Keeping Friendswood Pets Safe From Fleas
When you think of common household pests, the ones that probably first pop into your mind are ants, spiders, roaches, and mice. But, living in Friendswood means that you need to be aware of and protect your home from being invaded by many different pests, including tiny, parasitic fleas! That's right, fleas are not a pest that we only have to worry about when we take our pets to the vet, they are a pest that homeowners must guard their home against throughout the year.
Friendswood provides a perfect environment for fleas to thrive. The extremely warm, humid weather conditions found throughout this part of Texas provides very favorable conditions for flea larval development for a large portion of the year. This means that throughout most of the year and especially in the summer season, the flea’s complete lifecycle can be fully completed in a very short period of time, generally in about two weeks! Each female flea has the potential to lay about 50 eggs per day, meaning that if even just a few fleas that have found their way into your home on your cat or dog, your home could quickly be overrun by thousands of fleas!
Fleas often find their ways into homes with pets. When your dog or cat is spending time outside, they may come into contact with fleas who will then hitchhike their way into your home on their backs. Pet owners aren’t the only ones that need to be concerned about fleas, however; fleas can also find their way into homes on the clothing of adults or children that have spent time outside or inside used furniture or rugs that you have purchased for your home. Also, if your home or apartment was previously occupied by pet owners, flea larvae or eggs could already be hiding throughout your home, waiting for the conditions to be right to allow them to develop into blood-feeding adults!
Keeping fleas off of your pets and out of your Friendswood home is important for many reasons, including the fact that their bites are extremely itchy and their presence can be maddening to deal with! In some cases, people and/or pets can have allergic reactions to their saliva and experience a severe reaction which may result in a secondary infection due to excessive itching. Fleas also have the potential to carry and transmit diseases to people and our pets and can cause severe and life-threatening anemia in both cats and dogs.
Some Household Items That Will Deter Fleas In Friendswood
Fleas can be a common problem in Friendswood homes, particularly if you have pets. While professional flea control treatments are the best way to eliminate them, it is possible to use some household items as an added prevention strategy. Some of the most effective ones include:
- Cedar chips: There is some evidence that fleas do not like the scent of cedar. Placing cedar chips or shavings around your pet's bedding could help repel them.
- Vinegar: White vinegar is a natural pest repellent. Mixing equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spraying it on carpets, pet bedding, etc., could encourage these biting insects to move out.
- Salt: Sprinkling salt on carpets, pet bedding, and other areas can help dehydrate and kill flea eggs and larvae.
- Lemon: Lemon spray is a natural flea repellent that you can make by adding sliced lemons to water and letting the solution steep overnight.
- Essential oils: Lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint essential oils might repel fleas. Be sure to dilute them before using them, as they are very concentrated and can damage bedding.
As effective as these strategies might be, they are no match for the safe, scientifically-tested, and EPA-approved flea treatments we use at Modern Pest Control. Call us today to learn how we can make your home free of fleas and other biting insects.
Fleas are more than just a nuisance, they are a danger and an infestation either on your pet or inside of your Friendswood home should be taken very seriously. At the first sign of a flea infestation in your home, it is very important to contact a professional to come to your property, perform an inspection, and complete an effective flea treatment that will eliminate all adults, larvae, and eggs from your home. Even just a couple of eggs or larvae left behind could trigger a re-infestation inside of your home. In conjunction with professional pest control services, it is also important to solve your pets flea infestation. Contact your veterinarian and have your pets placed on a flea preventative/control product under their recommendation. To learn more about how the Texas pests professionals at Modern Pest Control can help to eliminate the fleas that have found their way into your Friendswood home, give us a call today!