It’s a common misconception amongst pet owners that their cats and dogs can’t get fleas in the winter time. So much so that there is a reported average 20% drop in sales of flea treatments during the winter time.
In actual fact these pests can be even more prevalent in the winter months because of the attraction to central heating being booted up in homes in a bid to keep warm. As fleas spend more time in your home than on your beloved cat or dog, you may not even be able to notice that you have a pest problem when checking.
Flea prevention
Don’t stop using flea treatments in the winter. You should pick up flea and tick products that are specific to your animal (i.e. make sure not to use a product for dogs on your cat; this is harmful as the dosage will be of a different strength). Even talk to your vet about a solution that they would recommend, and whilst you’re at it pick up a home spray or wipe that you can use over places that fleas may likely lay their eggs – such as sofa’s, carpets and other furniture.
You can take extra steps such as washing your pets bedding thoroughly once a month or asking your vet about medication that your feline or dog can consume to prevent the spreading of fleas.
Check for the signs
Check your pet for flea dirt regularly by parting their fur. Flea dirt is most commonly found on pets tummy’s and tails, although they could be in other areas too. But what is flea dirt? It’s actually the faeces of the pest, made up of dried blood that they’ve consumed from your animal. The best way to check if the ‘flea dirt’ is actually the faeces of a flea is to slightly dampen a paper towel and rub the black dots on it. If they break down to a dark red or brown colour, your pet has unfortunately been visited by fleas.
What next?
Whilst this doesn’t mean that your animal still has fleas on him or her, there’s a high chance that they could be lurking in your home. Also, fleas could have laid eggs in your cat or dogs fur whilst they were there. Make sure that you’re definitely dealing with fleas and then you’ll have to act fast!
Symptoms of fleas
- Restlessness and scratching
- Licking and chewing on one spot on their body
- Repetitive shaking of their head
- Loss of appetite could be a sign of tapeworm (caused by eating)
Get rid of them!
First things first, give your pet a flea bath. There are many natural remedies out there, as well as shampoo’s specially marketed for this purpose. After the bath, arm yourself with a flea comb and some hot soapy water in a washing up bowl. Comb your animal thoroughly and submerge any fleas you find in the water immediately, as it will kill them off. If you have multiple pets, you may want to keep the infested one away from the others, and even repeat these steps with them just to be sure.
Now it’s time to treat your home. You’ll want to wash all of your pet bedding and any blankets or pillows your dog frequently lies on. If your animals bed is quite dirty, it’s best to throw it away and replace it. Then use an insect growth regulator spray around your home, and make sure it gets deep into the carpet. Your vacuum should be used religiously to suck up the eggs out of your furniture and carpet. You can even place a flea collar inside your vacuum cleaner in order to kill any fleas that enter immediately.
We can help you!
Flea infestations can be a very time consuming and difficult problem to get rid of if you’re not sure that you’re covering every corner. Here at Baileys Pest Control, we’re dedicated to helping you remove pests from your home as quickly as possible. We will usually be able to remove an infestation in just one visit.
Call us now
Brighton: 01273 499029
Burgess Hill: 01444 810827