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                                Fleas and Ticks
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Table of Contents

     * About this FAQ
          + Author
          + How to get this
          + Acknowledgements
     * Fleas
          + How do they enter the house?
          + Why should I worry about fleas?
          + How can I tell if my pet has fleas?
          + Preventive measures
          + How to choose your methods
          + Lifecycle
          + Keeping clean
          + Natural methods
          + Spraying inside
          + Treating outdoors areas
          + Dipping your pet
          + Combing your pet
          + Powders
          + Borax and salt
          + Vacuum
          + Flea collars
          + Newborn animals
          + Toxicities of different products
          + Flea control on rabbits
          + Systemic products
          + Homes with pregnant women/crawling infants/baby animals
          + Preventing flea infestations in your next home
          + Conclusion
     * Ticks
          + Description
          + Role in diseases
          + Kinds of ticks
          + Lifecycle
          + Removing a tick
          + Infections or abscesses
          + Disposing of ticks
          + Where you pick up ticks
          + Combatting ticks
          + Lyme disease
               o Transmission
               o Symptoms
               o Vaccination
          + R. Sanguineus
     * References and Addresses
     _________________________________________________________________
   
About this FAQ

  Author
  
   Cindy Tittle Moore, Copyright 1995-1997 by Cindy Tittle Moore. You may
   download a copy for your personal use. To redistribute, please ask.
   Under no circumstances may this document be distributed for profit.
   This document is provided "as is" -- no warranty, express or implied,
   is attached.
   
  How to get this
  
   Copies and updates of this FAQ may be obtained by anonymous ftp to
   rtfm.mit.edu under /pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks. Or send
   email to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with
   
     send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks
     
   in the body of the message, leaving the subject line empty.
   
   All editing is mine, and any errors should be attributed to me. I
   welcome all additions, corrections, and suggestions for this file.
   Please send email to me at any of the addresses at the end of this
   article.
   
  Acknowledgements
  
   Thanks to: Sandi Ackerman, Edwin Barkdoll, Shari Bernhard, Maggie
   Bonham (aka Sky Warrior), Jon R. Buyan, Brad Christofferson, James
   Coggins, William S. Currie, Eric De Mund, Bill Dittman, Gene Dolgner,
   Marc Gabriel, P.K. Geschwent, Jim Graham, Gary Greene, Paul Jackson,
   Kathy Johnson, Marget Johnson, Renee Johnson, Kay Klier, Jon Krueger,
   Kerry Kurasaki, Ellen McSorley, Dana Massey, Andy Michael, Liza Lee
   Miller, Lloyd E. Miller, Peter Nichola, Jolly C. Pancakes, Jeff Parke,
   Sonya Perkins, Paul Quinlan, Christine Rassmussen, Edward Reid, Keith
   Silver, Susan R. Smart, Orca Starbuck, Marlene Teague, Julia Tien,
   Laura Toms, Lesa Hobright Turner, Michael Waldvogel, Janeane L. Yeh
   and Frank Yeh Jr., and Rich Young for their comments and suggestions.
   
   The initial nucleus of this article may be found from a posting by
   Dave Butler, who posted it sporadically a few years ago and I saved a
   copy in mid 1992. It has since expanded far beyond this initial
   article, but it did provide the initial impetus.
   
   Dr. James Coggins did a presentation on ticks in Wisconsin from which
   I got much of the material on ticks and Lyme disease.
   
   Finally, I'd like to thank my own dogs for providing me with hands on
   experience with ticks. :-)
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Fleas

  How do they enter the house?
  
   Fleas can enter the home in many ways, even if your pet is not or only
   rarely allowed outside. They can hop in from your yard, hitch a ride
   on you, or even be left over from previous inhabitants (larvae can
   remain dormant for astonishingly long periods of time under a variety
   of conditions).
   
  Why should I worry about fleas?
  
   Since fleas can be carriers for worms and diseases, keeping your pet
   flea-free helps to keep it healthy. In addition, many pets and people
   are allergic to flea-bites.
   
  How can I tell if my pet has fleas?
  
   To check if your pet has fleas, part its hair and look for:
     * Small bits of brown "dust," attached to the fur itself. The fleas
       excrete digested blood. See if the dust dissolves into a red
       liquid upon contact with a wet paper towel.
     * Skin Irritation: flea bites or scratching and biting may leave
       red, irritated skin, and even bald patches in bad cases.
     * Small, fast moving brown shapes are fleas.
     * Or, use a flea comb and see what you get.
       
   You may also see "flea dust," fleas, or even larvae on your pet's
   bedding.
   
   Dried blood in its ears may indicate ear mites and you should consult
   your vet to find out what the problem is.
   
  Preventive measures
  
   Conventional wisdom and older studies that studied rat fleas suggest
   that fleas spend only part of their time on your pet; this is not
   true. There are different varieties of fleas, and the primary flea
   infesting dogs and cats in North America and large areas of Europeis
   the cat flea (yes on dogs, too). This flee, not as well studied as the
   rat flea actually spends all of its adult life on the host under
   normal conditions. Eggs are laid on the host and drop off into the
   environment. Thus you can often find eggs wherever your pets spend
   time: on their bedding, through the house, in the backyard.
   
   A good preventive method is to put down towels everywhere your pet
   normally lies and then wash those towels once a week. Deposited flea
   eggs are therefore cleaned out regularly. Regular vacuuming and
   emptying of the vacuum bag also helps, independently of any method or
   methods you choose to do, since that eliminates or reduces food
   sources for the larvae.
   
  How to choose your methods
  
   There are several ways to kill or discourage fleas. Some are synthetic
   chemicals, some are considered "natural", and both work with varying
   degrees. No one method is 100% effective, and you will almost always
   have to combine several approaches to get the results you want. Some
   methods are applicable for indoor pets, but useless for indoor/outdoor
   pets. You need to choose the set of approaches that best addresses
   your situation.
   
   Keep in mind that there are regional differences among fleas: what
   works well in one area may not work well in other areas. You should
   consult a LOCAL vet, vet tech, or dog groomer to see what is known to
   be effective in your area. If you thinkyou're getting biased opinions,
   ask several people and see what they concur on. Don't rely on the
   products available at your local store; there are too many that are
   just distributed nationally.
   
   Finally, you may find that you need to switch your approaches around
   from year to year. If you use the same product several years in a row,
   you may find the effectiveness lessened. Additionally, some years are
   worse than others, depending on the previous winter, and you may need
   to strike earlier with stronger methods some years and relax a bit
   more with milder methods another year.
   
  Lifecycle
  
   You must keep in mind the life cycle of the flea. From egg to larvae
   to adult is between three to six weeks: to get rid of fleas in your
   house, you must break this cycle. As a practical matter, this means
   you will almost certainly have to repeat your efforts in several weeks
   to catch the fleas from the larvae that didn't get destroyed the first
   time around. This is also why it is important to address the problem
   of the eggs and larvae as well as the adult fleas.
   
   After taking a blood meal, fleas either lay eggs on your pet or in its
   surrounding environment. Eggs on your pet are often shed onto its
   bedding or into the carpet. A pair of fleas may produce 20,000 fleas
   in 3 months. Eggs hatch after 2-12 days into larvae that feed in the
   environment -- generally on digested blood from adult fleas and other
   food matter in their environment. The food required at this stage is
   microscopic, and even clean carpets often offer plenty of food to the
   larvae. The larvae are little wiggles about 3-4 millimeters long, you
   may see some if you inspect your pet's bedding carefully. Larvae molt
   twice within 2-200 days and the older larvae spin a cocoon in which
   they remain for one week to one year. When in this cocoon stage the
   young flea is invulnerable to any kind of insecticide and to low, even
   freezing, temperatures. Only sufficient warmth and the presence of a
   host can cause them to emerge. This long cocooning period explains why
   fleas are so difficult to eradicate.
   
  Keeping clean
  
   Having your carpets professionally cleaned WILL NOT get rid of the
   fleas, unless they use something that is meant to kill fleas. However,
   it will remove much of the eggs, larvae and the food that the larvae
   feeds on, so it can be useful in conjunction with other methods.
   
   Remember that carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture are the prime
   places for depositing flea eggs. Some people have success ridding
   their home of fleas by removing their carpets and replacing with
   linoleum or hardwood floors. This may not be a feasible option for
   everyone, though.
   
  Natural methods
  
   These tend to be of the "folk-remedy" type. Some people swear by them,
   others do not get any results. Some are actually toxic. They tend to
   work better at keeping fleas away rather than killing or eliminating
   present infestations.
     * You can buy cedar shampoo, cedar oil and cedar-filled sleeping
       mats. Cedar repells many insects including fleas.
     * Let outdoor pets sleep on a well-used horse blanket. Equine-l
       folks have confirmed that horses get ticks but not fleas, and cats
       using horseblankets in *current* use seem to have fewer fleas.
     * Fleas love dry skin: prevent dry skin by giving your pet Linatone
       (or any vegetable oil) with its food and avoiding excessive
       shampooing.
     * Pennyroyal (the herb and the oil) is often touted as a natural
       flea repellent: only the fresh or dried leafs are safe. The oil is
       actually highly toxic to animals and humans (it has a long history
       as an abortifacent, for example). There is an article about this
       in the AKC's Gazette, July 1992. Also, Journal of the AVMA, v200
       n6 March 15, 1992.
     * Garlic and Brewer's Yeast: Feed it in small doses to your pet and
       and the resultant body odor may repel fleas. You can get it either
       in powder form or tablet form, at varying expense.
     * Orange or lemon peel boiled and simmered in water makes a flea dip
       after it cools. Do not use this on cats, however (don't know about
       ferrets). Rinse well.
     * 60 ml of lavendar oil mixed with 2.8 liters of rock salt can be
       placed under furniture and rugs.
     * Eucalyptus leaves can be left under furniture and rugs. Also, a
       eucalyptus wool wash [a product for washing wool made from
       eucalyptus, available in Australia, perhaps elsewhere too] when
       washing the dog may help.
     * Rub bruised fennel foliage into the dog's coat. Growing it in the
       yard discourages the establishment of fleas there.
     * You can plant marigolds outside in your garden. This has the
       additional benefit of repelling a variety of other bugs.
     * NuPo offers a "flea trap" that uses heat to attract fleas to a
       sticky pad, kind of like "flea paper." Homemade variants,
       considerably less expensive, include leaving out detergent-laced
       dishes or jars of water near nightlights at night. This approach
       works best in severe infestations but is not likely to eliminate
       the fleas.
     * Food supplements, there are several on the market besides the
       "conventional" brewers yeast and/or garlic. One is Hop Off. Again,
       they appear to work for some dogs and not necessarily others.
     * Often useful in conjunction with other methods is to cover up your
       pet's ears and around the neck with a wet towel and have it lie in
       a tub of cool water for a while. The towel prevents migration of
       the fleas to the head. Add just a little detergent to the water (a
       teaspoon or a few cc's is enough) to make sure the fleas drown.
       Obviously, your pet must be amenable to lying in water for 15
       minutes or so. This can be done as an alternative to dipping; but
       like dipping it will not solve the larger problem of the flea
       infestation.
     * A similar method is to prepare a warm bath in the kitchen sink (or
       tub) with just a little baby shampoo and submerge the pet except
       for the head. Hold the vegetable sprayer (or spray attachment)
       about an inch away from your pet (under water) and literally blast
       the fleas off. By doing it under water, it keeps the fleas from
       simply being blown to another part of the pet. The head has to be
       sprayed while out of the water. Fleas will float to the surface
       but drown because of the bit of shampoo in the water. This may
       help remove eggs as well. Again, this technique only works on
       animals that are amenable to lying down in water.
       
  Spraying inside
  
   There are a number of companies that will spray your house and
   typically they have guarantees such as "flea free for a year" (or they
   will reapply free of charge). The best known one is probably
   FleaBuster. FleaBusters applies a product to your carpet that kills
   all the fleas and eggs. Many people report that the results last for
   longer than the guaranteed year. Other people have pointed out that
   the product FleaBusters uses is Terminator (see below), and applying
   it yourself can be a significant savings over what FleaBusters
   charges.
   
   You can spray your house. There are a number of commercial foggers and
   other devices which you set off in your home. Generally, you and
   anything live will have to vacate for a period of time. This can be
   effective; it depends on if the chemicals involved will kill fleas,
   flea larvae, or both. Your vet will be a good source of information on
   effective brands, or you can have this done professionally.
   
   Remember that a hand-held sprayer will be more effective than a
   fogger-type application simply because you can make sure all the
   hard-to-reach areas are properly treated.
   
   In general, pyrethrins are "low intensity", relatively safe, and break
   down quickly (some on contact with sunlight). They can normally be
   used safely with puppies, kittens and in sensitive conditions.
   Pyrethrins are from chyrsanthemums, and manage to be highly toxic to
   fleas but not to people or dogs. It's very safe. Permethrins are
   synthetic pyrethrins and have the additional benefit of a residual
   effect for several days.
   
   Organo-phosphates are "heavy duty" and last longer. They should be
   used with caution as they are usually toxic to people and animals.
   
   The Insect growth regulators do not kill adult fleas, but they have
   little or no toxicity to non-insects as they very specifically target
   the flea larvae, preventing its transition to adult stage.
   
   Precor: (methoprene)
          This is an insect hormone that interrupts the life cycle of
          fleas by preventing flea larvae from maturing. It is not a
          poison, even to fleas, but they cannot reproduce. It's used as
          an environmental spray either by itself (in which case it will
          take several weeks to show much effect) or combined with adult
          pesticides (like pyrethrins) for a quick wipeout.
          
          Because it's a hormone, it's thought that fleas can't become
          resistant to it. However, methoprene resistance has been
          reported in experimental population of fleas. If you're getting
          poor results with Precor (=methoprene), you might try
          Fenoxycarb.
          
          You can buy the stuff at your local hardware/gardening store,
          and spray the diluted (according to directions) liquid
          everywhere in the house. This will not kill fleas by itself
          unless you combine it with something immediately lethal, but it
          will break the lifecycle and the fleas will go away in a few
          weeks as the mature ones die and the immature ones fail to
          develop. Such an application lasts about 4-5 months. Precor
          cannot be used outside because it breaks down rapidly in
          sunlight, but there are new formulations, such as Fenoxycarb,
          that show promise for outdoor use.
          
          Precor is most often combined with other agents, like
          pyrmethrins. Currently available are powders, sprays, and
          foggers all containing the ingredient. It can be difficult to
          find a source of pure methoprene. One mail-order source is
          Gardens Alive! It's called Vigren and is $9.25 per oz
          concentrate (mix with 1 gallon of water, covers 1500 sq. ft) or
          $7.95 for three or more. Address below.
          
   Torus:
          This is a pure form of fenoxycarb, an IGR. It can be used
          outdoors since it doesn't react to UV like methoprene does. It
          is available through Kristull Products, 8708 Grelle Lane,
          Autin, TX 78744; 800-658-6699. Many products now contain
          fenoxycarb, but Torus seems to be the only undiluted form
          available. Due to company buyouts, Torus has been discontinued
          from the market, though there is still some stock available
          from distributors.
          
   Archer:
          This is a Torus like product against fleas (and fire ants).
          Check:
          
          + http://www.fleasmart.com
          + http://www.dawwn.com/flea/archer.htm
          + http://www.fleas.kristull.com/
            
   Sectrol:
          This is microencapsulated pyrethrins (low toxicity to mammals).
          This works well in conjunction with methoprene. Spraying your
          home with this combination should be good for about 5-6 months
          before reapplication is needed. Use the Sectrol Pet and
          Household Flea Spray #1495 for the pure micro encapsulated
          pyrethrin product (3M has a variety of "sectrol" products).
          Expensive.
          
   Duratrol:
          This comes in both a spray (for the house) and a dip for the
          immediate problem on your pet. The smell is reported to be
          minimal and the effectiveness high. You only need to leave the
          house for 1/2 hour to allow the spray to dry (rather than up to
          four hours for other sprays and foggers, for example). Duratrol
          consists of micro- encapsulated chlorpyrifos -- essentially
          Dursban in "tiny time pills."
          
   Foggers:
          When choosing a fogger, note that the directions call for one
          can per X no. of UNOBSTRUCTED square feet. In practice, that
          means one can per major room. You can increase the
          effectiveness of the spread of the fogger by setting up fans to
          move the air around before you trigger the foggers. If you have
          a forced-air furnace, set the fan to on and thermostat to off
          (turning the thermostat off ensures that the heaters do not
          kick in; most fogging sprays are flammable or explosive).
          Foggers have a real problem in penetrating enough to do any
          good, though. They just don't reach under furniture and other
          inaccessible places.
          
  Treating outdoors areas
  
   When treating the area surrounding your house, remember that fleas are
   not found in your driveway gravel or in the open. The larvae do not
   survive high temperatures. They are found in shaded areas, like under
   porches, decks, car ports, at the edges of woods, and especially in
   places where your pets lay down outdoors.
   
   Dursban:
          You can use Dursban for ridding the yard of fleas. Home Depot
          will have the generic stuff. Spray according to the directions
          on the label. This is fairly toxic stuff. The generic name is
          Chlorpyrifos.
          
   Nematodes:
          This is a new product for outdoor treatment. "Bio Flea Halt"
          and "Interrupt" are two brand names -- probably others exist.
          Nematodes are bugs that eat fleas. You apply it to your
          backyard with a pump sprayer; hose sprayers will also work.
          [Not sure about details of application: do you apply to grass?
          dirt? what about decks? effect on existing plants?] Toxicity to
          humans/dogs is non-existent, early studies show a good degree
          of effectiveness.
          
   For those with outdoor pets, diatomaceous earth, boric acid and silica
   aerogels can be used to treat your lawn for fleas and ticks. These
   chemicals were lauded by the Apr 92 Sunset magazine in their list of
   least toxic chemicals, sprays and dusts, which were discussed for
   those people who want to control pests more naturally. These are not
   poisons, and kill by clinging to, scratching and and destroying the
   waxy exteriors, or dessicating the pests. Sunset does point out that
   these chemicals should not be inhaled as they will irritate or abrade
   the lungs in the same way (which isn't a big problem once they've
   settled into your lawn). Diatomaceous earth is an abrading agent (much
   like borax). Use natural grade rather than pool grade diatomacious
   earth. Boric acid is also a abrading agent. Silica aerogels are
   dessicants, and kill the insects through dehydration. It is
   recommended that these chemicals be used in powder form to kill fleas
   and ticks.
   
  Dipping your pet
  
   For an immediate flea problem, you can bath your pet with a
   flea-killing substance to get rid of the fleas on its body. But
   remember, such "dips" usually sting when applied to open irritations.
   Animals have been known to bite, climb up your arm, and even urinate
   all over themselves, so be prepared!
   
   Be very careful to only dip animals that are at least two, preferably
   three months old, and be especially careful to use appropriate dips.
   That is, do not use dips marked for dogs on cats!
   
   Avon's Skin-So-Soft lotion is reputed to repel fleas (as well as
   mosquitos on human). After bathing your dog, put some lotion in the
   rinse water. They will smell like the lotion, and the application will
   last for a few weeks. This may be a problem for pets that groom
   themselves. Another way to apply it is to put a 1:1 lotion:water mix
   in a spritz bottle and mist your dog with it. Some people report
   excellent results and others do not.
   
   Dipping alone will NOT solve the more general problem of the flea
   infestation.
   
  Combing your pet
  
   Flea combs with fine teeth that snag fleas are commercially available.
   It is helpful to have a small dish of ammonia-laced water on hand to
   kill the fleas on the comb rather than trying to nail each one by
   hand. Alternatively, mix a few drops of detergent into the dish of
   water so that there is no surface tension and fleas dropped into the
   treated water will drown. Use a metal comb; the plastic ones are too
   flexible and allow the fleas to escape.
   
   You will typically find the most fleas along your pet's back, groin
   area, and at the base of the tail.
   
   This by itself will never rid your pet from fleas since flea larvae
   may also be in bedding, furniture and carpet. It is, however, a useful
   way to keep an eye on the flea population, and if used as a preventive
   measure can keep them in check. If you have a major infestation,
   though, you will have to get rid of most of the fleas before you can
   use just a comb on your pet.
   
  Powders
  
   Flea powders are handy, but there are many types and some are rather
   poisonous. Check the poisonous list below for ingredients that cause
   serious problems (for cats). When using powders, it is not enough to
   just powder your pet: powder its bedding, and under furniture
   cushions. You may want to add some to a discarded vacuum cleaner bag
   especially if it will sit in the trash for a few days, but don't run a
   vacuum with flea powder in the bag. That will probably spray it in the
   air, potentially toxic to sensitive animals or humans.
   
   Do not let your pet ingest flea powder of any sort. This can be tricky
   with pets that groom themselves, such as cats and ferrets. With dogs,
   if you brush the powder in, your dog will not ingest much if any
   powder.
   
  Borax and salt
  
   Also known as sodium polyborate, sodium tetraborate, sodium borate.
   The chemical is related to boric acid. This is present in a variety of
   household products. Sprinkling 20 Mule Team Borax, the kind you use in
   laundry (*not* the hand soap Boraxo; the soap added to can be toxic to
   your pet) on the carpet and upholstery will dry out the deposited flea
   larvae. The procedure is to vacuum the house, sprinkle borax or salt
   using a sieve on carpet and upholstery (and under the pillows, under
   the furniture); sweep with a broom to settle the borax into the carpet
   and then vacuum again. Some people leave it on for a few days before
   vacuuming, but this runs the risk of abrading the surface of the
   carpet. Don't let your animals eat the stuff. If you use borax, you
   may need to adjust for this when cleaning your carpets by using less
   soap. The effects of a borax treatment seem to last about a year or
   so.
   
   Drawbacks: The chemical borax is abrasive, and 20 Mule Team Borax may
   abrade your carpets. In addition, there are documented cases of
   long-term low-level exposure to sodium polyborate resulting in
   conjunctivitus, weight loss, vomiting, mild diarrhea, skin rash,
   convulsions and anemia and other similar allergic reactions in humans.
   If you're using borax as flea control, and your pets (or family) are
   showing loss of appetite, eye or skin problems, anemia or kidney
   problems, you may want to switch to another flea control method and
   see if their health improves. Do not apply it to damp carpets as it
   can take the color out.
   
   Borax is NOT advisable where you have pets which groom themselves,
   e.g., cats and ferrets. They can ingest enough to harm them if the
   borax is not settled deeply enough into the carpet (October 1992 of
   Dog Fancy). Symptoms of acute poisoning include diarrhea, rapid
   prostration and perhaps convulsions [these occurred when borax was
   scattered openly for cockroach control].
   
   There are various products that are applied in the same way, such as
   PEST-X. Check these types of products to see if they contain borax or
   boric acid. If so, the above commentary applies to those products as
   well. Otherwise, check the ingredients against the other ingredients
   discussed elsewhere.
   
   Some people use salt instead of borax. Provided that you do not live
   in high humidity areas, this is an alternative. Since salt absorbs
   water, salt in carpet in an unairconditioned house in Florida (for
   example) would mean a damp carpet -- later rotted or mildewed.
   
   A cheap source of boric acid powder is "Terminator". Available in
   hardware stores. A 5lb can of 100% boric acid powder is about $22; a
   30lb can $54. Customer service # is 800-242-9966.
   
  Vacuum
  
   Put flea powder in the vacuum cleaner bag to kill any fleas that you
   vacuum up, otherwise they will crawl back out. You should change the
   bag in your vacuum cleaner after a round of flea-cleaning in any case.
   Moth balls can also be used, but they are pretty toxic. Sometimes
   people put (cut up) flea collars in the bag, but it is not clear that
   this is effective, and if the collar contains dichlorvos, is NOT
   recommended.
   
  Flea collars
  
   See Consumer Reports, August 1991. Flea collars aren't effective and
   may even be bad for your pet's health. Some of the herbal ones smell
   nice and that's about it.
   
   Ultrasonic and electronic flea collars are not known to work.
   
  Newborn animals
  
   Very young animals can die from overinfestation of fleas. They are
   small enough that they can become dangerously anemic within hours, and
   are young enough that they will be poisoned by dipping chemicals.
   Consult your vet immediately if you have a less than 8-10 week old
   kitten or puppy with a bad case of the fleas. Do not attempt to "dip"
   them, you can easily kill them this way.
   
   Symptoms of anemia: if flea-infested baby animals become lethargic,
   weak, and pale, you may have *only hours* before they die. A good test
   for anemia is to take your finger, lift the upper lip, and press
   gently but firmly into the upper gum. The gum will turn white for a
   moment and then return almost immediately to a pink color. If the gum
   stays white for more than a couple of seconds, anemia is indicated.
   Take them to the vet *now*.
   
   If they do not yet appear anemic, use a flea comb on them. You should

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