What You Need To Know About Fleas

Fleas are small, wingless parasitic insects that will make your pet’s life an itchy and uncomfortable nightmare. 

 

Not only are fleas an itchy pest, but they are also known to cause animals to suffer from a host of difficulties ranging from: 

• Anemia
• Allergies 
• Hair loss
• Skin irritation
• Tapeworm infection
• General discomfort

 

If you notice your pet struggling with symptoms of visible discomfort and itchiness for longer than a few days, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for a checkup. 

 

When battling a flea infestation there are a few things you need to know to gain the upper hand:

• Reproduction rate: A single female fleas can lay up to 50 eggs a day.
• Hosts that they look for: Fleas are indiscriminate parasites and will feed on humans, but a furry host is preferred for living and breeding.
• Reproduction cycle: A flea’s life cycle occurs in 4 stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. While on a host, a female flea will lay her eggs, which will then scatter off your pet and into the surrounding environment.
• Weather that they prefer: While fleas prefer the warmer months, they’re adaptable creatures. Depending on conditions, a flea can slow its lifecycle, and wait for optimal conditions to move to the next stage of life. This means an infestation can unexpectedly resurge in a matter of weeks or months.
• How they infest your home: Once your pet has fleas, your entire home is at risk for contamination. Flea eggs will shed off your pet into every crack, crevice, and surface in your home, leading to a rapid escalation of the infestation. 

Diseases that they carry: Flea infestations can result in skin allergies and tapeworms in your pets. Tapeworm infection can occur if your pet ingests a flea infected with a tapeworm larva while self-grooming.

We’ll Help Your Dog At Windmill Veterinary Center

We’ll help give your pet much-needed relief at Windmill Veterinary Center. Located in Prosper, Texas, we are a full-service veterinary hospital devoted to providing the highest quality care. Our compassionate and skilled team at Windmill Veterinary Center will deliver the best possible medical care to our valued patients in the Prosper area. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.