FLEA & TICK CONTROL

Warmer weather is something to be celebrated in Texas, with blue skies and budding wildflowers beckoning us outside. It’s a time for families to enjoy themselves under the sun, and for many of us dogs and cats are part of that family. No doubt we love our animals, and we do everything we can to keep them healthy. Just like us, our pets can be affected by pests of many shapes and sizes. One of the smallest pests that pose a threat to your pets and home are fleas, and unfortunately once spring is underway they too like to get out and enjoy it. There’s quite a few ways to prevent fleas, and all of them are part of your overall pest control strategy. We’ll go through how to spot fleas and give a few pointers on how to prevent them from ever becoming a problem.

For such a small pest, fleas sure can cause a lot of headaches. Not only do they bite and cause your pets all kinds of irritation, they also have the potential to spread disease and worms. Your pet can suffer from fleas without you ever seeing one, but there’s a few different things to watch for when wondering if your furry friend is dealing with a pest problem.

• Higher than average bouts of scratching and itching
• ‘Fleeing’, or nibbling at their own fur and skin
• Hair loss, scabs, red irritated skin
• Light specks (flea eggs) and dark specks (flea droppings) in fur

If you do spot fleas on your pets, it’s recommended to bathe them with a flea and tick shampoo (Dawn dishwashing soap will work in a pinch), and a flea comb can come in handy as well. Make sure to lather your animal up well and let the soap rest a moment to ensure effectiveness. Often if you see fleas on your pets, it’s likely that there are fleas in your home. Without the help of pest control professionals like 855Bugs, fleas can be difficult to eradicate in a home, and like many areas of pest control it’s a situation that is best avoided with a well-rounded pest management method. For fleas this includes keeping your pets on flea and tick preventatives, whether or not they’re primarily inside or outside dogs. These medications don’t necessarily prevent fleas from hitching a ride on your animals, but it will ensure that they aren’t able to reproduce on them and further the infestation.

Fleas reproduce at astronomical rates, and you can go from being free from fleas to being inundated in a matter of weeks. Keeping them from reproducing on your animals goes a long way in preventing them from surviving into your home and guarantees Fido won’t spend his nights scratching. The next aspect of prevention comes with keeping your property free of the kinds of habitats these pests love. Fleas and Ticks thrive in tall grass, so keeping your property mowed and maintained can help keep them from setting up shop – this will also help prevent many of the other common Texas pests from finding a home on your property. Try not to overwater, or have any areas that maintain moisture – this is sort of like putting out an invitation for fleas and their pesky friends. Many of them love shade, moisture, and decomposing matter.

Moving to the interior of your home, it’s helpful to stay hygenic when it comes to your furniture, flooring, and bedding. It’s recommended to wash your pets bedding as often as you do your own, and keeping fibrous flooring clean with regular vacuuming. Do what you can to make sure your couch cushions are free from hair and debris, and try to avoid piling up clothing or bedding in closets and other often ignored areas. All of these are ways to help prevent a wide range of pests from taking advantage of your hospitality.

So, you keep your pets on preventative meds, maintain a well manicured yard, and keep your home in immaculate condition – but you still find fleas! You wouldn’t be the first, or the last – but it can be the last time you deal with fleas if you round out your pest management program with help from the folks at 855Bugs. No pest control strategy is complete without the help of an experienced and professional pest control technician, and you won’t find any more helpful and knowledgeable than the folks at 855Bugs. They will help you keep not only your home but your yard free from these little pests, and you can be sure your family and furry best friends will thank you for it. Contact 855Bugs today for a free inspection!