One adult female flea can lay as many as 50 eggs a day. A tick lays 100 eggs at a time. There are more than 200 species of fleas in the U.S., and about 200 species of ticks. What does this mean to you? It means they're out there. They're everywhere. And they're after YOUR pet! If your pet brings them home, they just might be after you and your family, too.
The presence of pests on pets and in the home is more than a nuisance - it can be a real danger to both animals and people. Here's just a sampling of the dangers posed by these pervasive pests…
Ferocious Fleas
- In one day, a single flea can bite your cat or dog more than 400 times!
- Flea bites can cause itching, rash and allergic dermatitis that can lead to hair loss.
- Fleas can transmit tapeworms to pets, and their bites may even cause anemia in young, old or ill animals.
Terrible Ticks
- Ticks can transmit disease-causing organisms not only to pets, but to humans as well, infecting them with such debilitating illnesses as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that more than 16,000 Americans are infected with Lyme disease carried by deer ticks each year, and often those ticks are brought into the home by pets.
- Lyme disease in humans can cause fever, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, headache and chronic joint problems.
- Animals infected with Lyme disease may experience fever, loss of appetite, lameness and joint swelling that may develop into arthritis.
Menacing Mosquitoes
- Mosquitoes can transmit heartworm to cats and dogs by depositing larvae from one infected animal into another. Larvae live and grow in the animal's skin for several months, then migrate to the heart where they can grow to more than 12 inches long. They can eventually obstruct the function of the heart and lungs, and can be fatal.
- Mosquitoes also are carriers of West Nile virus, a rare but sometimes deadly infection that can lead to encephalitis in humans. They can transmit other deadly illnesses to humans as well, including malaria, dengue and yellow fever.
Steps can be taken to prevent infestation from dangerous pests, and to treat pets and homes that already have been invaded. Information on preventative measures and the wide variety of flea and tick products available from Farnam Pet Products can be found on the Internet at Farnampet.com.
For additional information about Farnam Pet Products, in the U.S. call toll free at (800) 234-2269 or direct at (602) 285-1660.
All text & images copyright Farnam Pet Products
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Fleas
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