Each person in your Gastonia, NC household is treated with love and respect; yes, even pets. Nobody treats pets nowadays like they are animals, they are now co-equals in the household, bringing joy to each and every human they get in contact with inside their homes. Thus, they have the right to be fed, the right to play, the right to be taken care of, and the right to be protected from pests and diseases.
When it comes to pests on pets, one type of insect we have to watch out for is fleas. They affect hairy hosts, including our beloved dogs, cats, hamsters, and rabbits, among others. If you find your pet scratching, fidgeting, and getting restless overall, it is highly possible that they are being bothered by fleas. If you are reading this, chances are you have this problem with your pet. Not to worry though, as the leading pest control company in Gastonia, Go-Forth Home Services, is here to give you some advice on how to keep your pet safe.
Go-Forth Home Services has been in the business of pest control since 1959 and has earned the trust of residents and businesses not only in Gastonia but in the entire CHarlotte area.
If you want to learn how pest control can get rid of fleas, read on. This article is for you.
Identifying Fleas
Finding out that there are fleas in your homes can be very stressful. But how can you be sure that you have fleas?
Learning how to identify them is the first step in controlling fleas. There are around 2,500 identified species of fleas all over the world. Evidence shows that fleas have been around for millions of years, since the dinosaur era. Their early victims were the dinosaurs, and these fleas that lived that time were much bigger than the present day fleas.
They are tiny, flightless insects that suck the blood of mammals and birds. They have reddish-brown bodies and they are the size of a pinhead. Their bodies are flattened sideways. Their narrow bodies come in handy for navigating their hairy hosts. They have spines around their heads and mouths. They have piercing mouth parts that enable them to suck blood from their hosts. There are needle-like tubes in their mouths that can pierce the skin of their hosts that allows them to feed. There are also two laciniae in their mouths that cut the skin. Then they have their epipharynx, which is also a needle-like part that is surrounded by the laciniae to form a stylet. Finally, there is the labium, which supports the stylet.
Fleas have long, powerful claws; these claws allow them to latch on to the skin of their hosts without falling. They have strong legs, which makes them very good jumpers. This compensates for them being flightless; they transfer from one host to another through jumping. Amazingly, these tiny insects can jump 110 times their length of approximately 4 feet. And when they jump, they accelerate 20 times faster than a space shuttle. They are considered parasitic creatures, with them getting all the benefits from their hosts while at the same time harming their hosts. They like to latch on to dogs, cats, and even humans.
Fleas can detect their next host through vibrations on the floor. They can also detect carbon dioxide that is emitted by humans and animals. Each time they feel that a potential host is near, they simply jump and latch onto their next victim. While they prefer cats and dogs, humans can also be their hosts. Fleas can actually still live without eating for as long as 2 weeks. However, adult fleas need a blood meal for them to be able to lay eggs.
Life Cycle
Fleas undergo 4 stages all throughout their short lives and go through a complete metamorphosis. They go through the egg stage, larvae stage, pupae stage, and finally the adult stage. Female adult fleas can lay as many as hundreds to a couple of thousands of eggs in their lifetime. Their pupae can stay in their cocoons for 1 year. They will stay there until they sense a potential host. Once a host is near, they will emerge to get a blood meal.
How Harmful Are Fleas?
A pet that is infested with fleas will suffer a great deal of discomfort, so we will always have to be on the lookout for these pests. Flea bites are very itchy and could cause allergies as a reaction to flea saliva. Their scratches could also be so intense that it may cause wounds to their skin.
Fleas transfer tapeworms to their hosts. They also transmit several diseases like Lyme disease and the bubonic plague. Yes, that same plague that caused the deaths of almost half of Europe’s population during the 1500s. It took 3 centuries before Europe totally recovered.
Fleas prefer hairy hosts, but if none is around, then they settle for human hosts. Humans are their last resort because they cannot really thrive on human bodies. Humans have a different body temperature, plus their lack of hair is not ideal for fleas to breed.
Signs Of Fleas
Your pets can feel their presence, but since they do not talk, it would be up to us humans to look for signs of fleas once in a while. The areas fleas like to hide in are your pet’s belly, armpits, ears, inner thighs, and tail.
You may check your pet’s fur for the presence of flea feces. An adult fleas’ feces are made up of blood from their animal and human hosts. Flea feces appear in the form of brown specks of dirt. If you find them, pick them off using a paper towel and then test if these are indeed fecal matter by waiting for a few minutes, after which these specks would spread out like bloodstains. If that happens, then your dog has fleas.
A non-stop scratching and licking by your pet probably means she might have fleas. There may be areas where there is hair loss too. On the other hand, if you frequently hold or stroke your pet, you might find bites on your hand and arms.
Fleas can also be in areas where your dog frequents. You may find fleas in your sofas, carpets, beds, and anywhere your pets love to stay in. Eggs and pupae could be present.
Pest Control For Fleas
Your dog or cat deserves to live in a safe and disease-free environment. It is our responsibility then to get rid of them using proper pest control techniques. You do not have to call in the professionals just yet; there are things you can do to prevent flea infestation at home.
Below are some tips you can do that are safe for you and your family:
- Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around your house. Diatomaceous earth is made from fossilized remains of diatoms. They look like a fine powder, but they are actually like tiny shards of broken glass. When fleas crawl on them, this powder-like substance would inflict tiny cuts on their bodies, causing them to bleed to death. You can buy diatomaceous earth from a garden store near you.
- Use your vacuum cleaner to vacuum areas that your dog frequents, like his bedding, carpets, couches, and other furniture. Once done, throw away the vacuum’s bag properly.
- You can try table salt. You may find that it also kills fleas. Sprinkle table salt throughout the house. Leave it as is for a few hours. Leave for a few hours, then vacuum the areas where you sprinkled salt. Throw away the vacuum’s bag properly.
- Each time you walk your pet, make sure to brush his coat before going back inside the house.
- Regularly mow your lawn and rake the leaves so that there would be fewer hiding places for fleas.
- Wash your pet’s bedding, blankets, toys if any, and other things that have to be washed in hot water.
- Bathe your pet with veterinarian-approved flea shampoo.
These are the tricks you can use to prevent a flea infestation in your home. However, if after doing all these you still find yourself still battling it out with fleas, then you need professional help. Not to worry though as the best flea control company in Gastonia, Go-Forth Home Services, is just one phone call away.
Why Go-Forth Home Services?
Go-Forth Home Services is the leading pest control not only in Gastonia but in the entire Charlotte area as well.
They are experts in exterminating all kinds of pests, including fleas, mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies, termites, rats, mice, poisonous spiders, bed bugs, silverfish, moths, slugs, and many more. Name your pest, and we can handle them without compromising your family’s safety. We have a team of expert technicians who can do the job for you. Plus, they only use the latest and most advanced equipment in the business today. Call Go-Forth now!