Did you get too much sun over the holiday weekend? Maybe you forgot to apply sunscreen as often as you should have and your skin is red and itchy. Or maybe you forgot the bug spray and your skin is itchy from too many bug bites. Or maybe none of these situations is true and maybe, possibly, you have flea bites?! Wait; what? You thought those were only something Fido and Fluffy got? Nope- not the case; people can get flea bites too and if your pets have fleas, there’s a very good chance you’re getting bitten too!
How To Tell If You Have Fleas Inside Your Home
Think you might have fleas inside your home? Here are some signs to look for:
- Your pets are scratching incessantly. Check Fido or Fluffy to see if they have reddened skin or areas of lost fur. You can also look closely between the hairs on your pet to see if you notice red or black droppings on your pets’ skin.
- You see actual fleas in your home, on your pets or on your own body. Fleas are approximately 2.5 millimeters in length (about the thickness of a quarter!) and they are flat. Fleas don’t have wings, but have 6 long legs that assist them in jumping. Finding a few fleas won’t tell you how severe your infestation is, as flea eggs, larvae and pupae may also be in your home but may be unseen.
- You notice little red bites on your own skin. These bites are very itchy and most typically occur on your legs and your feet.
Dangers of Fleas Inside Your Home
Having fleas inside your home is less than ideal; no one wants to feel like they are being feasted upon when they sit comfortably inside their own home. Not only can fleas make you itch and feel uncomfortable, they can cause real problems for your pets, including hair-loss, red skin, severe itching and something called ‘flea allergy dermatitis’. This condition, known as FAD, is a skin disease that afflicts both cats and dogs when they suffer a severe allergic reaction to flea saliva. FAD can cause hair loss in pets as well as scabs and open sores. If your pet has open sores, these are susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, making your pets sick and miserable.
Preventing Flea Infestations
To avoid the problems that occur with flea infestations, you need to implement prevention methods. These can include prescription flea treatments given to your pets monthly, if recommended by your pets’ veterinarian. You shouldn’t simply buy over the counter flea control products and hope for the best; these can often be dangerous for your pets and if not used correctly, completely useless towards preventing flea infestations on your pets. Prescription flea treatments can kill current flea infestations on your pets as well as prevent them from occurring. You should also make sure to vacuum your home regularly and launder pet blankets and bedding frequently. Keeping your home environment clean can help reduce flea infestations as well, but may not totally get rid of the problem.
Flea Control Options
If you’ve followed the flea prevention tips outlined above and you still think you have fleas, give the pest control professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions a call! Our technicians are trained at finding flea infestations and can help you figure out where these pests may be getting inside. We offer flea control in Worcester, Providence and throughout our New England service area that is designed to get these pests out of your home as well as prevent them and other pests including ants and spiders from returning.
If you’re itching and scratching and Fido or Fluffy is too, give us a call! Flea problems won’t take care of themselves and tackling this problem quickly, before it gets out of hand is the best way to keep your sanity and keep your pets healthy!
Contact Big Blue Bug today for more information on our flea control services for your Rhode Island, Massachusetts or Connecticut home.