While warm weather can bring fun times outside, it can also, unfortunately, bring pests into your yard and home. One pest that’s more active in warm weather is the flea. Flea population numbers have been increasing every year in the US, meaning that every time your cat or dog goes outside this summer, they could potentially be exposed to fleas. And in turn, bring a greater risk of infestation and exposure to disease into your home. Independent Pest Solutions continues to help homeowners in the greater Puyallup area defend their homes and families against fleas.
Puyallup Flea Pest Control
Fleas can infest dogs and cats in various ways and are notoriously difficult to eliminate. Once they are in your home, it’s hard to get rid of them. These critters can pose multiple health risks for your furry friends and family members by carrying various harmful diseases. It’s essential not only to perform flea pest control but also to implement preventive measures.
Why Fleas Are a Danger to Your Family and Pets
Unlike other pests, fleas don’t transmit serious diseases to humans. However, they are not pleasant to be around. Although animals are their main hosts because they live in their fur, they will also bite humans when given the opportunity. These bites are intensely itchy and can cause allergic reactions, secondary infections, inflammation, hair loss, dermatitis, and more. Nobody wants to see their pets or family members suffering from fleas.
Fleas are also known to spread tapeworm. They cannot transmit tapeworm through their bite, but if your pet happens to accidentally eat a flea, they may eventually develop a tapeworm. Tapeworms can make your pet sick, causing weight loss, digestive issues, and more. These pests are a big nuisance that can lower the quality of life of everyone in your home.
How do pets get fleas?
There are various ways that domestic pets can become infested with fleas. If they come in contact with another pet that has fleas or items with flea eggs on them, then your pet can also get fleas. Dogs and cats can also catch fleas from the outdoors. They like to live in areas with grass and trees, and it’s easy for them to jump onto an animal and take up residence on its body.
Why are fleas difficult to get rid of?
Once inside your home, fleas can infest furniture, carpet, bedding, and clothing, laying eggs everywhere. They multiply very quickly, with females laying up to fifty eggs every day. The eggs and pupae can stay dormant for quite a while. Even if you kill all of the adult individuals, the fleas in earlier life cycle stages can mature and kick the infestation into full swing again. Fleas are great at hiding in homes, and are small and difficult to see.
Fleas have evolved to be highly resistant to many types of insecticides. Not only that, but commonly used “bug bombs” only kill adult individuals, so they don’t stop the flea life cycle. Using flea treatment on your pet may often not be enough to eliminate the fleas in your home. It’s a smart idea to reach out to Independent Pest Control so that we can help stop the flea problem in its tracks.
How to Terminate Fleas in Your Home
Although the best thing you can do when you have an active flea infestation is hire a pest control expert to help, there are some steps to keep fleas away in the first place. When it comes to flea prevention, cleanliness is the most important thing.
- Vacuum carpets and floors regularly.
- Wash bedding and clean furniture often.
- Bathe pets regularly.
- Use effective flea medications on pets periodically.
- Trim grass and vegetation so there are fewer hiding places.
- Remove organic debris near your home, such as branches, leaves, and logs.
- Keep trash cans covered and make sure your trash gets picked up.
- Seal potential entry points into your home.
After taking care of your flea problem, Independent Pest Solutions is happy to help you protect your home from future infestations of all pest types. We often do attic and crawlspace cleanouts for clients. Pests can leave behind waste and damage property. An unclean space invites further pests in, which is why cleanout and exclusion services are important.
Flea Populations on the Rise
The first reason why there are more fleas is that fleas are becoming more resistant to flea medications. In the past, people had to take their pets to the vet to get flea treatment. However, now pet owners can apply the flea treatments on their own. They may do it improperly, allowing for the spread of fleas.
Another cause could be that Washington has had milder, warmer winters in recent years, and so the fleas are continuing to reproduce through the winter. This could be a reason behind the increase in flea numbers. With more fleas out there, you need to be more vigilant than ever to keep them out of your home!
Work with a Flea Control Expert
If you are concerned about a possible flea problem in your home, don’t wait to act. Working with a professional pest control team could save you and your loved ones from exposure to disease and physical and emotional hardship.
Our team at Independent Pest Control is here to help. Call our office today to schedule a consultation!