Flea Allergy Dermatitis (F.A.D.)

 

Got Fleas?

When you discover fleas on your pet, your home is probably already the problem.  There will be eggs, larvae and pupae wherever your dogs or cats like to lie around and play.  Cats and dogs pick up newly hatched fleas from the infested environment.  A flea can detect a pet from as far away as fifty feet.  Any area that is inhabited by other cats, dogs or wildlife can be potentially infested by fleas.  This can include homes, gardens and wooden areas.

Adult fleas live on the pet, they do not jump from pet to pet or pet to human.  A female can lay up to fifty fleas per day and over two thousand eggs in her lifetime.  On adult flea can lead to tens of thousands of fleas.  The flea lives on the pet and bites them to obtain their food (blood).  Your pet can become irritated by the flea's bite cause them to lick, scratch and bite which will result in a condition called flea allergy dermatitis (F.A.D.).

The flea eggs fall off your pet and into the environment (carpet, beds, sofa, pet's bedding, etc.) and can hatch into larvae in as little as one day.  The larvae moves away from the light and deep into carpets and cracks in the flooring where they feed before spinning themselves into a cocoon which becomes a pupae.  This pupa stage is almost indestructible as the flea develops inside waiting for its first blood meal.  People or pets walking near the flea pupae provide stimuli such as warmth or carbon dioxide exhaled by breath.  These signal the waiting flea to hatch and jump sometimes in as little as one second.

There are four main ways to treat a flea infestation

• Kill adult fleas already on the pet
• Kill newly arriving adult fleas on the pet.  This may take three to four months to kill all fleas emerging from pupae in the environment.
• Prevent further infestation of the environment by using products that have insect growth inhibiters to prevent the development of the larvae into adult fleas.
• Clear the environment of flea eggs, larvae , and pupae that are already there.

These points can be achieved by treating your pet using a flea control product that is recommended by your veterinarian.  Regular vacuuming increases the temperature and encourages the pupae to hatch into adult fleas and be sucked up into the vacuum.  Washing your pet's bedding will also prevent infestation.  Allow your treated pet to roam in their usual places to encourage pets to jump on them to then be killed by the flea prevention.  By spraying thirty feet around the parameter of your house, and in all the shady areas once a week for four weeks.  Be sure to read the label and use products that are safe for your pets.

Flea infestation can be extremely frustrating and hard to accomplish.  The important things to remember is to be patient and diligent in flea prevention.  Flea pupae can remain in the environment for several months if they are left undisturbed. Treating all pets and the environment will a flea product recommended by your veterinarian along with regular vacuuming and spraying can aid in your quest to be flea free.

article submitted by Brandi Tucker, Head Receptionist, Technician, Critter Creek Veterinary Hospital.

 

 

 

Typical hair loss associated with Flea Allergy Dermatitis.




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