If you’re not finding flea bites on your pet, you may assume he’s free of the little buggers. But not so fast! Fleas are masters at lying low, so even if you can’t readily see them, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not lurking around.
Here are some of their favorite hiding places, both on your pet and around your home:
On Your Dogs
Fleas want to stay on your pet—and they’ll sneak around to do so. While any part of a dog’s body can house fleas, they often hide in the thick hair near the back and around the neck. They will then make their way to the belly of your pet between the hind legs. It’s important to treat these areas because the fleas will make their way to that part of their body.
On Your Cats
Fleas congregate on different places on your cat. “Studies in cats with flea infestations have found the highest numbers of fleas around the head and neck of cats, and the lowest numbers on the limbs and tail,” says Dr. Christine Cain, a board-certified in veterinary dermatology. Cats with flea allergic dermatitis will frequently have skin irritation on or around the neck.
Locating fleas on your pet can be tricky, so look for “flea dirt”— also known as flea poop — instead of the actual flea. “Flea dirt looks like coffee grounds, but if you put some on a white piece of paper and moisten it with a little water, you’ll see it has a reddish-brown color, which is the color of digested blood,” says Dr. Jennifer Coates, a veterinarian based in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Bedding
Fleas produce most of their eggs at night, which is why you’re more likely to find an increased number of eggs and larvae in your pet’s sleeping area. And it’s not just your pet’s bed that’s a magnet for flea activity. Wherever your pet goes, so go the fleas! So, if you are someone who loves sleeping with your pet, don’t be surprised if you wake up scratching from flea bites.
Carpets and Rugs
When flea larvae hatch from their eggs, they move away from light sources and toward the ground, hiding deep within the carpet or rug. Depending on the stage, up to 80% of the flea eggs can be vacuumed up but there is still a small percentage that is left behind to hatch. For this reason, it’s especially important that the adults are killed before they have a chance to reproduce and lay their eggs.
Sofa Cushions
Because pupae are resistant to freezing, drying and insecticide medications, they are the hardest life stage of the flea to kill. They can hang out in your sofa cushions for a long time until the time and temperature are ripe for hatching. They can remain dormant indoors for several months.
What You Can Do
The most effective weapon for controlling pupae is flea prevention. “A dog or cat on a regimented flea control program is like a flea killing machine,” says Hanna. “As each new generation of adults hatch, it will be killed off quickly before any more eggs can be laid.”
Sources:
christine l. cain, bs, dvm - University of Pennsylvania School of ... https://www.vet.upenn.edu › faculty-clinician-search.
Jennifer Coates, DVM - The Spruce Pets; https://www.thesprucepets.com › jennifer-coates-dvm-4... Paula Fitzsimmons - PetCoach - https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-places-fleas-hide/
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