Fleas are tiny, but they can cause pain and transmit a variety of illnesses to your pets. If you have found fleas on your property, it is crucial that you understand how you can tell if it’s fleas or another pest, find out how harmful fleas are to humans, and get educated on easy but effective flea prevention tips for your home. If fleas have started to multiply in your house, HomeShield Pest Control provides pest control in Vero Beach you can rely on to get rid of them before they have a chance to cause more problems.
How To Tell If It's Fleas In Your Home
You can tell that you have fleas in your home if you see:
- Tiny black spots on pet fur: If, while looking through your pet’s fur, you find tiny black dots, these could be actual live fleas, or flea dirt (sometimes called flea dust, which is how flea feces are commonly referred to).
- Excessive scratching: Are your pets scratching themselves excessively, licking themselves obsessively, and even losing patches of fur? They might be suffering from flea bites.
- Live fleas: Smaller than ? of an inch long, fleas have six legs and can jump. You might be able to see them by combing your pet’s fur with a flea comb, or just with your fingers if the infestation is severe.
- Bite marks: Fleas prefer cats and dogs, but will bite humans if necessary, causing small, itchy red bumps.
If you see any of these signs of a flea infestation, it is important to understand how harmful fleas can be to humans as well as pets.
Are Fleas Harmful To Humans?
While fleas prefer pets to humans, they can still use people as blood hosts. Through their bite, they can transmit a variety of diseases including flea-borne typhus, the plague, and cat scratch disease. Flea-borne typhus can cause fever, chills, nausea and vomiting, and a rash, and will require treatment with antibiotics. Fleas can also transmit the plague, a life-threatening bacterial infection that they will often pick up from dead infected rodents. At the very least, their bite can be quite painful and itchy, potentially causing hives and rashes. Left untreated, flea bites can also cause infections, especially if you scratch them. If you have dealt with flea problems in the past, read on to learn easy but effective flea prevention tips for your home.
Easy And Effective Flea Prevention Tips For Your Home
The following easy and effective flea prevention tips can help prevent fleas from taking over your home:
- Prevent your pets from being in contact with infected animals: It is best to allow your pets to socialize with animals you know have a low likelihood of being contaminated.
- Wash your pet’s fur regularly: While this is not always possible year-round, washing and brushing your pets on a regular basis can help deter fleas.
- Consider flea treatments: Consult with a pest control professional or your veterinarian to find which options are best for your situation.
- Wash bedding often: Washing your bedding, including your pet’s beds and blankets, can prevent an infestation from growing.
If these prevention tips are not enough to keep infestations at bay, a pest control company can help you figure out the best way to get rid of fleas based on your unique situation.
The Best Way To Completely Eliminate A Flea Infestation
The best way to eliminate a flea infestation is to consult with a pest control company that can recommend the best products to get rid of fleas for good. At HomeShield Pest Control, we have successfully treated many flea infestations in the Vero Beach area, and have experience in many other types of pests as well including mosquitoes, bed bugs, and more. Contact us today to schedule an initial visit, and find out how we can help you and your pets be free of fleas for good.
Fleas are dangerous pests that can make you and your pets sick. Our licensed technicians have the knowledge needed to get rid of fleas in your home and prevent them from returning.