The Secret Life of Fleas
June 23rd, 2008 by Dr. Jon Klingborg
Adult fleas aren’t very clever and they aren’t particularly sneaky. (In this way, they are often thought of as being similar to people—the teenagers are always much brighter than their parents.)
If you can pass an eye test at the DMV, you should be able to see adult fleas on your pet. Adult fleas want to spend all of their time on your tasty pet, so they aren’t hard to find. Both male and female fleas love to drink blood, and after a good blood meal the females will lay about 40 eggs per day. Once the feasting has ended, most fleas leave little black specks on your pet—these specks are called “flea dirt,” which is a nice term for flea poop!
Prove to your teenagers that you still have smarts, and ask your veterinarian which is the best product for the family pet.