Dog illnesses

Fleas are potential illness bringers. However, sickness doesn't have to be connected with parasites, which may make it more difficult for you to notice that something's up with your pet. To make things more tricky, it's in animals' nature to deny the fact that they're under the weather (to mislead any predators). It's up to the owners to be alert enough to notice any illness symptoms.

Fleas on dogs

The question: “Does my dog have fleas?” has been asked millions of times. Indeed, flea infestation raises a lot of questions. Firstly, how does one figure out that the animal has fleas? Secondly, how does one get about exterminating fleas? And finally: what should be done to ensure that these pesky insects will never come back to haunt us? Well, to find the answers to these questions, just read on.

The species of flea that, as a dog owner, you are most likely to face is the so-called dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis. It feeds on dog and cat blood, though sometimes bites humans, too. Its life cycle consists of 4 stages, whose lengths may differ, depending on the temperature. The cooler it is, the longer it takes for the flea to develop; that is why you most often discover fleas on your pet in the summer.