Fleas are a major worry that all dog owners eventually have to contend with. Anybody who owns a dog has almost certainly have faced the unpleasant task of getting rid of fleas on dogs, a job which has time and again proved to be more trying than it looks.
Fleas aren't simply an issue because they bite and cause hours of aggravating itching and scratching for your pet, but they can also lead to more critical issues including tapeworm infestations, flea allergies in dogs and in extreme situations, anemia.
As a result of their astounding resistance, fleas are terribly challenging to manage. A female flea might lay more than 2,000 eggs during her life, which suggests that infection could come suddenly and the eggs she laid could continue to exist for several months in her habitat while merely awaiting a timely victim. Consequently, it is critical to get rid of canine fleas as well as the fleas residing in the animal's living area. The perfect places to look for fleas include rugs, sand, carpeting and bedding.
The Best Approaches to Get Rid of Canine Fleas
To totally eradicate fleas on your pet and in his or her surroundings, it's imperative to learn the lifecycle of the flea. There are four stages that constitute the life cycle of the flea. As with the majority of insects, the fleas starts life in the egg stage, grows into larva, then matures to the pupa phase until lastly making it to the adult stage.
The Flea's Egg Stage
The fleas eggs are pale in color and are so minute that they are difficult to find without using a magnifying glass. Even though the eggs are initially laid on the dog's skin, a lot will with time drop onto the ground to carry on their life cycle. Around half of the total flea populace is made up of eggs. Depending upon the living conditions, the eggs hatch in anywhere from two to four weeks. The higher the warmth and dampness in the surroundings, the quicker the eggs will hatch.
The Flea Larvae Stage
After the flea egg hatches, it goes into the larvae stage where it grows to roughly 1/4 inch long. The flea larvae subsist on organic waste materials and in the adult flea's feces. They're uncomfortable in vivid light and tend to go into hiding deep within their existing surroundings, if at all possible in a balmy and humid place. Climate controlled habitats are the ideal habitat for the flea lifecycle to prosper. Outside, larval gestation will only occur in wet, shady regions.
The Flea Pupa Stage
After crossing into the pupae phase, the flea pupa grow a velvety and tacky protective layer. This cocoon rapidly configures a helpful hiding spot as it becomes encrusted by waste and dust. If motivated by temperature, carbon dioxide or by manual influence, like that in a warm and sultry environment, an adult flea can emerge from its cocoon in as quickly as 5 to 10 days. Once the adult flea comes out of its cocoon, it will survive for no more than a couple of days if it's unable to feed. Pre-emerged adult fleas may survive inside the cocoon for up to 9 months. This is consequential for the reason that adult fleas still alive in the cocoon are resilient to insecticides spread over the environment and can appear a significant time after you use insecticides in your residence.
The Flea Adult Stage
As soon as the adult flea appears from the shell, it will have to rapidly get a host since it has to have blood in order to live on. Two days after obtaining a suitable host, the female flea will start laying about forty eggs per day. Adult fleas usually live up to three weeks. The complete life cycle of the flea may possibly be brought to a close in as short as two to four weeks, or up to ten months conditional to environmental conditions.
Treating a Dog for Fleas
There are numerous powders, sprays, shampoos and spot on preparations out there to liberate your dog of fleas. Be sure to talk with a veterinarian to decide on the most helpful and reliable flea pesticides for your home and canine.
Get Rid of Canine Fleas Indoors
Most pesticides are only successful against the adult flea, but environmental preparations are becoming more highly developed. Your veterinarian can offer you flea pesticides containing insect growth regulators that will help destroy the flea eggs and larvae. Prior to the use of any indoor product, you ought to vacuum the rugs and carpets to entice the pre-adult fleas to emerge from their protective cocoon. Be certain to toss away the vacuum bag following its use. You should also clean the bedding your dog has layed down on.
Get Rid of Canine Fleas Outdoors
Focus on dark, shaded regions. Spray an insecticide that contains an insect growth regulator and do this again every 2-3 weeks for 3 to 5 treatments.
The latest topical and oral flea control treatments should profoundly help you eliminate your flea problem. With determination and patience, you should be able to get rid of canine fleas in no time!
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