Can cat and dog fleas bite people: bite symptoms and what to do

Flea appearance

Fleas of animals differ in appearance and in the way of life - some are continuously on the body of the owner, others drop in in order to drink blood, and then jump back to their shelter. All of them are united in the common flea family. There are several types of them. A cat flea is significantly different in appearance from a dog, rat or human flea.

Flea life cycle

However, it may well feed on the blood of someone other than its owner, not disdaining to dine on the body of any warm-blooded mammal. This type of flea is so tenacious that, getting, for example, on the body of a rat, completely survives the "aborigines". It is not easy to notice a flea among the fur of a pet, insects are most visible on light wool. The parasites are small in size, barely reaching a length of half a centimeter. Although an adult female carrying eggs may well be up to one and a half centimeters!

If you look at an insect under a microscope, you can see that it is far from just a dark point. The laterally compressed body is narrow and very smooth, although it has bristles that make it easier for the flea to move and keep the host in the coat. The head and chest of the parasite are covered with ctenidia - special growths in the form of scallops. On the abdomen, in the back of it, fleas have a special sensory organ, pygidium. On it are tactile hairs that capture air vibrations. Fleas are the owners of the piercing-sucking mouth apparatus. By piercing the victim's skin, the parasite does not inject an analgesic substance into the wound, so the bite is felt immediately and very painful. Are fleas from cats capable of getting on people, do they bite a person? Flea movement is by crawling or jumping.

Fleas jump at the expense of strong hind legs. If there is no pet nearby, the parasite easily satisfies hunger with human blood; it is not difficult for an insect to jump on it.

The period of full development of an individual from egg to imago takes from 10 days. During this time, a worm-like larva develops from small white eggs up to half a millimeter in size. The larva is approximately 5 millimeters long. After the third molt, an adult cat flea emerges from the pupa.

Why are cat fleas dangerous?

Are cat fleas dangerous for humans? Undoubtedly! Although parasites cannot live on the body of people, since the skin is very smooth, and the flea simply cannot stay on it for a long time, they bring a lot of troubles to people.

Why are fleas in a cat dangerous?

The bites of feline bloodsuckers are painful, and if the bitten one has a tendency to allergy to insect saliva, then the consequences can be the most deplorable - from dermatitis to Quincke's edema and even death. By themselves, flea bites cause pulicosis and sarcopsillosis - severe types of dermatosis.

Fleas in cats are dangerous to humans and the fact that they are carriers of several dozen types of diseases!

Among them:

• plague;
• rickettsiosis;
• brucellosis;
• worm diseases, etc.

Cats don't carry parasites all the time. Fleas live in their bedding, they can easily hide in carpet, furniture. Inhabitants of the first floors often suffer from the invasion of parasites in the autumn-spring period, when they climb into the dwelling through the cracks in the floor.

Even if the cat does not go outside, and the possibility of infection from other animals is excluded, you yourself can infect it by accidentally bringing an adult from the street or after contact with another animal.

You can completely destroy cat fleas if you treat not only the animal, but also the apartment with insecticides (permitrin, spinosad). By the way, a treated cat is the best weapon against the bloodsuckers who annoy from the same basements. If a long-acting drug is applied to a pet, fleas move to it in search of food and die, also not being able to reproduce.

Conclusion

If your furry pet is restless and often scratches and gnaws something out of the fur, check if the cat has fleas. Is the neighborhood of these parasites dangerous for people? Despite the fact that the human body is not adapted for life on it cat fleas, and blood is not suitable for reproduction, insects can well become a source of dangerous infection and cause skin diseases.

That is why the fight against fleas should be started immediately after detection, and the prevention of the appearance of bloodsuckers - from the moment a cat settled in your house.

Why do fleas bite people

Dog fleas
This type of insect is classified as an obligate parasite. The structure of their mouth apparatus is designed to use only blood; other food sources for this organ are not suitable. Mostly parasites feed on the blood of animals. Why do fleas bite a person? They do this in order to get nutrition, thanks to which the reproduction process will be supported. And it is unlikely that an insect that is hungry and found itself next to a person will miss the opportunity to eat.

Treatment methods

If your feet itch unbearably, the first step is not to scratch the bite site, but to resort to pharmacy or folk remedies. You can perform the procedures yourself only in the absence of an allergic reaction.

Special ointments and creams for the treatment of bites

Special pharmaceutical preparations, which are produced in the form of ointments and creams, will help get rid of itching:

1. "Fenistil-gel". Helps relieve itching and irritation. The gel quickly penetrates the skin due to its light texture. Relieves puffiness and pain, has a cooling effect.
2. Calamine. It is produced in the form of a solution that must be applied to a cotton swab and spread on those places where there are bite marks. Calamine dries and soothes the damaged areas of the epidermis.
3. "Psylo-balm". Able to cope with severe itching. It has soothing and anti-allergic properties.
4. Hydrocortisone ointment. If applied to the skin immediately after the bite, the ointment can help stop the allergic reaction. Fights inflammation and relieves puffiness.
5. Balm "Rescuer". It is recommended to smear the preparation on combed areas, since the Rescuer has healing and disinfecting properties.
6. Balm "Star". Refers to inexpensive but effective means. Easily copes with discomfort after insect bites.

Special ointments for the treatment of bites.

Folk remedies

If there are no pharmacy ointments at hand, then folk methods will help:

1. Healing herbs. A tincture of dry chamomile flowers, succession leaves, calendula, lavender, and parsley root will help relieve puffiness, redness and itching. 2 tbsp dry plants pour a glass of boiling water and let it brew.
2. Aloe vera. Aloe juice is capable of protecting the bite site from inflammation. Squeeze a few drops of juice from the plant and anoint the affected areas.
3. If your hands or feet itch a lot from being bitten by fleas, lemon juice diluted with water 1: 2 will help.
4. Baking soda, ammonia. A solution of soda or ammonia is used to combat pain and itching. 1 tsp Dissolve soda or ammonia in a glass of water and apply compresses to the bitten one several times a day.
5. Tea brewing. Green or black tea can help get rid of itchy areas of the skin. You can use it as a lotion, or brush the affected area with a freshly brewed tea bag.

How to treat the severe consequences of flea bites

Sometimes bloodsucking bites are fraught with more serious consequences than just itching and redness. In sensitive people, hyperemia, pain syndrome and allergic rashes appear throughout the body. In this case, the treatment is prescribed by a doctor. Complex therapy includes the use of antihistamines, anti-inflammatory, sedatives, antipyretics, analgesics, and sometimes antibacterial drugs.

The use of drugs

After a flea attack, you need to provide the victim with first aid:

• using warm water with laundry soap, wash off the remnants of saliva and insect feces;
• treat the wound with brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or vodka;
• put a cold compress - to prevent swelling of the skin, relieve itching and pain;
• lubricate the affected area with cream / ointment from bites;
• give the victim any antihistamine - in order to promptly stop the development of an allergic reaction.

After providing first aid, you need to act according to the situation: if up to 6 bites are noticeable on the skin, and the person does not suffer from allergies, medical assistance may not be needed. In all other cases, the victim must be shown to a doctor. A specialist will conduct an examination and tell you how to treat flea bites correctly.

Pharmacy preparations

The doctor prescribes pharmaceuticals depending on the severity of the symptoms, the age of the person, the extent of the lesion. The most common treatment for flea bites on humans is with the following drugs:

Fenistil gel

A unique product that allows you to quickly and effectively relieve itching, redness and swelling. It is often prescribed for the treatment of allergic rashes. Used 2-4 times a day. Contraindicated in infants, as well as for the treatment of large areas of skin in young children.

How to get rid of?

It is necessary to fight parasites, modern drugs will help even in advanced cases. First you need to determine where the insects come from in the house. So, if pets brought fleas, they need to be cured. If parasites are crawling out of the basement or from neighbors, fill up the existing cracks. To get rid of fleas at home, we advise you to use modern insecticidal preparations that do not have a pungent odor and do not harm people and pets.

Chemicals

Since the flea cannot eat the bait, insecticidal preparations are released in the form of a spray, powder, aerosol. All means attack the nervous system of the parasite and paralyze it.

1. Aerosols will help when treating a large area of ​​the lesion. Be sure to evacuate all residents, after the procedure, ventilate the room and do wet cleaning.
2. Powders are distributed in habitats, they have a long-lasting effect.
3. Liquid microcapsules are not washed out after cleaning.

The most popular and effective are:

• spray Raptor marked "against crawling insects", has a pleasant smell;
• Combat - spray, analogue of the Raptor;
• Sinuzan is a professional product with a rather unpleasant odor;
• Chlorpyrimak is suitable not only for removing fleas, but also for the Colorado potato beetle;
• Biorin is a professional product that destroys all existing insects;
• The dust is especially effective against parasite larvae;
• Delcid is an emulsion intended for pets;
• Feverfew - powder scatters in the corners, poisoning parasites.

After the destruction of insects, it is required to do wet cleaning by adding ammonia or eucalyptus essential oil to the water. It is advisable to lay out branches of wormwood and lavender under the bed.

Folk remedies

You can get rid of insects using folk remedies. They are allowed to be combined with chemicals or used for prophylactic purposes.

1. Mix 1 part of eucalyptus and tansy leaves, add two parts of wormwood, pour boiling water over, let it brew overnight. Pour the resulting solution into a spray bottle and process the room.
2. Pets, their beds and floors should be washed with tar soap.
3. Spread boric acid powder on carpets, under mattresses, furniture.
4. You can process the carpet by mixing equal parts baking soda and salt. Sprinkle on carpet and leave overnight. Vacuum in the morning.

Thus, fleas are a great danger. They affect not only animals, but also humans. At the first signs of the appearance of insects, pest control should be carried out.

Who are fleas and how they bite

To date, more than 2 thousand species of fleas have been studied, divided into 200 genera and 15 families. Moreover, they are all "on the same face", so that the uninitiated is unlikely to distinguish representatives of different families in appearance.

Translated from Latin (Siphonaptera), the name of the insect consists of two words: "wingless", "pump". The mouth apparatus of the brownish parasite really resembles a pump equipped with an instrument for piercing the victim's skin. After the puncture, the insect pushes its head into the wound and releases a little of a special enzyme that prevents blood clotting. Since flea saliva does not contain pain relieving substances, the insect bite is painful, resembling a needle prick.

Due to the thorns located on the chitinous membrane, the flea easily clings and moves in the wool, feathers, and hair of the host. Thanks to the developed limbs, the insect can move by leaps, up to 30 cm in height and up to half a meter in length. The length of a blood-sucking animal rarely exceeds 5 mm, so that an insect covered with a strong shell is almost impossible to catch, and even more difficult to crush.

Can fleas bite humans

In most cases, fleas parasitize at the expense of humans only when there are no animals nearby. And the point is not that the blood of a cat or dog is tastier - in this matter, insects are unpretentious. It's all about the woolen or feather cover, which provides the bloodsucking with the most comfortable existence.

Often, flea bites appear in those people who are simply the first to get in the way. And pet owners especially often find itchy, painful spots on their feet.

However, some species of fleas appear regardless of whether there is an animal in the house or not. Especially often you can find such varieties of fleas:

1. Canine and feline. The animal can bring both of them from a walk. Insects jump on the floor and happily switch to human blood.
2. Chicken - they can be "picked up" after going to the chicken coop. Poultry becomes infected after contact with wild birds.
3. Rat, parasitic on rats and mice. It is believed that it was this type of flea that initiated the terrible plague epidemic that arose in the XIV century, which claimed the lives of more than 25 million people.
4. Human - bites of domestic fleas are distinguished by very painful bites, they can live on both humans and animals.
5. Earthen (basement) - live in the upper layers of the soil. Once in a person's dwelling, they occupy carpets, furniture upholstery, areas behind the baseboards. Bites of earthen (basement) fleas are localized under the nail plate, where females lay their eggs. The bite site itches, swells, festers.
6. Sandy - live in sand, mainly in coniferous forests. Unlike its relatives, the sand flea does not just bite, it penetrates the skin and lives there.
7. Bed fleas - live in bed linen, upholstery. Bed flea bites occur in the dark.

Having found flea bites on their bodies, many people let the situation go by itself, without even thinking about the possible danger.

It is important to understand that swollen, red-spotted areas of the body are just the tip of the iceberg.The main danger lies in the ability of insects to transmit deadly infections: typhoid, salmonellosis, encephalitis, etc.

etc.

First aid

As a rule, all traces after the attack of parasites disappear after a week. Itching stops after three or four days. If fleas bite a person, you can take the following measures:

1. Disinfection with an antiseptic, you can use alcoholic infusion.
2. Treatment of the wound with a soda paste. The remedy will not only kill germs, but also eliminate itching.
3. You can attach a bag of green tea or moisten a cotton pad in the infuser and treat the affected area.
4. Bepanten ointment. Able to restore the skin.
5. Fenistil gel. Relieves allergic reactions, eliminates itching and swelling.

Alternatively, you can use peeled potatoes, onions, or aloe. It is enough to apply any of the types of folk remedies to the wound, and the symptoms of the bite will go away.

Prevention of bites

Knowing whether fleas of animals can bite people, every pet breeder follows preventive measures:

• regularly examine pets;
• processing is carried out if necessary;
• wear an anti-flea collar for walks.

Considering why fleas of animals bite a person, protective equipment is used for any possible contact with bloodsucking. It is enough to wear closed clothes and use repellents. Animals often walking on the street should not be allowed into bed and upholstered furniture. Do not let small children crawl on the floor.

Plants with a strong odor also help to fight them - wormwood, mint, thistle. To prevent the parasites from biting, several branches of plants are placed at the thresholds of the rooms. Essential oils are effective against insects. A few drops of tea tree oil, mint, geranium, added to the water for cleaning the floor, will prevent insects from getting into the apartment.

examination of the dog

Why some are bitten and others not

Many people ask questions: "Why do not fleas bite everyone?" or "Why do they only bite me among the members of our family?" In fact, each of us can be susceptible to possible bites, but some simply do not notice them.

According to experts, most often people with 1 blood group are susceptible to bites of bloodsuckers. It is more appetizing for insects. The blood of people of groups 3 and 4 does not cause much interest in parasites, but despite this, attacks can still happen. Also fleas are attracted by the most delicate and thin skin, increased body temperature and the smell of human sweat.

Insect-borne diseases

Depending on the region of residence and the time of year, fleas can infect a person with very dangerous diseases. Some of them, such as the plague, are deadly. In the Middle Ages, according to various estimates, about 50 million people died from bubonic and pneumonic plague.

Hymenolepiasis

These worms live in the small intestine. Half of those who are sick carry the infection without any particular symptoms. In other cases, the following are possible:

• skin rash;
• diarrhea;
• heartburn;
• cramping abdominal pain;
• nausea;
• a sharp decrease in appetite;
• decrease in body weight.

In rare cases, dizziness, fainting, convulsions and angioedema. Diagnosis is by clinical examination of the stool.

Dipylidiosis

This worm reaches a length of 30-40 cm, lives in the intestine and is attached to the walls with special hooks. In its advanced form, it affects the gastric system.

Infection occurs orally-fecal or through flea bites, which carry the pathogen in saliva.

Symptoms:

• recurrent abdominal pain;
• severe itching in the anal area;
• loss of weight and appetite;
• headaches.

Allergic manifestations on the skin are possible, in the form of redness and itching. Pallor of mucous membranes and skin.

Diagnostics: analysis of feces on the egg, worm, urine and complete blood count. Feces must be taken three times. And doctors look at blood and urine in order to understand how much the cucumber tapeworm has managed to harm the body.

Treatment depends on the severity of the disease. Anthelmintic drugs in the first place. Everything else depends on the tests.Perhaps the appointment of antispasmodics to reduce pain. Iron preparations, at the onset of anemia. B vitamins. Probiotics and enzymes for the pancreas.

Helminths

Parasitic worms, in a simple way, worms. Science has identified three main types of these parasites:

• round - nematodes (pinworms, roundworms);
• flat, tape - cestodes (echinococcus, various tapeworms);
• parasitic flukes - trematodes.

Infection occurs in various ways, including through flea bites.

In no case should one engage in self-medication, since most of the helminths greatly undermine human immunity. The degree of damage can only be determined by a doctor, according to the results of laboratory tests of blood, feces and urine.

Plague

An incredibly dangerous disease. From the Latin pestis. The carrier of the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Plague can be contracted from a flea if it has previously been in contact with a sick animal. An imago can also pick up a plague stick from a deceased sick animal.

The incubation period of the disease in humans is 2–8 days. Plague can be infected by airborne droplets, through contact of tissues with a sick animal and through the bite of an infected flea.

Typhus

From Latin typhus. A serious infectious disease caused by bacteria from the Rickettsia prowazekii group.

The transmission method is transmissive. From sick to healthy through the bite of lice, fleas and ticks. The main symptoms are:

• specific rash on the body;
• feverish condition;
• serious damage to the nervous system;
• problems in the cardiovascular part.

There are two types: epidemic and endemic.

It is epidemic typhus that spreads through the bites of fleas and lice. They can carry infection from person to person or from sick rats to people. This is rare in the modern world. To start such an epidemic, people must live in terrible unsanitary conditions.

After bacteriological tests, the doctor prescribes an antibiotic course.

Sarcopsillosis or tungiasis

A tropical parasitic disease, from the Latin Sarcopsyllosis, Tungiasis.

The source of infection can be a penetrating flea (Brazilian earthen flea). The habitat of this flea, and therefore the places where you can get infected with this disease:

• the Caribbean;
• South and Central America;
• India;
• tropical part of Africa.

The symptoms of a Brazilian bloodsucker bite are severe itching, redness and a visible wound at the site of the invasion.

These fleas are scary in that they lay eggs under human skin. Toes are especially susceptible. Nail plates. Various bacteria enter the body through the wound.

Treatment only by a specialist. You cannot remove it yourself. Otherwise, even part of the flea left in the body can lead to serious infection. The risk of re-infection remains. Result: tetanus and gangrene!

Why flea attacks are dangerous

During a meal, the insect injects its saliva into the human wound, which contains a substance that promotes blood clotting. The penetration of the enzyme into the body provokes allergic reactions in people, and feces and undigested blood that get on the skin while feeding the insect aggravate the situation and cause additional skin reactions.

A single bite does not pose a serious danger to human health, which cannot be said about systematic regular attacks by parasites. The consequences of flea bites can be very dire:

• In places of bites, severe itching appears and when scratching there is a possibility of introducing microbes and infections into the wound.
• The manifestation of allergic reactions, which are accompanied by difficulty breathing, fever, intestinal disorders, hives, severe swelling of the skin. The fragile organisms of children are especially prone to allergies. If you have dangerous symptoms, you should seek medical attention.
• The development of dermatitis, pulicosis.
• Human infection with endoparasites - worms, worms.
• Fleas are carriers of dangerous bacteria of the plague bacillus, salmonella, encephalitis viruses, hepatitis, typhus pathogens. In total, there are about 25 diseases that insects can transmit.

In addition to being a health threat, fleas cause psychological discomfort to their victims. A person develops psychosis, nervousness, it constantly seems to him that insects are crawling on him, biting, even if at this moment there are no parasites.

Treatment of bites

If you or your family members have had to experience flea bites, then you can get rid of the pain as follows. Rinse the swollen area with water, after which it must be lubricated from time to time with an antiseptic soap solution. You need to attach a piece of ice to the wound if an insect has just bitten you

It is very important to try not to scratch the damaged area to avoid infection.

There are means with which you can smear flea bites after a while. Sulfur ointment, baking soda or ethyl alcohol solution is excellent for relieving itching. You can also use vodka, brilliant green or iodine for this. Such funds can prevent wound infection.

There are also folk remedies for itching. You can get rid of discomfort with the help of lotions from a decoction of dandelion, calendula or plantain. Tea tree oil, aloe and lemon juice relieves inflammation well. Also for these purposes, you can purchase pharmacy ointments, gels or creams based on hydrocortisone.

In order not to share your living space with parasites, you need to keep the house clean. Knowing the theoretical part about how to get them out by treating the apartment and what to smear with in case of a bite, you are unlikely to face such a problem.

What to do to prevent fleas from biting

To prevent bloodsuckers from returning to your home for new portions of blood after sanitary cleaning, you need to take the following preventive measures.

1. For your four-legged pets, you need to purchase flea collars for dogs and cats. They will help protect the animal from parasites while walking and in contact with their relatives.

   
   Flea collar

2. Use of special repellents. It is enough to anoint your feet and hands with a special ointment or spray it with an aerosol on the eve of a trip to nature, and insects will not be able to bite you. It is these funds that will help to escape from bloodsuckers and at home.
3. You can also ensure your safety by wearing closed clothing. It will prevent parasites from reaching the skin.
4. If you suspect the presence of fleas, it is imperative to monitor the situation in order to avoid bringing it to a critical state.

How parasites are transmitted

Fleas are everywhere. They are brought into the living quarters by cats, dogs, birds. They choose specific animals, although they can easily change their owners if necessary.

Fleas that are on the body of animals bite people, as they jump well in height: 50-60 cm. Fleas do not fly, but infect people by jumping long distances. They are able to survive in any extreme conditions. Due to the morphological structure of the body, it is not easy to see and crush them.

Fleas:

• canines are transmitted from pet carriers;
• felines are brought in by cats, scatter around the room as fine dandruff;
• rats appear from rats living in garbage dumps, sewers.

Rat fleas are the most dangerous insects, carriers of infectious diseases (salmonellosis, cholera). They move between apartments, wander from one door to another, or from house to house.

Can fleas bite people

Fleas, their eggs and larvae Fleas parasitize on the body of various warm-blooded animals (cats, dogs, birds and rodents). Insects prefer to settle on their bodies for the following reasons:

• Animals, unlike humans, have a more delicate skin;
• The body of pets is much warmer;
• The absence of hair on the surface of the skin of people and water procedures with the use of various hygiene products create unfavorable conditions for the living of bloodsuckers.

What fleas bite people

Most often, dog fleas bite people. The number of recorded attacks of this type of blood-sucking parasites is record. The reason for this is contact, during which insects jump from the body of the animal onto the person.

Do cat fleas bite people? Parasites living on the body of these animals can feed not only on their blood. Felines can also bite humans. Parasites living on the body of rodents behave similarly. Fleas of rodents attack people less often, although unpleasant sensations are delivered no less than other species.

What does a flea bite look like?

Animals, as a rule, are covered with a thick cover of wool, which does not allow a good view of the bites left by fleas, and insects can go unnoticed for a long time. The pain threshold is different for different people, but a person can easily notice bite marks on his body. Most often, the lower body and legs are attacked by bloodsuckers. Both adults and children can be bitten. Human legs are the first to meet on the path of the hungry ectoparasites and that is why most of the bites are found here. Depending on the number of fleas, both single bites, which are of an episodic nature, and massive attacks of insects can be observed.

Fleas do not have a substance that can anesthetize the moment of skin bite, which is why a person has the opportunity to feel a bite, similar to a needle prick. Flea bite marks can resemble mosquitoes. Only flea bite sites itch much more than mosquitoes. In the center of the swelling, a point of skin damage is discernible. Tracks, as a rule, are located in pairs or at a small distance. There are times when a person's legs are covered with continuous swelling from flea bites.

What diseases do fleas carry?

Flea bites on the human body are extremely dangerous as they carry life-threatening diseases. A person often suffers from the plague, because insects also live on sick pets. If a fleas bite what to do this needs to be addressed urgently.

In addition, fleas can cause dermatitis. This is a very dangerous disease that causes maximum discomfort. That is why meeting with such insects is extremely undesirable. You must know, what to do if a person is bitten by fleasto quickly help a friend or relative.

What types of insects are dangerous to humans

Over 1000 species of fleas are biting. They are dangerous to humans. If earth parasites are harmless, they feed exclusively on the blood of animals, then feline, rabbit, dog species can parasitize on the human body, infect infections with transmission through the blood.

It is not the flea bite itself that is dangerous, but the scratching of the affected area. In the case of an introduced infection, the development of inflammation will begin with all the ensuing consequences. Some flea species inject a blood-clotting enzyme under the skin when bitten.

Doggy

The habitat of dog fleas is dog hair, soft bedding. Bloodsuckers do not live on the human body, although they will not refuse to drink his blood when hungry.

Dog fleas also bite people, settle in human hair, and can fall out of them. When bad conditions occur, they hibernate and live without food for several months. As soon as the conditions become acceptable, the parasites come to life, start jumping on animals, feeding on their blood. Nothing prevents them from changing the owner, transmitting the infection from a sick animal to a person.

Feline

Cat fleas rarely bite people, but they can stick to the body, spread the infection, and cause:

• allergies;
• redness;
• intense itching.

If a person begins to comb the bite site, then if hygiene is not observed, he risks infecting and provoking suppuration. Parasites - carriers of diseases: encephalitis, helminthiasis, brucellosis, anthrax, plague. A person can pick up after hunting, walking in the forest, working on the farm. The victims are hunters, looking into nests and hollows, not disdaining to eat raw food.

Reference! Cat fleas will welcome any blood donor. They are causative agents of diseases 3 times more often than canine ones. Such parasites lay eggs, black excrement on the skin and fur of cats. They can be hammered into carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, floor crevices.

Rat

Rat fleas parasitize on rats, although they cannot live on the host's body for a long time and permanently. Jumping fleas get into apartments from basements, from the street on clothes and shoes, through cracks in the floor of an entrance, from neighbors. Dogs carry them in after a walk.

In humans, the site of a rat bite swells, lymph nodes increase, and the temperature rises. These parasites cause shortness of breath, headache, nervous system disorders, allergies, Quincke's edema. Rats are carriers of infections:

• tularemia;
• plague;
• anthrax;
• salmonellosis;
• encephalitis;
• hepatitis;
• brucellosis.

Rabbit

Rabbit hair is thick and ideal for the habitat of parasitic blood-sucking animals. Usually bitten pets are alarmed, itching. Fleas lay eggs in the hairline of rabbits, which in turn can transmit the infection to humans.

If an insect bites a rabbit, it causes incurable diseases: hemorrhagic crisis, myxomatosis. A bird that has inadvertently swallowed the eggs of worms can become a source of helminthiasis. If rabbits are treated with insecticides, then fleas in search of food can spread to people, bite the stomach, face, arms, legs.

If saliva is injected into a person's blood, the temperature may rise. Expansion of lymph nodes, development of diseases can also be observed: anthrax, encephalitis, plague.

Basement fleas

Inhabitants of private houses, lower floors of multi-storey apartments can also become victims of basement fleas.

Insects appear in a dwelling completely unexpectedly, more often when there is unsanitary conditions. There is no 100% antidote from them where there is coolness, dust, dampness. Fleas begin to drink blood from cats, dogs, horses, mice, rats, sheep, cows and lay their eggs on animal hair. They are annoying and dangerous. In case of a human bite, they spread the infection, causing hepatitis, encephalitis, pseudotuberculosis.

Avian

Chicken fleas, almost invisible to the human eye, create inconvenience to people. Adults may not leave the chicken coops at all due to the thin skin of the bird, closely spaced blood vessels.

Such fleas are rarely transmitted to humans. Although they can start an attack right in the chicken coop. Although it is unlikely that such a flea will get to the blood vessels, it can provoke allergies and skin irritation.

Danger of fleas to humans

Question, fleas bite people or not, has an unambiguous answer - of course, yes. The parasites that live on pets are dangerous. They not only create discomfort with their bites, but also infect people with various diseases. Often, a person is faced with a strong allergy to those components of the parasite's saliva that prevent blood from clotting normally.

The reaction is accompanied by redness of the affected area, as well as itching. Pimples and swelling may also appear. The insect infects open wounds, as it carries a variety of viruses that are dangerous to humans.

How to get rid of cat fleas

There are several ways how you can rid your pet of parasites. They all have their pros and cons.

Table: popular flea remedies for cats