Handling a Flea Infestation, Yourself
Fleas…
Of course, you don’t want them in your house, but that’s the risk you take when you choose to have pets like cats and dogs. The tiny blood-sucking parasites will irritate your pets and infest your home before you even realise that they’ve moved in. Even worse, many different pets can be allergic to flea bites which can, unfortunately, cause them to itch and be in discomfort. Fleas can also cause tapeworm, so you certainly want to eliminate them as soon as you notice your pet(s) scratching or if you spot them in your home.
Fleas prefer pets as their host but will also bite humans when there isn’t an animal to draw blood from. They can pass on nasty germs, which can also cause disease too. So, if your pet(s) is constantly scratching and you’re left scratching your own head over what to do when it comes to eliminating them, don’t worry. Today’s article is all about handling a flea infestation yourself. Just be aware that these unwelcome visitors are tough, and sometimes getting rid of them completely can be extremely challenging. If you try all of our tips and you’re still left with fleas, we highly recommend calling in a flea exterminator.
Firstly, Understand That Fleas Can Multiply Quickly
From the off-set, this may seem like a pointless exercise that won’t treat your flea infestation, but it’s important to understand a flea’s life stages. Adult fleas live on pets where they feed on blood and lay their eggs. Shockingly, an adult female flea can lay over 2000 eggs which can hatch within a few days and spread throughout your home. Once hatched into a larvae form, they can move onto a host and feed on their blood.
Treatment and Prevention
When it comes to treating a flea infestation, prevention plays a key part in the process. Because, of course, once you’ve spent time getting rid of fleas, you certainly don’t want them to come back. Flea treatment that you can apply on your pet can kill fleas when they come into contact with them. This can prevent fleas from entering your home in the first place whenever your pets come back in from your garden.
There are several different flea treatments on the market that you can choose from, including oral tablets, treated wearable collars and liquids that can be applied directly to your pets skin and fur. However, if you’re unsure which product would work best, we recommend calling your local vet, who will be able to advise on the best course of treatment.
You can also use specialist flea shampoo that can kill fleas within hours of application. Again, the best thing to do is speak to your local vet, who can help you choose a product they think will work best.
Getting The Fleas Out of Your Home
So you’ve treated your pets which is great. But, this is only one piece of the puzzle, and the next part requires a bit more patience. One thing to also be aware of is that it can, unfortunately, take up to a few months to eliminate a pest infestation. In many cases, a professional pest control company is needed to solve the problem entirely. Regardless of this, there are some steps you can take in an attempt to get the fleas out of your home.
- The first thing you should do is thoroughly wash all of your pet’s bedding and repeat doing so until your flea problem has been fully resolved.
- You should then pay attention to your own bedding and do the same.
- If your dog has been a passenger in your car recently, then it’s a good idea to wash the seats.
- Give all floors, carpets and rugs in your home a good hoover and make sure you throw away the vacuum bag after you’ve done this. Continue to do this on a regular basis.
- Don’t let your pets interact with others.
- Apply a flea killing spray around your home but make that your children and pets are not around the areas when doing this.
Consult With Your Local Vet
Like we’ve previously mentioned, speak with your vet about what the best course of action is. Your vet will be up-to-date on all the preventative measures and flea treatments which will help you choose the best option for your situation.
