Dr. Patrick Mahaney Debunks Pet "Pest" Myths

If I'm not getting flea bites, then my dog must not have fleas, right?

Dr. Patrick Mahaney says:

Just because you aren’t being bitten by fleas doesn’t mean that your dog (or cat, ferret or other pet) isn’t infested with these bloodsucking arthropods. Most fleas that infest our homes and pets are of the cat (Ctenocephalides felis) or dog (C. canis) variety, and are both willing to feed on alternative species, including humans. 

A dog’s furry coat provides a safe haven for fleas, so minimally haired humans don’t provide the same degree of hospice for them. Spines designed to cling to their host’s hair cover fleas’ bodies and help prevent them from being dislodged when Fido decides to make a run for the food bowl or dog door. Additionally, we humans bathe ourselves frequently, so flea eggs are washed away and subsequently never hatch on the skin’s surface. Proper sanitation clearly helps keep fleas from flourishing.

Indoor cats can't get fleas. Where would they even come from?

Dr. Patrick Mahaney says: 

I wish all indoor cats could be flea-free, yet infestations are possible despite a feline companion’s indoor status. Multi-pet households, living in a home previously occupied by pets, having wildlife or other pets in the outdoor vicinity of one’s residence, and other factors support this phenomena. Fleas are capable of entering your household through open doors or widows, ventilation and holes in flooring or walls. Your clothing or handbag could even act as a vector for flea entry.

At least every seven days, cat owners should wash and heat dry bedding (theirs and their cats') and vacuum all household rugs and upholstery, disposing of the canister or bag in a sealed container away from the house.  Reducing miscellaneous outdoor critters from entering your yard, closing windows and doors, repairing construction defects and avoiding heavily flea-infested areas are other ways humans can prevent an invasion.

I live in Alaska. Isn't it too cold, even in the summer, for my dog to get fleas?

Dr. Patrick Mahaney says: 

Although Alaska is bitterly cold in the winter, the climate can be adequately warm and humid in the summertime to support the flea lifecycle.  Temperatures between 70–90 degrees Fahrenheit are needed, along with humidity levels of 50–75 percent for fleas to hatch and thrive. If the temperature and humidity are right, fleas can grow on pets and wildlife in Alaska and other northern regions.

Fleas lay eggs approximately 20 at a time, and a few days to two weeks must pass for the eggs to hatch into larvae. One to two weeks are required for larvae to develop into pupae, and a comparable period must transpire before adult fleas emerge into the environment, altogether about a four-to-six-week period for fleas to develop from eggs into adults. Larval and pupal stages are hearty enough to survive the winter and further develop when weather becomes adequately warm and humid.

Fleas and ticks are normal. Every pet gets them at some point. Don't they go away on their own eventually?

Dr. Patrick Mahaney says: 

Fleas and ticks are common ectoparasites (organisms that live on the outside of their host) that infest our canine and feline companions. Yet not every pet is affected by the scourge of fleas or ticks. If a dog or cat never goes into an environment where fleas and ticks exist (such as in extremely dry area, laboratory environments, etc.), then mere lack of exposure can keep these fortunate pets free from experiencing an infestation.

An appropriate combination of environmental and nutritional factors are required to sustain flea and tick life. Warmer and more humid environments and blood-based nutrients are key. Post-hatching, fleas must feed within seven days, and then live on a single blood meal for two to three years. After tick eggs hatch into nymphs, blood is needed to mature into adults.  Alas, these blood-sucking creatures truly need animals (including humans) to survive.

Only deer ticks that are infected with Lyme disease are a problem. Can't I just remove the other kinds myself and not worry about a trip to the vet?

Dr. Patrick Mahaney says: 

Unfortunately, many types of ticks have the potential to spread disease to humans or animals, not just the deer tick. Bacteria (including Lyme disease), parasites and viruses are organisms that ticks can transmit from their bodies into those of their hosts. A tick’s sharp mouthparts (chelicerae and the pedipalps) pierce the skin, and a feeding tube (hypostome) inserts into the host to extract blood. During this process, the tick can either transmit or contract an infectious organism.

Pet caretakers can remove ticks themselves if done with skilled technique, permitting complete withdrawal of the mouthparts and head (collectively called the capitulum) from the skin’s surface. Fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool can be effective. Once the offending arthropod is removed, contact your veterinarian for instructions on appropriate wound care and information about any clinical signs of illness which you may observe in your pet.