Summertime is ideal for you-and your pets-to enjoy the outdoors. But when the temperature warms, people and pets alike seek the comfort of indoor shelter. Unfortunately, once pets retreat indoors, fleas and ticks follow.
Flea control costs pet owners an estimated $1 billion each year. Two fleas entering a home can become one million in just 100 days, and a female flea can consume 15 times her body weight in blood daily. Fleas inflict more than just irritating bites, though-they can cause problems such as tapeworms, dermatitis, skin irritations and even anemia.
According to Orkin Pest Control, the following steps help minimize flea populations:
- Vacuum regularly and thoroughly, especially where pets sleep, before and after treatment. Dispose of used vacuum bags in an outdoor garbage can. Sweep and mop all non-carpeted floors.
- Treat pets under veterinary supervision on the same day the home is treated. Wash all pet bedding in hot water.
- Treat the home and yard using a licensed pest control company. Cover fish tanks, remove bird cages and pet food and water dishes beforehand. Arrange to be away from home during this time (pets, too).
Ticks are also a health concern to people and pets. Though a tick feeds only once in each of its three life stages-larva, nymph, adult-its bite can pose a serious threat. Ticks carry Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which together affect more than 17,000 Americans annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pet owners should follow these steps to protect pets, homes and themselves:
- Treat vegetation around the home as well as cracks and voids. Ticks typically "ambush" hosts after detecting movement in vegetation.
- Carefully monitor for ticks on the body and on pets.
- When finding a tick, grasp it firmly and as close as possible to the skin's surface with tweezers. Pull upward carefully. Avoid squeezing the body. Smash and dispose of the tick in a trash can or flush down the toilet. Disinfect bite area and wash hands.
"Patience is the key to controlling fleas and ticks," says Orkin entomologist Frank Meek. "Since they are typically carried inside the home by a pet, it's important to thoroughly check pets and yourself after being outdoors during warm and humid weather."
For more on ridding your home of fleas and ticks, Orkin offers information and tips at www.orkin.com. For a free home inspection, call 1-800-800-ORKIN.
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