List of articles № 69
When should a borreliosis test be taken after a tick bite?
Tick-borne diseases account for a substantial proportion of vector‑borne infections worldwide, with incidence rising in temperate regions. Seasonal activity of Ixodes species, expanding habitats, and increased human exposure create a persistent public‑health challenge.. Date latest changes:
What will happen if a dog licks off flea and tick medication?
Spot‑On products are liquid formulations applied directly to a dog’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades. The medication spreads across the skin surface, forming a protective layer that kills fleas, ticks, and other parasites for weeks.. Date latest changes:
Can hair dye permanently eliminate lice?
Head lice are wingless insects that live on the human scalp and feed on blood several times a day. Adult females lay 6‑10 eggs (nits) per day, attaching them firmly to hair shafts near the scalp. Eggs hatch in 7‑10 days, releasing nymphs that mature into adults within another 9‑12 days.. Date latest changes:
The organism commonly known as the tick exhibits a remarkable capacity for widespread distribution. Its small size, resilient exoskeleton, and ability to endure long periods without feeding enable survival across diverse environments. Seasonal activity patterns align with host availability, ensuring continuous opportunities for blood meals.. Date latest changes:
How can a kitten be quickly treated for fleas at home?
Visual inspection is the first step in confirming a flea infestation on a kitten. Direct observation of the coat and skin reveals the presence of adult fleas, flea dirt, or irritated patches that require immediate attention. To conduct an effective examination:. Date latest changes:
What should I do about bed bugs in an apartment, and how can I eliminate them at home?
Bed bugs are small, oval insects measuring 4–5 mm when unfed and expanding to about 7 mm after a blood meal. Their color ranges from reddish‑brown to dark brown, becoming lighter after feeding. The body is flat and wingless, with a distinct “cigar‑shaped” silhouette and six legs ending in tiny claws.. Date latest changes:
How can you quickly and effectively remove fleas from a puppy at home?
Live fleas are adult insects that feed on the blood of mammals, causing irritation and potential disease transmission. Their bodies are flattened laterally, allowing movement through a puppy’s fur. A single flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day, leading to rapid population growth if untreated.. Date latest changes:
How many days after a bath can a dog be treated for fleas and ticks?
Bathing removes the oils that spot‑on flea and tick products rely on for skin absorption. Applying a spot‑on to a wet or recently rinsed coat reduces the medication’s ability to spread across the skin and may lower its efficacy. Wait at least 24 hours after a thorough bath before applying a spot‑on.. Date latest changes:
Pubic lice, also known as Pthirus pubis , are tiny, wingless insects that inhabit the coarse hair of the human genital area, though they may also be found in armpits, chest, abdomen, facial hair, and eyebrows. Adult lice measure 1–2 mm, have a crab‑like shape, and are usually gray‑brown or tan.. Date latest changes:
What do bedbug excrement look like?
Bed bug fecal marks serve as a primary visual cue for confirming an infestation. Their dark, elongated spots, often found on bedding, walls, and furniture, differ from other insect droppings by size and color, allowing accurate species identification without laboratory analysis.. Date latest changes:
Dog has fleas: what to do at home?
When a dog is suspected of a flea infestation, visual confirmation is the first decisive step. Examine the coat, skin, and surrounding environment with a systematic approach. Begin by parting the fur with a fine‑toothed flea comb. Run the comb from the head to the tail, paying special attention to the neck, behind the ears, and the base of the tail.. Date latest changes:
Which essential oils repel fleas?
Essential oils repel fleas primarily through volatile compounds that interfere with the insects’ sensory and nervous systems. When applied to a pet’s coat or the surrounding environment, these molecules evaporate, creating a scent barrier that fleas find unattractive.. Date latest changes:
How quickly can I eliminate bedbugs from a house?
Prolonged bed‑bug infestation poses measurable health risks. Bites cause localized skin reactions that may evolve from mild redness to intense swelling, sometimes accompanied by itching or pain. Repeated exposure can lead to hypersensitivity, where subsequent bites trigger larger, more painful lesions.. Date latest changes:
How can fleas be fought indoors?
Flea eggs are microscopic, oval, and not adhesive; they fall from adult fleas onto carpets, bedding, and floor seams. Within two to five days, eggs hatch into larvae, which then seek dark, humid refuges to develop. Interrupting this stage prevents the rapid expansion of an indoor infestation.. Date latest changes:
What is the term for tick treatment?
The correct term for substances used to eliminate ticks is acaricide . An acaricide is a chemically formulated agent that specifically targets ticks and related arachnids, causing mortality through disruption of nervous, metabolic, or respiratory pathways.. Date latest changes:
How to get rid of ticks on a property?
Identifying the tick species present on a property is a prerequisite for effective control. Different species vary in host preferences, seasonal activity, and disease transmission potential, so accurate recognition informs targeted interventions.. Date latest changes:
Is a small black tick dangerous or not?
Small black ticks are a distinct group of arachnids that share similar size and coloration but differ in host preferences, geographic distribution, and disease potential. Ixodes scapularis (black‑legged tick) – found in eastern North America, adult females appear dark, while nymphs are tiny and almost uniformly black.. Date latest changes:
How can you protect a dog from fleas and ticks?
Understanding the flea’s development is essential for effective canine protection. The insect’s progression through four distinct stages determines when and where interventions are most successful. Egg: Female fleas deposit 20‑50 eggs on the host’s skin;. Date latest changes:
How long can a tick live without food in an apartment?
Ticks lay eggs in protected indoor locations such as carpet seams, baseboard cracks, or pet bedding. The egg stage lasts from 7 to 30 days, depending on temperature and humidity. Warm, moist environments (22‑28 °C, relative humidity ≥ 80 %) accelerate development;. Date latest changes:
How to treat spider mites on fir trees?
Detecting spider mite activity on firs depends on clear visual indicators. Recognizing these signs enables prompt intervention before populations cause extensive damage. Fine webbing on needle clusters, especially on the underside. Needle discoloration ranging from light yellow to bronze, often forming a mottled pattern.. Date latest changes:
How can I differentiate bedbug bites from flea bites?
Bed bug and flea bites differ noticeably in size, shape, and arrangement. Bed‑bug marks are typically 2‑5 mm, raised, red, and may develop a central punctum. They often appear in linear or clustered patterns, reflecting the insect’s tendency to feed along a host’s skin while moving in a straight line.. Date latest changes:
How to assess tick burden by stages?
Assessing tick burden across developmental stages provides the data needed to evaluate disease transmission risk, design effective control strategies, and allocate resources efficiently. Quantitative information on larval, nymphal, and adult populations establishes baseline conditions, identifies temporal spikes, and reveals spatial hotspots, enabling stakeholders to prioritize interventions where they will have the greatest impact.. Date latest changes:
Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) are small, wing‑less insects that thrive in human environments. Adult specimens measure 4–5 mm in length, roughly the size of an apple seed, and display a flattened, oval body that enables them to hide in cracks and seams.. Date latest changes:
Are fleas dangerous for humans: facts and myths?
Fleas belong to the order Siphonaptera, comprising wing‑less, laterally flattened insects that specialize in ectoparasitism on warm‑blooded vertebrates. Their bodies range from 1 to 4 mm in length, are covered by a hardened exoskeleton, and possess enlarged hind legs that enable jumps up to 150 times their own height.. Date latest changes:
How to get rid of a tick at home?
Ticks that appear inside residential environments belong to a limited set of species adapted to human dwellings or to pets that share the home. Understanding their distinguishing features aids identification and informs control measures. Deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) – Small, reddish‑brown body, dark scutum on the back.. Date latest changes:
Can fleas be transmitted from person to person?
Fleas are small, wing‑less insects belonging to the order Siphonaptera. Their bodies are laterally flattened, covered with hardened chitin, and equipped with powerful hind legs that enable rapid jumping. Adult fleas measure 1–4 mm, possess piercing‑sucking mouthparts, and feed exclusively on the blood of mammals and birds.. Date latest changes:
Why does a dog constantly itch even though there are no fleas?
Dogs that scratch continuously despite the absence of fleas often suffer from allergic reactions. Allergens trigger an immune response that releases histamine and other mediators, causing inflammation and intense pruritus. Common allergy categories include:. Date latest changes:
What can be used to eradicate bedbugs at home?
Effective home‑based eradication relies on agents whose physical attributes directly affect bedbug survival. High temperature destroys insects by denaturing proteins; exposure to 120 °F (49 °C) for at least 30 minutes guarantees mortality. Steam devices deliver moist heat at 212 °F (100 °C) and penetrate fabrics, cracks, and seams, reaching insects hidden in deep crevices.. Date latest changes:
When can a dog be washed after flea treatment?
Spot‑On flea treatments are applied directly to the skin along the dog’s back. The medication spreads through the oil layer on the coat and enters the bloodstream, killing fleas that bite. Because the product relies on an uninterrupted oil film, water can dilute it and reduce efficacy.. Date latest changes:
What do bed bugs look like and where do they hide?
Bed bugs are small, oval insects that measure approximately 4–5 mm in length, comparable to an apple seed. Their bodies are flat when unfed, allowing easy insertion into narrow crevices. After a blood meal, they expand to about 6–7 mm, becoming rounded and visibly engorged.. Date latest changes:
Which antibiotic should be prescribed to children after a tick bite?
Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by Ixodes ticks, is the most common vector‑borne infection in children in endemic regions. Early infection may present within days to weeks after a bite with erythema migrans, fever, headache, fatigue, or arthralgia.. Date latest changes:
How to treat strawberries for mites after harvest?
Mite populations persist on harvested strawberries through several developmental stages, each influencing the effectiveness of control measures. Eggs hatch within 2–5 days at typical storage temperatures (4–10 °C), producing mobile larvae that can migrate across fruit surfaces and packaging.. Date latest changes:
Which flea drops for the neck are best to buy for cats?
Flea‑control products applied to a cat’s neck rely on a limited set of active compounds that interrupt the parasite’s life cycle. Fipronil : blocks GABA‑gated chloride channels in the nervous system, causing hyperexcitation and death of adult fleas.. Date latest changes:
Where do fleas in the basement of an apartment building come from?
Flea populations that appear in a building’s basement originate from eggs laid by adult females seeking sheltered, humid environments. Female fleas deposit thousands of eggs on surfaces such as carpet fibers, upholstery, or cracks in concrete floors.. Date latest changes:
What sensations are caused by tick bites?
Ticks attach to host skin without triggering pain receptors. Their mouthparts, called chelicerae, cut a tiny opening and insert a barbed hypostome that anchors the parasite. Saliva contains anesthetic compounds that block nerve signals at the bite site, preventing the host from feeling the initial penetration.. Date latest changes:
How long after a bath can a cat be treated for fleas?
Natural oils can be incorporated into flea control programs for cats, but their effectiveness depends on the timing of application relative to a recent bath. After a bath, the cat’s skin surface is saturated with water and shampoo residues, which dilute oil concentration and reduce contact time with parasites.. Date latest changes:
How many bed bugs can survive without food after an apartment treatment?
Bed bugs progress through five distinct stages: egg, five nymphal instars, and adult. Each stage requires a blood meal to advance, except the egg, which hatches after 6‑10 days under optimal temperature (20‑30 °C). Egg: Oval, 0.5 mm, laid in clusters of 5‑10;. Date latest changes:
How can you quickly get rid of fleas on the floor at home?
Fleas progress through four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Each stage presents specific vulnerabilities that can be exploited for rapid floor eradication. Egg – Laid on the host or in the surrounding environment; hatch within 2–5 days under optimal temperature (70–85 °F) and humidity (>. Date latest changes:
How should FleaNet drops be used to protect cats from fleas and ticks?
FleaNet drops contain two pharmacologically active compounds that work together to eliminate adult ectoparasites and prevent the emergence of new generations. The primary component, fipronil, interferes with the gamma‑aminobutyric acid‑gated chloride channels in the nervous system of fleas and ticks, causing rapid paralysis and death.. Date latest changes:
How can you get rid of lice on cats?
Cats host two primary lice species. Felicola subrostratus, the chewing louse, feeds on skin debris and hair, causing itching, hair loss, and scabs. It spends its entire life cycle on the host, laying eggs (nits) near the hair shaft. Linognathus setosus, the sucking louse, pierces the skin to ingest blood, leading to anemia and intense irritation.. Date latest changes: