Flea problem? Get Immediate Flea Help
Dog Flea
2 -3 mm
Dos and Don’ts of Fleas
- Treat the infestation before the numbers multiply – don’t wait for signs of flea bites before you treat the problem.
- Treat your pets immediately! It’s best to treat both animals and the environment at the same time for effective results. Ask your vet for advice on how to treat pets.
- Leave your pet in the flea infested areas as it will attract the fleas (if the pet is taken away, fleas will continue to hatch for up to six weeks with normal human activity).
- But be sure to remove pets from the area to be treated. Return them only after the treatment has dried.
- Vacuum carpets prior to treatment and remove toys, clothes and other material from the floor. Insecticides may affect fish so be sure to cover fish tanks and turn off the filter prior to treatment.
- Remove children and pets from the area prior to treatment
- Hose dry areas on hot days prior to treatment
- Mow the lawns before treatment
- Remember to attend to all flea infested areas, particularly rooms and places that pets tend to frequent.
- Be especially aware of fleas when entering empty houses like rental holiday homes – this could stimulate any eggs that are waiting to hatch.
- Get a friend to stomp through the house or garden several times before you go away on holidays –and especially on the day you return- the fleas will hatch and die on the treated surfaces before you return.
- If you remove the pet, this doesn’t necessarily protect you or your family. It will only exacerbate the problem, as the fleas can potentially turn to human flesh for its fix.
- Do not vacuum for at least 7 days after treatment. Place the vacuuming in a bag and put it in the bin.
Some information about Fleas
Did you know?
Ten fleas might not seem like a big threat at first. But in just 30 days they can reproduce and multiply their numbers up to 250,000. That’s what we call a flea invasion!!
These blood sucking parasites are enough to make your skin crawl! Although they tend to feed off cats and dogs, they can sometimes bite humans out of desperation. Without a living thing to feast on, fleas cannot survive.
How do Fleas work?
Fleas primarily lay eggs on the pet while it is resting. The white eggs fall off the pet and onto the carpet or other surfaces. Small blind larvae from the white eggs go deep into the carpet, cracks in floorboards or into soil. A flea may be ready to hatch in summer (but they can also remain sleeping for 18 months). How does the flea hatch? It usually takes nearby movement to trigger the hatching. This is especially the case during warm or moist weather conditions.
The female flea feeds on the host and is then ready to mate and lay some more eggs. One female flea is capable of laying up to 500 eggs over a lifetime of several weeks.
