Fleas and Your Household Pets
Fleas are blood-feeding parasites that can affect many different types of animals, including your dog or cat. All life stages of fleas, not just the adults, can cause problems for pets. Here’s what you need to know about fleas and your household pets, courtesy of the pros at Apex.
Why Are Fleas a Concern?
Fleas can cause many problems for your pets. Some pets are allergic to flea bites, and they can be intensely itchy. By biting and scratching at their itchy skin, pets can injure themselves.
Pets that aren’t allergic to fleas can run into problems, too. Fleas can spread serious diseases. One is bartonellosis, an infectious bacterial disease. Parasites like tapeworms can be spread by flea bites, too.
Fleas aren’t just a problem for pets; they can become an issue for people, too. While dog and cat fleas don’t infest people, they may start biting you if the infestation becomes severe.
How Do Flea Infestations Begin?
There are many ways that fleas can get onto your pets. If your pet likes to spend time outdoors, they could pick up fleas from other animals. Wild animals, like raccoons and squirrels, can bring fleas into your yard. Other pets could also transmit fleas. Even a short walk around the block or a trip to the veterinarian is enough outdoor exposure for pets to get fleas.
Even pets that never go outdoors can get fleas. These pests could hitch a ride on you or other residents of the house. When you return home, the fleas will come with you.
How Can You Tell if Your Pet Has Fleas?
Excessive itching and grooming are clues that your pet might have fleas. However, flea infestations aren’t always easy to spot. Adult fleas only make up a small portion of the infestation. Eggs and larvae are harder to see. To search your pet’s fur for fleas, you can use a flea comb. With the comb, you could discover eggs or larvae. You could also discover brown specks that look like coffee grinds; these are flea droppings.
How Can You Control Fleas?
To control fleas, start with your veterinarian. Flea treatment products are available for cats and dogs. Your house may need to be treated to get rid of the rest of the fleas. Flea treatment products are also available for the yard. Multiple treatments may be needed.
If your pets and home are infested with fleas, you don’t need to control the problem on your own. Call Apex for more information about pest control and flea control services.
Apex Pest Control is one of the most trusted Tampa pest control companies in the state. We’re proud of the work we do to help keep the homes, landscape, and businesses in our community free from harmful plants, insects, and animals, while also striving to maintain a balance with the ecosystem as a whole. Check out our blog or contact us today to learn more!
