Educating Clients About Fleas

摘要

MORE THAN 2,000 SPECIES of fleas are ecognized worldwide, including Ctcno-cephalldes fells (the cat flea) and Cteno-ccphalldes cams (the dog flea).1 In North America, the most common ectoparasite of dogs and cats is C. fells}'2 Cat fleas are not hostspecific; they have been found to infest more than 50 different avian and mammalian hosts throughout the world, including cats, dogs, raccoons, and opossums.13 Infestation can result in skin trauma because of scratching by the pet. In addition, the pet may develop flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) — a skin condition caused by hyper-sensitivity to flea saliva.4"6 Fleas can also serve as vectors for Rickettsia typhi, Bartonella hen-salae, and Mycoplasma hacmofdis and as hosts for Dipylidium caninum.2-7