Fleas and ticks are dreadful creatures that feed on your pet’s blood and can potentially spread life-threatening diseases to both pets and humans.
Here are some facts you should know about fleas:

• There are over 2,000 species and subspecies of fleas (that we know of).
• In almost all species of fleas, the females are larger than the males.
• A female flea can consume 15 times its body weight (in blood) daily.
• A female flea lays eggs within 35 to 48 hours of its first blood meal.
• A female flea can lay about 2,000 eggs over the course of its life.
• Once adult fleas emerge they have approximately 7 days to find a blood meal or they die.

Fleas can live for as few as 13 days or as long as 12 months and during that time, can produce millions of offspring. Though there are many species of fleas, the one that most often affects both dogs and cats in North America is the cat flea.

Symptoms of Fleas on Dogs
Fleas are most commonly noticed on a dog’s abdomen, the base of the tail and the head. Common symptoms of fleas on dogs include:

• Droppings or “flea dirt” in a dog’s coat (small dark “grains of sand”)
• Flea eggs (tiny, white grains)
• Allergic dermatitis
• Excessive scratching, licking or biting at skin
• Hair loss
• Scabs and hot spots
• Pale gums
• Tapeworms

Symptom of Fleas on Cats
If you see your cat scratching often and persistently, invest in a fine-tooth comb and run it through her fur, paying special attention to the neck and the base of the tail. If you see small, fast-moving brown shapes about the size of a pinhead in her fur, your cat has fleas. Other symptoms:

• Droppings of “flea dirt” in a cat’s fur (small dark “grains of sand”)
• Flea eggs (tiny, white grains)
• Itchy, irritated skin
• Persistent scratching
• Chewing and licking
• Hair loss
• Tapeworms
• Pale lips and gums

Thoroughly check your pets for fleas and ticks daily, particularly in warmer months, which you can do while grooming or playing with them. Fleas and ticks can be anywhere on your pet’s body, but prefer attaching themselves near the head, neck, ears, and paws. You may feel a tick bump, before you see a tick.