In order to learn how to deal with fleas on your Australian Cattle Dog, first you have to learn about the flea’s entire life cycle. Adult fleas are about 1/8 inch long, wingless, and have three pairs of legs. The hind pair of legs is modified for jumping.

Fleas are vertically flat like a fish, and can move easily through the hair of a host. The immature stage or larval stage of the flea looks like a small white worm with a dark head. Flea eggs are small and white.

Adult female fleas require a blood meal to produce viable eggs. Eggs are laid on the dog, but because they are not glued onto hairs, the eggs fall off the animal into the bedding, carpet, yard, or wherever a dog spends most of its time. It has been recorded that a single female flea may lay 400-800 eggs over the span of five months!

The very small, worm-like larvae live among the carpet fibers or cracks and crevices in the home. Adult fleas emerge from the cocoon very quickly and immediately jump on the host. Once on the host they feed on blood by biting through the skin. Given the best conditions, a flea can go through its entire life cycle in 14 days.

While fleas are a problem everywhere, these pests can be especially troublesome for those who live in climates that have no freezing temperatures to kill off the existing infestation. Granted, the flea force returns just as soon as the warmer weather sets in, but at least there is some respite. The more temperate climates do not even have this relief.

As fastidious as you might be about caring for your Australian Cattle Dog and keeping its coat in good condition, you must be aware that fleas will still be a problem unless dealt with on a continuing basis.

Even if you were to protect your Cattle Dog like a hothouse flower, daily walks can bring fleas into your home, and once there the little creatures multiply with alarming rapidity.

Flea shampoos, powders, and sprays that were customarily used in the past contain insecticides that vary in their effectiveness. Their goal was to remove the fleas that were present on the animal at the time of use, thus constant repetition was necessary. But even then the products failed significantly to rid the household or dogs’ living quarters of the problem.

According to Consumer Reports’ August 1991 edition, flea collars aren’t effective and are probably a waste of money. Ultrasonic flea collars are absolutely worthless because they do not work.

Fortunately there are significant advances that have been made in the last decade or so to safely and effectively control flea infestation. Not all require veterinarian prescription, but it is always wise to consult your veterinarian on the advisability and dosage of any of these products and always read and follow label directions for the safe use of any pesticide.