I have a question for your readers. Our dog has gotten a few fleas lately. We have treated the carpets and also the dog. Can fleas be passed onto humans in their hair as this is where they love to be on the dog?
Thanks for your replies.
BBS
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Yes. About 25 years ago, I had a dog and lived in an area of the country where fleas were not killed off in the wintertime cold. We were in an apartment complex, and the area where my dog needed to go outside had fleas which the dog would then bring inside. The fleas would bite my ankle area overnight. We tried everything to get rid of the fleas, but the dog would bring more in. All we could really do was keep the amount of fleas to a minimum. When we moved back to a colder area of the country, we flea-bombed the inside of the moving vans and also left them outside in the cold for three days before unloading the moving vans.
So, long story short is that fleas do bite people, but I don't think they "live" on people like they can live on dogs and cats. I never had any in my hair, not a single bite. My thought is that the dog slept near my feet, so they probably left the dog overnight, bit me, and hopped back on the dog. I'm not sure if this is a typical experience, but it was definitely my experience.
Good luck trying to get on top of the little buggers. :)
Yes, fleas live on humans and in human hair, particularly if there is no pet in the house. I have had that experience after taking care of a neighbours' cat that had fleas and bringing the fleas to my house from my neighbours' house.
They are definitely living in my hair. I dont have a dog.
Dont tell people they dont live in human hair. I actually was their host at one point because they were in my hair and repopulating faster than I could get them out. It was hell on earth and the faster you start with like over the counter lice medicine should do it. Mine was so bad and ended up doing stronger prescription medication because I couldnt get every egg or bug each time I did so they would repopulate.
Here in the south you don't even need an animal to get fleas. In the summer, they are so rampant that they jump on your legs when you walk across a parking lot, lawn, or down your own driveway. You unknowingly bring them into your home where they multiply quickly.
Use a monthly flea med on your pet. They're expensive and not organic, but worth every penny. They however, don't keep fleas off your pet, just kill the the fleas that bite the pet. Frequent baths help a lot; buy cheap baby shampoo and put in some tea tree oil. It's super gentle on dogs and will soothe their flea bites.
I keep a jar with about an inch of oil in it. Anytime a flea jumps on us in our home, we catch it and put it in the jar where it drowns in the oil. I purposely walk around our home (during an infestation), stopping to pick any fleas off me and drop them into the jar. It takes a while, but you get them without the use of any chemicals. It's a simple method that you can use when you only have a few fleas and if you keep on top of it, you will not get an infestation.
Make sure you check the pet's bedding and wash it frequently. You can buy diatomaceous earth to sprinkle on you pet instead of flea powder. It is totally organic and works by cutting the fleas (the tiny dust has sharp edges) so they dehydrate and die. You can also sprinkle it around the house and vacuum it up a few days later, and sprinkle it on your lawn to kill fleas outside, too.
Do not use Diomacous Earth on your dog. It will kill it! It will give it kidney failure and the dog will die.
Do NOT put Tea Tree oil on your dogs, it is very toxic to them.
Well, they might get in your hair but believe me they won't be there long enough to live there when you feel one - LOL! I once lived in a beach area where the fleas were so rampant that you just couldn't keep them under control and no matter how careful you would be they got inside.
The creepiest feeling I ever had living there was when one got in my hair and was crawling around on my scalp when I was sleeping. No surprise to say I woke up and was going crazy trying to brush it out. Finally gave up, jumped in the shower and shampooed my hair which drowned the little creep ;-) Needless to say I gained even more empathy than I already had for animals who get those creepy critters all over them!
Oh, and I wasn't ever biten by a flea. I think, just like with other types of insects, it depends on a particular persons body chemistry whether or not the bug will be attracted to bite.
Yes, they bite people. Especially your ankles. They don't live on your body. Get your dog a flea treatment from the vet, then vacuum thoroughly and throw the bag out in the garbage right away. Use flea treatment on the areas where the dog sleeps, then vacuum again and throw the bag away. If this doesn't help them, you will have to have an exterminator come in.
Good luck
Jumping in to give a warning about tea tree oil. Please be sure to never treat a pet, especially small to medium dogs and any cats, with anything more than one drop of tea tree oil per teaspoon of carrier oil or water and make sure they do not ingest it in any way (like licking cleaning). Tea tree oil can cause poisoning, central nervous system, kidney and liver damage in not only pets but also in some humans especially if ingested.
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