Pet Information

Why do fleas live on dogs?

Fleas are parasites. A parasite is a plant or animal that lives with, in or on another living organism. The other organism is called the “host. Fleas (parasites) lives on dogs and cats (host) by sucking blood. It has a small round head and mouth adapted to sucking. It has a tiny body, no wings and three pairs of legs. The long hind legs of the flea make it a wonderful jumper. They can jump 7-8 inches into the air, and can jump 12 inches forward. There are hundreds of species of fleas around the world, and at least 50 different species live in the United States. Fleas don’t just live on cats and dogs. They can infest any warm- blooded animals including human.