Commercial flea killing compounds can work if used properly but they are not
the only alternative to stopping fleas. There are effective home remedies that
work as well or better.
The life cycle of the flea has four different stages including the egg,
larva, pupa and adult.
The adult flea uses your dog as a place to take
its blood meals and breed. Fleas either lay eggs directly on the pet where they
may drop off, or deposit eggs into the immediate surroundings around your home.
Simply put the female will lay numerous hundred eggs during the course of its
life, the number of fleas present intensifies the difficulty. The eggs hatch
into larvae that live in your furniture, carpeting, or cracks and corners of the
dog's living area.
The larvae live by ingesting dried blood, and animal
dander. To complete the life cycle, larvae develop into pupa that hatch into
adults. The immediate source of adult fleas within the house is the pupa, not
the dog. The adult flea emerges from the pupa, then hops onto the host.
This flea growth occurs more quickly in a warm, humid environment. Pupa
will be dormant for months, but under temperate conditions fleas go by way of
their life cycle in about three weeks. The inside of your home will provide a
warm environment to allow fleas to infect you and your dogs year
round.
Battling the Flea
The catagories of commercial products
available for flea control include flea collars, shampoos, sprays, powders and
dips. along with other, newer, products which include oral and systemic spot
treatment insecticides.
In the past, topical insecticide sprays, powders
and dips were the most popular. However, the effect was often temporary.
Battling infestations requires battling areas where the eggs, larvae, pupae and
adults all congregate. The plain truth is a gread deal of stages of a flea's
life will persist for months, chemicals with residual action were needed and
should be repeated periodically. Sprays or foggers, which needed leaving the
house for various hours, have been used twice in 2-week intervals and then every
two months during the flea season.
Treating animals and their living
areas thoroughly and at the same time is vital; otherwise a number of fleas will
survive and re-infect your pet. You will even need to treat your yard or kennel
with an insecticide, if the infestations of mites is severe enough.
