Mary Allen
The annoying parasites disappear with the cold – don’t they? Fleas in winter are not uncommon and can become a problem for dogs.
The cold winter days also have their good sides. The bitter cold kills off ticks, fleas, and the like. At least that’s what you want to believe! Contrary to this assumption, fleas are still active in winter. Because the beasts have adopted cunning survival strategies that can make our four-legged friends a real “itch hell” all year round.
After sucking blood, the females lay thousands of eggs within a few hours, mostly still in the dogs’ fur, which is then distributed throughout the household by shaking them. The larvae hatch from the eggs and immediately hide in dark cracks and corners.
Pupated for Months
They crawl around independently and spread out in their search for food, especially where our four-legged friends prefer to be. The larvae pupate in a few days and can wait in their “nests” for months for the signal to hatch.
This signal can now either be the vibration that shows the flea that there is a “victim” nearby that it can infest within seconds after hatching. Or there will be a few degrees rise in ambient temperature as would be expected from turning on the heater! Then it is important to protect the dog with suitable means from the veterinarian as well as to treat the living space efficiently. Special disinfectants or so-called “flea fog” are then often the only chance of a real solution to the problem.