As a pet owner, it can be hard to watch your much-loved furry friends in distress. Their excitement when they greet you at the door and having them cuddle up beside you on the couch is something you probably look forward to. That is, until you have a flea infestation! The non-stop itching from flea bites is enough to drive both you and your pets crazy!
Fleas bite numerous times and leave behind small, itchy welts. Fleas will bite both humans and our pets. Though fleas can feed on human blood, they can’t actually live on us. However, that is sadly not the case for our pets. Fleas can live on dogs or cats for long periods of time. So while they can bite us and leave numerous, itchy bumps, flea infestations are much worse for our pets!
A single female flea can lay thousands of eggs in its lifetime, meaning that the flea populations in your home can increase at an overwhelming rate. Both adult fleas and their eggs can be found on your carpets and rugs, your bedding or your pet’s bedding, and possibly even on your furniture! They can also be found in numerous places outdoors. Fleas can easily hitch rides on our pets while they are spending time outdoors. Fleas are able to jump up to six inches high, making it easy for them to hop onto our pets, other home-invading pests like rodents, or anything else entering through your door. They will gladly move in as your home provides them sources of food in the form of blood meals and shelter.
Not only do fleas leave annoying, itchy bumps on both you and your pets, they are also known to transmit several harmful diseases! Tapeworm can be spread to our pets through them ingesting fleas or their larvae. If your pet ingests an infected flea, it can become infected with tapeworm as well. Some signs that your pet has contracted tapeworm include weight loss, an itchy rear, or occasionally even seeing small, flatworms in their feces. If you notice any of these signs, you should take your pet to the vet for diagnosis and treatment. Humans can also contract tapeworm from fleas, especially children, though it is very unlikely as an individual would have to swallow an infected flea in order to do so. Another disease spread by fleas is murine typhus which results in fever, chills, coughing, a rash, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Fleas can cause illnesses and other discomforts to both you and your pets. Therefore, it’s extremely important to protect yourself and your pets from fleas.
To keep your dogs and cats safe from fleas this summer, you will need to take precautions against these pests. Ask your vet about which flea prevention would be right for your pet in order to help keep fleas off them. Unfortunately, treating your pet with a flea preventative still won’t necessarily keep fleas from entering your home. And once fleas have invaded, they can be nearly impossible to get rid of without professional help. If you have a flea infestation, we recommend vacuuming your rugs frequently and cleaning your furniture and bedding. Flea eggs, larvae, and pupae are often found tightly attached to the fibers of carpets, which means regular vacuuming may not be enough to get rid of them. Even the most common DIY flea control products such as flea bombs and sprays often fail to eliminate the determined pupae and are actually quite dangerous. This is why getting rid of fleas on your own can be so frustrating!
Don’t let flea problems ruin the rest of the summer for you and your pets! If you are dealing with a flea infestation, contact the professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions. Our technicians will take the frustration off your hands and work to keep you and your pets safe from fleas. Check out our residential pest control program which consists of three preventative maintenance visits each year. In addition, if the pests problem returns in between visits, we’ll come back for free! Contact us at Big Blue Bug Solutions today to get started.