Contrary to popular belief, fleas are a year-round problem here in Western Washington. Many people think they only need flea prevention in spring and summer, or if they see fleas on their pet. We will address both of these misconceptions, after briefly explaining the flea life cycle. The good news is that there are effective products that can help prevent your pet (and your home) from becoming infested.
Flea Life Cycle
An adult female flea can lay 40 or more eggs daily, and has an adult lifespan of 4-6 weeks. Flea eggs incubate best in high humidity and temperatures of 65-80 degrees (temperatures we keep our houses at all year long) where they hatch and become larvae.
Flea larvae then form a cocoon and become pupae. The pupal stage of a flea is the longest and most hearty stage – they become nearly invincible in their cocoon. The pupa can remain dormant for many months, even up to a year, waiting for the right time to emerge. A flea pupa will only emerge from its cocoon once the environmental conditions are right and they detect a nearby host.
Once an adult flea has emerged from its cocoon, it will search for a host and its first blood meal. Fleas can live for months without a blood meal though, once they have that first taste, their metabolism changes and they will die within a few weeks if they do not eat. The female will start producing eggs 24-48 hours after her first blood meal, and will lay eggs continually until her death.
Only a Spring/Summer Problem?
Due to our temperate climate, it rarely gets cold or hot enough to completely kill off fleas, and they love the humidity. Add to that the fact that flea pupae can live for months without emerging and you end up with a rather frustrating situation that can seem difficult to tackle, so it is best to focus on preventing them. For this reason, we recommend year-round flea and parasite control for all dogs and cats, nipping the problem in the bud before you end up with a full blown infestation.
But I Don’t SEE Any Fleas!
By the time you see live fleas on your pet, you have an infestation. Adult fleas are the easiest stage of the parasite to find, but they account for less than 5% of the infestation on your pet and in your home. For every live flea you see, there are countless others in various stages of life. At this point, all pets in the household should be treated, and in some cases the house may also need to be treated. If you only treat one pet, the fleas will simply feed on the other (untreated) pets in your home.
The Moral of the Story
We hope you come away with these two important reminders:
1. Flea preventative is a must-have year-round for all cats and dogs.
2. Use flea preventative on all animals in the home (even if only indoors).
Flea Life Cycle
An adult female flea can lay 40 or more eggs daily, and has an adult lifespan of 4-6 weeks. Flea eggs incubate best in high humidity and temperatures of 65-80 degrees (temperatures we keep our houses at all year long) where they hatch and become larvae.
Flea larvae then form a cocoon and become pupae. The pupal stage of a flea is the longest and most hearty stage – they become nearly invincible in their cocoon. The pupa can remain dormant for many months, even up to a year, waiting for the right time to emerge. A flea pupa will only emerge from its cocoon once the environmental conditions are right and they detect a nearby host.
Once an adult flea has emerged from its cocoon, it will search for a host and its first blood meal. Fleas can live for months without a blood meal though, once they have that first taste, their metabolism changes and they will die within a few weeks if they do not eat. The female will start producing eggs 24-48 hours after her first blood meal, and will lay eggs continually until her death.
Only a Spring/Summer Problem?
Due to our temperate climate, it rarely gets cold or hot enough to completely kill off fleas, and they love the humidity. Add to that the fact that flea pupae can live for months without emerging and you end up with a rather frustrating situation that can seem difficult to tackle, so it is best to focus on preventing them. For this reason, we recommend year-round flea and parasite control for all dogs and cats, nipping the problem in the bud before you end up with a full blown infestation.
But I Don’t SEE Any Fleas!
By the time you see live fleas on your pet, you have an infestation. Adult fleas are the easiest stage of the parasite to find, but they account for less than 5% of the infestation on your pet and in your home. For every live flea you see, there are countless others in various stages of life. At this point, all pets in the household should be treated, and in some cases the house may also need to be treated. If you only treat one pet, the fleas will simply feed on the other (untreated) pets in your home.
The Moral of the Story
We hope you come away with these two important reminders:
1. Flea preventative is a must-have year-round for all cats and dogs.
2. Use flea preventative on all animals in the home (even if only indoors).
Products We Recommend
For dogs, we carry Trifexis - a flea, heartworm, and intestinal parasite preventative in the form of a flavored tablet. This is a prescription only medication and your dog will need a heartworm test and recent exam before it can be dispensed. |
For cats, we recommend Revolution - a flea, heartworm, intestinal parasite, and ear mite topical product for cats. This is a prescription only medication and your cat will need a recent exam before it can be dispensed. |
To treat your home, we find Knockout ES - a spray that will kill fleas and prevent further infestations - to be the most effective. This is an over-the-counter product that you can come pick-up anytime.You will need to be treating your pets as well as your home to completely eradicate a flea infestation. |