The Flea

Dog Flea Ctenocephalides Canis

Cat Flea Ctenocephalides Felis Felis

Key Features

Cat fleas tend to be smaller than Dog Fleas measuring about 2mm in length. The male dog fleas are between 2-2.5mm long and the females are between 2-3.25 in length.

The Cat Fleas are reddish brown in colour. The hairs on the cat flea lay laterally to allow easy movement through hair. The dog fleas are very similar in colour and also have the lateral hairs. Both sets of fleas have large jumping legs and also have a section of bristles their back segment to comb the hairs of the host.

The mouthparts of both species face downwards typically for the piercing and sucking of blood.

Biology

Once mating has occurred the female’s lay several hundred eggs all around the habitat and living area of the host. The eggs are very small but easy to spot. They are white in colour and about 0.5mm in length. The larva, which emerges from the eggs, is also white in colour. The larvae also has no legs but is covered in bristles. In the larval stage the fleas don’t have the ability to feed on the blood of the hosts. The larva still needs to feed so they live off organic debris that is usually found on the host. When the larva reach maturity they are about 5mm in length, at this stage the larva spin a cocoon of silk in which to hibernate. After the pupa has developed in the cocoon they emerge to feed on the host.

Significance

Cats and dogs tend to be the prefers hosts for these fleas, but they also like to feed on the blood of humans. The fleas can cause considerable discomfort to both cats and dogs but also humans. These fleas also act as an intermediate host for the cestode tapeworm, which is common to develop in the digestive tract of cats and dogs. This tapeworm has also been found in young children.

The dog flea is the most common to feed on human blood. Humans walking into a residential area where an infested dog has been present have a high chance of been bitten.

Control

There are two treatments that need to be applied to assure the infestation is wiped out. The first part of the treatment is to identify the host for the fleas and if appropriate apply a veterinary product. Next and insecticide should be applied to the premises and frequent areas of the animal.