Frequently Asked Questions


Q: What are your hours?
A: Check out the contact info page for a list of our hours, location, and other information.

Q: I am really frustrated about our pet's flea problem. What can you tell me about fleas and how to get rid of them?
A: Important Facts about Fleas:

The Life Cycle of a Flea
  • Stage 1 - the Adult. A flea can jump 8" high, 12" laterally. The adult flea is attracted to light. It will sit and wait for something that casts a dark shadow then jump. Within minutes of jumping on its host, it takes its first blood meal. Once on an animal, an adult flea will remain on the pet for the remainder of the flea's life. If untreated, that can be from 20 days all the way to 1 year. A single female can lay from 25-50 eggs per day, averaging around 28 a day, over 2000 in her life time. The female starts laying eggs within 24 hours of her first meal. Feeding approximately every 30 minutes for life, a flea can eat about 15 times their body weight in blood every day. That feces becomes the meal of the flea larvae. ( Stage 3)
  • Stage 2 - the eggs. Once the eggs are laid, they drop off the host into the carpet, furniture, bedding, or in the outdoor environment. It takes 2-5 days for the eggs to hatch into the larvae.
  • Stage 3 - the larvae. Once hatched from the egg, the larvae burrow away from the light. Hiding in carpet fibers, bedding and other dark places, they resemble a maggot. As mentioned above, the larvae feed on the digested blood from the adult as well as skin particles and dander. The larvae must feed on the protein in the digested blood to get to the next stage, the Pupae.
  • Stage 4 - the pupae. The pupae resemble a cocoon-like sack. It can take up to 14 days to begin hatching. It is very resistant to chemicals and can remain dormant for several months up to a year. Humidity, vibration, light, and temperatures influence the hatching of the adult flea from the pupae stage. The adult flea can survive several days to weeks without feeding. When conditions are right, it all begins again.

Did you know...
  • Fleas will not voluntarily jump from one animal to another.
  • Fleas basically have two sizes, small and large. The males and the unfed females are the small ones, the large ones are females that have taken a blood meal.
  • Fleas are seldom found in the sunny areas of your home or yard. Sunshine will kill flea eggs.
  • They prefer high humidity over low humidity. Low humidity slows their development. That is one reason the winter months have fewer outbreaks or infestations. The shady areas are the favored locations in your yard.
  • Fleas breeding cycle is very extensive. Their mating session can last for hours, up to 24 hours at a time.
  • Each time a flea feeds, flea salivary antigens are deposited into the skin. That is what triggers flea allergic dermatitis. FAD is more related to the duration of feeding and the amount of salivary protein injected than the number of flea bites.
  • The completed life cycle is from 2 weeks to 9 months, depending on temperature and humidity levels. Typically 3-4 weeks in length.
  • To stop the infestation, you must stop the flea from reproducing. Several products do just that. (see chart) If you spray your home or outdoor environment, you must choose a product with an insect growth regulator. (IGR) Preventing the eggs from hatching and killing the larvae, is key to controlling the pet's environment.
  • It is recommended that you treat your pet for fleas year round for optimal protection. Due to the lifecycle of the flea, it can take up to a minimum of 3-4 months to get an infestation under control. If you opt to treat for fleas only during the peak season, you should begin treatment 1 month before the start (early spring) and continue until there has been a hard frost and it stays cold for several weeks. You can visit any of the websites listed in the chart to get tips and tools on how to take control of your pet's environment. Feel free to contact us and together, we can determine which product is best for you and your pet.


    • Not all flea products are alike and not all are safe for your pet. Some kill fleas and their eggs, some just the adults. Some kill fleas and ticks, some do fleas and heartworms as well as deworm your pet. For a detailed chart of what products we carry at the clinic or on our on line pharmacy, see below.


    Click the chart to enlarge

    Independent research from KS State University differs with some manufacturers claims on longevity and product duration. Many factors can contribute to poor performance of some of these products. New research is continually being done to test flea resistance, efficacy, product duration and manufacturer claims. If you would like more information on these products or on the research findings, contact Dr. Rowe to discuss which products are optimal for your individual needs.