Lifestyle

Paw Prints: Rain produces unwelcome pest for pets

Paw Prints
Heidi Bassler, veterinarian
Published: August 15, 2008

We have had a lot of rain recently. Sure, this brightens our flowers and greens our lawns, but does the family pet notice?

Fleas absolutely love this weather. They thrive in warmth and humidity. Both of these factors accelerate the flea life cycle, which can be as short as several weeks or as long as a year. Understanding this cycle is important to controlling fleas on your pet and in your home.

Fleas begin their lives as tiny pearly white eggs that are laid on cats and dogs, but soon drop into the environment, such as on carpets or beds, or wherever the pets spend most of their time. Eggs hatch into several sub-adult stages before becoming adult fleas. Adult fleas search for a host (usually a cat or dog) and typically stay on that host until they die. They eat 15 times their body weight in blood every day. During that time, a single female flea can lay hundreds of eggs. And so the cycle continues.

Determining whether your cat or dog has fleas can be obvious — you may see them on your pet. However, fleas are good at hiding in the fur, and a single flea can signal a problem. Usually, fleas are detected by combing the pet's hair with a fine-toothed comb and looking for "flea dirt." This resembles dark, dirt-like material, but is, in fact, flea feces (digested blood). A simple test is to rub this "dirt" onto a moistened white paper towel; flea dirt will turn a reddish color. Sometimes, however, even flea dirt can be elusive on the pet and a presumptive diagnosis is based on clinical signs, such as itching and irritated skin.

In addition to being annoying pests, fleas cause disease. Cats and dogs may be allergic to flea bites and develop hypersensitivity reactions. These pets become intensely itchy and may rip out their hair and mutilate their skin. Medicines are available to provide relief for the pet while the flea infestation is being controlled.

Heavy flea infestations may lead to iron deficiency, anemia and even death. Fleas also serve as vectors for other diseases. The bacteria that cause Cat Scratch Disease are commonly transmitted to cats via fleas; cats may in turn infect people with whom they have contact. Similarly, the germ that causes Bubonic Plague may be transmitted via fleas from rodents to cats and dogs, and then to people. (Plague, however, is typically seen in the western U.S., not New England.) Fleas also transmit tapeworms. Owners sometimes describe seeing pieces of rice near their pet's anus; this "rice" is usually tapeworm segments. If your pet has fleas, it's a good idea to deworm for tapeworms regularly.

Controlling fleas involves stopping them from reproducing. This is why a simple flea bath does not work; the freshly bathed pet re-enters the infested environment and newly emerged fleas hop aboard for a meal. The cycle continues. Treating the pet with an effective long-acting flea product breaks the cycle because it prevents new generations.

In the past 10 to 15 years, several new flea products — both topical and oral — have become available. Most must be administered at least monthly. Ask your veterinarian which product is best for your pet. Your veterinary team can also demonstrate how to properly apply the product for maximum effectiveness and safety. Be aware that some topical flea products are for dogs only and can be toxic to cats.

Because our homes are warm even in winter, the flea life cycle can continue all year. Summer's elevated temperatures and humidity simply accelerate this problem. That is why year-round flea control is recommended for dogs and cats.

If the flea infestation is severe at home, treating the environment may help reduce the number of emerging new adult fleas. Area treatments with a pesticide may help temporarily; follow directions carefully or hire a professional. More importantly, daily aggressive vacuuming and laundering pet bedding will help rid the environment of eggs and sub-adult fleas. After vacuuming, seal the bag and deposit in an outside trash can.

Many pet owners may not realize they have a mild flea issue in their home. Fleas prefer cats and dogs, so owners are not getting bitten. But without proper control, when all family members (both two-legged and four-legged members) leave home for a vacation, they may return to find a population of very hungry fleas so eager for a meal that they do not care if it is human or animal.

At my practice, we have seen a surge in flea infestations this summer. Remember, an ounce of prevention is a pound of cure.

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Dr. Heidi Bassler is medical director of the Veterinary Center of Greater Newburyport. Do you have questions for Dr. Bassler? Send them to ndn@newburyportnews.com.