Definition

1. Noun:
   • A flea that primarily infests dogs and cats: A small, wingless, blood-sucking insect of the order Siphonaptera, specifically Ctenocephalides canis, known for infesting domestic canines and felines.

Usage

• The word "dog flea" is used as a countable noun to refer to the specific parasitic insect.
• It typically appears in biological, veterinary, or general descriptive contexts concerning pet health or parasitology.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The veterinarian found a dog flea on the puppy during the check-up.
  • A severe infestation of dog fleas can cause anemia in young animals.
  • This shampoo is effective against both dog fleas and ticks.

Advanced Usage

• "dog flea" in scientific context: Used to specify the species in entomological or veterinary literature, distinguishing it from other flea species like the cat flea ().
  • The study compared the reproductive rates of the dog flea and the cat flea.

Variants and Related Words

• Flea (n): The general term for all insects in the order Siphonaptera.
  • The dog was scratching because it had fleas.
• Cat flea (n): , a closely related species that also commonly infests dogs and cats.
  • The cat flea is actually the most common flea found on dogs in many regions.

Synonyms

• Parasite: An organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. (This is a broader category.)
• Ctenocephalides canis: The scientific binomial name for the dog flea.

Related Phrases

• Flea infestation: A condition where a host animal has a large number of fleas.
  • The shelter treated all new arrivals for potential flea infestation.
• Flea bite: The small, itchy wound caused by a flea feeding.
  • The child had an allergic reaction to a dog flea bite.

Noun

1. flea that attacks dogs and cats