Are Fleas Dangerous In Katy?
Here in Katy, fleas are year-round pests that home and business owners should be conscious of. While fleas are mainly associated with household pets like cats and dogs, they aren’t limited in who they’ll bite. These parasites may prefer hairy mammals as their hosts, seeing that it’s easier for fleas to latch onto hair than for them to latch onto bare skin. However, fleas also pose a threat to humans.
Why are fleas such a big deal? Well, when fleas bite their hosts, they can transmit all kinds of pathogens into the bloodstream, exposing us to diseases and adverse health effects. The saliva is also known to cause serious flea allergy dermatitis, and it’s linked to the spread of tapeworm in household pets. The bottom line is that having an infestation of fleas poses some real health risks to you, your loved ones, and your pets. That’s why it’s so important to address your flea control needs with a team of professionals.
Flea infestation spreads fast and can grow out of control quite quickly. Consider the fact that a single female flea can produce 400 to 500 offspring in its 100-day lifespan. That’s a lot of little eggs spread throughout your property, all searching for new hosts so they can repeat the process all over again. Once these offspring find a source to feed on, they’ll linger in the area and call in all their friends. This leads to further flea infestation and further exposure to flea-borne illnesses.
How To Tell If It's Fleas In Your Katy Home
Another reason why flea infestation can be such a frustrating nightmare is that fleas are so tiny that they can be difficult to see with the naked eye. They’re minuscule vector pests that may be attached to their hosts for long periods of time before actually getting detected – that’s how small and sneaky they are.
If you’re wondering what a flea looks like, here are some helpful identifiers to get you started:
Fleas are insects that are small, flat, and flightless.
Fleas are external parasites of mammals and birds.
These ectoparasites measure around ⅛ of an inch long.
They gravitate towards furry hosts, as they’re easier to latch onto.
Fleas are usually a dark reddish-brown color.
While these characteristics depict your typical flea, the truth is that a flea’s appearance varies depending on what stage of development it’s in. Larvae appear as tiny specks leaping around on the floor, while adult fleas resemble dark sunflower seeds hiding away in the fur.
With three pairs of powerful jumping legs, adult fleas are able to travel from one place to another. They cannot technically jump, but they’re able to hitchhike to new places and then attach to other surfaces. This can include areas where your pets lay down, like couches, bedding, and carpets. A flea brought in by the dog may start off in the dog’s bed but then spread to rugs, sofas, etc.
Once fleas find a suitable host, they use their biting mouthparts to pierce their host’s skin and feed on their blood. Once they get the sustenance they need from their host’s blood meal, they can get started on reproducing. As fleas lay their eggs and travel to other sites throughout your property, they spread their populations and grow the infestation even further.
The bottom line is that parasites are more dangerous than you may think, and they’re not easy to get rid of. If you’re thinking of just stepping on and smashing them, think again. Fleas are resilient, and they have strong exteriors that protect them from being crushed. They’re hard to eliminate, and their presence poses a real risk for you and your loved ones. Let’s go over the major dangers of flea infestation.
The Diseases Fleas In Katy Can Transmit
Even though fleas are small pests, they can cause big problems for their hosts, as we’ve discussed. Fleas can transmit diseases to their hosts and cause a long list of adverse health effects. Let’s start with some of the flea’s most notorious hosts – pets. Household pets often suffer allergic reactions to fleas, causing scabs and fur loss at the bite sites. They can also suffer from anemia due to too much blood loss.
When it comes to humans, flea bites can be just as threatening. They can cause itchiness and infection, and if the host is allergic to fleas, they can suffer allergic reactions that can range from mild rashes to full-blown hives and anaphylaxis. Whatever their chosen host may be, the fact of the matter is that fleas are dangerous, and they are capable of spreading a variety of bacterial diseases and vector illnesses.
Some of the health conditions related to fleas include:
Bubonic plague
Bartonellosis (“cat scratch disease”)
Murine typhus
Tungiasis
Tapeworm
Tularemia
Flea-borne illnesses and reactions can become severe, and if an infestation is left undetected and untreated for extended periods of time, the problem can worsen, and the risks can increase. That’s why it’s so important to address your flea control and prevention needs. That’s the best way to protect yourself and your pets from fleas.
Why Fleas Come Into Katy Homes
Keeping in mind the dangers of fleas, it makes sense why homeowners want to keep these pests out of their houses. While pet owners are probably the most susceptible to experiencing flea infestation, there are many other ways in which these parasites get onto your property. That means pet owners aren’t the only ones at risk.
Suppose you’re wondering how these tiny parasites even got inside your house in the first place. Good question. There are many different ways in which fleas find their way into your Katy home, and they like to hide in bedding, furniture, cushions, and dog beds. They frequently find harborage in carpets, upholstery, curtains, and small cracks in the floor, among other access points. It’s essential to be aware of these entry methods so you can get ahead of your flea control needs.
Here are some of the main ways in which fleas get inside of your Katy home:
Though pets often bring in fleas, they can also be brought in by stray animals, like certain wildlife, rodents, and birds. Because these parasites prefer hosts with hair and fur, it makes sense why they’re often brought onto your property by your pets. However, fleas can also be brought inside by different nuisance pests.
Fleas can easily find a way inside your home by attaching to your shoe or clothing as you pass by, unknowingly exposing your home to a possible infestation.
When fleas attach to their host, they mate and lay eggs. The eggs are small and oftentimes fall off of the host and land places around your property like bedding, blankets, clothing, etc.
They can also live outdoors, in the grass, in fields, or in the woods. They hide in yard debris, dirt, grass, weeds, and bushes, waiting for wildlife to pass by so they can latch onto them.
Suppose a neighboring property has a flea infestation. In that case, this increases the chance of your property becoming infested, especially if your pets play with each other and are exposed to other wildlife.
When fleas feed on the blood of their host, be it human or animal, they are capable of surviving long periods without food. Due to their ability to last long periods without food, they can easily stay in a home without a host for considerable lengths of time.
In fact, fleas can go over 100 days without feeding, so it can be hard to know where they are at all times and how long they’ve been there. That’s why it’s hard to detect an infestation in its earliest stages. The best thing you can do is be proactive in your prevention efforts.
How To Completely Get Rid Of Fleas In Katy
As already established, it can be extremely difficult to deal with fleas. When you think you’ve gotten rid of them, another group of them pop up, and the whole nightmare begins again. To give you an idea of how fast a population of fleas can grow, one flea can lay up to 2,000 eggs in its lifetime, and its life only lasts up to 25 days.
If you want to be proactive in your efforts to keep fleas away from your property, it’s a good idea to take precautionary measures. There are a few helpful tips to assist you in your flea control efforts. Here are some useful ways to reduce your chances of experiencing a flea infestation:
Apply veterinarian-prescribed flea products to your pets.
Clear away yard debris and keep lawn and vegetation well-trimmed.
Clear clutter and clean carpets, floors, furniture, and crevices where fleas can easily hide.
Frequently vacuum, paying close attention to spaces where pets hang out.
Hose down your yard and other places frequented by pets.
Inspect visiting pets before bringing them into your home.
Maintain a clean home in general, as proper sanitation is key when it comes to flea prevention.
Periodically treat your pets with a flea bath or flea spray and use a flea comb.
Place flea traps on the floor to monitor flea activity within your home.
Put a flea collar on household pets to repel fleas.
Regularly wash all bedding, linens, laundry, and upholstery on high heat.
Steam clean the carpet, curtains, and upholstered furniture.
Use outdoor flea repellent on the exterior of your home to reduce the chances of an infestation.
Vacuum eggs and larvae and properly dispose of the vacuum bag in a sealed trash can.
Wash and dry all bedding, linens, laundry, and upholstery that has come in contact with the animal.
Despite your best prevention efforts, fleas can find a way into your Katy property anyway. It’s best to be able to identify signs of flea activity so that you can address potential infestation in a timely manner. While it can be hard to detect flea activity, you may see small, black flea droppings or small flea eggs that resemble dandruff.
If you detect any of these signs or you suspect any flea activity, you need to take action. Whether you’re currently experiencing a flea problem or just want to secure protection for the future, we recommend getting help from your local pest professionals.
Since 1952, Modern Pest Control has been providing complete flea control solutions to homes and businesses throughout Katy and the greater Houston, TX area. We use the latest pest control strategies and most advanced methods to tackle your flea infestation from the inside out. Our philosophy is to deliver prompt, personalized pest control our customers can count on.
Our flea control process includes the following:
Inspection - This consists of a thorough walk-through and inspection of both the interior and exterior of your property. We will determine areas where fleas are active, as well as harborage areas and potential entry points. After that, we develop a customized treatment strategy to tackle your flea problem effectively.
Service - We’ll treat your home/facility, garage, and the perimeter of your structure to eliminate flea activity, and our treatments are developed to cater to your needs and the specific requirements of your property.
Follow-Up - We offer ongoing flea control services to make sure your home or business is fully protected from flea infestation all year long.
Our service technicians are here to bring you superb customer service and the lasting results that you deserve. Our goal is to bring you pest-free results you can count on from the first sign of flea infestation through each and every follow-up visit. Flea infestation is a huge headache that you don’t want to deal with alone, and you don’t have to. That’s why we’re here.
The professionals at Modern Pest Control are eager to help. Reach out to us today to set up an initial inspection, and we’ll get started on thoroughly protecting your home, pets, and loved ones from the dangers of flea infestation. We’re here to provide assistance and answers to all of your flea control and prevention questions.