Cris asked 7 years ago
Hi there, first of all WHAT AN INFORMATIVE SITE! Thank you
We have a new puppy for a week now, but recently discovered she has fleas. She was not allowed on the carpet areas, but loved to scratch and sleep next to the sofa.
We have 2 toddlers and a crawling baby. We started treatment for our dog yesterday. Washed her and our bedding. We will also be vacuming daily.
1- what other things should we be doing to prevent infestation?
2- what are the chances of spreading fleas with our clothing – to the areas pet is not allowed
3- and last… we ( pet included) will be away from for a 30 day period – will this help us out or will we find a mess once we come back?
Thanks!
Adam Retzer Staff answered 7 years ago
Chris,
1)
The fleas likely originated outdoors. Flea eggs are often dropped into yards by infested urban wildlife (raccoons, opossums, feral cats). It can be helpful to make the area less habitable for such animals. Restrict access to shady to areas where animals may like to take shelter. Also, clear away dense brush and dead vegetation. Flea eggs and larvae need shady, humid, wind-protected areas to survive.
Applying an insect growth regulator (IGRs) indoors can help prevent the spread of infestations and prevent re-infestation in the future. They work specifically on insect endocrine systems by mimicking hormones that regulate development, so they are considered safer than traditional insecticides. Plus, they remain active indoors for 7 months. You can find concentrates of IGR without any other pesticides included. For example, Martin’s IGR.
That said, the pet treatments, regular vacuuming, and weekly laundering should be enough to end the infestation.
2)
The chances of fleas spreading to pet-restricted areas is unlikely. Adult fleas may hitchhike on clothing. But they lay eggs on the animal host, and then the eggs fall off. They don’t lay eggs on humans, so no new eggs would be found in the restricted areas.
It’s possible that socks could pick up eggs and bring them to other areas of the house. Then the larvae would hatch. However, the larvae wouldn’t be able to survive. For food, they require flea dirt (adult flea feces) and other flea eggs. Neither of these dietary components would be found in the restricted areas. Both are deposited on animal hosts, and fall into the environment during grooming.
3)
Being away for 30 days will help. However, before you re-enter the premises, it would be really good idea to go in there and vacuum very thoroughly.
After 30 days, the surviving fleas will likely all have reached the cocooned adult stage, and will be waiting to emerge (heat and pressure trigger emergence). There may also be some emerged adults that are starving. So, upon re-entering the premises, you may soon notice a lot of adult fleas seemingly appear out of nowhere. Vacuuming will force these fleas to exit their cocoons and then suck them up and kill them. Then your dog and family won’t have to deal with them.
I apologize for the delayed response.
Warm regards,
Adam
