Fleas and their Control

Fleas and Health

Fleas are small, laterally flattened insects who feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals. They have powerful lags that allow them to jump tremendous distances for such a tiny insect.

Adult fleas are not only a nuisance to humans and their pets, but can cause medical problems including flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), tapeworms, secondary skin irritations and, in extreme cases, anemia.

Fleas have also been implicated in transmission of other notorious diseases, such as bubonic plague. In the 14th Century A.D., perhaps as many as one-quarter of the world's then-known population fell victim to plague. Due to better sanitation and improved pest control methods, plague is uncommon in most of the United States (although some cases are reported every year in the Western and Southwestern part of the country).

Fleas are also involved in the transmission of murine typhus, a serious rickettsial disease that is very common in third-world countries and other places with inadequate sanitation and pest control practices.

Although flea bites are rarely felt, the resulting irritation caused by the flea salivary secretions can cause serious rashes in susceptible individuals.

Flea Control

Most exterminators rank flea control among their least-favorite jobs. It's very detailed, tedious, time-consuming work that is a challenge even for the best pest control technicians.

Proper preparation increases the chances of success when treating for fleas. Customers who have scheduled a flea treatment should be sure to do the following:

• Thoroughly vacuum all carpets prior to the treatment. Shampooing them would be even better, as long as they will be thoroughly dry in time for the flea treatment.
• Remove sheets, other bedding, and slipcovers from mattresses and upholstered furniture and pet bedding areas, and wash these items in detergent and the hottest water than the fabrics can tolerate.
• Give the technician as much access to the floor as possible by picking up movable items and setting them on top of tables.
• Schedule your pets to be treated by a veterinarian or professional groomer at the same time that your home is being treated by the exterminator.

Flea treatment can be very time consuming and will require you to be out of the house both during the actual treatment and for several hours afterward (until the spray has thoroughly dried), so you may want to make arrangements to be somewhere else for a few hours after the treatment.

For more information about flea control or to schedule an appointment, please contact us. We service the Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio Metropolitan areas.