Techniques for estimating on-animal populations of Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

Effectiveness of two sampling techniques to estimate cat flea populations were compared on beagles (short-haired dogs). Overall, 23.5 and 81.6% of known flea populations on the beagles were detected using area and comb counting techniques, respectively. Using comb counts, we were able to differentiate among beagles that were infested experimentally to produce densities of 21.6 (low), 42.2 (medium), and 82.5 (high) fleas per dog. Using the area counting technique, we were able to differentiate between the medium and high flea population groups, but not the low- and medium-density groups. A weighted regression analysis gave prediction intervals for flea densities that provided satisfactory estimates of the actual numbers of fleas on the dogs.