Oh, No, FLEAS!!!!!
As ancient as the Crusades when rat-bourne
fleas spread Bubonic Plague, the "black death," the hardy flea still causes man
and animal many problems. Fleas are blood sucking parasites and they are non-discriminatory
- human blood will do if no other animals are around.
Scratching will probably
be your first clue that your beloved pet has a flea problem. If in doubt, ruffle
the fur on your pet's neck or rump. If there are black specks present, put a few
on a paper towel and place a drop of water on the speck and let it sit for a minute.
If you see a reddish brown tinge, your beloved companion has fleas! These specks
are actually flea dirt - flea feces - and invariably mean fleas!
Before you can attempt
to control fleas, it's important to realize that a flea spends most of its life
cycle OFF its animal host. Generally, your pet becomes infested with fleas by
strolling outside. A flea senses the presence of a free meal, hops aboard to feed
on your pet's blood, and then jumps off, usually once inside your home. The flea
then lays its eggs in our carpet, bedding, furniture, etc. In a few weeks, the
eggs hatch into larvae, which live unnoticed and then form a cocoon in which they
can survive several months before hatching into adult fleas. Then, one of these
new fleas jumps onto your beloved pet once more, and
the cycle continues again.
Fleas can be more than
a nuisance. Left untreated, they can cause anemia and even death in young animals.
If they're swallowed, they can transmit tapeworms. Flea bites frequently cause
allergic reactions in pets, causing a skin disease that is very painful and difficult
to cure. It is not the bite itself, but rather the flea saliva that is deposited
into the skin through the bite that causes the infection. Once your pet is sensitized
to flea saliva, allergic dermatitis can be initiated by the single bite of a single
flea!
Think your indoor is
immune? Think again! Fleas are brought into our homes, just by walking through
infested grass. Once we see or feel them, it is very important to initiate a flea-control
program in all three areas of infestation: the pet, the yard, and the home. It's
useless to treat your pet, if you are not treating the pet's environment too.
Treating the Average
Home with 1-2 Pets in House and Yard
1.)
You MUST treat your home and yard at 2 week intervals for a total of
2 to 3 times!
a. The flea cycle is 16 days.
b.
Only the adult fleas are killed by pesticides.
c. Eggs are bound to hair shafts. When pets shed
hair, eggs blow everywhere and are carried by socks and feet to beds and rooms
where pets do not normally go.
d. Entire home must by fumigated.
.
Treating your home:
-
Vacuum entire house and throw away bag. This means: under furniture,
chair and couch cushions, upholstery folds and tufted areas or overstuffed furniture,
crevices of furniture, closet floors, windowsills frequented by pets, etc... Change
vacuum bags immediately, sealing in a plastic bag, and put in outside trash.
-
Wash all bedding - human and pet - with hot water.
-
Wash all non-carpeted floors with soap and water.
-
Use premise spray (KNOCKOUT OR MYCODEX) on carpeted areas. For wood
and tile floors, spray alongside baseboards and behind appliances where dust might
accumulate. Spray pet beds and all mattresses. KNOCKOUT OR MYCODEX has
adulticide plus growth-regulating hormones that inhibit
eggs and larvae from maturing.
-
If you are unable to prepare your home for fumigation in one day, start
with less frequented areas like closets and bedrooms, and DO NOT allow pets into
these rooms already prepared for treatment.
-
Cover all aquariums, turn off pumps, remove all pets, and fumigate
house.
Treating your yard:
-
Use Malathion, Sevin,
or Dursban in a Gilmore-type sprayer. Dilute according
to directions on the bottle. Spray entire yard and concentrate spray where pet
likes to lay, as well as around patios and doorway.
Treating your pet after a bath:
-
Use prescription Frontline or Revolution every month on adult pets
to kill adult fleas. These are less toxic than over-the-counter products.
When to use:
-
As a Preventative
-
For your Convenience
Flea prevention
is ideal, but sometimes fleas simply happen.
Knowing how to
treat flea infestation in a non-harmful to people or pets way is crucial to treating
flea infestation successfully.
Talk to one of
our veterinarians today about successful flea control.
262-886-3337
or
262-886-8728