Fleas are one of the most common pests seen on dogs and cats. Many pet owners believe that their pets are not susceptible to fleas and flea infestations or that fleas are easy to get rid of once the infestation is established. Many pet owners do not realize that one or two fleas seen on their dog or cat indicates a much bigger problem.
Healthy Dogs and Cats are Still Susceptible to Flea Infestation
Many pet owners and even many pet experts believe that healthy pets are not susceptible to flea infestations. Unfortunately, this is not true. Any dog or cat, healthy or unhealthy, is susceptible to infestation with fleas. While every effort should be made by pet owners to keep their dog or cat healthy, effective flea prevention and control should be considered to be part of a complete pet health program.
Fleas can Infest Dogs and Cats Which do not Go Outdoors
Another quite common misconception about fleas is that pets need to go outdoors in order to become infested with fleas. The truth is that fleas are common even on cats and dogs which spend no time outdoors. Fleas can hitch-hike on people coming into the home as well as finding their way through small openings in screens, doors and other portals into the home. Flea control programs are just as important for indoor pets as they are for dogs and cats which live part of their lives outdoors.
Seeing a Few Fleas on a Dog or Cat is Only a Small Part of the Infestation
Most pet owners believe that seeing one or two fleas on their dog or cat means that the flea infestation is minor and that the flea likely jumped on the pet from another animal. This scenario is rarely the reality of the situation. Adult fleas can produce eggs quickly and in large numbers. Fleas lay their eggs in the environment in which the pet lives. For most pet owners, the pet's environment is the home. Flea eggs may take several months to develop into adult fleas, depending on environmental conditions. Therefore, the one or two fleas that a pet owner sees on the dog or cat is truly only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. A comprehensive pet flea control program which kills not only adult fleas but also flea eggs and flea larvae is necessary to control existing flea infestations in dogs and cats.
Fleas on Pets Equates to Fleas in the Home Where the Pets Live
Adult fleas live on dogs and cats for the most part. However, flea eggs and flea larvae inhabit the environment where the infested pet lives. As mentioned previously, adult fleas are very prolific at breeding and if adult fleas are present on the dogs or cats living in the household, then flea eggs and flea larvae are almost certainly present in the home as well. Again, a comprehensive flea control program for all pets in the home becomes a necessity.
Natural or Holistic Pet Flea Control Products are not Always Safer than Other Flea Medicines
Many pet owners mistakenly believe that because a product is natural or holistic in origin that the product is also safe. There are many natural flea control methods which are extremely safe with little to no chance of adverse reactions. These would include such things as using a flea comb to remove adult fleas, utilizing flea traps in the household, using borate products in the home, and using nematodes in the yard. However, there are some natural flea products which can be dangerous for pets. Good examples of natural flea products which can have serious side effects are essential oils (such as pennyroyal oil) and garlic.
Effective flea control in dogs and cats is a complex subject which is made even more difficult by the number of misconceptions pet owners have about fleas and flea control. Understanding how fleas live and that any pet is susceptible to infestation with fleas is a good start to being able to control fleas on pets.
For more information about flea control for pets: Feline Flea Medications, Canine Flea Medications, Fleas on Dogs and Cats
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