Types of fleas and how to identify them

Among the parasites that most often affect animals, it doesn't matter if they are domestic or on the farm, fleas are in the top positions.These small insects, whose presence can be difficult to detect, cause a lot of discomfort in your pets and even transmit dangerous diseases.

The first step to combat them is Know how to recognize them.Are you having problems with this? Don't worry! Below we share this article from Animals and Pets Online on the types of fleas and their characteristics to identify them.Keep reading!

Types of fleas and their characteristics

In case you didn't know, there are almost 2000 species of fleas worldwide, each one affects different animals, although several of them have a preference for certain species.strong> common flea ( Pulex irritans ) is a neoptero insect that has no wings, but whose ability to jump is amazing: it reaches distances up to 200 times its size!

It feeds primarily on blood and body tissues, so needs to inhabit the body of other animals in order to survive.It measures only between 1 and 3.5 millimeters , so that at first glance we are not able to appreciate its shape well, ignoring that it has a hard body, with small legs and even tiny hairs.

Life cycle of the flea

A flea can wait for up to two weeks without feeding until the animal that will be its next guest approaches, is on some living being, in the grass or even in fabrics, such as carpets, clothes, among others.The truth is that they can be attached to clothes, so you can take them home without knowing it.

When you have found the guest, the female feeds on his blood until the moment of reproduction arrives.Then, lays his eggs , a maximum of 20 on each occasion, but is able to lay 600 in his entire life.Eggs fall from the fur of the animal, remaining in the spaces where it rests and other corners of the house.

After two weeks of maturation, the eggs hatch and appear the larvae .These feed on organic waste (dead skin, among others) until they have reached their maturation stage.After that, prepare a cocoon and when they leave it they are already adults, ready to repeat the cycle.

Although it seems simple, think that an animal usually does not parasitize a single flea, so when your pet is attacked they are usually appreciated in large numbers.

Cat flea

The cat flea ( Ctenocephalides felis ), interestingly, is not as frequent in this cat, but above all is found in the dog , although it also affects other mammals such as horses and rabbits.It transmits other parasites with its bite, such as typhus.

How to identify it?

The cat's flea is identified by its dark color , very close to black.Its body measures a maximum of 3 millimeters and is flattened.The larvae reach 5 millimeters, with a white color throughout the body.

Dog flea

The dog flea ( Ctenocephalides canis) parasites this animal most of the time, although it is also possible to find it, although to a lesser extent, in cats and even in humans.Among the parasites that it is capable of transmitting, the dog's tape is counted.

How to identify it?

Obviously, it is similar to the flea of the cat and in many cases it is very difficult to differentiate them.However, you may identify it because the flea of the dog has a more reddish body , not as dark as that of the cat, and reaches 4 millimeters long, that is, it is slightly larger.The larvae do have the same characteristics: 5 millimeter white body.

Fleas in humans

That's right: fleas also parasitize humans, although today this is rare.In principle, the flea that is most comfortable feeding on the human is the flea common , Pulex irritans .However, currently our homes and our hygiene habits are very different from those of the past, so this is rarely found species in homes.

How to identify the common flea?

It measures a maximum of 3 millimeters, with a dark body with slight reddish flashes , and its body structure is more rounded.The larvae are white and reach 5 millimeters.Now, some fleas that attack other mammals can occasionally feed on the human.This is what happens with the dog's flea and the rat's flea..

The rat flea ( Xenopsylla cheopis ) parasites rats and domestic mice, in addition to humans.It is capable of transmit bubonic plague , although today this vector is eradicated almost everywhere in the world, but they are dangerous because they also transmit the typhus .

How to identify the flea of the rat?

His body is more angular than the rest of the types of fleas, dark in color, and with a size of 3 millimeters.larvae are white and reach only 2 millimeters.

How to know if your dog or cat has fleas?

In the battle against fleas, the first thing is to identify them.To do this, sometimes it is not enough to wait to find one, because they are very small , in their larva stage they survive outside the host's body, and if your pet is very hairy they will hide easily, so we help you detect other senales:

Pruritus : a dog or cat with fleas scratches excessively, especially near the tail, the English, the ears and the face.
Dirty fur : one of the Easier ways to know if your pet has fleas is because you will begin to see their fur with a strange dirt, small black spots that accumulate stuck in the skin.These are the flea feces.
Anemia : when the infestation is advanced, and especially in puppies or in elderly animals, the constant sucking of blood generates anemia, which puts your pet's life at risk.
Sting allergy : Some animals develop allergy to flea bites, which is actually a reaction against the saliva of this insect.When this occurs, the skin feels inflamed and reddish.
Wounds : an animal with fleas can reach the extreme of causing serious injuries due to constant scratching.

For more information , see the articles "How to eliminate fleas in dogs" and "How to eliminate fleas in cats".

How to identify flea bites in humans?

If you think a flea has bitten you, we offer you this guide with quick ways to identify your bite:

They usually attack ankles, legs, elbows and armpits.
The sting takes the form of a red swollen circle , with a point towards the center.
Several stings usually appear in the same area.
itching occurs in areas with red circles.
Lesions and hair loss due to scratching may occur.
It is possible to find traces of blood on clothes.

Regardless of whether you are interested in knowing the types of fleas that affect humans or animals, there are different in the market antiparasitic products to attack fleas that are quite effective.Any of these treatments must be accompanied by a thorough cleaning of the home to eliminate eggs and larvae.Also, do not forget to deworm your dog or your cat by following the veterinarian's instructions.

This article is merely informative, in Animals and Pets Online we do not have the power to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis.We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in the event that it presents any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Flea types and how to identify them , you We recommend that you enter our Deworming section.

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