The Flea Question

D. E. Larsen, DVM

I read the question again, this time carefully. 

This was a typical multiple-choice test that we had in Dr. Cheney’s Parasitology class. There was a question and usually five answers. You were to select all the correct choices. One incorrect selection, or failing to choose a correct choice, and the entire question was marked wrong.

They always seemed to throw a negative in the mix somewhere. The negatives were my downfall. For some reason, my mind would not read a negative. I assumed that it was because I lived with a positive attitude. 

My test-taking strategy was to go as fast as possible. My first impression was always the most reliable, and I never looked back over my answers. 

I suffered for that when there were negatives in the question or the answers. To me, that was just the cost of keeping my stress level low. Finish the test quickly, and then go have a cup of coffee while the rest of the class struggles. In four years, I was always the first one done with any test.

“Where are the likely locations you will find fleas?” That was the question. I am not sure I remember all the choices, but most were in the house. Like on the carpet, along the baseboards, on the dog’s back. And then there was the stickler, outside in the grass.

Now, you should know that I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Veterinary school was located in Fort Collins, Colorado. I had been around fleas my entire life. And if you looked really hard, you might find a flea in Fort Collins, but not many more than that single flea.

If you remember those flea collars that were said to be effective for six months. I have little doubt but that the testing to certify those six months of effectiveness was done in Denver. Of course, like Fort Collins, there are very few fleas in Denver.

I read the question one more time time. I remembered Dr. Cheney stressing in his lecture that the flea resided in the house. I never spent this much time on a single question before. I made my selection, including outside in the grass, and moved on.

Again, I was the first to turn in my paper and leave the room, but it didn’t take long for others to follow. I had spent too much time on that one question. But that was over now, hopefully never to be discussed again, certainly, not over this cup of coffee.

***

First thing Monday afternoon in Parasitology class, Dr. Cheney handed out the corrected tests and asked if there were any questions or discussion.

I scanned the results quickly. Sure enough, my answer on the location of fleas was marked wrong. I always hated listening to some of the class nerds argue over a test question. After all, one question, right or wrong, was not going to influence my grade one bit. But this needed some discussion. I raised my hand.

“You have a question, Mr. Larsen?” Dr. Cheney asked.

“Yes, why is my answer to question fourteen marked wrong?” I asked.

“If you had taken adequate notes, you would have learned that fleas reside on the animal or in the house, not outside,” Dr. Cheney said.

“That may be the case in Colorado, but that is not the case in Oregon,” I said.

“Can you show me a reference to that fact?” Dr. Cheney asked.

“Over twenty years of life experience,” I said.

One classmate, also from Oregon, raised his hand. Dr. Cheney pointed at him.

“I agree with Dave,” Chuck said. “There is ample evidence of fleas living outside in the grass in Western Oregon.”

“I’m sorry, your answers are both wrong,” Dr. Cheney said as he continued with the class discussion.

***

It was several years later, during a very hot and dry summer in Sweet Home, when the flea problems became almost insurmountable.

Dogs, along with a few cats, with flea allergy dermatitis, consumed over half of my clinic time. The biggest hurdle in solving the problem often involved convincing the owner that the dog had fleas. Then the hassle we had to go through in those years to get the flea population under control was expensive and arduous.

I started discussing my flea control recommendations with one client early in my practice in Sweet Home. Most clients were reluctant to jump through all the hoops necessary. They want a quick fix.

“You have to do more than just a flea collar,” I said. “Flea collars work great in Denver, but there are few, if any, fleas in Denver. When I was in school at Colorado State, I never saw a single case of flea allergy dermatitis. Around here, that little cloud of protection that the flea collar is supposed to provide is usually two feet behind the dog.”

“Doc, you don’t have to convince me about flea control,” George said. “We moved here from New Zealand. In New Zealand, many people would wear flea collars around their ankles to keep from picking up fleas when they were outside.”

“I have heard similar stories around here,” I said. “That is a little drastic, but the important thing is to follow a program to eliminate fleas from the pet’s environment. That usually means using a flea bomb in the house after vacuuming and repeating the process in two weeks. The vacuum stimulates the eggs to hatch; the bomb will kill the fleas and larvae, but not the eggs. That is why you have to do it twice. At the same time, you have to treat the pet with a shampoo and dip, or a good spray. And you have to spray the yard also.”

“That adds up to a little expense,” George said. 

“Yes, but it is cheaper than dealing with a constant flea exposure when you have an allergic pet,” I said.

***

A couple of weeks after that conversation, Fred Briggs visited the clinic on his monthly rounds. Fred was my favorite salesman.

“I have a new product line that will make your job a little easier, Doc,” Fred said. “Vet-Kim has come out with a complete line of flea control products. Everything is well labeled, and the program for flea control is well explained with a handout.”

“That sounds good,” I said. “I spend a lot of time explaining flea control. If we can shift that to the front desk, it will help me out a lot. Let’s look at the products.”

Fred set out his display. I picked up a large spray bottle that caught my eye.

“Yard and Kennel Spray,” I said under my breath.

“Yes,” Fred said. “It comes with a good explanation sheet.”

“Do you suppose I could have you send one of these to Dr. Cheney at Colorado State?” I asked.

“I know the salesman who calls on the vet school there,” Fred said. “I bet I could get him to hand a bottle to this Dr. Cheney. What’s the deal?”

“It goes back to a test question, years ago,” I said. “If you can get it done, that would be great. Just add it to my account.”

“Do you want your name on it, so he will know who sent it?” Fred asked.

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” I said. “If Dr. Cheney has a good memory, he will know. If he doesn’t remember, it doesn’t matter.”

***

It was three weeks later when Fred called and asked to speak with me.

“I just wanted to let you know my friend delivered the spray to Dr. Cheney,” Fred said. “He said that it took a few minutes, but Dr. Cheney was able to tell him the whole story. It seemed to be the only time a student had told him he was wrong. “

***

Epilogue: With the advent of the new array of flea control products, the old regimen is long gone and faded from most memories. I doubt that you can purchase a flea bomb for the house today.

Photo Credit: Arthur Uzoagba on pexels.com