Urban Myth: If My Pet Has Fleas I Only Have To Treat Them

Have you noticed your poor dog scratching like mad, or noticed something suspect jumping in your cat’s fur? If your pet has fleas, it can be pretty miserable for them and of course, you’ll want to treat them as soon as possible. But only treating your pet won’t kill off a flea infestation, you have to treat your home as well.
Fleas will lay their eggs in your pet’s fur, but the eggs drop off and can become embedded in areas like carpets, between floorboards, and in bedding.
How to spot fleas on your pet
Fleas can be hard to spot, but knowing the signs of a flea infestation means that you can treat your home sooner and eradicate the problem.
Adult fleas are reddy-brown in colour and are only around 2mm long. Check your pet’s fur for signs of flea activity. Check around the base of the tail and the hind quarters in dogs, and around the ears and neck in cats. You might also spot flea droppings on your pet or in their bedding, as well as on carpets and rugs. Flea droppings look like ground black pepper.
How to eradicate a flea infestation from your pet and your home
• Groom your pet with a flea comb often and ask your vet about the best treatment you can use.
• Wash your pet’s bedding once per week on a hot wash.
• Tackle your home: vacuum carpets and any soft furnishings and upholstered furniture. Don’t forget nooks and crannies where fleas lay their eggs like between floorboards. Do this and you’ll get rid of eggs and larvae as well as the adult fleas themselves. When you empty your hoover, make sure you do it thoroughly and away from your home because the fleas will likely still be alive.
• Call in professional pest control: If you’re unsure about whether you’ve managed to tackle the flea problem in your home and you need expert help, it’s time to call in the professionals.
How we can help
Flea problems can be common when you have pets, but infestations aren’t inevitable. To have peace of mind that an infestation has been completely eradicated, call in the experts. We’ll inspect your property and assess the extent of the infestation. Then we’ll identify the areas that need treatment. This isn’t guesswork, our highly-trained technicians know exactly what to look for. We’ll recommend and carry out the best treatments for your situation as well as giving you expert advice on how to prevent further infestations.
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