If you own a pet then you have many concerns with making sure they stay healthy. As a homeowner, not only do you have to worry about your home but owning a pet also takes a huge responsibility. There are veterinarian visits, occasional medicine treatments, feeding the pet, and making sure it stays as healthy as you and your family. However, there is one insect that can be a nuisance to a pet owner. That insect is a flea. How do fleas even get on your pet? Can fleas fly? No, they do not have wings and cannot fly. They actually jump instead from the ground to the pet and are a nuisance.
Let’s take a look below at what a flea looks like and how you can prevent them.
What Do They Look Like?
Fleas are insects that can become a frustrating annoyance to your dog or cat. They are little dark-brown or black insects that look like pepper or poppy seeds. Most fleas will grow to one millimeter in length. They have powerful legs for jumping and crawling around. An adult flea can jump several inches in the air. In some cases, they can jump 80 times their own height. Fleas are detectable by the human eye. Also, fleas do not have wings and cannot fly.
How Would I Know If There Were Fleas?
Owning a cat or a dog carries a lot of responsibility. In some cases, they can pick up fleas from the outdoors or from being around other cats or dogs that have picked up the fleas. Let’s take a look below at how we could tell if our pet has fleas.
- If you notice a flaky, itchy, and red rash on the belly of your pet, this could be caused by an allergic reaction to fly bites.
- You notice insect bites on the skin of your pet that look like red welts in various places of their body. This could be from fleas.
- If you notice your pet is scratching itself on a regular basis or out of the ordinary amount of times, this could be from flea bites.
- Flea dirt is present on your pest bedding or you notice it on the animal’s fur. Flea dirt is actually the feces of a flea which is a combination of feces and blood. Typically, you will notice flea dirt on the tail of the pet, the hind legs, or the sides of the belly of the animal.
How Can I Prevent Them?
Preventing fleas from accessing your dog or cat can be rather tricky. There are some home remedies for treating your dog or cat’s flea problem. Let’s take a look below at some options to keep from having future infestations.
- Wash all bedding – Wash the pet bedding in hot water and dry it in a hot setting. This will kill the fleas.
- Diatomaceous earth – Spreading this around the exterior of your home will keep the fleas away.
- Steam cleaning carpets – Steam cleaning will wipe out pupae, larvae, and any flea eggs that have been planted in the carpets.
- Vacuuming – Simply vacuuming once a week will keep the insects from gaining access to any animals to feed on. Fleas need a host to survive.
Other Recommended Maintenance
Now that you know fleas cannot fly, take a look at another insect that needs a host. Just like fleas, ticks need hosts in order to survive, but how long can they live without a host? Read up on how long a tick can live without a host so that you can get a better handle on your pest control needs.
Next, get to know what other insects are detrimental to your home. For example, termites can completely ruin your home’s wood structures. How long can termites live? Understanding this information also allows you to determine the proper termite treatment for your home.
Lastly, understand why you actually need pest control. Believe it or not, pest control can eliminate many nuisances and issues that as a homeowner you don’t have time to deal with.
When Do I Call A Professional?
Finding fleas around your carpet, furniture, or even your pest bedding can be rather frustrating. This would be a good time to call on your local pest control company to take care of the issue. Most homeowners do not come into contact with fleas and wouldn’t know the difference between a flea and a tick. Reach out to your local pest control company to find ways to eliminate fleas from your home and yard.
Conclusion
Fleas can present huge problems for your pet. Not only do they bite and itch your animal, but they can also transfer diseases. If you want to protect your pet from any uncomfortable situation you will call on your local pest control team to assist. Reach out to All South Pest Control to determine your pest services needs and offer the best preventative maintenance for future pest issues in McDonough, GA, and the surrounding areas.
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