Fleas are one of the more important groups of insect pests because they not only cause discomfort by biting, but they can transmit several diseases such as plague and murine typhus. Cat fleas are found throughout the United States and the rest of the world.
Female fleas lay 4-8 eggs after each blood meal, laying some 400-500 during their lifetime. They usually hatch in 1-12 days. The pre-emerged adult remains in the cocoon for up to 20 weeks, where it is protected from adverse conditions, including pesticides. Adults are stimulated to emerge from the cocoon by mechanical depression of the cocoon, an increase in temperature, and possibly vibrations. Larvae and pupae are typically found where the animals sleeps or frequents. Adult fleas usually begin to seek a blood meal on the second day after emergence, but can live for several months on stored body fat.
Cat fleas may transmit plague. There is very strong circumstantial evidence that they may transmit murine typhus. Cat fleas serve as intermediate hosts of the dog tapeworm. These tapeworms occasionally infest humans, especially very young children. The dog tapeworm commonly infests cats that spend time outdoors.
Fleas are typically found where animals sleep or frequent, including along their usual avenue of travel, because this is where eggs and adult fecal blood accumulate.
Cat fleas are also found on other urban hosts such as opossum, fox, mongoose, and occasionally rats.
Preparations For Flea Treatment Inside Your Home
Thorough inspection, identification and preparation instructions while providing proposal options to include interior and lawn treatment. For proper control, specific and detailed preparations for inside service are strongly recommended.
- Pet(s) must be treated same day of service, preferably taken to veterinarian.
- All pets must be out of the house. Wash all pet bedding, blankets, and rugs.
- Cover and turn off all fish aquariums.
- All miscellaneous items removed from floor. All closet floors cleaned and all items removed from under beds or furniture allowing as much accessible floor space as possible for treatment.
- All carpeted areas and upholstered furniture vacuumed very thoroughly. Dispose of vacuum bag immediately as eggs will hatch inside the bag.
- Mop all linoleum or tile floors with a disinfectant.
- Strip linens from beds and wash.
- Advise technician where pet(s) stays in the house. Intense treatment will be applied to these areas.
- Vacate the premises for 3-4 hours after service.
- Beginning the second day following service, repeat step 5 above every other day for 10 days.
American Dog Tick
This tick’s common name comes from the fact that it is only found in North America and that domestic dogs are the favorite host of the adults. Although not a structural pest, it is commonly found on dogs and readily attacks humans. It is of medical importance because it vectors the causal organisms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia, and also causes tick paralysis. It is found throughout the United States except for the area of the Rocky Mountains, and in Canada and Mexico.
American dog ticks are the primary vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the eastern United States, which they transmit from small animals.
These ticks also transmit tularemia which is caused by a bacillus and is transmitted from rabbits, meadow mice, ground squirrels, sheep, beavers, coyotes, and various game birds.
Deticking dogs is an important way that Rocky Mountain spotted fever is spread. Handpicking is dangerous because infected tick secretions on the hands can be transmitted via contact with eyes, mucous membranes, etc.; use forceps for removal.
Blacklegged/Deer/Bear Tick
The common name blacklegged refers to their dark legs which are in contrast to the paler body and that of deer because the preferred adult host is the white-tailed deer; in the mid-west, it is called the bear tick. This tick is of medical importance because it is an important vector of Lyme disease. Blacklegged ticks are found primarily in the northeastern, midwestern, and southeastern states in the United States, but extend into Mexico.
Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner, whcih is a corkscrew-shaped bacteria. Its primary wild reservoir is the white-footed mouse which is infected by the spring-feeding, pathogen-infected blacklegged/deer tick nymphs. These white-footed mice then serve to infest the later-feeding blacklegged/deer tick larvae, which keeps the disease cycle going. Tick eggs don’t contain the spirochete, so it is acquired via feeding.
A favorite feeding area for these ticks on humans is at the back of the neck, at the base of the skull; long hair makes detection more difficult.
Tick Removal
- The best way to remove a tick found attached to a person or pet is to firmly grasp it with a pair of tweezers as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull firmly but gently backwards until the tick pulls free.
- Do not touch the tick, but save it in rubbing alcohol for later identification.
