Dogs scratching their ears incessantly or cats over-grooming their bellies are tell-tale signs of a flea problem. Pet owners in Eugene know the struggle well.
If these signs sound familiar to you, here’s what you need to know about fleas and how to deal with them.
Why are fleas so bad in Eugene?
Much like how crops grow with ease in the region thanks to fertile soils and temperate climates, fleas thrive in the Willamette Valley, too.
“Flea issues are super, super common here in the Willamette Valley because we have an ideal environment for fleas to live. Meaning that we don’t go below freezing for extended periods of time in the winter and we don’t get dried out enough in the summer to desiccate everything and kill it,” Sinkowski said. “We do see fleas year-round here in the Willamette Valley and we are helping people every single day try and mitigate flea issues here at the clinic.”
How to tell if my pet has fleas?
Dr. Jessie Sinkowski, owner of Four Corners Veterinary Clinic in Eugene, said fleas are external parasites that spend the adult portion of their life cycle on domestic animals. She said the most common flea she sees is the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, which is found on both dogs and cats…