What Happens If You Eat Flea Eggs?
WouterFleas lay eggs after biting a person or animal. These eggs are white and about the size of a salt crystal. These larvae will hatch within two days or weeks after being exposed to human or animal blood. Adult fleas are about one eighth of an inch long and are brown to black in color. They can live on a host for over 100 days.
Once the eggs hatch, the flea larvae will feed on organic debris. They will eventually need to consume dried blood that they can find from the adult fleas’ feces. Fleas lay their eggs on animals, birds, and people. Humans can’t catch or kill fleas, but they can pass them on to other humans if they come in contact with their fur or feathers.
If you’re concerned about fleas, your veterinarian may recommend a product that kills flea eggs. There are several types of insect growth regulators on the market. These products are safe for pets and mimic a hormone that stops fleas from maturing and hatching. These agents also sterilize female fleas. These chemicals are available in oral medications, sprays, and spot-on skin applications. They can also be used to target flea eggs in pet bedding. Your veterinarian can recommend the proper combination for your dog or cat.
Fleas can cause severe diseases. Bubonic plague is the most common disease caused by fleas. In the 14th century, it caused the “Black Death” and killed as many as 25 million people. That’s about 50 percent of the European population. Other diseases caused by fleas include murine typhus, which occurs in tropical regions and rat-infested areas.
