Fleas are oftentimes the scourge of pets and pet owners alike, but there's more to these creatures than simple irritation. Pest control in Longview is all about knowing what you're up against, and fleas can bring about bigger problems than you may expect. Here are some helpful prevention tips for dealing with fleas from the pest technicians at Gecko Pest Control.
How To Tell If Your Home Has A Flea Infestation
Fleas themselves are difficult to spot. They're small enough to hide inside of thick hair undetected, and their darker coloration makes them particularly hard to spot in dark patches of fur. However, fleas leave behind clues to their infestation when they feed and populate. The easiest signs to notice are skin irritations such as incessant itching sensations and red bumps. Fleas can also cause hair loss due to skin damage and scratching.
You may notice black specks scattered throughout pet beds, carpeting, and rugs. This is typically flea feces, left behind as they travel. You may also find flea eggs on your pets if examining them, or flea larvae in hidden areas such as cracks, crevices, or behind furniture.
The Diseases Fleas Can Spread To People And Pets
Though it may sound like a horror story from a history book, the very real fact is that fleas are a known transmitter of the very rare bubonic plague that ravaged Europe, Asia, and Africa in the 14th century. However, they'll more commonly transmit diseases such as bacterial infections like murine typhus and parasitic infections such as tapeworm. Flea bites can become infected very easily, especially when scratched open and further irritated.
Fleas themselves can cause anemia in pets due to the prime breeding and feeding ground pets provide to fleas. Warmth, shelter, food, and often water are all present on your pets' bodies, and fleas will feed en masse. They feed on your pet's blood and cause them great harm over periods of time.
A Flea Infestation Can Be Extremely Difficult To Get Rid Of
Fleas are a hardy species of insect, able to survive in extremely harsh conditions and repopulate by the thousands. Individual fleas only live for about 100 days, but in that time, a female flea can lay upwards of 2,000 eggs. Even if more than half of the eggs fail to hatch, the larvae produced will exponentially increase over a period of several months.
Because of their size, fleas are easily able to inhabit even the smallest of mammals to travel. Typically rodents are the vehicles fleas will use to spread themselves over as large of an area as possible. This spreads their larvae over great distances, and with their powerful legs capable of leaping over 150 times their height, they can easily latch onto clothing or pets and start over again.
The Best Way To Get Rid Of Fleas In Your Home
Fleas can be difficult to fully rid yourself of; due to their life cycle and exponential breeding, it can take weeks or even months to be fully rid of fleas. Despite this there are a few helpful tips for preventing flea infestations from getting out of hand.
- Wash your pets regularly; soap and water is a good way to remove fleas and larvae from individual pets.
- Regularly vacuum your carpets and rugs. Fleas in your home use carpets and rugs to hide before they find a new host.
- Wash pet beds and surfaces pets regularly frequent to reduce the chances of flea larvae reproducing.
However, like any other infestation, your best solution for fleas is to contact a pest control specialist. Get started today with Gecko Pest Control.