Parasites and Parasitic Diseases of Dogs 



15 



The liuman flea (fig. 13) appears to be the most common flea 

 attacking clogs and persons along the western coast of the United 

 States and in 

 parts of the 

 South. It has 

 substantially the 

 same habits as 

 have the dog and 

 cat fleas, but 

 spends more time 

 off its host ani- 

 mal than do these 



The sticktight 

 flea (fig. 14) is 

 most common in 

 the Southern and 

 Southwest ern 

 States, but may 

 occur as far 

 north as Kansas. 

 It is normally a 

 parasite of poul- 

 try and may oc- 

 cur on birds in 

 sufficient numbers 

 to cause death. 

 It has little dis- 

 position to move about on its host, but remains firmly attached 

 to the skin most of the time. Dogs usually become infested with 



this flea by contact with in- 

 fested fowls and premises. 



Symptoms. — A number of 

 species of fleas, including the 

 dog flea, are known to carry 

 the organism of bubonic 

 plague, a very serious disease 

 which man shares with such 

 rodents as rats. Plague occa- 

 sionally occurs in the United 

 States. The human flea is 

 thought to convey infantile 

 kala-azar at times. The dog 

 flea, cat flea, and human flea 

 act as intermediate hosts of 

 the double-pored tapeworm, 

 just as the biting louse has 

 already been shown to act. 

 In the case of fleas the larval 

 fleas become infested with the 

 larval tapeworms by eating tapeworm eggs present in contaminated 

 trash, in bedding, and elsewhere. Fleas are, therefore, dangerous 

 as carriers of disease and parasites. 



Fig. 13. — The human flea, Pulex irritans. Male. 

 Enlarged. From Bishopp, 1921 



Lateral view. 



Fig. 14. — The chicken flea or sticktight flea, 

 Ecliidnopluiga (juJJinacea. Female. Lateral 

 view. Enlarged. From Bishopp, 1921 



