Life cycle of a flea
The life cycle of a common flea can last as little as three weeks, depending upon temperature and humidity.
EGG STAGE
A female flea lays as many as 50 eggs per day on your pet. The eggs aren't sticky -- they quickly fall off your pet and hatch in two to five days. A female lays about 2,000 eggs in her lifetime.
LARVAL STAGE
After hatching, the larvae head toward dark places around your home and feed on "flea dirt" -- excrement of the partially digested blood of your pet. The larvae grow, moult twice, then spin cocoons, where they grow to pupae.
PUPA STAGE
The length of this stage averages 8 to 9 days. Depending upon weather conditions, population explosions typically occur 5 to 6 weeks after the weather starts to warm up.
ADULT STAGE
The adults emerge from their cocoons when they detect heat, vibrations and exhaled carbon dioxide indicating that a host is nearby. Once they hop onto a host, the adults mate and begin the life cycle all over again. The entire life cycle can be as short as 3 to 4 weeks.
Flea Treatment
There are a nunber of differant flea treatments available, some good, some not so good.
We recommend using one of the newer skin applied products that are applied on the back of the neck of cats and dogs.
Most of these products have the following advantages:
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Water proof
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Long acting (some up to 6 weeks duration)
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Kill all life stages of fleas on the animal
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Some will kill worms as well
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Easy to use
For more information on flea control, and to get the best product for your situation, contact one of the Aorangi Vets clinics.
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