Do You Have Fleas? By C Swarens At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Every pet owner worries about the possibility if dealing with fleas. After all, these little pests can be quite irritating to both your pet and to you. Therefore, you should do everything possible to keep fleas at bay and to get rid of them as soon as you suspect an infestation.

Fleas and Your Pets

Unfortunately, your furry pet is the perfect home for fleas. When a flea lays its egg in your pet's fur, the fur serves as an incubator that helps the eggs hatch. Of course, some of the eggs may fall off from your pet and they still may hatch. This is why you might find eggs or fleas somewhere other than your pet. Most fleas, however, remain attached to the pet's fur securely.

Fleas in Your Home

If your home has become heavily infested with fleas, you might actually find some small brown worms crawling about. These worms are actually the fleas that have entered the larvae state. These worms need blood in order to survive, so they will search endlessly or a host in order to stay alive. Until they find a warm blooded host, they can actually live off of the dried feces that have been left behind from adult fleas and can even survive by eating the flakes of skin that you leave behind or even the dust balls that accumulate under your bed. In addition, they can live for up to two months without eating anything. So, waiting for them to die of starvation is something that probably isn't going to happen.

Getting Rid of Fleas

Unfortunately, getting rid of fleas is not always an easy process. In fact, you might have to bring in an expert to help you get rid of the pests if your infestation is too severe. Nonetheless, there are a few things you can try on your own first. These include:

• Spray your home with a flea killer or fog your home, but be certain to remove all pets and children first because these products are quite toxic.

• Give your pet a bath with a flea shampoo. Be certain to use a shampoo that kills adults as well as eggs and larvae.

• Spray for fleas on the outside of your home. This is particularly important if your pet goes outside from time to time, as fleas hanging around the house can easily hitch a ride back inside.

• Vacuum your carpet thoroughly. Cut up pieces of a flea collar and place them in your vacuum bag so any surviving fleas that are sucked up will also be killed.

• Start a regimen that will prevent fleas from taking over your home again. Your pet is the number one source of flea infestation, so bathe it with a flea killer on a regular basis and talk to your vet about other flea preventative products that are safe for your particular pet.

The true key to flea control is to take preventative action. If you find yourself facing a flea problem, however, be certain to clean your home and your pet thoroughly and to vacuum regularly in order to get rid of the pests for good.

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