Stopping Fleas From Hurting Your Dog Or Cat (Part 1)

Fleas and pets are often found together. The small dark insect bites and drinks blood, and at the same time can bring on illness, annoy and irritate your cat or dog, communicate disease, and can even disrupt families.

It’s very important to move fast to eliminate the flea problem. The life cycle of a flea is a month or longer, which means that if you delay, a whole new crop of fleas will appear.

It’s vital to first establish that there is a problem. If your cat or dog is scratching frequently, fleas may be the cause. Fleas also jump often, so you can find them if you place a cloth where they are expected. They should be visible as they jump (a light cloth works well to show the small dark bugs).

These insects have four parts of their lives termed egg, larvae, pupae, and the adult form. The eggs are laid by the female flea following its dinner (of blood, from biting). The larvae and pupae are the phases of growth before the adult, when the insect is ready to attack, bite, dine, and then lay more eggs to start the cycle all over.

If you already have fleas, you may wish to consider destroying the pet’s bedding. Also, while vigorous cleaning may take care of the problem, you may wish to steamclean furniture and carpets to get rid of any remaining fleas and eggs.

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