Flea infestation is the most common external parasitosis of dogs and cats . The flea is a small insect belonging to the order of Sifonatteri (also called Afanitteri ), devoid of wings, known for its exceptional jumping ability.
Adult fleas constantly live on the body of the host animal to feed on their blood, so they are small hematophagous parasites ; they sting on average 10 times a day and can suck up to 15 times their body weight. In Italy, different species of fleas live, each of which prefers, as a guest, a particular animal, although it can also sting others (including man).
The adult insects are dark brown-reddish in color and possess three pairs of legs; their body is very flattened, about 1.5-4 mm long and, seen from above, looks like a thin line, while it is ovoid in shape, when viewed from the side. This feature allows them to move with great speed even in the thick fur of the animal that hosts them, of which they suck the blood. The bite of the flea causes numerous annoyances in domestic animals such as skin irritation and dermatitis, as well as favoring the transmission of certain diseases.
When dogs and cats scratch, you should always think about flea infestation. If these are not visible on the hair, it is necessary to slide a fine tooth comb into the animal's hair: the black dots present after combing the animal can be flea feces. Alternatively, place a white paper towel under the animal and rub the hair with your hands to see if black faecal particles appear.
