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  • Flea Lice,fleas & bedbugs

    Flea
  • Flea
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Elimination

When faced with a flea problem, it is essential to intervene both on the animal (with the help of a veterinarian) and in the entire residence. Inside the house, the first step is to carefully vacuum all rooms, paying particular attention to areas frequented by the animal. It is then recommended to immediately throw the vacuum cleaner bag outside or, in the case of a central vacuum, clean the drip tray.

Thorough cleaning must include cracks in the floors, along the baseboards, under the carpets, between and under the cushions of armchairs and sofas. These areas are preferred hiding places for eggs, larvae and adult fleas.

To complete the intervention, the use of hot steam can be very effective in disrupting the life cycle of fleas, especially on textiles and upholstery. It is important to carry out regular maintenance, by continuing to vacuum every 7 days for a few weeks, in order to gradually reduce the population present.

As for the mattresses, a good vacuum cleaning is sufficient; there is no need to apply other treatments.

As the life cycle of a flea can take 2 to 3 weeks, it is normal that the effects of the intervention take some time to be fully felt. During this period, it is advisable to avoid washing textile surfaces so as not to compromise the thorough cleaning efforts.

Actions

  • Follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for treating pets
  • Vacuum every room in the house plus sofas and mattresses (empty receptacle/dispose of bag)
  • Request assistance from one of our pest management experts

Prevention

  • See your veterinarian for advice on how to protect your pets

Description and development

Adult fleas are small, dark brown jumping insects mesuring 5mm long. Their hairless body is hard and laterally flattened. Their back legs, used for jumping, are long and powerful.
The female generally lays her eggs on an animal. Since the eggs are not attached to the host’s hair or body, they can quickly fall to the ground. The flea life cycle lasts about four weeks, but can be longer under unfavorable conditions.

Habits

Both males and females feed on blood and will often take several blood meals before becoming engorged. They feed for 2 to 10 minutes at least once a day. Flea bites leave small, reddish marks on the skin and cause a slight inflammation. Some people are more sensitive to flea bites than others.

Adult fleas can live for several months without feeding. So even if you leave the house for a time, the fleas will still be there when you return! Even if you get rid of your pets, the infestation can persist because fleas feed on humans as well. For this reason, it is important to treat the infestation as described above.

Tips

It is important to move around in treated areas frequently because this stimulates flea activity and thus increases the chances of the treatment being successful. If you don’t, the fleas will stop developing and will survive the treatment. Veterinarians can advise you on how to prevent future infestations.

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