Flea treatment in Hoofddorp: pet and home together
The fleas you spot on your cat or dog are only the tip of the iceberg. An adult flea lays her eggs on the animal, but they soon drop off into the basket, onto the sofa, into the rug and between the floorboards. There they develop into larvae that hide from the light, and then into pupae inside a cocoon. Those pupae can wait a long time until they sense vibration or warmth, and only then do they hatch.
That is why fleas have to be fought on two fronts. Your vet treats your pet; we treat the home with a professional product applied to floors, skirting, gaps and under furniture, paying extra attention to the places where the animal lies. That way every stage is covered.
How do you know it is fleas?
Fleas are small, dark and jump far, so you rarely see one for long. These signs tell you more:
- bites in clusters around the ankles and lower legs
- a pet that scratches, licks or nibbles its coat a lot
- black grains in the fur or basket that turn reddish-brown on damp white kitchen paper: flea dirt
- tiny jumping specks on white socks as you walk across the room
- suddenly lots of bites after a holiday or when moving into an empty home
Bites in a line on the arms and neck, with blood spots in the bed, point more towards bed bugs; see bed bug treatment.
Where fleas come from
Usually it is a cat or dog that has been in contact with other animals outdoors. A cat roaming the back gardens, or a dog playing with others in the park, easily brings a few fleas inside. You can get fleas without a pet of your own, too. Previous occupants with a cat or dog sometimes leave pupae behind, which hatch as soon as someone walks around again. And when young birds leave a nest under the roof tiles, in the gutter or against the wall, bird fleas can move indoors in search of a new host.
What to do yourself – and what to leave alone
After the treatment, you are an important part of the solution:
- Vacuum every day for the first few weeks, including the sofa, the car and the seams along the skirting, and empty the vacuum cleaner outside straight away.
- Wash your pet's blankets and bedding at 60 degrees or more.
- Keep up your pet's flea treatment as your vet advises.
- Do not mop straight after the treatment, so the product can do its job.
Never use a dog flea product on a cat: some products for dogs contain substances that are poisonous to cats. If in doubt, check with your vet.
After the flea treatment
Do not be alarmed if you still see fleas in the first few weeks. Pupae in their cocoons are protected from the product and hatch later. That is exactly why vacuuming matters so much: the vibrations coax new fleas out, after which they come into contact with the treated surface. Numbers then fall steadily. If you still see many fleas after several weeks, get in touch; sometimes a second treatment is needed.
For other pests in and around your home, our pest control in Hoofddorp service is here to help.
