2021 Volume 30 Issue 3 Pages 76-78
Prevalence of fleas was surveyed on dogs and domestic cats kept indoors in urban areas of Metropolitan Tokyo, Japan in winter, 2016 - 2017 and 2019 - 2020. In each duration, 50 dogs and 50 cats were examined. Fleas were collected from one dog (one specimen) and two cats (both two specimens) in 2016 - 2017, and two cats (two and three specimens) in 2019 - 2020, and all identified as Ctenocephalides felis. Results support a hypothesis for the strategies of fleas for overwintering: a small population of flea adults inhabits dogs and cats also in winter. Inspection for flea infestation and early disinfestation is necessary for dogs and cats, also during winter.
