Fleas are blood-feeding insects that can affect your loved ones and your pets. Their bites can be uncomfortable and itchy, and fleas can be involved in transmitting certain diseases. They can make life miserable for dogs and cats, and we need to keep infestations under control. If you think you have fleas, it’s time to call a Tulsa Pest Control company that can help. In this article, let’s take a good look at fleas, how they work, and what we can do to protect ourselves from them.
Pets are a common way fleas are introduced into homes, but wildlife can also contribute to flea problems around a property. Animals living under a home, in crawl spaces, or around other protected areas may carry fleas. Once fleas are present, eggs can fall from a host into carpets, pet bedding, furniture, floor cracks, and other areas where pets spend time. The CDC provides information about fleas, flea-borne diseases, and prevention.
Adult fleas prefer animal hosts, but they can also bite people. Humans are generally not the preferred long-term host for common cat fleas, yet bites can still occur when fleas are present in the environment. Flea bites often cause itchy red bumps, and fleas can transmit certain disease-causing organisms under the right circumstances.
Getting rid of fleas can be difficult because only part of the population is present as adult fleas on the pet. Eggs, larvae, and pupae can be distributed throughout the environment. That is why control usually involves more than treating the fleas you can see.
We essentially break treatment down into two areas: addressing fleas inside the home and reducing flea activity around appropriate exterior areas. When a pet is involved, contacting your veterinarian is an important step. A pest-control company treats the property; a veterinarian can recommend appropriate flea prevention and treatment for the animal. Products used on pets should be selected and used according to veterinary guidance and their labels.
Once the pet side is being addressed, a Tulsa Pest Control company can treat appropriate areas of the home for fleas. Depending on the infestation and treatment program, follow-up may be necessary because developing fleas can continue emerging after the initial service. Vacuuming and laundering pet bedding, when appropriate, can also support the control program.
Exterior flea management is generally focused on places where pets or flea-carrying animals spend time rather than treating an entire yard indiscriminately. Reducing flea activity in those areas can help lower the chance of pets bringing fleas back indoors. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides guidance for controlling fleas and ticks around the home.
If you think you’re having a problem with fleas or another pest, it’s time to call a good Tulsa Pest Control company that can help. TermMax Pest Control can handle the property side of flea problems and other pest issues around Tulsa and the surrounding area. Contact us today for more information.
