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ABOUT FLEAS
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Fleas are parasites, living on mammals, rodents and birds and feeding on blood. They can infest homes, bird cages,poultry houses and animal shelters. Outdoor infestations die off faily rapidly, but once they are established inside the home or other enclosed area, fleas are active all year round.
Both males and females bite and suck blood and the bite often leaves an itchy, red spot. Since the reaction to a flea bite is allergic in nature, itching can be intense. Secondary infections can be caused by scratching. The dog flea and the cat flea, which look very much alike, are the most widespread and the most troublesome as household pests. Both species attack dogs and cats, and often people. Fleas hop from host to host, so even a brief encounter can cause you or your pet to become a host. Stray animals sleeping on porches or window sills can start an infestation. Once they enter the home, fleas spread rapidly. The female flea usually lays her eggs loosely among the hairs or feathers of the host, where they will stay for a few days and then drop off. Eggs hatch in about 10 days and become adults in one to three months. A flea infestation can number in the thousands. In homes, they develop in crevices in flooring, and along baseboards, under edges of rugs, and between cushions in upholstered furniture. The adults can live for several months without food, so infestations may last for weeks or months after pets are removed. Due to their numbers and world-wide distribution, fleas are a serious health hazard. They have been known to transmit diseases including endemic typhus and tularemia, and, more seriously, bubonic plague which is transmitted by fleas living on rats, though this latter has not occurred in Australia. |
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