Got Fleas?

Autumn is considered prime flea season because they've multiplied during the spring and summer. It's getting cooler now, and they're looking for anyone to jump onto. The first frost generally kills off the critters so they don't reproduce during winter.

That's good news for those who've been subjected to flea saliva, which produces an intense urge to itch. The cat flea is the UK's most serious pest of pets – including dogs – and humans. Adult cat fleas can survive for 21 to 28 days, and females lay between 25 and 40 eggs a day, providing they can feed on blood.

You should consulting with a veterinarian about flea-control products for pets and with a professional pest control company about handling flea infestations. Local veterinary and pest extermination professionals recommend using several methods to get rid of fleas.

Flea collars are widely regarded as an "ancient technology" in the pest control industry. Instead, we would recommend monthly applications of Frontline, a well-known flea-control brand. Frontline is widely available in pet supply stores and through online sources, but we would advise against purchasing Frontline anywhere other than a veterinary office.

Frontline is only sold from the manufacturer directly to vet clinics, so if you're not buying directly from the vet, it's not guaranteed by the manufacturer.

The Web site for Merial, manufacturer of Frontline, confirms the company sells its small animal products only to veterinarians. The company states on the Web site it believes vets are the only professionals qualified to serve the health care needs of pets.

For more serious flea infestations, you should taking eradication efforts up a notch. If you have a big population of fleas, don't mess around, spend the money on an exterminator.

Autumn is definitely the busiest time of year, with numerous calls flooding in to the office regarding flea infestations. Short of professional spray treatments, vacuuming is highly recommended to keep flea populations down: the best thing to do is sweep morning, noon and night.

Steve Anderson from SDA Pest Control has worked in the pest control business for 30 years and says there are a number of myths about flea populations. "It's not a housekeeping thing," he said. "It's not the time of year. You can have fleas in the middle of winter."

Vacuuming is definitely a good first step. A second step is to apply a common insecticide that mentions fleas on the label directly on carpets. Finally, you should setting off aerosol spray bombs in the house, requiring humans and pets to evacuate the residence for two hours after bombs have been triggered.

A second wave of fleas sometimes emerges after the bomb treatments, when flea eggs mature, so repeat applications are often necessary, however the cost of these generally forms part of the original quote for the job.

Article provided by SDA Pest Control