Canine/feline fleas (year 2)

Question 1

what is the name of the fleas that effect dogs and cats?

Answer 1

Ctenocephalides felis

Ctenocephalides canis

Question 2

describe the general morphology of fleas

Answer 2

six legs
distinct body regions 
dark glossy brown
head combs (ctenidia)
body spines
1-6mm

Question 3

what are the clinical signs of Ctenocephalides felis?

Answer 3

intense irritation
anaemia
alopecia
skin damage 
hypersensitivity - flea allergic dermatitis

Question 4

what can fleas transmit?

Answer 4

tapeworm

Question 5

describe the lifecycle of Ctenocephalides felis

Answer 5

jumps onto host after emerging from puparium, they feed and lay eggs before falling to ground (this takes around 3 weeks)
the eggs hatch and the larvae feed of flea dirt and organic debris while going through their three larval stages
they the pupate and stays within this until stimuli cause emergence

Question 6

what does hatching from the egg depend on?

Answer 6

temperature

Question 7

what stimuli can trigger a flea to jump onto a host?

Answer 7

carbon dioxide
vibration
temperature
shadow

Question 8

what is the pupal window?

Answer 8

amount of time they stay in the puparium - up to 1 year

Question 9

how long does the average lifecycle of Ctenocephalides felis take?

Answer 9

3-8 weeks

Question 10

how are fleas diagnosed?

Answer 10

adults can be seen

flea dirt present

Question 11

what is FAD and what are the clinical signs?

Answer 11

hypersensitivity to allergens in flea saliva causing alopecia, excessive grooming and skin damage

Question 12

how do fleas transmit tapeworm?

Answer 12

fleas feed and ingest tapeworm eggs they flea is then ingested by the animal during grooming hence the tapeworm is also ingested

Question 13

why are fleas hard to control?

Answer 13

most of the lifecycle isn’t on the host

Question 14

what are the two categories of drugs that can be used to treat fleas?

Answer 14

adulticides and insect growth regulators

Question 15

give two examples of an adulticide

Answer 15

fipronil, imidacloprid, isoxazolines

Question 16

how often do adulticides need to be administered?

Answer 16

monthly

Question 17

what species should fipronil not be used on?

Answer 17

rabbits

Question 18

describe the mode of action of fipronil

Answer 18

interacts with GABA to block pre/post synaptic transfer of chloride ions across cell membranes

Question 19

where and how is fipronil administered?

Answer 19

spot-on between the shoulder blades on visible skin

Question 20

what is the down side of adulticide use?

Answer 20

doesn’t kill the pupal reservoir

Question 21

how does imidacloprid work?

Answer 21

has a high affinity for nicontinergic acetylcholine receptors in the CNS but has no affect on the hosts CNS

Question 22

how is imidacloprid administered?

Answer 22

topically

Question 23

how often should animals be treated with imidacloprid?

Answer 23

every 3-4 weeks

Question 24

describe the mode of action of fluralaner

Answer 24

fleas are killed when feeding on the host and stops the production of viable eggs to break the flea cycle

Question 25

how is fluralaner administered?

Answer 25

chewable tablet

Question 26

give an example of an isoxazoline

Answer 26

fluralaner

Question 27

what are the two ways insect growth regulators work?

Answer 27

chitin synthetase inhibitor - inhibits egg hatch causing mortality during moulting
juvenile hormone analogues - mimics natural moulting hormone so the larvae can’t moult of pupate

Question 28

give examples of a chitin synthesis inhibitor

Answer 28

lufenuron and diflubenzuron

Question 29

what is an example of an insect growth regulator?

Answer 29

methoprene