Fleas
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Fleas are usually found on cats, dogs, carpets, furniture, dusty floors, sandy sub floors, and even grassy areas. The bodies of adult fleas are laterally compressed, enabling them to move quickly and easily through dense hair or fur, and each of the six legs has a pair of claws at the tip to enable them to remain attached to the host, regardless of scratching. The hind legs are well developed to facilitate jumping onto a passing host.
Fleas only inhabit warm-blooded animals and both male and female adults survive on blood meals. Adult fleas do not spend their entire time on the host and often drop off between feeds. When a flea infestation occurs in a domestic residence, the bites are usually observed on the ankles and lower parts of the legs as small red spots, which is due to the injection of flea saliva at the time of biting to prevent the blood coagulating and can cause severe irritation.
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Simple Prevention
Fleas prefer warm humid environments and breed mainly in the warmer months. Cleanliness is important in flea control. Floors should be regularly and thoroughly washed, swept and carpets vacuumed or steam cleaned. Upholstered furniture and areas where pets rest or sleep should be given special attention. Vacuumings should be sprayed with an aerosol to kill fleas & larvae & then discarded.
Pet bedding should be washed or replaced and pets given a flea wash. Your local vet will advise of the best product to use. Keeping pets outside may reduce flea problems indoors. The exclusion of rats may also reduce the likelihood of flea problems.
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