Fleas are an itchy annoyance that infest pets and homes. Mosquitoes cause itchy bites and can carry disease. In Part 1 of this series on pests, we learned about ticks and Lyme disease. Now let's talk about how to deal with fleas and mosquitoes – and some of the problems they cause.
Fighting Fleas
It starts with the scratching of an ear – something you may not even notice at first. Before you know it, your pet can't stop itching and he or she is completely infested with fleas. The fleas hop off your cat or dog and move on in to your furniture, carpet, and maybe you, too.
Fleas feed on blood, so they bite – leaving an itchy mark and sometimes causing an allergic reaction or rash. The life cycle of a flea is about two weeks, but the average female lays 500 eggs in her lifetime!
As with ticks in Part 1 of this series, the best way to deal with fleas is to prevent them in the first place. Topical treatments that ward off fleas include veterinarian-prescribed monthly insecticides like Frontline and Advantage.
Dealing with a flea problem that is already established is far more challenging. When we rescued our abandoned cat, Frisky, he was loaded with fleas. We tried all types of natural remedies to rid him of the pests, including soaking both him and the house with natural sprays. Nothing worked! We eventually got a prescription spot treatment from a vet and that - in combination with some aggressive vacuuming of the house - seemed to work. Frisky had "shared" his fleas with my two beagles, so they had to be treated as well.
Buzz Off
Mosquitoes and other flying insects also bite and feed on blood; however, they typically only pester animals when they are outdoors. There are 3,500 species of mosquitoes worldwide that kill millions of people each year with the diseases they spread.
Common diseases spread by mosquitoes include West Nile virus (now endemic in the U.S.), heartworm, and various types of encephalitis. Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain usually caused by viral or bacterial infections. Symptoms may seem like the flu and can include severe headache, sudden fever, drowsiness, confusion, vomiting, and seizures. Here is a list of diseases spread by mosquitoes and who they affect:
- West Nile virus (WNV) – humans, horses, and other animals
- Heartworm – dogs and cats
- Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) – humans, horses, birds, and other animals
- Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) – humans, horses, birds, and other animals
- St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE) – humans, birds, and other animals
- LaCrosse Encephalitis (LAC) – humans and other animals
Some tips for avoiding mosquito bites:
- Remove standing water – mosquitoes only need a few inches to lay their eggs.
- Use larvicides – controls mosquito breeding in large bodies of water.
- Use a spray that contains DEET.
- Avoid being out at dusk – many mosquitoes are most active at this time.
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/encephalitis.html
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