Fleas

• Are Fleas serious?

Flea bites may leave the host with numerous swollen, itchy marks. They may cause allergic reactions in some individuals and can transmit several diseases. Pets are the most at risk. Fleas can bite people and pets and can be a big nuisance.

Dealing with the problem requires treating infected animals, cleaning flea-infested areas, and taking preventative measures to keep the fleas from returning.

• How did I get fleas?

Flea infestations often come from a pet dog or cat. The pests attach to the animal when they’re outside usually in long grass, and then infest its fur, places where the pet sleeps indoor & surrounding cracks & crevices. Flea prevention for both the home and yard can be difficult. Without a proactive approach, any pet owner is vulnerable to an infestation.

Fleas depend on a blood meal from a host to survive. On some occasions, fleas may become an inside problem when the host they previously fed on is no longer around. Then fleas focus their feeding activity on other hosts that reside inside the home. An example of such a situation is when a mouse inside the home is trapped and removed, the fleas that previously fed on the mouse are then forced to feed on pets or people.

• Can I keep fleas out?

Sealing cracks/crevices, gaps and holes to help keep rodents or other potential hosts from gaining access into the home is an important way to keep fleas at bay.

The most effective ways to keep fleas from getting inside the home is to eliminate outdoor flea habitats and outdoor hosts, plus using area-wide flea control chemical products and veterinarian-approved flea control products on pets.