Many people believe you need to have a dog or cat in order to have fleas and ticks in your house. This is not necessarily true! Fleas and ticks can just as easily ‘hitch a ride’ with the homeowners to gain entry to your house. They may also come inside on new carpeting or other items brought into the house. Fleas and ticks may carry diseases like Lyme disease, typhoid fever or tapeworms that can make humans (as well as pets) very sick.
If you believe you have a problem with fleas or ticks, call in the troops! Contact Clegg’s Termite and Pest Control or call 888-672-5344 to have us review the situation and recommend a solution.
Flea Control
Fleas are parasites that feed on the blood of any warm-blooded body. The most common species is the cat flea, which often feasts on cats, dogs and humans.
Habits: Fleas transport themselves on rodents and other mammals. They infest both household pests and wild animals. Fleas use their powerful legs to jump as high as 8 inches vertically and 16 inches horizontally.
Habitat: Fleas usually remain on their warm-blooded hosts at all times. They can also be found on shoes, pant legs, or blankets, which can transfer the fleas to new environments. They are often found infesting opossums, raccoons, and skunks in urban settings.
Threats: Fleas are the most common transmitter of the rare Bubonic Plague. They also transmit the bacterial disease murine typhus to humans through infected rats. Their saliva can cause serious Flea Allergy Dermatitis in pets, and their debris has been reported to cause similar allergic reactions in humans. Fleas can also transfer tapeworms and cause anemia in pets. Flea bites commonly cause painful, itchy red bumps.
A flea will lay hundreds of eggs in its lifetime. Each egg hatches into a larvae and then will spin a cocoon (pupae) and will mature into an adult in as few as five days depending on the environment they are in. The adult fleas will then feed on your pet, mate, and then lay eggs again. This life cycle is repeated over and over again until some type of control measure intervenes. The life cycle can last from one month to several months. Typhoid fever and the bubonic plague are the worst of the diseases that can be transmitted by fleas. Tapeworms may also be transmitted to cats, dogs, and even small children.
Tick Control
A few species of ticks may be common around buildings. The brown dog tick is the most common species that infests inside homes. Ticks are usually carried into homes & yards on dogs. Ticks transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, & tularemia.
Black-legged tick responsible for most Lyme disease cases in Northeast/Midwest. Lone star tick & American dog tick also may transmit Lyme Disease. Removing a tick can be a tricky task. You can find detailed instructions on removing a tick safely at www.cdc.gov which is the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Be alert for signs of a rash or fever and if they develop you should consult your doctor.
There are several steps that need to be taken before treatment** is performed:
- Have your pet treated for fleas. It is important that you try not to let your freshly treated pet back into the areas in your home that are infested before you have a professional treat those areas otherwise you will most likely be making another trip to the vet. Any area that your pet spends time in at your home needs to be treated, especially their bedding area.
- Vacuum all areas that your pest inhabits including carpet, floors, upholstered furniture, mattresses, etc. Each time you finish vacuuming you need to place the used bag in a sealed bag (ziploc bag or a bag you can tie up) and dispose of it outside of the home. If it is possible to wash your pets bedding then do so otherwise dispose of it.
- For all areas being treated by a pest control professional these areas need to be clear of any clutter or debris so that the treatment will be effective.
- If you are having your yard sprayed, you need to mow the lawn and also make sure that any clutter and debris are removed from the yard.
**TREATMENT FOR FLEAS INCLUDES AN INSIDE, OUTSIDE, AND UNDERNEATH SERVICE. ALL LIVING ORGANISMS NEED TO BE OUT OF THE TREATMENT AREA FOR NO LESS THAN 4 HOURS INCLUDING BIRDS. FISH TANKS NEED TO BE COVERED AND THE PUMP TURNED OFF. LASTLY TURN OFF HEAT/AC BEFORE TREATMENT IS PERFORMED SO THAT CHEMICAL CAN SETTLE. AFTER 4 HOUR DELAY YOU CAN TURN HEAT/AC BACK ON.
Very Important: Following our treatment, you need to continue to vacuum every third day for the next 3 weeks to ensure that all eggs are removed from your living area. DO NOT FORGET TO DISPOSE OF AND SEAL THE VACUUM BAG EACH TIME YOU VACUUM.
If you believe you have a problem with fleas or ticks, call in the troops! Contact Clegg’s Termite and Pest Control to review the situation and recommend a solution.
Flea and Tick Control Throughout North Carolina
Did you know our pest control heroes service throughout all of North Carolina? Here are some of the main markets we are proud to serve:
- Flea and Tick control in Asheville, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Charlotte, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Clinton, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Durham, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Fayetteville, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Greenville, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Kernersville, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Morehead City, NC
- Flea and Tick control in New Bern, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Raleigh, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Smithfield, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Southport, NC
- Flea and Tick control in Wilmington, NC
