If your pet is suffering from a flea infestation, it is likely that the fleas don’t just reside on your pet. They may have already started residing in your home too.
It’s best to know the signs you have fleas in your home immediately, so the fleas don’t have the time to make the infestation worse and harder to deal with. Here are the most solid signs you have fleas in your home.
1. Your pet bites, licks, and scratches more than usual
First, you have to examine the most common source of a flea infestation at home – your pet. You should already be suspicious if your pet bites, licks, and scratches itself too much. Sure, these movements are normal for pets, especially for maintaining themselves. But you know your pet enough to notice if they are doing these movements more than they usually do.
Here are some ways to examine your pet:
- Check its fur. Fleas can cling onto your pet’s fur. Look for insects so small that they appear like black dots. Give particular attention to your pet’s neck and tail. Fleas are known to stay more on these areas.
- Check its skin. Fleas can bite onto your pet’s skin and leave rashes and scabs. Again, give particular attention to the skin on the neck and tail. Also look out for flea fecal matters. They look like red and black specks.
Here are some ways to get rid of fleas from your pet:
- Use a flea comb. Buy a comb that has thin teeth and small gaps between the teeth. This type of comb is effective in catching fleas on pets. Use the flea comb on your pet and occasionally dunk it onto a bowl of soapy water to drown and kill the fleas you have captured.
- Apply a flea treatment. You can go to the pharmacy to buy flea treatments. You can also talk to a vet to know the best flea treatment for your pet. Treatments can come in many forms, such as shampoos, sprays, and even tablets. Just make sure you are using the appropriate one for your pet to ensure your pet’s safety.
2. You see live fleas and small particles around your home
Seeing live fleas around your home is a problem. But live fleas are not the only signs you have fleas in your home. You may also see small particles around that look like salt and pepper. These are flea eggs.
Here are some ways to examine your home for fleas:
- Check your pet’s bedding. Since your pet is the main source of fleas in your home, it’s best to be mindful of the places it frequents. Your pet’s bedding is the place you should be mindful of the most. Check your pet’s bedding for fleas and flea eggs. Many flea infestations at home start from pet bedding.
- Check your furniture. Fleas can thrive in your home’s furniture, particularly those with soft padded covering, such as beds, chairs, and sofas. So, make sure to check these areas as well. Check them more thoroughly if you allow your pet to get into these furniture, because they are more likely to get infested by fleas if your pet has had direct contact with them.
- Inspect your carpets and rugs. Fleas are also known to stay on carpets and rugs, so don’t overlook these spots. If you think it’s hard to inspect these spots, consider wearing white socks and trampling over them. Fleas can be caught in the socks. The light color of the socks is also a good contrast against the color of the fleas, so the fleas will be easier to see.
Here are some ways to get rid of fleas from your home:
- Try vacuuming and steam cleaning. Use a powerful vacuum on your carpets, rugs, furniture, and your pet’s bedding. Make sure to throw the vacuum bag in a trash bin outside your home to avoid re-infestation. You can also use a steam cleaner to kill the fleas with heat. But the heat is not likely to kill the eggs, so you will need to wait for the eggs to hatch and do another steam cleaning session.
- Use chemicals around your home. You can use aerosol sprays around your home to kill the fleas and their eggs. You can also use bug bombs and toxic fumes, but this can be a hassle because you will have to leave your home for several hours. Make sure you are using the right insecticides. Also read the labels before using these insecticides for your own safety.
3. You feel like your pet contracted the fleas somewhere outside your home
Having fleas doesn’t necessarily mean that your pet is unhygienic. You can have a clean pet that is suffering from a flea infestation. But this can make you wonder. Where did the fleas come from in the first place?
They may come from outside of your home, such as your yard, where your pet frequents.
Here are some ways to examine your yard for fleas:
- Check your greens. Check your yard’s bushes, grasses, and other greens. Fleas can thrive on these spots.
- Check moist and shady areas. Also check areas that are slightly damp and shaded. These environments are not harmful to fleas, giving them an opportunity to thrive there. Give particular attention to the shaded spots under bushes and trees.
Here are some ways to get rid of fleas from your yard:
- Cut all your greens short. Keep your bushes, grasses, and other greens trimmed and short. This way, you are giving less room for fleas to thrive in your yard.
- Always throw away debris from your yard. Fleas can also thrive on debris, such as fallen leaves from trees. Maintain the cleanliness of your yard to avoid a flea infestation that can be contracted by your pet as it plays outside.
These are the major signs you have fleas in your home
If you want to know if you have fleas in your home, there are three major areas you need to inspect – your pet, your home’s interior, and your yard.
Check if your pet is scratching more than usual. Inspect if your furniture has live fleas or small particles that can be flea eggs. Examine your yard of possible spots where fleas can thrive and get into your pet.
If you are finally sure you have fleas in your home, you can start getting rid of the fleas and keep your pet and yourself free of these pests and their bites.