Though they are tiny in size yet flea bites are miserable and make pets itchy and also spreads the disease. What is worse is that it is extremely hard to kill fleas once they have set a place in your home.
The best strategy to kill them is to break their life cycle. This has to be done as soon as females are ready to lay more eggs, preventing them from doing so, thereby preventing larvae to develop into adults.
Fleas are tiny but powerful enemies.
1. Fleas can Multiply Rapidly
The life cycle of fleas is short, which means that they can multiply rapidly.
- Adult Fleas can jump onto your dog or cat and feed on its blood and then start laying eggs.
- Eggs – one female lays up to 50 eggs per day, they drop off on carpets and bedding before hatching.
- Larvae – the hatched eggs release larvae that move away from light, deeper into carpets, and under furniture before developing into pupae. The larvae feed on organic debris at this stage.
This lifecycle can take as little as 2-3 weeks but can last up to 6 months. To rid your household of fleas, you must break this cycle. While you may control some adults with room foggers, there may be some larvae left in the carpets and cracks and crevices that it won’t reach. The eggs and larvae are the hardest to remove completely.
2. You Must Perform a Simultaneous Attack
Just because fleas can go everywhere, you must make sure to treat every single area simultaneously. These areas are not just in your home. Ensure to treat the following
The bad news is that if you have a pet, flea problems just aren’t concentrated in one room of your house. Pets roam all around the home and distribute these fleas everywhere hence they visit throughout the house. Wash your dog and cat beds frequently with hot water. Wash your pet’s toys as fleas and eggs can hide in them too. In case you can’t wash them, then throw them out.
Read Also: Tick Powder For Dogs Uses, Side Effect, Price, And Alternates
3. Clean Your Home Thoroughly
Vacuum your home is important to remove not only adult fleas but eggs and larvae too. Larvae hide deep into carpets, furniture, curtains, and other places. You must be careful. Move your furniture to vacuum underneath, turn cushions over to vacuum both sides, and vacuum the bottom of curtains that come in contact with the carpet or floor. You must vacuum around the house often. Vacuum the entire house once or twice a week. Be extra careful in rooms where your pet spends the most time. Use a pesticide to kill any adults, eggs, or larvae that have escaped the vacuum. While speaking of escaping, make sure to empty your vacuum bag outside so that no surviving fleas escape back into your home.
4. Treat Your Lawn Too
Humans and pets can also bring fleas in from the garden, lawn treatments have to be done to get rid of the fleas living in the lawn. Lawns should be kept trimmed low to help the treatment reach down the level as well.
5. Don’t Assume Fleas Are Gone Prematurely
Primarily, you have to understand that timing is imperative. You must get rid of the fleas and eggs in the whole house and with your pets simultaneously. Do not forget that just because you don’t see the fleas, doesn’t assure that the problem is solved. In a week or two, the larvae will mature and you’ll be seeing them jumping again in the house.
Read Also: Prevention And Control Of Tick And Flea Infestation In Pets
[…] Though they are tiny in size yet flea bites are miserable and make pets itchy and it also spreads the disease. What is worse is that it is extremely hard to kill fleas once they have set a place at your home […]