Bhe-Jei Maltese

External Parasites   
Fleas & Ticks

Fleas are found throughout the United States and are most likely to be encountered on a Maltese or in their pet bedding. Adult fleas are ectoparasites of their hosts, but unlike many other ectoparasites they do not spend the majority of their life cycle on their host.

Females deposit eggs in groups of 1 to 18 on the host after a blood meal. Eggs soon drop off or are brushed off. Due to their spherical or oval shape, they roll into cracks and crevices on the floor or in or near nests and bedding. Eggs are whitish and 1/32" in diameter. Eggs hatch in 2 to 21 days. Larvae are approximately 1/4" when first hatched, white, and have fine hairs. They lack legs or eyes but possess biting mouthparts. Most species feed on dried blood from the host (in the form of adult flea feces) or organic debris present in cracks and crevices. They also feed on cast larval skins. Depending on the availability of food, relative humidity, and other environmental factors, larvae pass through three stages (instars) in one week to several months. Optimal temperatures for larval development are 65 to 80F. Larvae need a relative humidity of at least 50%. It is important to realize that even if the relative humidity of the ambient air is not this high, it could be much higher in the microhabitat of a burrow or den. Larvae can also survive short exposures to below freezing temperatures. Larvae pupate within cocoons spun from silk and may be covered with debris.

The pupal stage usually lasts approximately one week. The newly emerged adult may remain in the cocoon for some time; under adverse conditions, the adult may spend up to a year in the cocoon. Emergence occurs in response to pressure applied to the cocoon or detection of host warmth, vibrations, or carbon dioxide in the host's breath.

Adult fleas are small, brownish insects flattened from side to side, without wings but with powerful jumping legs. Adults can live for several years and go without feeding for months at a time under extreme conditions. Fleas can remain in a structure long after the host mammals have been removed. Depending on the species and environmental conditions, adults can breed from two weeks to two years after emerging. Adults feed on blood and females deposit eggs only after a blood meal. The dog flea remains on the host only long enough to feed. Adults prefer warm humid places and will leave a host if it dies.

Outdoors, fleas are most abundant during humid, rainy summers and are more common outside in the southern United States than in the north. Indoors, warmth and high relative humidity are conducive to large populations of fleas. The sudden appearance of large numbers of adult fleas in mid-summer and fall ("flea seasons") is due in large part to the onset of higher humidity and temperatures, which permit larval development to accelerate. Larvae may undergo arrested development in less than favorable conditions.

Flea bites vary in effect from short-lived itching welts to an overall rash to symptoms which may last over a year, depending on the sensitivity of the victim. Commonly, a small red spot appears where the skin has been pierced. Little swelling ensues, but the spot is accompanied by a red halo of irritated skin, which usually lasts for several hours to a day.

Fleas are the intermediate hosts of the dog tapeworm larvae. The flea irritation causes the dog to bite the flea. Ingestion will cause the tapeworm larvae to migrate through the dogs blood system to the intestine where it will become a resident.

Pet bedding should be periodically checked for flea eggs and dried-blood feces (frass) of adult fleas. This has been described as "salt and pepper" because it looks like small flecks of black and white debris. The frass is generally cylindrical, twisted, and about 1/16" long. It is dark in color. Larvae and pupae can be found at the edge of pet bedding or animal nests.

Indoors, wash or vacuum all pet bedding and sleeping areas on a regular basis. Cracks and crevices should be vacuumed and sealed, especially the area between the baseboard and floor. Dispose of vacuum cleaner bags to prevent reinfestation. Pets should be washed regularly and treated with insecticides if necessary.

A new technology in the management of fleas is the use of insect growth regulators (IGRs). These substances are similar to chemicals produced by the flea to regulate the shedding of its skin during molting. They work by interfering with the molting process, thus preventing the immature flea from developing into an adult. This method of control is a long-term process, since it will only kill larvae as they molt.

Insecticides are also part of a flea management program. These are applied to areas where fleas are most likely to breed, including animal bedding, cracks in floors, and baseboards. Many veterinarians also recommend the use of indoor foggers to apply pesticides to rooms where domestic animals spend the bulk of their time. Flea collars are not particularly effective.

Ticks lay eggs that hatch into larvae and develop into nymphs before becoming adults. After the eggs hatch each maturation event (called molting) requires the immature tick to feed on blood first. The adult female must also feed on blood prior to laying her eggs. The female will drop off the animal to lay her eggs (up to 6,000 depending on the species), and after they hatch, the larvae will climb a blade of grass or other object and wait for the presence of a suitable host on which to attach. After feeding on a blood meal, some species of ticks will stay attached to the host during molting, while other species will drop back to the ground to molt. Therefore depending on the life cycle, a hard tick will be classified as either a 1-, 2-or 3-host tick (depending on how many hosts the tick feeds during its development). As a general rule, the more hosts that a tick utilizes the greater the potential for disease transmission (due to a higher number of animals exposed).

Ticks can cause a variety of problems. For instance, depending on the number of ticks, the size and age of the animal as well as its overall health, ticks can drink enough blood to seriously deplete a pet. This blood loss may result in poor hair coat, weight loss, a general poor performance or even death. Even without causing anemia, the bites of ticks are irritating and animals can even develop allergic reactions to tick bites. Some of the medical conditions caused by ticks include tick paralysis, Lyme Disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and babesiosis.