes that are small, resembling a grain of black pepper, and usually found at the base of the hair shaft. The saliva from flea bites will cause intense itching, hair loss, and secondary infections in pets with hypersensitivity. In dogs, the lesions tend to occur around the tail base, and in cats, they can also occur around the head and neck. If there is a high flea burden, then they can even cause anemia. Fleas can also transmit other diseases, including tapeworms and plague.
A variety of topical and oral products and long-acting collars are available to help kill adult fleas and interrupt eggs and larvae development. Flea-allergic pets should be kept on year-round flea control. In areas with high flea burdens and at certain times of the year, owners may need to treat the environment (home and yard) to help prevent the re-establishment of fleas. Once established, it can take several months to bring an infestation under control in the home. If a home has an infestation, every pet in the home must be treated.
Often, we are asked about more natural ways to prevent and treat fleas. Generally, the only reliable preventives and treatments for fleas are conventional adulticides and insect growth regulators approved and labeled for such use in our pets.
However, outside of peak flea season and when not dealing with an infestation, the following products, when used appropriately, may be helpful:
Wondercide lemongrass spray: https://www.wondercide.com/products/lemongrass-flea-tick-pets-home
Buck Mountain organic parasite powder: https://www.buckmountainbotanicals.net/treatments/parasitedust.html
For environmental decontamination, nematodes are recommended for use in the yard and sodium polyborate powders for carpeted homes: https://www.fleabusters.com/
Diatomaceous earth can also be effective for outdoor environmental control, but if inhaled, its high silica content may result in respiratory silicosis and lung fibrosis. During peak flea season, daily combing using a flea comb can help identify that a natural product might not be effective before the problem escalates.
