Pets and flea collars go together. Why is that? What conditions make pets susceptible to flea attacks and what makes them the perfect vehicle to bring these parasites into your home? In today's article, we're going to take a look at this problem from a different perspective. The pet supply industry would like you to focus on your pet. They want you to get collars, powders, and ointments to make your pet more resistant to fleas. They want you to buy products that will kill fleas in your pet's bed and inside your house, but if you start from your pet and work your way out, you might be going about this the wrong way. The flea problem doesn't start on your pet. It starts in your yard.
If your dog or cat never goes out of the house, does he or she need a flea collar? Probably not. Those fleas aren't going to bounce their way into your home because you have a pet in there. Fleas don't hop to where they need to go. They hope to get onto a host animal as it passes by. The only way your indoor pet would be exposed to fleas is if those fleas came in on you or another creature.
The journey of the flea.
Fleas lay four to eight eggs after a blood meal. These eggs are not sticky, like the eggs of other parasites. For this reason they fall off the host animal and land on the ground. Once on the ground the flea will develop through 3 stages of larvae. This can take between 4 to 18 days. After this development is complete, the flea spins a silken cocoon and enters the pupal stage. This is the most significant stage of all because it can last from 4 days to up to a year. What is the flea waiting for? A host animal. When a host comes near, the flea will break free from its cocoon and spring into action.
So, how does your pet get fleas? A flea in the forest springs onto a passing animal. That animal passes through your yard, and eggs fall from its fur into your grass. Within a few days, those eggs become cocooned fleas waiting for their own host animal. When your pet goes out to play, the fleas break free from their cocoons and leap on.
When your pet comes back inside, those fleas will begin the work of creating more eggs that will fall off in your pet's bedding, in your couch, on your beds, and in your rugs. Soon, your home is teaming with fleas, and you're buying every product on the market to kill them. You're scrubbing your pet in a flea bath and you're out at the store buying more flea collars and more flea treatments for their skin.
We'd like to suggest a different strategy. If you have a professional do routine flea treatments for your yard, those cocoons will be destroyed and those eggs won't be able to develop into new cocooned fleas. With no fleas in your yard, your pet won't be bringing the fleas into the house and you won't have to bathe them and your home in pesticides. How does that sound?
Does this mean you can throw those flea collars away? No. It is always good to have the extra protection, especially if you plan to go somewhere away from your home. But a professional flea treatment for your lawn will go a long way toward keeping your home flea-free. Big Blue Bug Solutions can help. We have the training and expertise to safely and effectively eliminate your fleas – or any other pests; and we won’t hurt the environment. If you want to protect your home and animals from fleas contact us today!