Why Fleas Live on Pets and Not Humans
When you think of fleas, you probably associate them with your pet. Fleas generally live on dogs, cats, birds, or other warm-blooded animals, because their fur and feathers make it easy to hide and reproduce.
Fleas are very small, wingless parasites that bite skin and suck blood to survive.
While fleas don't typically live on human bodies, they can still bite you. A flea can jump up to 13 inches, so it's possible a pet or other animal can transfer them to you.
This article looks at where fleas prefer to live, how long they live, and how to get rid of them.
Can fleas live on humans as well as pets?
Fleas do not live on humans, but they can still bite us. In the United States, the most common fleas are cat fleas. These can live on both cats and dogs. There are also dog fleas, but they are less common in the United States.
Fleas can also live on other mammals and birds, such as rodents and livestock. There are 2,500 different types of fleas around the world.
Fleas are attracted to animals because of their fur or feathers. They can burrow into fluffy bodies to hide and feed. They then lay eggs that eventually hatch after the larva and pupa stages.
This cycle can cause a flea infestation on your pet (or livestock) that will need to be treated.
Fleas do not live on humans because they lack substantial hair like animals, and it's very difficult to reproduce without the protection of fur or feathers.
Can humans get fleas in their hair?
Fleas do not live on humans, but they may jump on your hair if you're sleeping with a pet or bending down to pet them.
Generally, though, flea bites occur near the feet, ankles, and legs by jumping from an infested pet or an item in your home. Fleas can live in carpets, fabric-covered furniture (like sofas), and pet beds.
How long can fleas live on humans?
It is very unlikely that a flea will stay on your body for any substantial amount of time. Humans do not have fur or feathers like other animals and birds. Fur and feathers give fleas a safe place to lay eggs and repopulate without being noticed.
If a flea lands on you, you're likely to wash or scratch it off before it can breed.
Can humans carry fleas from one home to another?
It's rare that a flea will transfer from one body to another. It's more likely that an animal or person will get fleas from areas where animals live and sleep.
It's possible that bringing an infested pet bed into a new home could spread fleas to another source.
Do fleas bite humans?
Fleas can bite people, most often on the feet, ankles, and legs. They may bite three times in a row. This is known as 'breakfast, lunch, and dinner.'
Typically, the initial bites do not cause a lesion in the skin, but once an individual is exposed to the fleas for a longer period of time, they may develop a hypersensitive reaction.
The red marks from a flea bite may last a few days, but they may get worse if you are more sensitive to the bites or if the area becomes infected.
The photo below shows what flea bites on a person with white skin look like.
Do fleas pose any other dangers to people or pets?
Fleas are more than a nuisance. They can actually cause several serious conditions and may be fatal to animals if the infestation is so severe that it interferes with their overall health.
Fleaborne diseases
Fleas can carry several different diseases that may be transmitted during a bite. In the United States, the most common include:
plague (in Western states)
typhus (in Southern states)
cat scratch fever (also called cat scratch disease)
parasites (such as tapeworms)
These diseases, whose incidence rates appear to be increasing due to the effects of climate change, require medical treatment, such as antibiotics or antiparasitic medications.
Allergic reactions
A flea bite may cause an allergic reaction on your skin because your body reacts strongly to the flea's saliva.
An allergic reaction to the bite can cause flea allergy dermatitis. This can result in:
irritated, red skin
extreme itchiness
hives
infection
Allergic reactions to flea bites can also occur in animals. An allergic reaction can cause an animal to scratch their bites to such an extent that their skin becomes raw or they lose hair.
In these cases, you'll need to take your pet to a vet for diagnosis and treatment.
How to get rid of a flea infestation
If you suspect a flea infestation, you will need to treat both your pet and your home. There are several methods you can try to remove fleas.
To remove fleas from your pet
Talk to a veterinarian about the safest and most effective method for flea removal.
Use a flea comb when grooming your pet.
Leave soap on your pet for at least 5 or 10 minutes when giving them a bath.
Use a veterinarian-prescribed flea medication that kills fleas.
Follow the instructions very closely for over-the-counter flea products.
Protect your pet by avoiding the application of flea removal in their eyes, nose, and mouth.
Use gloves and other protective gear on yourself when applying flea removal products.
To remove fleas from inside or outside your home
Wash pet beds and other fabric toys or mats in hot water.
Vacuum thoroughly, then transfer the vacuumed debris to a plastic bag, seal it, and dispose of it outside immediately.
Apply insecticides to baseboards, but make sure the insecticides you're using are not harmful to pets.
Clean all upholstery (furniture, rugs, carpet, bedding window treatments) often.
Close up holes where wild animals may get into or near your house.
Remove debris surrounding your house.
Call a pest control service if you suspect you have a serious infestation of fleas.
Preventing a flea infestation in your home
You can avoid a flea infestation in your home in several ways, including:
checking your pet regularly for fleas
cleaning your pet's sleeping areas
preventing your pet from entering spaces likely to have fleas from other animals, like crawl spaces or barns
The most common reason veterinarians see pets with fleas is that owners stop giving their pets quality flea and tick prevention during the cold, winter months.
Fleas can survive off an animal's body in the summer, but have to be on a body in the winter to survive. That's why it's important to provide year-round monthly flea prevention to your pet to prevent infestations.
Takeaway
Fleas can bite humans, but they prefer to live on animals that offer the protection of fur and feathers. Fleas can also live in the sleeping spaces of your pets, such as beds, carpets, and sofas.
Flea bites are irritating and may also cause a more serious health condition that requires a doctor's treatment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
WebMD
a minute ago
- WebMD
Fans Can Help in High Heat — but Only If You Use Them Right
Aug. 1, 2025 – In extreme heat, a fan can be your friend — or not. New research finds that electric fans might help cool you down even at higher temperatures than previously thought, if you use them the right way. The finding is the latest in a long quest to pinpoint exactly when it's too hot to use an electric fan. Since the 1990s, the CDC has cautioned against fan use above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The new study, published this week in JAMA Network Open, suggests that in certain conditions – particularly when fans are combined with skin wetting – they may help reduce heat strain and improve comfort, even in 100-degree heat. (The World Health Organization caps the threshold at 104 degrees, and other recent research is also in line with the higher limit.) 'When the air temperature becomes greater than our skin temperature, then we actually gain heat from the environment,' said Daniel Gagnon, PhD, an expert in thermal physiology and co-author of the new study. That's why fans can sometimes increase your body temperature, despite feeling cool. With climate change fueling longer, more dangerous heat waves, especially in urban areas, figuring out safe and effective ways to cool down is crucial, particularly for older adults and people with heart conditions, who are more susceptible to heat-related illness. Here's what the new research found. 1. There is a tipping point when it comes to using fans to stay cool. Why it matters: In the study, when people used fans for cooling in conditions of 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 60% humidity, the fans 'reduced the amount of work that the heart was doing and reduced internal body temperature a little bit,' said Gagnon, an associate professor of kinesiology at Université de Montréal in Canada. 'People felt better, and they had better sensations of comfort.' The study included people ages 65 and older — including some with heart disease — but its results can apply to people of all ages, Gagnon said. The takeaway: When people used fans in 104 degrees, the researchers saw signs that their bodies were heating up, putting them at risk for heat-related illnesses. If you're concerned, use air-conditioning or seek out air-conditioned public spaces. Dialing 211 can help you find one. 2. Fan use only works if you stay hydrated. Why it matters: Sweat cools the body by letting internal heat escape through evaporation. A fan speeds that process by boosting convective heat transfer — the same way a convection oven moves heat to a food's surface, helping it cook faster. But it only works if you're sweating enough to keep the cycle going. That's why you need to drink plenty of water. The takeaway: Aim for about 8 ounces of water per hour — that's how much people in the study drank. Don't wait until you're thirsty; carry water with you and sip constantly. 3. Skin wetting can help a fan cool you more effectively. Why it matters: Using multiple cooling techniques is a great approach to hot days, Gagnon said. If you have air conditioning and want to save energy, use it to cool the room slightly. Then turn on a fan and mist your skin. And when temperatures do rise to extremes, combining the fan with skin wetting may still help keep you cool. During experiments in 104-degree rooms, 'it reduced the amount of work that the heart does, it reduced sweating, and people felt a little bit better,' Gagnon said. The takeaway: For this strategy to work, you need to keep your skin constantly wet. In the experiments, people used a spray bottle, but it's OK to use other options like wet cloths. Make sure you're paying attention to the temperature of where you are — indoor air temperatures can be hotter than outdoors, especially in spaces with poor ventilation or no air conditioning. If you notice signs of heat exhaustion — like dizziness, nausea, headache, or blurred vision — get out of the heat right away, rest, and drink plenty of fluids. Someone with heat exhaustion should seek medical care if symptoms don't improve within an hour or immediately if they become confused or distressed, pass out, or can't keep fluids down.
CNN
2 minutes ago
- CNN
HHS further constrains certain vaccine advisers to the CDC, limiting their input in evidence reviews
Vaccines Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink Follow In a further jolt to the process of reviewing and recommending vaccines at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, another group of outside advisers to the agency was abruptly sidelined this week. In an email sent late Thursday evening, which was obtained by CNN, members of roughly 30 medical and public health organizations who serve as liaison members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, were told they could no longer participate in the committee's crucial workgroups. Liaison members don't vote at ACIP's public meetings on vaccine recommendations, but they can participate by asking questions and commenting on presentations. Behind the scenes, they have also historically done important work undertaking detailed evidence reviews of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines that helps to inform the group's votes. Those reviews happen in subcommittees called workgroups. As of late last year, ACIP had 11 active workgroups. In addition to studying scientific research, workgroups consider issues of public health importance like what age groups might get the most benefit from a vaccine, what an immunization costs and whether it will be accessible to people who should get it. Workgroups also help craft the language of the recommendations that are voted on by the full committee. Votes are typically held during ACIP's three public meetings each year. If ACIP approves a recommendation, it's forwarded to the CDC director for consideration. The director isn't bound by the committee's recommendation but usually follows it. Liaisons include groups like the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Pharmacists Association. Members also represent nurses and public health officials, typically groups that play a significant role in delivering vaccinations. The latest move comes more than a month after US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed all 17 voting members of ACIP, replacing them days later with eight of his own picks, many of whom have cast doubt on the safety of vaccines and public policy around vaccination. One member later dropped out during the required financial review. The email sent Thursday called the liaison members 'special interest groups' that are 'expected to have a 'bias' based on their constituency and/or population they represent.' 'It is important that the ACIP workgroup activities remain free of any influence from any special interest groups so ACIP workgroups will no longer include Liaison organizations,' the email said. Andrew Nixon, director of communications for HHS, said in a statement Friday that 'Under the old ACIP, outside pressure to align with vaccine orthodoxy limited asking the hard questions. The old ACIP members were plagued by conflicts of interest, influence and bias. We are fulfilling our promise to the American people to never again allow those conflicts to taint vaccine recommendations.' Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University who has been participating in ACIP for 40 years as both a voting member and a liaison member, said the move to exclude professional organizations from the process of making vaccine recommendations was shortsighted. 'The organizations have a certain ownership in the recommendations because they participate,' Schaffner said. That participation increases buy-in from different stakeholder groups, which helps ACIP recommendations become the accepted standards of medical practice. Without that participation, Schaffner said, there's a risk that groups will make their own vaccine recommendations, which could lead to conflicting and confusing advice. In fact, some outside organizations, including the Vaccine Integrity Project, have already started the process of making independent vaccination recommendations. Shaffner said he also takes issue with the idea that liaison representatives are biased, which he says implies a conflict of interest. 'Every work group member, no matter who they are, is vetted for a conflict of interest,' he said, and that vetting process has only become more stringent over time as society has become more attuned to the problem. 'I have to turn down opportunities because they would interfere with my being on a work group, and that's something I do, or did,' he said. ACIP's charter spells out that some 30 specific groups should hold non-voting seats on the committee. It also allows the HHS secretary to appoint other liaison members as necessary to carry out the functions of the committee. On Friday, eight organizations that are liaisons to the committee said in a joint statement that they were 'deeply disappointed' and 'alarmed' to be barred from reviewing scientific data and informing the development of vaccine recommendations. 'To remove our deep medical expertise from this vital and once transparent process is irresponsible, dangerous to our nation's health, and will further undermine public and clinician trust in vaccines,' said the statement, which was sent by the American Medical Association. New outside experts may be invited to participate in the workgroups as needed based on their expertise, according to an HHS official who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they had not been authorized to share the information, but such inclusion will no longer be based on organizational affiliation. 'Many of these groups don't like us,' the official said. 'They've publicly attacked us.'
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
It's been a sticky and sweaty summer. Here are the states which had record-high humidity in July
A majority of the country has spent the last month sticky and sweaty thanks to unrelenting humidity which has set records in some states. July's humidity was worse than usual for huge swaths of the continental U.S., which will not be surprising for Americans living in much of the Midwest, East Coast, and the mid-Atlantic regions, where the humidity was particularly high according to research from Oregon State University. Humidity is not unusual in the summer, but the "real feel" heat index — which combines temperature and humidity — spent days in the triple digits and set records in states including Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Florida throughout July. The humidity was so brutal that numerous cities — including Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, and Roanoke — broke records for the most humid days in their histories, according to the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, which tracks data on precipitation, soil temperatures, and other environmental data. On Thursday, a Kentucky branch of the National Weather Service noted that Paducah, Kentucky endured the "longest stretch of continuously high humidity" the city had seen in 75 years. According to the NWS, the number of hours of extreme humidity in the city was 300 percent more than its usual amount for the month of July. The elephant in the room is climate change, driven by human burning of fossil fuels. As the climate continues to shift due to our past and present actions, higher temperatures and worse humidity will become the norm. That will inevitably pose a risk to health and safety. Where once an air conditioner breaking down was an inconvenience it could now pose serious health risks. Heat-related illnesses will become more common, putting especially the very young, very old, and those with medical conditions at risk. 'In many parts of the country and the globe, dangerous heat often occurs along with high humidity — and the pair of conditions multiplies the health risks,' a 2022 study by Climate Central determined, noting that humidity can impair the body's ability to cool itself via sweat. At least for some parts of the country, early August should bring some much needed relief from the brutal July humidity assault, even if it doesn't last long. The Washington Post predicts near to above average temperatures during August for the nation's capital, with temperatures only rising around two degrees Fahrenheit over the norm of just under 80 degrees. Meteorologists at WTHR predict a fairly normal August for Indiana, and PennLive reports that similar cooling can be expected throughout central Pennsylvania, at least for the first several days of August. Kentucky will also benefit from cooling as August sets in, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. The cool temperatures kicking off August are thanks to a high pressure system in Canada forcing cooler air down into the central and eastern U.S., according to CNN meteorologist Mary Gilbert. "It isn't unheard of to have a handful of cooler days in the latter part of summer, but the upcoming change will feel especially jarring given how hot previous weeks have been," she said. She warned that the cooling comes with a cost — an increase in storms and thunderstorms, which are likely to cause flash floods in some parts of the country. Gilbert also warned the cooling will only last a few days, and that August is likely to be hot for much of the country, approximately one to two degrees above the norm.
