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藤儿点评：养猫猫狗狗的主人们，你们在自己的可爱的宠物面前够自信、够范儿吗？
想必你们也曾经因为你们的可爱宠物患病而痛心疾首吧！其中最多见的疾患之一就是跳蚤。
猫猫狗狗身上有了跳蚤，常常动物医生也无能为力。无法做出准确诊断的可能性很多：
1. 症状不典型，或者动物医生从来没有在猫猫狗狗身上找到一个跳蚤或跳蚤的尸体。
2. 猫猫狗狗的症状体征有可能极像其他的疾病，但是在你们花去了大把大把的Dollar，让动物医生累次如此对症下药之后，却毫不见效。
3. 动物医生只是来上班应付当值而已。从来不会浪费自己的时间去钻研与猫猫狗狗健康有关的跳蚤疾病，因为它不过就是跳蚤而已，如此简单！
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爱心提醒：【flea dirt】中文叫“跳蚤屎”。看上去就是像细沙子一样的极其细小的黑色小点状物。这种东西如果被动物医生忽视，养猫猫狗狗的主人们可不要再掉以轻心哦！
如果你可以一眼认出这种常常可以骗过动物医生的【flea dirt】，不但可以救赎你可爱的宠物宝宝，还有望为自己节约一大笔Dollar哟。
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来源：cats.about.com
Don't Flee the Flea - Learn how to control and prevent fleas in cats
cats.about.com
If you observe your cat scratching and aren't sure if fleas are the cause, use a flea comb on your cat and observe the tiny black dots that emerge on the comb - we commonly call it "flea dirt," but in reality, it is the excrement the flea leaves. Pupae: Like the butterfly, the larvae spins a cocoon...
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来源：http://cats.about.com
Don't Flee the Flea!
Control and Prevent Fleas in Your Home
Cats Expert
You've seen them - tiny, quick creatures that scurry through your cat's fur, feasting on her blood, and causing painful itching - so bad that kitty may scratch herself raw in seeking relief. If you have a bad flea infestation in a multiple-cat household, you've probably been bitten yourself by these voracious feeders, and you may even have seen them hopping through your carpeting. (Did you know a flea can jump 33 cm. in one leap - over a foot?) I'm here to tell you - cat flea control is not only possible, it's relatively easy.
The most common flea which feeds off cats, dogs, and humans, is the Ctenocephalides felis. If you observe your cat scratching and aren't sure if fleas are the cause, use a flea comb on your cat and observe the tiny black dots that emerge on the comb - we commonly call it "flea dirt," but in reality, it is the excrement the flea leaves. Smash some with a damp paper towel, and it will turn red - that's the residue from your cat's blood - and a warning that cat flea control is indicated.
As if the itching and stinging weren't enough, fleas also transmit other conditions which can even have a more deleterious effect on your cat's health.
Common Flea "Hitch-Hikers"
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Anemia: Unchecked infestations of fleas can actually cause anemia from blood loss - sometimes fatal, particularly in kittens. Pale gums are a red flag for anemia in kittens, and their gums should be routinely checked if your kittens have just survived a flea attack.
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Tapeworms: With kittens, fleas and worms are practically synonymous, and kittens that are victimized by fleas should always be treated for worms.
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Haemobartonellosis: A more serious form of anemia, caused by a microorganism carried by the flea, the h.felis in the case of felines. Haemobartonellosis is diagnosed by laboratory tests and treated with antibiotics, steroids, and in some severe cases, blood transfusions.
The Life of a Flea
The cycles of a flea are very like that of a butterfly, but unlike the beautiful end result of those flower-friendly creatures, the adult flea is a menace to all it encounters.
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Eggs: Fleas lay their eggs on the host animal, where the entire cycle may take place. Other eggs fall off into the environment, e.g., your carpeting or kitty's bedding, or your own bed.
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Larvae: The larvae "hatchlings" feed on the feces left by the adult, and continue to develop for about a week.
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Pupae: Like the butterfly, the larvae spins a cocoon for itself, where it continues to evolve into the adult flea - within another week or so on the host animal.
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Adult: The emerging adult feeds on its host, mates, and continues the life cycle. Is it any wonder why cat flea control is so important?
Good Riddance!
With today's technology, there is no excuse for living with a flea infestation. You'll need to use a complete "shotgun" approach with flea control to break the cycle, followed by an ongoing flea prevention program.
Get Rid of the Eggs
This should be an ongoing program while the adult flea treatment is killing the live fleas. Here are the steps you'll need to take:
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Wash all bedding thoroughly. While the bedding is free of coverings, vacuum the mattress, particularly in the crevices, where eggs might hide.
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Vacuum carpeting daily and dispose of used vacuum bags. I do not recommend placing flea collars in the vacuum bag, as the heat generated by the machine could cause noxious fumes.
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Steam-clean carpeting. This will kill any remaining eggs the vacuum might have missed.
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If necessary, use a whole-house insect bomb which specifically targets fleas. It is critical to remove all food dishes and live animals, including birds during this process. You may consider hiring a professional for this job, but make sure he knows you have cats, and will use a cat-safe product.
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Hire a professional to treat outdoors areas. Insist on a "cat-friendly" product for this purpose. If you have an outdoor cat, keep him confined inside for the day.
Your first job will be to eliminate as many fleas from your cat by combing and bathing. Once the bulk of the tiny nuisances are gone, you can prevent further flea infestations with the use of a topical flea control product.
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Comb the Cat: Using a flea comb, comb carefully throughout the entire body of the cat. Keep a jar or bowl of diluted bleach nearby, and as you collect fleas on the comb, shake them into the jar. The fleas will die quickly.
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Bathe the Cat: If you and your cat are up to it, a bath will drown most remaining fleas. It isn't necessary to use a "flea" shampoo or a "flea dip" for this purpose. Just a mild cat or baby shampoo will do the job handsomely. If you've never bathed a cat before, check my step-by-step How To on Bathing Your Cat.
Topical Flea Control Products
There are several topical cat flea control products which work by affecting the nerve receptors of the flea. They are usually applied to the cat's skin at the back of the neck, and are collected in the hair follicles, from which the product is slowly released. Most topicals are labeled for once-a-month application, although in practice, they may work much longer.
Caution! Never use products labeled for dogs on cats. Also, I do not recommend flea dips, sprays, powders, or collars. If you choose to use such products, do your homework and be absolutely sure that the ingredients used are safe for cats.
Apply ONE of these topical products, following the directions for your age/size of cat.
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Advantage: Uses imidacloprid as the active ingredient, and is generally regarded as safe for cats and kittens over six weeks of age. Does not kill ticks. We personally use this product and have not seen a flea in our house for several years.
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Frontline: Said to kill both fleas and ticks; Frontline uses a synthetic ingredient called fipronil, which may cause a temporary sensitivity in the area of application.
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Revolution: Its main ingredient is Selamectin, which is said to kill not only fleas and some ticks, but also ear mites, as well as offering protection against heartworm. Revolution stays in the bloodstream, and should not be used on kittens under six weeks of age. Since it is a systemic product, it may cause allergic reactions in some cats.
If you follow this cat flea control program scrupulously, fleas will soon be a distant memory in your household, and your kitties will be eternally grateful to you for freeing them from unwanted fleas and their hitch-hikers.
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