Don’t Let The Fleas Bite: A Comprehensive Guide To Flea Bites And Their Treatment
Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : September 20, 2022Flea bites are incredibly itchy and unpleasant, but they’re an extremely common issue among dogs and other household pets. In fact, around 5% of dogs in the United States alone have been found to have fleas on them, which can quickly become a problem in households that aren’t vigilant about treating them with products like Frontline or Advantage.
The good news, though, is that fleas are fairly easy to treat, especially if you catch them early enough in their lifecycle before they start breeding and laying eggs.
How do I know if my pet has been bitten by fleas?
If you or someone in your family has been bitten by a flea, you may want to inspect your pet, house, yard, and furniture for signs of fleas.
Other possible symptoms of fleas include excessive scratching, red bumps on the skin with pus oozing out from them, irritated skin around the neck area with hair loss on the back or tail, excessive licking at sensitive parts of their body (neck), intense dander around their ears or neck.
What are some common symptoms of flea bites?
One of the most common flea bite symptoms is intense itching. Even after your skin has recovered from the site of a bite, you may find that you still scratch that spot in an attempt to stop the itch.
Another symptom of a flea bite is raised red skin. Redness around the flea bites can indicate infection. As mentioned earlier, one potential complication of flea bites is a secondary infection from bacteria such as Staphylococcus or Streptococcus infecting the wound site.
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Can fleas be eliminated naturally?
Plenty of plants, especially herbs like mint and pennyroyal, can be an effective weapon against fleas. Plants with oils, such as rosemary, also have repellent effects that can be used in combination with other treatments. If you’re going to try this method, however, keep in mind that while these plants are not toxic to humans they can still cause allergic reactions.
Can pets spread fleas?
Flea bites, though generally not life-threatening, can cause a wide range of skin issues such as, but not limited to, irritation, inflammation, and pain at the site of the bite.
When it comes to flea bites, prevention is always better than cure so it’s important that you keep your pet well groomed and prevent them from going outside when there are any signs of a flea infestation in your area.
It’s important that you get treatment for your pet as soon as possible so that you can effectively take care of fleas before they infest your home.
Are there any common household items that can repel or kill off fleas in my home?
While there are some tips you can use to make your home less attractive to fleas, sometimes it’s necessary to address their presence head-on.
The most popular household items for flea control are pesticides or insecticides. These contain chemicals that eliminate fleas on contact. However, they can also kill other small insects, like roaches and spiders, so if you have an issue with those too then this might not be a good option for you.
Is it necessary to get vaccinated against flea bites?
It is possible that a cat may have flea bites without showing any outward symptoms. Some people think they may have a hypersensitive reaction or allergic reaction to these flea bites but this is rare.
The only time vaccination is necessary is if there is a concern for other illnesses that could be transmitted from fleas, such as bartonellosis (Cat-scratch fever) or Lyme disease.
An important thing to note is that not all fleas are infected with these viruses, so it’s better to protect your cat than assume that fleas are dangerous. Cats that live in rural areas, especially those who spend time outside will have a higher risk of being exposed to fleas carrying disease. However, cats who only spend time indoors will also be at risk.
References:
🔵Cleveland Clinic (n.d) Flea Bites (Available On):https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21718-flea-bites
🔵WebMD (2005-2022) Ways to Protect Yourself From Fleabites (Available On):https://pets.webmd.com/flea-bites-protect-yourself
With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.