Fleas

Health & Well Being
Fleas

Fleas are the most common external parasite of dogs. Even the best-kept dogs can be infested with fleas, especially if they regularly leave their property.

Left untreated the infestation quickly becomes a much bigger problem and can lead to other things such as tapeworm infection, anaemia (low red cells in the blood) and skin conditions such as flea allergy dermatitis.

But I bathed the dog...

Many dog owners think that simply bathing their dog will solve the problem, but this is not the case.  To understand how to truly keep on top of fleas, you first need to understand their lifecycle.

Fleas are a little bit like a mosquito in that they feed on blood.  Without a feed of blood, they are unable to mature and lay their eggs.  So to the flea, your greyhound is simply a moving restaurant – they jump on, have a feed, leave and then lay their eggs and die.  The majority of the flea lifecycle takes place away from the dog – in the bedding, kennels, or even in the carpet of your house if your dogs come inside.  So what you see on the dog is only the tip of the iceberg.

How does the dog get fleas in the first place?

Even if your property is completely flea-free, your dogs can become infested if fleas are brought onto the property.  This can be via a new dog, through straw-type bedding (often infested from rabbits that live in hay sheds), or from yours or the neighbour’s cat that has been off wandering and has picked up a few fleas on their travels.  Dogs, cats and rabbits all share the same fleas.  Your dog may also pick up fleas when off your property.

The flea simply jumps onto the dog as it goes past.  Once on the dog, the flea will usually head towards the rear, often spending most of the time in the hair above the base of the tail.  This is why the best place to look for fleas is in this area, or in the less hairy parts of the dog such as the belly area or inside the thighs.  Seeing fleas with the naked eye can be hard as they don’t like light, so if you part the dog’s hair the fleas will scramble into the dark areas.

Sometimes the only thing you will see is ‘flea-dirt’.  This is simply the waste matter the flea passes out after digesting its meal.  Flea dirt looks like normal grains of dark dirt in the coat, but if you wet it, it dissolves and turns a reddish colour.  Similarly, if you are bathing the dog, and the water hits the flea dirt, it will turn into a reddish stain.  If there is flea dirt, there are fleas, whether you can see them or not.

What happens once the flea is on the dog?

Once on the dog, they start feeding.  The flea will suck blood from the dog, injecting saliva as they do it.  This flea saliva can cause allergic reactions in some dogs, and they will quickly start to bite and scratch at themselves – similar to a person who is allergic to mosquito bites.  This can lead to severe coat problems, dermatitis, and damage to the skin from biting and scratching.

Once the flea has had its meal of blood, it will start to lay eggs which simply drop off the dog.  Each flea can lay hundreds of eggs, and these eggs can survive in the environment for quite a long time (even years) and are quite hard to kill.  Because the eggs drop off the dog, common places for egg infestation are bedding, resting areas, and kennels – all places where dogs spend a lot of time.

Hatching of the eggs occurs when the temperature and humidity is right.  The hatching can also be triggered by vibration.  This explains why people who move into an empty house that has previously had pets often end up with flea bites – their movement triggers the eggs to hatch and the fleas have no pets to jump onto, and end up biting the people instead!

Flea eggs hatch into larva, which look similar to a microscopic maggot.  They are not as tough as the eggs, and need warm, humid conditions to mature.  The larvae then spin a little cocoon for themselves and turn into the next lifecycle stage – the pupae.  The pupae can survive for months before hatching into adult fleas, so even if you think you have got rid of all the adult fleas, you will still have pupae waiting to hatch when the conditions are right.

How long does it take?

The whole lifecycle of the flea – from adult to eggs to adult can take as little as 2 weeks in the warm, humid months, meaning one flea can turn into hundreds which can turn into thousands in under a month!  That is why flea problems tend to be worst in the spring and summer months when the weather is just right.

What should I do to keep my dogs flea-free?

Only 5% of the flea problem is adult fleas on the dog, so the only way to be successful in controlling fleas is to address the environmental infestation as well.  In the past, people used flea combs to remove the adult fleas from the dog’s coats, but when the dog goes back to its kennel it gets re-infested.

Similarly, bathing the dog with a flea shampoo, or using a flea rinse will certainly kill the fleas on the dog at the time of the bath and rinse them from the coat, but it will do nothing to stop the dog becoming re-infested.  Add to this, many of the ‘old-fashioned’ flea rinses are quite toxic, and there is little point to using them if you want to truly solve the problem.

These days there are many ‘spot-on’ products that not only kill the fleas on the dog when applied, but go on working to kill the fleas for up to a month.  This can work quite well as you are basically using the dog to clean the environment – the eggs hatch, the fleas jump on and die, no new eggs are laid.  The environmental store of eggs gradually all hatch and you end up with reduced environmental contamination.  There are also products that have an added ingredient that stops the eggs from hatching.  The product crystallizes and small crystals fall off into the dog’s bedding and elsewhere, causing any eggs there to become sterile.

Finally, addressing the environmental contamination can also reduce the burden. Regularly vacuuming carpets will remove eggs, but remember to empty the vacuum bag into the bin as the eggs will still be alive in the bag.  Regularly washing dog blankets and bedding in hot (>60Oc) water for more than 10 minutes, or completely replacing carpet used in the kennels will also keep the environment cleaner. Avoid giving your dogs access to areas such as under the house, where the humidity and temperature are right for a fast flea lifecycle and where cleaning is almost impossible.

Finally, make sure that any new dogs coming onto your property are treated for fleas. Treating the arriving dogs yourself with a good quality flea product will ensure you keep the fleas away.  Ask your veterinarian for advice on which products would best suit your greyhound.

Meet our dogs ready for adoption

All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.

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Wolf

3 years old

Meet Wolf! He is a young boy who can be a bit unsure of new environments and situations. Once he is comfortable, he allows his true colours to shine through and is puppyish, playful and affectionate. Wolf appears to have some issues with his vision, so he will need a special home who can manage this over the course of his life. Wolf may suit living with or without a canine pal of similar size and older children aged in their teens. Wolf has low vision, which isn't expected to get any worse. He doesn't require medication for this. He will be adopted out with a approval for a follow up appointment with an eye specialist, paid for by GAP.
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Jett

4 years old

This boy is ready to Jett his way into your heart and onto your couch! Sweet Jett is an incredibly friendly and outgoing boy with a puppy like nature and loves nothing more than a cuddle and play! Due to his excitement towards life Jett would be best in a home with a family who is experienced with large breed dogs! He may suit a home with another medium or large canine companion who likes to play as much as he does. He may be best suited to a home with children 10+ who can also keep up with him!
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Angus

4 years old

If you're looking for an enthusiastic young boy to be part of the family then look no further than Angus! Angus is an awesome outgoing and lovable goofbag that would love to be your new best friend. He absolutely loves toys and treats and would benefit from an adoptive home who will include him in all the day to day activities. He would be best suited to a home with a backyard as he loves to stretch his legs! He may suit a home with full time workers and children in their teens Angus is very special needs, he has retinal atrophy, he is looking for a special person, he has significant loss of sight now and complete vision loss over time is expected, he can learn to navigate in a stable environment and live a wonderful life with the right owners who are mindful of this. Talk to our adoption team to learn more about him.
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Stevie

4 years old

Our wonderful Stevie boy is ready to win hearts. Stevie is a lovely and friendly boy who can charm anyone with his outgoing and affectionate personality. He loves his toys and may be best suited to a home with children 10+ and would enjoy having another dog to be his buddy. We could all use a bit of Stevie love in our lives! Stevie would also love a backyard to run and play in. Stevie has spent some time in foster care and his foster carer said that he is a "...happy, big goofball, eager to please, cuddler and leaner. sleeps all night. plays with every toy likes soft toys and chew toys, favourite is the snorting pig and chasing ball. loves digging them all out of the basket. would be great with another large dog or by himself as long as he has things he can play with." Stevie has some osteo arthritis from an old injury, but this doesn't stop him from being his bright, bubbly self.
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Esmae ARP

2 years old

Esmae is everyone’s friend! She is sweet, funny, personable and puppyish. She loves being around other dogs and people and would love to find a home with another dog bestie to spend her days hanging out with. She loves to lean on anyone that wants to give her pats and attention. We think Esmae will best suit living as an only dog as she does not want to share the love, she would also suit children 5 and over. Esmae may even suit living with fulltime workers.
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Poppy

9 years old

Meet Poppy, the lovely and endearing greyhound lady who's ready to bloom in her forever home! This gentle soul is as sweet as can be, with a heart of gold and a desire to please. Poppy loves people and enjoys human interaction, making her a fantastic companion for families and individuals alike. Poppy has been through behavioural rehabilitation, which has helped her become a confident and well-adjusted greyhound. She's perfect for families with kids aged 10+, who will adore her calm and gentle nature. Poppy would most likely love to live as the only furry friend or alongside respectful medium to large male dog. She is a perfect lady on the lead and walks quietly by your side. Poppy has Inflammatory bowel disease, but this doesn't stop her happy go lucky attitude.
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Dwight

4 years old

Dorky Dwight is in the search for his forever family! This boy is incredibly affectionate and has nothing higher on his wish list than someone who can provide bum scratches. When he isn't requesting affection, he is showing off his goofy and puppy-like side that is sure to make you laugh! Due to his playful ways, he may suit a home with children 10+ who can play with him! He may enjoy a medium or large canine sibling but may also like being the star of the show as a solo pooch! His playful nature means he wouldn't do best in a home with small dogs or cats, and will need some space to run, therefore wouldn't suit apartment life.
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Mia

7 years old

Meet Mia, a friendly and affectionate greyhound who's bursting with enthusiasm! This extroverted girl loves people and can't get enough attention - she's always eager to please and shower her humans with affection. With her bubbly personality, Mia's sure to bring joy and excitement to her forever home. Mia's looking for a household where she can be the only dog, and she's suitable for families with or without kids aged 10+. While she's a wonderful companion, Mia's still working on her manners, so she'll need a patient and understanding owner to help her learn and grow. If you're ready to provide Mia with love, guidance, and a forever home, she'll reward you with loyalty, affection, and plenty of personality!

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Meeko

3 years old

Meet Meeko, the charming and playful greyhound gentleman who's ready to capture your heart! This friendly boy has a delightful puppyish streak, loving nothing more than seeking attention and playtime from his favourite humans. Meeko's unique trait is his love of seeking eye contact, often gazing adoringly at his people to connect and show affection. Meeko is perfect for families with kids aged 5+, who will adore his energetic and loving personality. With his outgoing and affectionate nature, Meeko promises to bring joy and companionship to his new family. If you're looking for a loving and playful buddy, Meeko is ready to be your new best friend! Meeko has an old hock fracture which has healed well, without any hardware present. Meeko needs a home with another dog for company, and can also be a bit anxious in new situations.
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Shelby

6 years old

Meet adorable Shelby, who has the best ears going around. Sweet Shelby is a fun and confident girl who loves water and cuddles; she is incredibly affectionate and outgoing and is sure to become your best buddy! Shelby may enjoy having a medium or large canine sibling but may also enjoy being the centre of attention as an only dog! Due to her energetic ways Shelby may do best with a home with children 10+ who can keep up with her and wouldn't suit a home with a small dog or cats.
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