5 Flea Facts Every Owner Should Know

Every owner, new and old, knows about the calamity a flea infestation can bring to your pet and household. Fleas aren't pushovers. Far from it. These jumping bloodsuckers are masters of survival, and if handled poorly: will drive both you and your four-legged friend nuts. Continue below to learn more about the flea life-cycle and why these pests are so hard to oust from the home. 

 

Here are five flea facts that will tilt the odds in your favor the next time your pup comes down with an itch:

 

• Adaptable life-cycle: A flea is made in four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The eggs of a female flea will fall off your pet and scatter throughout your home. Once hatched, the larvae will subsist off the environment until they are ready to build a cocoon and emerge as an adult. This process has been measured to take around 21 days to complete in ideal conditions. Unfortunately, according to experts, fleas have evolved to wait for ideal conditions to progress their molting. For instance, if the climate is warm and moist, fleas will grow into adults quickly. Inversely, if conditions are cool and dry, flea larvae will slow their development until conditions are optimal. 
• Cleanse your home: Treating your pet is not enough to cure a flea infestation. Your home is likely already contaminated with the next generation of fleas: scattered invisibly across your furniture as eggs and pupae. Wash everything in hot water, and if the infestation is bad enough, you may need an exterminator to cleanse your home. 
• Fleas can wait to feed: Fleas need blood meals to complete their life-cycle—and can last up to two weeks without a host. 
• Quick reproduction: A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. One successful female is all it takes for an infestation to rapidly spiral out of control. Experts have done calculations that a single female, laying eggs at maximum production, can result in an infestation of up to 20,000 fleas in just 60 days. 

 

It’s essential as pet parents that we never underestimate a flea infestation. Fleas are not only a nuisance to both you and your pet, but are known to carry diseases and parasites that can make life even more miserable. 

 

We’ll Give Your Pet Relief At Stone Oak Veterinary Clinic

If your loved one is struggling with a flea infestation, bring them over to Stone Oak Veterinary Clinic for some much-needed relief. Our full-service clinic is prepared to handle any medical issue your pet may have. So if your pet needs any treatment or preventive care, call or visit us today, we’d be thrilled to invite you to the family!