Although fleas can be a problem for your pets all year, flea populations typically explode about 5–6 weeks after the weather starts to warm up.

EGG STAGE
A female lays about 2,000 eggs in her lifetime. In one day, a single female flea can lay up to 50 eggs. The eggs aren't sticky – they quickly fall off your pet and into areas of your home. In 2-10 days, the eggs hatch.

LARVAL STAGE
After hatching, the larvae head toward dark places around your home and feed on "flea dirt" – flea feces containing partially digested blood from your pet. The larvae grow, molt twice, then spin cocoons, where they grow to pupae.

PUPA STAGE
Immature fleas spend approximately 8–9 days in their cocoon. During this time, they continue to grow to adulthood, waiting for the signals that it is time to emerge.

ADULT STAGE
Full-grown adults detect heat, vibrations and exhaled carbon dioxide from inside their cocoons, telling them a host is nearby. The adults leave their cocoons, hop onto a host, find a mate and begin the life cycle all over again.

The entire life cycle can be as short as 2-4  weeks.

	Adult fleas on your pet are only the tip of the infestation iceberg:
	FRONTLINE® Brand Products break the flea life cycle by killing adult fleas before they can lay their eggs. FRONTLINE Plus provides additional flea control by killing flea eggs and larvae

 

 

Fleas are difficult to see, but you can certainly tell when they're around – especially when they're on your pet.

The following are warning signs that there may be fleas on your pet:

BLACK SPECKS Black specks on your pet or in your dog's or cat's bed may be "flea dirt" – the fecal matter from adult fleas. There are two easy ways to check for black specks: •  Flea Comb – available from your veterinarian. Run the comb over your pet, making sure the comb reaches the skin through the coat. If black specks are on the comb when you pull it off, they might be flea dirt. If fleas are on the comb, drown them in a bowl of soapy water before they can get away or jump back on your pet. •  White paper towel – place a white paper towel beneath your pet and rub your hands across its fur. If black specks appear on the towel, it may be flea dirt. AGITATION/SCRATCHING   If infested with fleas, your pet may become very nervous and annoyed and may scratch excessively.

If these warning signs appear, consult your veterinarian. You can control your pet's existing fleas and help prevent them from bothering your pet again with monthly applications of one of the FRONTLINE^® Brand Products.

Ailments - Fleas can affect your pet's health in the following ways:

Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) When a flea bites your dog or cat, it deposits a small amount of saliva in the skin. Your pet can develop FAD in reaction to this saliva, which causes severe itching. In addition to your pet scratching or biting excessively around the tail, groin or backside, scabs or bumps may also appear on your pet's neck or back.   Anemia Anemia may occur in pets if too many fleas suck their blood. The signs of anemia include pale gums, weakness and lethargy in your pet.   Tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) Dogs or cats may become infected with tapeworms by ingesting an infected flea. Pets may have intense anal itching, and tapeworm segments may be seen around the anal area or in the feces.   Rickettsiosis (Rickettsia felis) Infected cats may not have clinical signs or show symptoms, but this disease can be passed to humans through flea bites. People with this infection may have severe headache, high fever, delerium and depression.   Plague (Yersinia pestis) Three forms of plague are seen in cats and people: bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague. Bubonic is the most common in cats and is associated with high fever, dehydration and enlarged lymph nodes.   Cat Scratch Disease (Bartonella henselae) Although cats usually have no signs of this disease, it can be passed to people, by contamination of cat scratches with flea excrement. Signs in infected people include a pustule at the infection site, low-grade fever, enlarged lymph nodes and listlessness.

If you believe that your pet is suffering from any of these ailments, consult your veterinarian. Contact your physician if you believe you may be infected with any of these diseases. You may be able to help lower the risk of you and your pet suffering from these flea-bite related ailments by regularly applying FRONTLINE Brand Products to your pet.

Bathing your pet only kills the fleas that are on your pet at that time, if you let the shampoo sit on the pet long enough. Over-the-counter sprays and powders are just not as effective as they used to be. The same goes for over-the-counter one spot topical flea control. If you are having a flea problem, you will probably need to use a prescription product like Frontline to help get them under control.

FRONTLINE Pluse kills fleas already on your dog or cat and helps to protect against new flea infestations – even if you forget to re-apply them on time. (To stay on top of your pet's FRONTLINE product applications, sign up for free email reminders!) FRONTLINE products are easy to use and highly effective. Research has shown up to 100% of fleas on your pet are killed within 18 hours of application.

Other products are available to help prevent flea infestation - Program is an insect growth regulator that basically keeps the fleas from reproducing viable eggs. Here's a comparison of the products we carry to see which will work best for you.

In addition to applying FRONTLINE products, the following steps can also be taken to prevent fleas from infesting your pet:

Vacuuming - Frequently vacuum the areas your pet is around, especially carpeted areas in your home, any furniture that is frequented by your pet, and in your car (if your pet rides in your car). This will clean up as many immature fleas (eggs, larvae and pupae) as possible. Throw the vacuum bag away or clean out the canister as soon as you are done. Adult fleas will be killed by the vacumming process, but eggs will still be able to hatch out and will leave the vacumm cleaner in search of a meal.

Washing - Regularly wash your pet's bedding, blanket and other washable items in the hottest water possible (check the laundering instructions to make sure that washing in hot water isn't a problem).

Yard Work - Mow your lawn and rake up any leaves, brush or clippings. There are a number of products or pest control services you can use to treat your yard, although we are not familiar with all of them, we are happy to make suggestions.

Reference: Greene CE - Infectious diseases of the dog and cat. 3rd edition, St. Louis: Saunders Elsevier, 2006.

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