5 Dangers of Fleas on Humans, and How to Handle Them

Kapanlagi.com - Cats with thick and soft fur are a favorite of every cat lover who sees them, but this must be accompanied by good and healthy care. If not cared for, cats can be infected with fungus, and even worse, they can be infested with fleas. If a cat has fleas, the infestation will spread quickly and it will be difficult to eliminate. We may have to remove all the cat's fur for treatment. Even though they are just cat fleas, there are several cases of the dangers of fleas on humans.

Cats themselves can get fleas from 3 sources, through humans, through rodents, and also when visiting the veterinarian. Fleas can affect every cat, whether it is a pet cat or a stray cat. That's why maintaining the cleanliness of cats is very important. According to various sources, here are the dangers of fleas on humans and how to handle them that you must know.

1. Red Itchy

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Just like being bitten by head lice in humans or mosquitoes, the danger of cat fleas can also cause intense itching and redness. This is because of the bites caused by fleas that bite and suck blood from humans. What's worse, this itching will feel painful when touched and red bumps will appear around it.

Therefore, you must be able to resist the itching and not scratch it with your nails, because itching can spread and can cause skin infections. If you have thin skin tissue or sensitive skin, it is better not to scratch even though it is very itchy. This is because thin skin tissue and sensitive skin owners will worsen the itching caused by bites from cat fleas that can cause dermatitis.

2. Dizzy

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The second danger of cat fleas is that they can cause dizziness. If you are in an unhealthy condition or have a weakened immune system, cat flea bites can make you dizzy. Not only that, if you are allergic to flea saliva, you may experience unbearable headaches and dizziness. Therefore, always maintain the cleanliness of your cat and your immune system is essential to avoid being attacked by fleas. Because even if your cat is indoors, it is still possible to be infected with fleas.

3. Fever

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In addition to feeling dizzy, the next danger of cat fleas is that they can cause fever. This can happen due to a weak immune system or an unhealthy body. It can also occur due to an allergy to flea saliva, which can cause severe dizziness and fever. Not only that, fever can occur due to the itching you feel when cat fleas bite your body. This is because, when you feel itchy, you will automatically scratch the itchy area. However, the itchiness when bitten by cat fleas is different from the itchiness when bitten by mosquitoes or ants.

When bitten by cat fleas, you will feel an extraordinary itch if you keep scratching it, which will make the skin red and painful. The more you scratch, the more it will cause infection on the skin, leading to fever. That's why it is not recommended to scratch when bitten by cat fleas, especially for those with thin and sensitive skin.

4. Difficulty Breathing and Chest Pain

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In addition to dizziness and fever, the next danger of cat fleas is that it can cause difficulty breathing and chest pain. This also happens due to allergies from the flea saliva when it bites our skin. And this reaction may also occur due to an unhealthy body or a weakened immune system.

5. Murine Typhus

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And the last danger of cat fleas is that it can lead to murine typhus. Murine typhus is a disease caused by bacteria transmitted through animal fleas, then transmitted to animals and humans. This transmission occurs through direct contact with flea bites or feces. The fleas settle on animals such as rats, cats, and dogs, which can easily bring them into the house.

The first thing that happens when we are infected with murine typhus is a headache, followed by nausea and vomiting. If it gets worse, we will have a high fever of up to 105 degrees that can last for a week. This is what can cause death from being bitten by cat fleas, which usually occurs in young children or infants who cannot withstand a high fever for a week.

6. How to Overcome It

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There are several ways to overcome the danger of cat fleas that occur on your body, and these methods include:

- If you feel extremely itchy, you can apply ice water or ice cubes to the itchy area to prevent scratching. Do not scratch to avoid worsening the condition of the skin.

- If you have already scratched, you can apply anti-itch cream with menthol to relieve rashes, pain caused by scratching, and unbearable itching.

- If you have a fever, do not panic. You can give paracetamol to reduce the fever, but if it gets worse, it is advisable to go to the doctor for consultation.

- To prevent further infection, you can wash the area affected by cat flea bites with antiseptic water. This is to reduce the bacteria carried and the irritation that may occur.

- And the last method is to regularly observe the condition of the cat and provide proper care. Also, clean the cat regularly to avoid fleas brought from outside the house. Basically, cats are the cleanest animals, even cleaner than humans because they have their own cleaning tool on their tongue. Therefore, there is no need to worry or be anxious about fleas, but it is still important to maintain the cleanliness of the cat to prevent it from being infected with cat fleas from outside.

Those are the 5 dangers of cat fleas and how to overcome them effectively. The danger of cat fleas can be avoided by quickly recognizing the symptoms and handling them. Cat fleas will not bite on the upper part of our body, but on the lower part such as the legs and ankles. Therefore, speeding up the healing process is the right way to prevent cat flea bites from getting worse.

To keep cats healthy and beautiful, always fulfill their nutritional needs with Muezza which you can get on Shopee and also on Tokopedia.

(kpl/dhm)