Fleas are tiny pests that live and feed on animals. While fleas do bite humans, they can’t live on them. Animals with thick coats of fur are primary targets for hungry fleas. Despite their small size, fleas can get around rather quickly. Fleas have strong legs that allow them to hop 13 inches horizontally and 7 inches vertically, which is about 100 times their own height and length!
Signs of Flea Infestations
Fleas get into Streator homes by riding in the fur of their hosts, which are usually family pets or unwanted pest animals. Without proper flea protection, your home could have a serious infestation within a matter of a few weeks. If fleas are biting your pets, there will be several visible signs of their presence.
- Pets will bite, scratch, and lick their fur more frequently if they have fleas. This behavior is more noticeable than normal scratching and grooming.
- One of the most prominent signs fleas leave behind is their excrement, or “flea dirt.” Flea excrement is small, black, and resembles specks of dirt in your pet’s fur.
- Some pets are allergic to flea saliva. If your family pet shows signs of reddened or swollen skin, it’s an indicator that they are experiencing flea bites.
- Many pets develop symptoms of hair loss due to excessive scratching.
Problems Fleas Cause
Fleas are capable of laying 50 eggs each day. Just one flea in your Streator home is enough to start an entire infestation!
On top of the problems they cause with their fast reproductive rate, fleas can cause many health concerns for you, your family, and your pets. Flea bites can cause skin irritation, swelling, and even infections if scratched excessively. Prolonged exposure to fleas can result in anemia, which is a disease where there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells to flow to the body’s tissues. If your pet is anemic, they may have pale gums, pale noses, and display lethargic behavior.
Fleas are also responsible for the spread of harmful disease-causing bacteria. Some of the diseases fleas are known for transmitting include the bubonic plague, murine typhus, tularemia, and tungiasis.
Flea Prevention Tips
The best way to avoid the problems fleas cause is by ensuring they never enter your Streator property in the first place. Follow a few of these basic flea prevention methods to reduce your risk of allowing fleas into your home.
- Equip all your pets with vet-approved flea and tick collars
- Cut thick brush, tall grass, and other foliage away from your home.
- After spending time in nature, check your pets for fleas before returning indoors
- Wash your pet’s bedding regularly
- Contact a professional pest control provider
If fleas manage to infest your home, you might think it’s a good idea to try online DIY flea treatments. A few common DIY methods include leaving a dish of soapy water next to a lamp and putting lemongrass oil on your pets. Unfortunately, many of these are ineffective or only work for a short amount of time. However, professional flea control and prevention from Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators can help you keep your Streator home free of fleas. Our home pest control services include general pest management, thorough inspections, and routine service visits. For help with your flea infestation, reach out to the licensed pest experts here at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators today. We are happy to provide solutions to every pest problem.