Fleas and Ticks

Fleas are parasites (insects) that live on our pets and can cause a great deal of discomfort to both animals and humans. The itching is caused primarily by female fleas, which need to feed on blood before laying eggs. The bites cause irritation and inflammation, and can lead to allergic reactions in some people and animals, accompanied by very intense itching (see flea allergy).

To effectively control fleas, it’s helpful to know a little about their life cycle.

The flea's life cycle consists of 4 stages:

• The adult flea: Cat fleas are the most common type found on our pets (including dogs). This flea lives almost permanently on dogs and cats and lays about 2,000 eggs in 100 days. Fleas are mainly found on the animal’s belly and back, where they cause itching. Fleas produce feces that can be found in the fur as small black granules. Fleas cannot survive in low temperatures or low humidity.
• The eggs: Almost all flea eggs fall off the animal and end up wherever the animal spends time. This means that the animal’s resting places—such as its bed, the couch, (car) seats, and carpeting—are the primary breeding grounds for new fleas. Outdoor resting places, such as in the garden, also often harbor many eggs and larvae!
• The larvae: Flea larvae are about 3 mm long, live on the ground near the eggs, and feed on flea feces and organic debris. Larvae are light-shy and actively crawl away into carpeting, into cracks or crevices (wooden floors!), or (outdoors) under leaves. They cannot withstand drought or low temperatures. With modern methods, they can now be controlled, just like the eggs. In the past, this was much more difficult.
• The pupal stage: During this stage, the young flea is enclosed within a thick, impenetrable shell, which provides it with good protection against external factors, such as pesticides (except Indorex). Fleas remain viable for about 150 days (5 months!) at this stage. The hatching of the pupae is triggered by vibrations on the floor. That’s why people and pets can be swarmed by an army of newly hatched fleas when they return home from vacation. The only way to control pupae is by vacuuming frequently.

For persistent flea problems, we need to combat the fleas on three fronts simultaneously and repeatedly:

• Control adult fleas by treating all animals in the home.
• Controlling the eggs.
• Controlling larvae and pupae in the pet's living environment.

This is the only way we can achieve the desired effect! This means we must use the following methods repeatedly and simultaneously:

• For dogs and cats: pest control products applied to the skin using pipettes or a spray. Please note: some products contain ingredients that work very well on dogs but are highly toxic to cats. Therefore, do not mix products intended for dogs and cats! Tablets are a very convenient optionand are used with great success in flea and tick prevention and control. Your veterinarian can advise you on which product is most suitable for your pet.
• At home: Vacuum frequently (at least once a day), and dispose of the dust bag outside in the trash can—not inside the pedal bin! Spray sleeping areas with appropriate products to kill larvae, pupae, and eggs.
• Outdoors, you should clear away any shady hiding spots for larvae whenever possible. This means removing old piles of dry leaves, twigs, and the like. Be mindful of other dogs and cats, or stray animals. They, too, can re-infest your pet’s living environment (garden), including its favorite resting spots. In this regard, dog parks and dog rest areas are also suspect: the ground there can be heavily infested with larvae and eggs! How many dogs don’t even shake themselves off after doing their business? That’s the perfect way to spread flea eggs around!

Brewer's yeast and garlic tablets are completely ineffective as flea treatments.
Flea collars are not very effective, especially for larger breeds. However, when treated with the right pesticide, they do work well against ticks!

Ticks are small blood-sucking creatures (not insects) that attach themselves to your dog or cat when it walks through tall grass or along bushes. The tick burrows into the animal’s skin and begins to suck blood. After some time (a few days), the tick becomes engorged and then falls off the animal. As long as the tick is attached, it can transmit diseases. It is therefore important to remove a tick as soon as you discover it. This is not an emergency, but don’t wait days to do so either.

In the Netherlands, the best-known tick-borne disease is Lyme disease (borreliosis). Other tick-borne diseases include babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis.

Preventing tick bites is therefore important. There are a number of effective products available that kill ticks before they can attach themselves to the skin. Your veterinarian can advise you on choosing the right product.

If you find a tick on your dog or cat, it’s important to remove it entirely. You can use special tick tweezers for this. Do not use alcohol, and when removing the tick, make sure the head does not remain embedded in the skin. If this does happen, your only option is to visit the veterinarian. The veterinarian will be able to remove the head.