Do fleas bite people - cat and dog flea bites

Can fleas bite people?

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

Animals, unlike humans, have more delicate skin;
Pets' bodies are much warmer;
The absence of fur on the surface of human skin and water procedures using various hygiene products create unfavorable living conditions for bloodsuckers.

What fleas bite people

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

Do cat fleas bite people? Parasites living on the body of these animals can feed not only on their blood. Cats can also bite humans. Parasites living on the body of rodents behave similarly. Rodent fleas attack people less often, although they cause discomfort no less than other species.

How to distinguish flea bites from other insects?

The bites of all blood-sucking insects are similar in symptoms and appearance: redness, itching, burning and a desire to scratch the inflamed area. But there are still specific differences. Let's take as an example the most common fellow fleas - bedbugs and mosquitoes.

Traces of flea activity are represented by medium-sized dots that are hard to the touch. The bites of a regular mosquito or bedbug are noticeably smaller. In the first, they are randomly located, like in a flea, and in the second, they line up in a path of 6-10 inflammations.

The flea bites primarily the legs and back, while mosquitoes with bedbugs can attack all parts of the body. The itching from inflammation of other insects does not go away for a long time. While a flea bite stops itching after 2-3 hours. You should also take into account the activity of parasites: bedbugs hunt all year round, mosquitoes prefer summer and autumn, and fleas prefer summer.

The type of bloodsucker can be determined by other atypical symptoms. For example, brown spots on the sheets indicate the activity of bedbugs, buzzing indicates mosquitoes, while a flea acts unnoticed. It is extremely difficult to see it due to its modest dimensions (some types up to 0.5-0.75 mm).

For reference! Unlike other blood-sucking fleas, at the time of the bite, the flea does not secrete pain-relieving enzymes, therefore contact of the parasite with the skin is very painful for humans.

Why fleas bite people

Dog fleas
This type of insect is classified as an obligate parasite. The structure of their oral apparatus is designed to use only blood; other food sources are not suitable for this organ. Parasites primarily feed on the blood of animals. Why do fleas bite humans? They do this in order to obtain nutrition, which will support the reproduction process. And it is unlikely that an insect that is hungry and finds itself close to a person will miss the opportunity to eat.

Causes of bites

Can fleas bite people - yes. It remains to be seen why they do this, with what frequency, and whether they have preferences.

The source of food for insects is blood. Each parasite prefers a specific animal. Cat fleas do not live on dogs, and dog fleas do not get on cats. The blood of the “right” animal gives fleas the opportunity to reproduce and lay eggs. Otherwise, the insect simply replenishes food supplies.

Identical situation with a person. Why fleas bite people because they are hungry. Insects do not live on pets; they jump on them to replenish food supplies. In the house they hide under the floor, baseboards, on the back of furniture, under carpets. When there are large numbers of them in a room, they attack people.

How fleas bite

The bloodsucker has a complex structure of oral organs. Outwardly, they resemble a thin needle, thanks to which the insect reaches the capillary and begins the process of saturation. Due to lack of growth, the parasite is forced to crawl headlong into the skin in order to reach the bloodstream, as a result of which it takes a vertical position during the bite.

The bloodsucker's saliva contains an enzyme that prevents blood clotting. Therefore, the parasite punctures the skin without pain relief, which causes an itching sensation in animals and people. In the photo you can see how dog or cat fleas can bite a person.

Flea bites

Characteristics of a flea bite

You can determine that the bite was caused by a flea by the following signs:

Bites can be double or even triple. However, fleas do not make the paths characteristic of house bug bites;
The puncture is accompanied by severe stabbing pain and burning;
The presence of severe itching after the bite;
Swelling appears at the site of the bite;
Most often, parasites bite the legs (legs and feet) and lower back. Insects prefer to attack the neck and arms of a sleeping person.

The photo below shows how a flea bites and the consequences of the bite itself.

Traces after the attack

How fleas bite is shown in the photo below. Insects jump well in height and length, but they bite the legs and feet of a sleeping person. Especially if your feet are without socks, trousers, or other clothes.

The way a flea bites is like being pricked by a thin needle, but the sensation comes a little later. During a bite, the insect injects a special substance under the human skin that prevents blood from clotting. After a meal, characteristic marks remain at the site of flea bites:

small red inflamed spots appear on the body;
dried blood in the center;
with a large number of parasites, several small spots merge into one large one;
all this is accompanied by severe itching and minor pain.

Are flea bites dangerous?

Dog or cat fleas are very dangerous parasites. Their bites not only create discomfort, but are also quite dangerous to human health.

They can cause an allergy to an enzyme that interferes with the blood clotting process. The reaction may be accompanied by redness and severe itching, and widespread rashes and swelling may also occur.
There is a high probability of infection of the wound by the insect itself, since fleas are considered carriers of many dangerous diseases.
Severe itching at the bite site can cause the wound to become infected.

Itching from flea bites

What do bite marks look like?

Flea bites have the following characteristics:

The parasites bite the legs of a sitting and standing person, and the neck and arms of a sleeping person;
after a bite, a swelling forms on the skin with a point where the skin is damaged;
Next to the mark there are usually one or two more, since the flea sequentially bites the skin in 2-3 places located at a short distance from each other.

The itching and pain from flea bites is superior to mosquito bites. They don't take long to heal. But not all people are equally sensitive to damage caused by fleas. Some people wonder why insects bite them and others don’t. This impression is deceptive, since fleas do not select victims according to any criteria. They bite everyone, but not every person feels pain from the bites.

Why do some people get bitten and others not?

Many people ask questions: “Why don’t fleas bite everyone?” or “Why am I the only one among our family members who gets bitten?” In reality, each of us can be susceptible to possible bites, but some simply do not notice them.

According to experts, people with blood group 1 are most often susceptible to bites from bloodsuckers. It is more appetizing to insects. The blood of people of groups 3 and 4 is not of particular interest to parasites, but despite this, attacks can still occur. Fleas are also attracted to the most delicate and thin skin, elevated body temperature and the smell of human sweat.

How to remove parasites

If animal fleas bite people in the house, then the first thing you need is to know how to deal with them. First, you should conduct a thorough inspection of the fur of a cat, dog, or other pet for the presence of jumping insects and wounds from their bites. Also, there should be no small larvae on the hairs of the fur. Today there are a lot of drugs that can remove parasites from the fur of dogs and cats of any age.

If you are bitten by fleas at home, it is imperative to treat the room:

Preliminary wet cleaning will help get rid of some of the parasite population and traces of their vital activity.
It is advisable to reconsider and wash clothes, subject them to treatment with a hot iron.
Food, children's toys and dishes must be moved to another room to avoid contact with toxic substances.
To treat a room or apartment, insecticidal preparations such as “Get”, Reid, Raptor, Dichlorvos, Clean House, Butox 50, “Kombat” or “Cucaracha” are used.

Flea remedies
A protective kit (respirator, goggles, gloves and suit) is required.
All people, with the exception of those who will perform disinfection, must leave the premises.
The selected product is used to treat surfaces, cracks under baseboards and window sills. They can also be found in carpets and furniture. Considering that fleas are capable of jumping high, an area that is at least a meter above the floor level should be treated.
After sanitizing the premises, it must be left for the time specified in the instructions. Then ventilate everything thoroughly.
Carry out wet cleaning.
To achieve the full effect, treatment should be repeated after two weeks.

Prevention of bites

Knowing whether animal fleas can bite people, every pet breeder takes preventive measures:

check your pets regularly,
if necessary, processing is carried out,
Wear a flea collar when walking.

Considering why animal fleas bite humans, protective equipment is used for any possible contact with blood-sucking fleas. It is enough to wear closed clothing and use repellents. Animals that often walk outside should not be allowed into the bed or on upholstered furniture. Small children should not be allowed to crawl on the floor.

Plants with a strong smell - wormwood, mint, thistle - also help fight them. To prevent 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, and geranium added to the water for washing the floor will prevent insects from entering the apartment.

What to do to prevent fleas from biting you

To prevent bloodsuckers from returning to your home for more blood after sanitary cleaning, the following preventive measures must be taken.

For your four-legged pets, you need to purchase anti-flea collars for dogs and cats. They will help protect the animal from parasites during walks and in contact with its relatives.

Flea collar
Use of special repellents. It is enough to anoint your feet and hands with a special ointment or treat them with an aerosol on the eve of a trip to nature, and insects will not be able to bite you. These are the tools that will help you escape from bloodsuckers at home.
You can also ensure your safety by wearing closed clothing. It will prevent parasites from reaching the skin.
If you suspect the presence of fleas, you must monitor the situation to avoid bringing it to a critical state.

What to do if you are bitten by a cat flea?

Wash the bite site with soap and water or a disinfectant (hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine, alcohol, iodine).
Treat the bite area with antipruritic ointment or cream (“Flucinar”, “Fenistil”, “Rescuer”). If you don’t have a special product at hand, you can apply ice.
If signs of allergy appear, take an antihistamine (Suprastin) and, if necessary, consult a doctor.

Treatment of bites

If you or your family members have had to experience flea bites, you can get rid of the painful sensations in the following way. Rinse the swollen area with water, after which it must be lubricated from time to time with a solution of antiseptic soap. You need to apply 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 products that can be used to smear flea bites after some time. Sulfur ointment, a solution of baking soda or ethyl alcohol perfectly relieves itching. You can also use vodka, brilliant green or iodine for this. Such remedies can prevent infection of the wound.

There are also traditional ways to get rid of itching. You can get rid of unpleasant sensations with the help of lotions made from a decoction of dandelion, calendula or plantain. Tea tree oil, aloe and lemon juice relieve inflammation well. You can also purchase pharmaceutical ointments, gels or creams based on hydrocortisone for these purposes.

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

Pharmacy drugs

Regarding drug treatment, here, as in the case of folk remedies, you cannot self-medicate. If we talk about doctors’ recommendations, gels and ointments, which are classified as antihistamines, are more often prescribed.

These include:

Fenistilgel. It helps relieve itching, relieve pain, relieve inflammation and irritation. It has a fairly light texture, making it easily absorbed into the skin.
Star. A very popular balm, which is very effective, relieves pain and improves the condition of the skin.
Hydrocortisone ointment. The drug stops the development of allergic reactions.
Miramistin. It is used as a remedy against the development of complications.
Flucinar. Relieves itching, relieves inflammation, and prevents the development of an allergic reaction.
Sulfuric ointment. Perhaps the most popular means that allows you to disinfect and prevent infection.