Phylum Arthropdoa, Class Insecta, Order Siphonoptera

Question 1

Order: Siphonaptera

Answer 1

Fleas

Blood-sucking parasites

Question 2

What are hosts to only a few species of fleas?

Answer 2

Dogs and cats

Question 3

What is the saliva of fleas?

Answer 3

Antigenic and irritating

Question 4

What does a flea infestation cause?

Answer 4

Severe anemia in puppies and kittens
Pruritus
Hypersensitivity

Question 5

What are the diseases associated with fleas?

Answer 5

Flea bite Dermatitis
Diplylidium caninum
Acanthocheilonema reconditum
Anemia
Rickettsial diseases
Plague (Yersinia pestis)
Cat Scratch Disease

Question 6

What is the common name of Ctenocephalides felis?

Answer 6

Cat flea

Question 7

What is the host of Ctenocephalides felis?

Answer 7

Dogs and cats

Question 8

What is an infestation of fleas called?

Answer 8

Siphonapterosis

Question 9

What is partially digested blood (poop)?

Answer 9

Flea dirt

Question 10

What are the characteristics of fleas?

Answer 10

Laterally compressed
Wingless
Legs for jumping

Question 11

What species of flea is less common?

Answer 11

Ctenocephalides canis

Question 12

What causes flea allergy dermatitis?

Answer 12

An allergy to the flea saliva

Just one or two fleas can cause severe pruritis

Question 13

What stage is 5% of the flea population in at any given time?

Answer 13

The adult stage

Question 14

What stage is 50% of the flea population in?

Answer 14

The egg stage

Question 15

What is critical to control fleas?

Answer 15

Environmental control

Insect growth regulators (IGR)

Question 16

What are some examples of topical flea control?

Answer 16

Frontline Plus
Advantage II
K9 Advantix

Question 17

What ingredient in K9 Advantix II is toxic to cats?

Answer 17

Permethrin

Question 18

What happens to the active ingredients in the topical flea control products?

Answer 18

They are stored in the sebaceous glands
Wicked out of the hair follicles
Continuously distributed to the coat for 30 days

Question 19

What happens to the active ingredients in oral flea preventatives?

Answer 19

They are released slowly and stored in either the blood or tissue fluid and then kills the fleas as long as the concentration is high enough

Question 20

Why does flea preventative from the vet cost so much more than at the pet store?

Answer 20

Prescription flea preventatives contain an insect growth regulator that kills flea eggs and larvae

Question 21

What is important to remember in regards to flea control?

Answer 21

95% of the life cycle is off the pet

Question 22

What do you need to treat the environment with to get rid of fleas?

Answer 22

Residual spray, bombs, outdoor sprays and yard sprays

Treat the environment again in 8 weeks

Question 23

Phylum Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order Mallophaga

Answer 23

Biting and chewing lice

Question 24

What are the characteristics of biting and chewing lice?

Answer 24

Broad, rounded head
Feed on epithelial debris
Move rapidly over the host
Smaller than sucking lice

Question 25

Phylum Arthropoda
Class Insecta
Order Anoplura

Answer 25

Sucking lice

Question 26

What are the characteristics of sucking lice?

Answer 26

Long, narrow head to feed on blood
Move slowly over host
Red to gray in color

Question 27

What are host specific?

Answer 27

Lice

Question 28

What is an infestation of lice called?

Answer 28

Pediculosis

Question 29

What is the life cycle of lice

Answer 29

Eggs or nits are glues to the hair or feathers of the host
Nits hatch in approximately 5 to 14 days
Nymphal stage
Adult

Question 30

How long does the Nymphal stage last?

Answer 30

2 to 3 weeks

3 different stages