A female flea sucks up to 30 times her weight in blood and excretes six times her weight in flea baby food: blood-rich, nutrient-packed feces. Fleas can transmit tapeworms and can cause severe skin irritation in pets. A flea can jump more than eight inches high – the equivalent of a human jumping over the Statue of Liberty One female flea can lay 25 to 50 eggs on a cat or dog each day
	Lyme disease, which can be transmitted to both pets and humans by the bite of infected deer ticks, affects more than 16,000 Americans each year Ticks have harpoon-like barbs on their mouths to attach to the host for feeding and a sticky secretion to help them hold on Ticks can carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which strikes 300 to 400 Americans a year Some species of ticks lay about 100 eggs at a time; others lay 3,000 to 6,000 per batch

Flea life cycle

The average flea life cycle takes between 3 and 4 weeks, but can last 180 days (6 months) depending on temperature and humidity.¹

1. Eggs – Female lays 40-50 eggs per day on the host.¹ Eggs fall off into the environment. Eggs hatch into larvae within 2 weeks.
2. Larvae – Larvae feed on flea fecal matter in the environment. Larvae can ingest tapeworm eggs.
3. Pupae – Within a week, larvae form a cocoon and pupate. Adult fleas emerge from the pupae and begin feeding as soon as a host is found.
4. Biting Adults – Adult fleas feed on host. Females need blood meal to reproduce. Fleas may transmit disease-causing organisms during feeding.

Protection from fleas

Dr. Ray does not recommend over the counter flea and tick medications or collars. They are often ineffective and can be harmful to your pet. We recommed Advantage, Advantix, Comfortis, Trifexis, Activyl, Revolution, Nexgard, Bravecto, or the Seresto Collar. You can purchase these products here Online Pharmacy.