How dangerous are dog fleas for humans? Flea shampoos

It's about primarily about canines and cat fleas Oh. They not only carry dangerous diseases, but also lead to severe exhaustion of the animal.

Of course, bloodsuckers will not live permanently on human skin, as this is very inconvenient for them.

All this speaks to the great danger posed by dog fleas.

To do this, you can use special protective sprays and collars. If the dog does not have fleas, the animal will be calm, and the person will not suffer from flea bites.

How does a flea pass from a dog to a person?

Bloodsuckers can easily spread to people from animals if the dog lives in a house or even in an enclosure.

Fleas can easily become infected when playing with animals.

The life of a flea is organized in such a way that it first needs to eat plenty, and then lay eggs in a secluded place. This could be a baseboard, an animal bed, or even upholstered furniture. Fleas love shag carpets. The bloodsucker can stay here until he feels severe hunger. After this, the flea will begin to look for a victim. It can be a pet or a person.

Are fleas transmitted from dogs to humans or not? Upon careful study of this issue, it turned out that no. An exception may be the human flea. These bloodsuckers can enter a house on a dog, and then choose the head of its owner as their main habitat. Other types of fleas cannot live permanently on humans.

Flea bites are quite painful for humans.

It is worth noting that some people are more susceptible to dog flea attacks. The thing is that these small insects have a keen sense of smell, which is their main reference point. The stronger a person's odor, the more likely he is to be attacked by fleas.

Risk factors

But most often fleas move from an animal to a person indoors.

Most of the adults and eggs will be at the pet's resting place.

Dog beds and kennels are the main source of fleas

If a dog lives in a kennel, there will always be a huge accumulation of fleas near it. In this place, as a rule, females lay eggs. IN wildlife The main places where a person is at risk of becoming a victim of fleas are burrows and nests. Experts note that hunters who hunt badgers and foxes are at particular risk.

And at this time, the space around them is infested with fleas. Some farms, where high-quality preventive treatment of animals is not carried out, are breeding grounds for fleas. This especially threatens those who breed rabbits.

People who care for animals on farms very often suffer from flea bites. Learn more about treating a dog in this video:

The danger of dog fleas to humans

If you start to see fleas frequently in your house, you need to carry out a comprehensive cleaning of the room.

You need to start with the animal itself, then Special attention devote it to the bed, and then treat all the carpets, upholstered furniture, paintings, baseboards and other places that small bloodsuckers love so much.

First, treat your dog's bed with insecticides.

In addition to the fact that dog fleas are carriers of diseases, their bites can cause severe allergic reaction, and this happens especially often with children.

Diseases transmitted by flea bites can be very different, and there is no guarantee that a person will notice the problem before it reaches the most dangerous stage.

Many people find out about infection too late, when treatment becomes useless.

Unsanitary conditions and a large number of the fleas quickly did their job. IN modern world This option is excluded, but the danger of rat fleas still exists, since in our time the plague virus still lives in some species of wild animals.

Small bloodsuckers can cause the spread of sarcopsillosis, murine typhus and brucellosis.

What fleas are carried by dogs?

Nowadays, these insects can be found even beyond the Arctic Circle, so their vitality is unrivaled.

Dogs can often get fleas from cats.

It is cat fleas that most often affect all pets and people.

Therefore, when carrying out a comprehensive measure of cleaning the premises and protecting the animal from fleas, one should not forget about prevention against worms.

How to protect yourself from fleas?

If you do not pay attention to them, you may eventually face serious illnesses and allergic reactions.

Flea spray is very convenient to use on dogs with thick hair.

It is especially important to properly protect your pet during walks in the forest and park.

Therefore, kennels and enclosures also need to be thoroughly disinfected - this will be reliable protection for the dog and its owner.

You can protect yourself from the outdoors with ordinary repellents that are designed to repel mosquitoes. At the right time, they will save you not only from flea attacks, but also from ticks. The main thing is not to skimp and buy a really high-quality product.

In addition, rat and human fleas are found in cities, and in natural foci hundreds of other species. In this article we will dwell in more detail on the dog flea. Let's discuss whether dog fleas can bite humans, in what situations dog fleas are transmitted to humans, and try to find the differences between dog and cat fleas.

What do dog fleas look like?

Like the rest of their order, dog fleas go through four stages life cycle. All stages, except the imago, live outside the host: in carpets, crevices, and animal bedding.

Adult dog fleas are reddish-brown in color and reach 2-4 mm in length. Of the three pairs of legs, the last powerful pair is the jumping pair. The dog flea is wingless, the body is laterally flattened, covered with a hard, shiny exoskeleton, adapted for movement in the animal’s fur. The design of the oral apparatus is adapted for piercing the host's skin and sucking blood. The height of the jumps reaches 25 cm, length - 40 cm.

How do dog fleas reproduce?

Dog fleas lay eggs in the fur of animals, after which they spill out into external environment(about 60% of eggs laid fall out within the first two hours). Flea eggs resemble chicken eggs, only on a micro scale, oval in shape, milky white in color, size 0.2-0.5 mm.

The larval stage of the dog flea resembles an earthworm half a centimeter long, without legs, but with wide mouth. Originally a larva white, but through the translucent walls of the body the intestines are visible, where the eaten feces of adult fleas (digested blood) fall, so the nymph soon turns brown. When moving to the next stage, it weaves a whitish cocoon around itself and turns into a pupa. And an adult flea is already emerging from the cocoon.

Adult fleas are only the visible tip of the iceberg, 5% of the colony, which includes all 4 stages. Therefore, the fight against fleas, in addition to the destruction of biting adults, involves the destruction of larvae and eggs indoors.

How are cat fleas different from dog fleas?

In both cats and dogs, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is more common than the dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). According to one study, cat fleas account for 95% of flea infestations in these animals. But the naked eye cannot distinguish one from the other.

Upon careful comparison under a microscope, you will notice that dog fleas have a steep forehead, while cat fleas have a flat forehead. The proboscis of the dog flea is longer, the stigmata of the abdominal tergites are larger, and the manubrium of the genital claw is more broadened in the male. Due to these differences, dog fleas look more massive.

Pet owners are concerned about whether dog fleas can spread to humans and how dangerous their bites are.

Do dog fleas live on humans?

Why are dog flea bites dangerous?

Here's why dog ​​fleas are dangerous to people:

  • They cause itching and allergies
  • Carries infectious diseases
  • Can cause anemia in severe infection

Itching occurs for two reasons:

  1. Flea dermatitis is direct irritation from a bite to the skin
  2. Flea allergic dermatitis is an allergy to components of insect saliva

The reaction to a flea bite varies from person to person. Not all people have it severe itching after a bite. However, people with flea allergic dermatitis complain of itching and suffer from the consequences of prolonged scratching of the bite sites. At the site of the bite, a secondary infection penetrates into the wound through damaged skin.

Methods for controlling dog fleas

To remove dog fleas from an apartment, disinsection of the premises is carried out simultaneously with the treatment of pets. Adult fleas live on the body of animals, and immature stages on the floor, so an incomplete set of extermination measures will only give a partial result, which is not enough.



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  • Severe itching at the site of the bite, redness of the skin;
  • The appearance of scratching at the sites of bites with further development skin diseases;
  • Increased hair loss;
  • Viral diseases;
  • Infection with worms;
  • Getting into the wounds bacteria that cause allergic reactions;
  • Development of anemia, causing death.

Where do dogs get fleas?

Symptoms indicating a dog infection

In addition to a visual examination of the pet, the presence of “bloodsuckers” is indicated by the following symptoms:

  • The dog itches and does it continuously.
  • The animal suddenly jumps up and tries to bite itself.
  • Red spots of unknown etiology appear on the dog's skin.
  • Bald patches, sores and scratches form on the dog's body.
  • The animal whines pitifully for some unknown reason.
  • The dog begins to shed prematurely.
  • The pet becomes restless and irritable, loses appetite, and suffers from insomnia.
  • A sharp decrease in the animal’s weight with proper feeding.

As soon as the animal appears the above signs, it's necessary show to the vet immediately for staging accurate diagnosis and treatment prescriptions. Delay in this matter is unacceptable.

How do they reproduce?

Often, after complete treatment with anti-flea drugs (drops, shampoos, collars), a relapse of these insects can be detected - this is exactly the case when the pupa spent several weeks or months in a protective shell, and then transformed into a flea. While on the animal's body, the flea can feed every day, while when there is no suitable victim, the bloodsucker can go without food for up to two weeks.

What danger does such a neighborhood pose to a dog?

Flea bites are not only a temporary inconvenience, consisting of skin irritation and constant itching.

A flea attack can cause a number of serious complications:

Having fleas on a pet is serious problem. You should begin eliminating it immediately after it appears.

Conditions for complete flea removal

It should be remembered that there is no method that could get rid of this disease once and for all. Therefore, it is important to observe not only the correct treatment, but also preventive measures.

Traditional methods of eliminating fleas

They are blood-sucking insects that can live on domestic and wild animals, as well as birds. Despite the fact that there is a wide variety of flea species, they can easily change their “breadwinner” - from a cat to a dog or to a person. Let's take a closer look at whether fleas can pass from a dog to a person and what measures should be taken.

Dog fleas are very small - the body length is about 2-4 mm, the chitinous cover has a large number of bristles, allowing the insect to be firmly held and quickly move in the dog's fur. Fleas jump very far, they can jump to a distance that is 3 times greater than their visibility zone, up to about 18 cm. We can say that fleas themselves do not know where they are jumping.

Dog fleas are very hardy - they tolerate sharp drop temperature and humidity, quickly get used to the action chemical substances and develop resistance to popular insecticides.

The mouthparts of the dog flea are best adapted to skin dogs, however, if there is a lack of food, a flea is quite capable of biting a cat or person. If times are unfavorable for fleas, e.g. sharp decline temperatures, they can hibernate for up to several months, after which they will begin to look for food again.

Can fleas from dogs spread to people?

But in what cases can dog fleas bite people? They attack humans only when they need to satisfy their hunger. The favorite habitat of fleas is the bedding of dogs and cats, garbage - near these places there are Great chance be bitten by fleas. For example, you took your dog to the country, and some fleas remained on its blanket. In this case, they can attack any living creature in the apartment in order to survive and continue to reproduce.

In addition to dog fleas, humans are often plagued by cat fleas. Outwardly, these insects resemble particles of dirt, and only when the fleas begin to jump can their presence be noticed. Female cat fleas do not lay eggs in the cat's fur - for these purposes, fleas shave targets in the floor, upholstery upholstered furniture, carpets.

How does a dog flea bite a person?

Insects of this species are capable of doing very strong bites, which after a certain time begin to itch very much. As a result of constant scratching, unsightly spots appear on the skin, which look quite ugly and can develop into a rotting wound if an infection occurs. Therefore, treat the affected area immediately and do not touch it.

Having carried out one bite, it makes another 3-4 bites nearby, after which it leaves the human body.

What consequences can dog flea bites cause?

The degree of danger of dog fleas to humans depends on many factors, so possible harm may be expressed as follows:

If you begin to notice itching on your legs, especially at night, then there is a high probability of fleas in your apartment. They are quite difficult to find, but there are special method detection:

  • determine which room the fleas have settled in;
  • lay several sheets of white paper or a white sheet on the floor;
  • leave the room for a few minutes, then check the white canvas - if black dots appear on it, which disappear when approached, these are fleas.

Preventing dog fleas

To prevent fleas from appearing indoors, you should be aware of their migration patterns. Pets that roam freely on the street can easily bring dangerous insects into the house - a dog can pick up fleas from other animals while walking outside.

At the end of the walk, the dog’s fur should be carefully checked; if fleas are found, then it should be bathed immediately pet in the bathroom using anti-flea shampoo. Dog accessories such as bedding, rugs and toys should also be checked regularly. Dog fleas are on the animal's body only when they are hungry; after satiation, they leave the dog, mate and lay eggs. A good preventative measure would be to use pine sawdust in the animal's bedding.

- Man, take the dog away! There are already fleas running all over me!

- Tuzik, move away from your aunt, she has fleas.

How is it really

Owners of not only dogs, but also cats are often concerned about the question of whether fleas are transmitted to humans. Especially if in the family Small child. The answer is negative. These insects arose long before the appearance of humans as a species and simply do not have devices with which they could stay on hairless skin. Moreover, these bloodsuckers also do not live on “woolen” animals. They eat there. And they live on the ground. At home - on the floor and in the folds of upholstered furniture.

But there are very few ways in which fleas are transmitted from an animal to a person:

Since the question of whether fleas are transmitted from dogs to humans has already been clarified and the answer is negative, it remains to consider the issue of protecting housing from the settlement of these bloodsuckers in it.

For dogs use:

  • aerosol;
  • powder;
  • , briquettes.

For cats, the same types are used, but the aerosol depends on the nature of the cat.

On a note!

For the first treatment, the dog is taken outside. You will see how the fleas perk up, running away from the treated animal. After walking for a couple of hours, you can put a flea collar on your dog and calmly go home.

What products can be used to rid a dog of fleas?

Collars:

  • Beaphar Flea&Tick (Holland) mainly contains diazinon, the amount of the substance varies depending on the type of collar;
  • Inspector: 5% fipronil, 2% pyriproxyfen, 1.2% ivermectin;
  • Insectal: 5% fipronil, 1% permethrin, citronella oil as an excipient;
  • Foresto (Bayer, Germany): 4.5% imidacloprid, 2.03% flumethrin;
  • GreenFort Neo BioCollar based on essential oils;
  • Bruno based on permethrin;
  • Rolf Club with ivermectin;
  • AVZ Bars: fipronil;
  • Bolfo: propoxur;
  • Dana Ultra: 4% fipronil, 1% ivermectin, 0.25% pyriproxyfen;
  • Kiltix: flumethrin, proposur;
  • Celandine: 10% diazinon.

The average duration of collars is 3 months against fleas and 1.5 months against ticks. Foresto works for up to 7 months, that is, almost the entire season of insect activity. The price of collars varies from 100 to 2 thousand rubles. Each collar comes with instructions for its use.

In the same line with collars, manufacturers produce powder, drops and aerosols. When removing fleas from animals for the first time, it is advisable to use another product from the same line before using a collar.

I used Bolfo, Kiltix and Bephar when they were not yet counterfeited. I liked it very much. Real time The effect of the collars was 2 times greater than that declared by the manufacturer. But it was necessary to take it in such a way that the expiration date would expire in no less than a year. When there were puppies in the house, I treated the apartment with “herbal” products and tried to put collars on the puppies with essential oils. These products can be used on puppies up to 3 months old. They didn't work at all. I could barely wait for the puppies to grow up. Fleas have already started jumping around the apartment.

Galina, Moscow

To do this, you can use cheaper drugs in ampoules, diluting them with water according to the instructions:

  • Stomazan;
  • Unoiled;
  • Neocidol.

These are “one-time” drugs, although the manufacturer claims the opposite. On an animal, this statement may be true, since when heated by the mammal’s body, the drug evaporates and repels insects. Works well indoors until dry. When dry, they become harmless.

Conclusion: fleas on a dog are not a tragedy. They don't transfer to people. Easily eliminated modern drugs.