Fleas are tiny, reddish-brown insects. They are external parasites and feed off of the blood of birds and mammals. They normally feed on the blood of animals, but they can also feed on the blood of humans. They travel by jumping from one person or animal to another. Your home may become infested with fleas if your pet brings these parasites into your house. Fleas are small and can easily hide in upholstery, so you may not be aware of their presence until a large infestation has occurred.
They also have armored bodies that make them almost impossible to crush, allowing them to thrive in your carpet undetected. Though individual fleas can be difficult to notice, once a flea infestation occurs, you may be able to see multiple fleas hopping onto your furniture or curtains. You might also notice your pets scratching more than usual. You can get fleabites as well if the fleas jump from your pet and onto your body. When the fleas reproduce, more fleas can infest your home.
They tend to hide in bedding, furniture, and floor cracks. Fleas live and breed in warm, moist places, so infestations are usually worse in the summer months. The warmth of your home provides the ideal environment for fleas during the colder months. Also, lots of brown and black debris throughout the fur coat can indicate a flea infestation. This is the flea poop that is left behind after a blood meal. Your pets can get scabs or lose their fur in the infested area.
They may develop pale gums from blood loss. Animals infested with fleas are also more susceptible to tapeworms, as some species of tapeworm use fleas as their hosts. Fleas may jump onto you from your pet and bite you to feed on your blood. Histamine causes a red, itchy bump to form at the location of the bite. If you have an indoor cat that never goes outside and is never exposed to other animals, your pet's flea exposure risk is likely very low, Bierbrier says.
But if you have a dog that goes outside and spends time around other animals, he's more at risk of encountering fleas. There are many very effective options to prevent fleas from making a home in your pet, the veterinarians say.
Choose from topical treatments, chewable pills and newer generation collars that work much better than collars from years ago. Over-the-counter products like sprays and shampoos typically aren't as effective as those you buy from your vet. Although often people in colder climates will use flea preventatives only in warmer months, you may want to consider a year-round plan.
The eggs are just waiting for the right moment to hatch and that could be the tail end of winter and beginning of spring. If you're waiting to give your treatment and it warms up earlier than usual, the fleas can take advantage of your unprotected pet and dive on.
The same can happen if you stretch out treatment for an extra few days or few weeks, Stewart says. If there's a slip in the coverage even for a few days, he can get bit. Insect growth regulators are low-impact alternatives to chemical treatments which may be recommended by your vet to target fleas and larvae. These treatments can come in the form of a spray, pill, dip, flea collar or injection.
Some botanical insecticides are now available that use citrus oil and pyrethrum to control adult fleas. While these offer limited longer-term impact, some lower toxicity treatments, when used indoors, can temporarily help kill fleas. These products can be applied to pet bedding, carpeting and rugs and often contain linalool or limonene.
Other products containing borates, methoprene and pyriproxyfen have been proven to be effective, if you pay close attention to where, when and how to apply these treatments.
Fleas can survive long periods under a surprising range of conditions and require specialized treatment for removal. Our expert technicians can identify the source of your problem and suggest low-impact intervention methods to protect your family and pets from the hassle and discomfort of flea bites. Contact us by phone or online to schedule a service. Need Help Managing Pests? Chem-Free offers both effective, low-impact pest control options and preventative measures to help avoid future infestations.
Contact us today for a free estimate! Search posts. The truth is, most pets become infested with fleas when roaming outside. There is mixed information in terms of whether fleas live in the grass, but most researchers agree that fleas do prefer outdoor areas that are shady, moist, and humid. When these conditions are right, fleas are thought to be able to thrive in a lawn.
The other problem is that a lot of wildlife carry fleas. Raccoons, opossums, deer, coyotes, skunks, stray cats, and various rodents all commonly carry fleas and can deposit eggs and larvae in your yard. Considering fleas are such excellent jumpers, it will be easy for them to make your pet their new host. This makes it important to be treating the lawn for fleas. Using a lawn flea control product that also works on ticks and ants will provide your family with a strong barrier of protection.
A program that takes care of all of these pests at once is ideal. A lot of people ask why they would need multiple treatments if the flea control products kill fleas. On top of that, you have to remember that wildlife can continue to bring new fleas into your yard. This is important as the product does start to wear off over time. You must continue spraying the lawn for fleas with a product that is environmentally responsible and safe for kids and pets to play on.
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