FLEAS ARE BORN ON YOUR DOG
Flea eggs are laid on your dog, then roll off wherever
your dog spends most of its time...your carpeting,
your pet's bed, your bed, your sofa and other areas
of which you may or may not be aware.
MOST FLEAS ARE IMMATURE
Over 95% of the flea population is immature - eggs, larvae
and pupae. The problem arises when they mature into
adults. That's why it's important to get them while
they're young.
ADULT FLEAS ARE UGLY
They're small, wingless, reddish-brown insects about
a sixteenth of an inch long and not very wide. Their
hard outer shell makes them nearly crushproof. Covered
with spikes, they stick in fur coats on contact.
ALL ADULT FLEAS DO IS FEED AND BREED
They spend their brief lifetime feeding on your pet's
blood and reproducing like crazy.
FEMALE FLEAS ARE BIG PRODUCERS
One female can lay as many as 25 eggs a day, adding up
to hundreds in her several-week lifetime.
AND THEY'RE BIG EATERS
A female flea sucks up to 30 times her weight in blood
per day and excretes 6 times her weight in flea baby
food - blood-rich, nutrient-packed feces for flea larvae
to feed on. Your pet carries and delivers these larval
lunches throughout your house and yard.
CAT FLEAS ARE THE MOST COMMON - EVEN ON DOGS
There are nearly 2,000 species of fleas, each with its
own preferred host. When their favorite meal's not
around, they'll settle for another warm-blooded body,
including yours. The cat flea attacks both cats and
dogs. There are dog fleas, but they're rarely found
on dogs in North America.
SOME PETS ARE SECRET CARRIERS
Cats are notorious flea smugglers. Some can carry fleas
without a scratch. Unfortunately, dogs aren't so lucky.
When dogs and cats share a household, they also share
fleas. Treat them both. NOTE: Cats are very sensitive
to insecticides. So for cats, use flea control products
labeled specifically for cats and always follow label
directions.
