Flea Bites

Flea Bites on Humans and Pets

Archives for February 2019

Do Fleas Drown in Water?

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If a flea is dropped in water, it can survive for up to seven days. If submerged in water, it can only survive for about 24 hours. However, if you put detergent or liquid soap in the water, its surfactant properties will reduce the surface tension of the water, causing the fleas to sink and drown faster.

Insect respiratory system is designed to adapt to oxygen deprivation. This is why they can survive for a few hours when submerged in water. Scientists discovered this very long time ago, when Claudis Aelianus reported, in 200 AD, that it was difficult to drown flies in water.

Drowning Fleas in Water:

How long does it take for fleas to drown?

Fleas can stay alive under water for up to 24 hours. If they’re removed from water within this period, they will survive and continue living their normal lives. When simply dropped in water, fleas float on the surface of the water without any possibility of drowning. In one study, researchers dropped seven squirrel fleas into water, and after 24 hours, only one died. The other six survived for up to seven days.

Why Fleas don’t easily drown in water?

Fleas have water resistant cuticles. Their cuticles are coated with oily water-repellent wax that makes their body waterproof. It is believed that this water repellent property also extends to their trachea, and prevents water from entering into their respiratory tracts. Waxed cuticles also facilitate easy movement through host hair.

Their small size and water repellent body helps fleas float on the surface of water without drowning. They’ll flail around, and can even crawl out of water if they can get to the edge of the container. Coating the edge of the water container with petroleum jelly hinders them from escaping.

Surfactants & Soapy Water

Since time immemorial, soapy water has been used as an insecticide. This practice also holds till date, as people commonly drown fleas by putting them in water and adding detergent or liquid soap to the water. Some common methods include (1) Combing off fleas from a cat and dropping them in a bowl of soap water. (2) Setting up homemade flea traps by keeping a plate of soap water under a lamp

Surfactants:

How surfactants make fleas sink

The surface tension of water allows fleas to float and survive in water. Adding some drops of liquid soap such as Dawn, provides enough surfactant effect to reduce the surface tension of water, and cause fleas to sink and drown.

Although Dawn dish detergent is effective in flea control, Jet-Dry has a more concentrated surfactant effect. It is formless, and is the ideal option for flea control when fleas tend to jump from the water and try to escape through subs and soap bubbles.

Reversing the waterproof effect of Cuticle Wax

Surfactants in liquid soaps also counteract the waterproof effect of insect cuticle wax. The surfactant destroys the wax and makes the body of the insects water-permeable. Water then spills into the spiracle and floods the insect’s respiratory system, depriving it of oxygen and causing it to drown

Soaps

According to a popular theory, soaps weaken cuticle wax and cause the breakdown of insect cell membrane. Because of this effect, soaps cause desiccation in insects, as it hinders them from retaining water.

Experts studied the effect of glycerin soaps on flea, and found that they don’t have any strong effects on fleas. Fleas survived for four days in a mixture of 50% glycerin and 50% water, before they finally died.

Bathing Pets with Liquid Soap

In the absence of flea shampoos for pets, people use dish liquids to bathe pets. This practice isn’t ideal because dish liquids are harsher than pet shampoos. Dish liquids can destroy the protective oils on the hair coat of the pet, causing them severe dryness and irritation. This harsh effect gets even worse on pets with skin infection. Although flea shampoo for pets are mild and have balanced pH, it should only be used once a month.

Drowning Fleas in Vegetable Oil

Fleas quickly drown or suffocate when they jump into vegetable oil. Some homemade flea traps use vegetable oil as means of trapping and killing fleas, because unlike water, vegetable oils are quite viscous, and have very low surface tension.

Controlling fleas using washing machines and dryers

Fleas cannot withstand extreme hot temperatures. This is the reason why flea control programs recommend hot-laundering of pet clothing, rugs and bedding, and drying them at the highest temperature.

What are Flea Bites?

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These are parasitic insects mostly known to attack dogs and cats. They jump to other mammals present when their chosen host no longer has sufficient amount of blood. Two of the most common species are ctenocephalides felis and ctenocephalides canis, cat and dog fleas respectively. They are found in the order Siphonaptera.

Although wingless, fleas are not restricted in movement because they posses strong hind legs. They can leap seven times into the air and on their hosts.

A female flea requires a fresh blood meal before it can lay eggs, once it has access to a blood meal it will lay eggs on areas hidden from sight such as beneath the furniture, carpets, bedding and rugs. They stay in those parts and develop into larvae, pupae and adult. Actually the only stage that feed on blood is the adult which has a fully developed piercing mouth part, flea larvae survives on debris leftover by an adult flea or its feces. They can also feed on dirt and other organic matter.  

Pupae, on the other hand remains enclosed in a cocoon and can survive for several days without food under severe environmental conditions. Adults will only emerge from their protective cocoon when they sense the presence of a mammal usually through an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. Flea infested Homeowners who have been absent for a while will be attacked by hungry “new-born” flea seeking food.

Flea bite marks on humans    

Fleas are known to infest floors and carpets so most flea bites are noticed on the lower legs and feet. Sometimes, when a mattress is infested bite marks are seen on people’s back. The bites are small, round and angry red papules, arranged in groups of three.

Frequent flea bites left untreated and uncontrolled usually induce a condition known as Papular urticaria. It is a hypersensitive disorder that can develop into recurrent itchy papules on those affected areas. They are hot to the touch and extremely itchy. If the person begins to scratch that itch constantly especially without treatment of any kind, a secondary infection will develop on that spot. Signs that indicate secondary infection;

  • Puss excretion
  • Swelling
  • Bite spots are extremely painful
  • It appears a deep dark red in color

Some people are allergic to flea saliva and bites, consequently they exhibit respiratory issues. It is more common with patients who are allergic to cat and dog hair.

Flea bite treatment

  • First, wash the area with an antiseptic soap. This should keep it clean and reduce the chances of a secondary infection.
  • Place an ice pack over the bite mark. It will soothe the itching and prevent further swelling.
  • Apply an anesthetic cream.

One of the most effective ways to reduce the urge to scratch is by taking topical antihistamines. When they are administered alongside a tepid bath (hot baths should be avoided) they will relieve the itch and stop allergic reactions.

However, antihistamines should never be taken without consultation with a doctor to find out if your body might react badly to the drugs.

Kill Fleas in a Bed

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Then they begin to bite because fleas will bite humans when there is no animal nearby, repeatedly. This is probably why you might need to find ways to eradicate the insects from your sleeping area.

However, a report published by University of Florida – Entomology Department   confirmed that a large majority of people do not react to flea bites and fleas have to be particularly hungry to feed off humans.  

How do I know it’s a flea that bit me?

Bed bugs hangout in your bed also and like fleas they feed off humans though less frequently than fleas. Both bugs leave almost the same kind of bite mark, a small swollen spot. While fleas will bite humans and animals, bed bugs do not feed on animals, so if you notice that your cat or dog is scratching just as much as you, then chances of the bug definitely being a flea is quite high.

How to remove fleas from your bed

You can take care of your flea problem by following these steps;

  • Machine-wash all your bedclothes; fleas die in extremely hot areas.  Add a dash of lemon juice to the machine, to make it more effective. Next, sundry your mattress for two to three days.
  • Vacuum the house especially those areas frequented by your furry friend, sprinkle those parts with salt and allow it to stay for two days only before vacuuming. This method should dry out adult fleas hiding in your carpet.
  • Take your pet to the vet immediately to be treated of the infestation.

However, the Department of Public health in Philadelphia suggests that the following methods be applied along with the bed treatment.

After treating your pet, do not take it back home with you, first eliminate fleas from the house. Focus your treatment on those places where your pet plays, which in some cases, could be everywhere. Any material used as pet bedding should be discarded far from the home.

Upholstered furniture, carpets and rugs should be thoroughly vacuumed, and the dirt bags thrown into the trash ready to be disposed. In a case where the flea population is not much, vacuuming at least four times a week should suffice. Heavy flea infestations will require the use of an insecticide or pesticides on cracks, carpets, baseboards and crevices and any other place where there may be fleas. If these methods seem too convoluted for you, contact a professional and determine the source of infestation and apply the suitable method to get rid of fleas.

Kill Fleas with Soap and Vinegar

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It is essential that you exterminate these parasites for the good of your pet and your family. Fortunately, there are a lot of products you can administer to treat your home and pet but on the downside, most of these products are made with toxic chemicals that may harm your family if applied frequently.

This is why most people prefer home-made treatments that are cheap, effective and safe. Vinegar and Dawn dish soap are common ingredients you probably have lying around in your house, you can make use of them to get rid of fleas in the following ways.

Vinegar bath with Dawn soap

Fill your bath tub with warm or tepid water, add half cup of Dawn of any scent. Soak the pet in the mix, hold him in it for at least five minutes then lather with Dawn from head to tail thoroughly. After the animal is dry, groom him with a flea comb. Buy a flea comb from any pet supply shop, it is a necessary supply that every pet owner must have.

To increase the effectiveness of this routine, add half cup of Vinegar to the warm water. It has a powerful scent but that wears off in time or you add an essential oil to cover the scent and repel fleas.

Water and Vinegar Spray

Get a spray bottle, fill with water and two tablespoons of Vinegar. Use the spray before and after bathing your pet. The spray can be used on bedding, curtains, pillows and furniture. Essential oils repel fleas and they will improve the scent of your spray.

Vinegar and Dawn testing bowl

As the name implies, this technique is used in testing the presence of fleas in a home. All you must do is, fill a bowl with water, add soap and vinegar. Mix to form lather and place next to a light source. Leave overnight, if there are fleas in your home, they’ll be drowned in the water.

Vinegar mixed into pets drinking water

Use apple cider vinegar for this method. Add a spoonful of vinegar to your pet’s drinking water. However, if your pet hates the taste of vinegar, reduce the quantity but increase the number of times you give it to them. If they still refuse to drink the water, consider giving your dog or cat a vinegar pill.

Dawn for infested furniture

Fleas get dislodged on your furniture or bedding, if you want to get rid of them, make a solution of out of Dawn soap, then use that to wipe the couch. Add Dawn to mop water to clean floors. For carpets, add two drops to your steam cleaner and clean, any more and you will have way too much suds on your hands.

Avoid flea infestations

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Parasites are never good news to anyone least of all, defenseless animals. Flea infestations are terrible because they pose a serious danger to animal and humans.

 The only thing you can do is fight the insects by taking some precautions no matter what time of the year it is. Fleas like to take dogs or cats as hosts because they are furry.

Some tips on how avoid fleas

We have a lot of experience in dealing fleas, from several trials we developed effective solutions that reduces the stress of eradicating fleas.

These are tips you can take to ensure your pets never suffer an infestation.

  • Actually, adult fleas are the easiest to eradicate because lots of products made are focused on killing them, not the larvae, pupae and eggs. To reduce the number of flea larvae, remove the organic matter in rugs, furnishings or any other foods they might feed on. If they don’t have access to food, they die off.
  • Before you move into a new house, carefully and thoroughly inspect the flooring and rugs for flea dirt, larvae egg or pupae. The former owners might have left them behind.
  • If your pet is already infested, take him or her to a vet doctor for treatment. In the mean time, machine-wash the bedding at least once a week with hot water and a cup of lemon juice.
  • Reduce the amount of time your pet spends outside because non-domesticated animals around your home might be infested and the fleas may jump on your pet outdoors.
  • Vacuum the whole house everyday or at least four times a week to remove flea dirt and immature fleas.

Problem with fleas

  • The eggs are extremely small, only about 0.5mm long. Think grain of sand. This means that they are almost impossible to spot on pet beddings, rugs and other rough surfaces.
  • Fleas reproduce quickly, few fleas left uncontrolled can escalate to millions in two weeks. So, at this stage, without professional assistance it will be difficult to remove them.
  • It can stay protected in the cocoon for two years if there are no animals or humans available, unaffected. When the conditions are better, they will emerge.
  • The life cycle can last from a few weeks to two years.

Experts and other local technicians have the exact idea on how to go about solving your flea problem contact them as soon as possible. Every treatment is safe for your family and pets but you may need to vacate your home for a few days.

Can Fleas Transmit Diseases to Humans?

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Fleas do not have diseases on their own, just like humans they can get infected also. When fleas feed on disease stricken animals, they are infected but they become vectors instead transmitting those diseases when they feed on hosts.

So in a way yes, they can transmit diseases such as Bartonellosis (cat scratch fever) Plague and Marine Typhus. These arthropods are commonly found on dogs and cats. Some of these animals are allergic to flea saliva which leads to an allergic reaction called Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD). According to veterinary reports, half of the dermatological cases results from FAD.

Fleas are ectoparasites; which means they live and feed on their hosts throughout their lives. Another insect similar in feeding habit to fleas are Ticks. Ticks are ectoparasites that act as a vector for Lyme disease, the same way mosquitoes transmits malaria. In order to eradicate the threat of Lyme disease and other toxic effects of Ticks, it is important to take preventive measures against them.

What are Vector Transmitted Diseases?

Vector diseases are carried by organisms or people but they are not affected by it and in the same way, fleas and ticks are important vectors of various diseases which are not harmful to them in any way. Rather, they transmit these ailments to susceptible humans especially in North America where they are most common.

There are organizations created to take care parasitic attacks on animals, you can consult these group of professionals on the suitable methods to apply on your cats or dogs.

CAPC- Companion Animal Parasite Council

This organization is made up of veterinarians and other health professionals working independently to map out guidelines for the maximum control of external and internal parasites that pose a threat to humans and animals. It combines the expertise in internal medicine, public health, parasitology, veterinary law, association leadership, human health care to bring out the best results.

Annual Prevention

In your fight against external and internal parasites, it is important to be in close contact with your veterinarian. He/she will recommend the suitable products you can use to prevent the infestation or control it. Parasites don’t have a particular time of the year to feast on their hosts, they are annoyingly resilient even in extreme weather conditions. So, yearly application of preventive measure should never be swept aside even when it seems your environment is free from parasites.

FAQ’s about Ticks and fleas – Can an infested pet pose a threat to my family?

That’s a resounding YES. One infected flea is enough to wreak havoc in your family. One flea can transmit diseases to just about everyone in the family if left uncontrolled. Now, fleas reproduce at a fast rate, so that definitely multiplies the problem. Remember the Plague?

What are the diseases caused by Ticks?

There are many diseases transmitted by Ticks in North Africa alone, some of such diseases include Rocky Mountain fever, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Tick Paralysis and Tularemia. Your family and pet will suffer from these diseases if you don’t keep Tick and Flea infestation under control.

What if my Cat does not play Outdoors?

If your pet does not wander outside, they probably stand a lesser risk of being infested. However, rodents can carry parasites into your home and suddenly your ‘petless’ house is overrun by tiny little beasts feeding away.

Consequently, every unhygienic home with or without pets can be infested.

How to Protect your Home from Parasites

  • Watch your toddlers closely, inspect everything they try to put in their mouth, it could turn out to be dirt even worse, flea dirt.
  • Keep your home sandboxes covered, this should prevent it from getting contaminated with fecal matter.
  • Pick up after your pet if they defecate, do not leave it lying around in the yard where your kids play, probably.
  • If you come in contact with an animal, ensure that you wash your hands properly.
  • Be sure to test your pet at least once a month in order to nip an infestation in the bud. Preventatives are effective at keeping ectoparasites away from your pets, administer them as advised by your veterinarian monthly.  

Can a Flea Take Flight?

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The size and shape of a flea makes it difficult to notice that they do not actually have wings; they are flat and narrow so without knowing you might assume there are wings hidden underneath.

On the other hand, years ago flea ancestors actually had wings to fly but they lost that ability along with their wings because they rarely made use of them.

How Fleas Move

Since they do not have wings, they have another more efficient method of getting around and on their hosts bodies. Fleas have long, strong hind legs which allow them to leap as far as seven inches high. This is over hundred times their body size.

Effective Flea Control and Prevention

It is essential to control the infestation of these tiny parasitic insects as they can spread diseases around and cause the skin to be irritated when they feed on the blood of their hosts.

Now, to prevent fleas from infesting pets, their owners should purchase and make use of recommended pet care product that can treat and also prevent flea infestation.

While it is good to take care of pets personally, it is better and more advisable to keep in contact with a veterinarian who will give more professional advice on how to go about preventing and treating flea issues.

Also, once you notice that your house in infested with fleas, ensure that you contact a professional exterminator to get rid of fleas.

Fleas vs. Bed Bugs

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A question often asked when insect activity is seen in the home is if it is fleas vs. bed bugs. The issue though is, both appear similar and are almost impossible to tell apart except for a few features.

Difference between fleas and bed bugs?

Bedbugs

Bed Bugs on Mattress
  • They are nocturnal creatures and are rarely seen around the house except when they are tunneling their way through your mattress or box spring.
  • Bedbugs are flat and shaped like a seed. They are reddish in color and the adult approximately grows to 5mm.
  • Bedbugs cannot jump or fly, they crawl.
  • They have not been confirmed to transmit diseases to humans through their bites.
  • They can survive for over a year without feeding
  • They lay about 200 eggs throughout their lifetime which is about a year.
  • Bed bugs prefer to feed exclusively on humans.

Fleas

Bed Bug vs Flea
  • Adult fleas grow to 3.3mm, approximately.
  • They are nocturnal creatures also, but they are not normally seen around mattresses, no. They are found clinging and feeding on your pets.
  • Fleas are oval-shaped and brownish in color.
  • They can lay over 200 eggs every week and require a blood meal before they can reproduce.
  • Fleas commonly use animals as hosts because they are furrier.
  • These parasites cannot survive without a proper host longer than fourteen days.
  • They cannot fly but can jump high due to their well-adapted strong hind legs.
  • Infected fleas have been known to transmit a range of diseases to humans such as Bartonellosis also known as cat scratch disease, Marine Typhus and Black plague.

How to decipher bites

Insects generally leave reddish bite marks on whoever they attack, however it is somewhat difficult to decipher which insect did the biting. Pets and children are the first you inspect for signs of infestation, for children, check their lower legs and your pets around their rump or tails.

If there are many bite marks on them, these are a few pointers you can use to identify which insect bites they are suffering from;

  • Some people show allergic reactions to bed bug bites, the spot appears elevated from the skin, flat and reddish in color.
  • Flea bumps get swollen almost immediately after feeding. Then the itch sets in, persistently. Blisters may develop if the itch is not soothed after two days.
  • Flea bites appear like a cluster of mosquito bites, they are reddish too but with a darker center caused when a flea punctures the skin to feed.
  • Fleas need a fresh blood meal to reproduce; they also need a host to feed on the instant they break out of their cocoon. This means that fleas feed many times a day while Bed bugs survive on one meal, every ten days, not as frequent as a flea.
  •  Flea bites are noticed almost the instant they occur but bed bug bites take at least a week to surface. The itch builds up after the anesthetic in their saliva wears off the skin.

Various Life Cycles of the Flea

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While it is relatively easy to get rid of adult fleas, eggs, larvae and pupae are harder to detect because they are only found on hidden or shady areas. So, it is imperative that you know what they look like in order to control an infestation or prevent it.

Fleas undergo complete metamorphosis, their life stages are eggs, larvae, pupae and adult flea.  

Egg

Flea eggs are non-sticky and are likely to fall off the host into shady areas such as carpets, cushions or rugs. They are tiny, almost like a grain of sand making it difficult to detect. Flea eggs are whitish in color. They will hatch within a range of two to four days, in a suitable environment.

Larvae

You might mistake this for a worm because that’s exactly what they look like. They are about two – five millimeters long and covered in tiny microscopic hair. Larvae retains its whitish colors and survives by feeding off the fecal matter left by the adult fleas or any organic material it can find, they do not feed on blood.

Pupae

This is also known as the protective stage, where the pupa is shrouded by a silky solid cocoon. This stage can withstand extreme weather conditions and does not require a blood meal, rather they remain protected for months until they sense an increase in the levels carbon dioxide (an indicator of the presence of mammals) the developed adult cannot survive if it has no access to blood when it breaks out.

Adult

Adult fleas are almost the same size with its larvae. They are oval-shaped and reddish or black in color. They are adapted to jumping on hosts with the help of well developed and strong hind legs.

What does larvae look like on animals?

Once the parasite develops into Pupa, it is harder to locate. The other easily detectable stage is the larvae. It may not look large or move fast but you can see them if you search, then exterminating larvae should prevent it from growing into pupae –a self sufficient stage– Now, Larvae has to feed, first choice is the adult’s fecal matter and the likely place it can have access to that is by staying close to your pet, around its fur or on the bedding.

You can spot larvae easily because they appear like c-shaped spots on blankets and animal fur.

How to Exterminate Flea Larvae

Groom your pets regularly with a flea comb soaked in Aloe Vera gel. If the case is severe, consult a veterinarian who will recommend suitable products that you can administer to relieve your pet.

After the treatment, eradicate the parasites from your house and surrounding before bringing the pet back home.

At Home

Sprinkle salt all over your carpet and leave for two days no longer; then vacuum thoroughly. Dispose of the dirt bags far from your residence. Next, machine washes the rugs, carpets and beddings with a cup of lemon juice.

The Spread of Fleas and Other Parasitic Insects

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The spread of fleas and other parasitic insects have been rampant in recent years. Only three years ago, the government recorded a total of 96,075 insect borne diseases compared to the 2004 report of 27,388, the difference is enormous. This statistical record is the first one ever carried out on insect borne diseases by CDC. Diseases such as Chikungunya, West Nile, Plague, Lyme, Dengue and Zika were discovered.

Out of the three major insect parasites, Ticks has the lead in causing diseases, it accounts for at least 640,000 ailments. The number has doubled over thirteen years and within that time seven new germs has been discovered.

Flea

There are several contributing reasons why the number of illnesses has kept on increasing from 2015 to 2016. It could be because ticks and mosquitoes are growing and spreading every day.

Fighting These Pests

Fighting the numerous problems caused by insects requires additional assistance by the government for all local agencies and states to successfully diagnose the diseases, control ticks, mosquitoes and Zika. If care is not taken, ailments result to a fatality. Zika for instance, currently has no vaccine but causes headaches, birth defects, rashes, fever and eventually death.

As a precaution, the Central Agency for Disease Control recommends the use of EPA approved insect repellents, putting on long pants and shirts to bed (pajamas) and most importantly search for ticks and fleas in your environment, remove them. Then, put screens in all windows to prevent fleas, mosquitoes or ticks from getting in. It is important to know about the spread of fleas and other parasitic insects to best protect yourself and your home.