Adult dog fleas feed on the blood of dogs and cats, and they occasionally bite humans. A dog flea is a vector of the dog tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum, which can also affect humans.

Appearance

• Adult is brownish-black in colour, but appears reddish-black after a blood meal.
• Adult dog fleas are 1 to 4 mm long. The legless larva is off-white and measures up to 5 mm in length.

Life Cycle

• The fleas go through a four stage life cycle: eggs, larvae, pupae, adult.
• The larvae are longer than the adults and feed on particles of dry blood, excrement and organic substances.

Habits

• The body is laterally flattened, which allows it to move easily through an animal’s fur. Spines project backwards from the body of the flea, which help it to hold onto the host animal during grooming.
• As dog fleas can jump up to 6 inches, they move easily from host to host. They can also infest garden lawns.