Many Capital Region residents plan on traveling this holiday season via car, train or air. Some pets may jump in the car to join in the festivities, while others will go to “doggie day care.” If you plan on placing your pet in “doggie day care” or a kennel, beware of fleas. Fleas can be a nuisance to homeowners, but fleas can be more than annoying to your pet. Pet facilities host a large number of animals and not all pet owners treat their pets with flea medication. Therefore, it is easy for your pet and belongings to bring home fleas as fleas have the ability to jump distances up to 13 inches.

Keep your pet flea free to avoid the following conditions:

• Fleas can be carriers of dog tape worms, an intestinal parasite.
• Pets that are allergic to fleas will often suffer lesions, loss of hair, thickening of the skin, and dermatitis. The allergic reaction is caused when the animal is infected by the saliva of the flea during feeding. The allergic pet will be very uncomfortable and itchy
• Fleas are not just aggravating for your pet, but can cause serious health conditions that significantly reduce your pet’s quality of life.

The most common type of flea is the Cat flea, but don’t be mistaken by the name; they are found on dogs and cats. Fleas have a number of different stages (egg, larva, pupa, and adult) of their life cycle which can make treatment difficult. Fleas can remain dormant for months, lying in wait for a warm blooded host to pass by. A female flea can lay several hundred eggs in her lifetime and it only takes about 2 weeks for those eggs to become pupa.

No matter the season, maintaining your pet’s flea medication is important. Fleas can lie dormant in pre-adult larvae and pupae stages for up to six months. This means a flea infestation during the summer could still have eggs that will mature into adults. It is important to mark your calendar every month as a reminder to treat your pet. Our bed bug canine Promise prefers topical treatments, carefully placed drops between the shoulder blades for flea prevention. Once returning home from the kennel, wash and dry all bedding and toys!

Fleas have many different avenues for invading your home: by your dog or cat, and even pet bedding, clothing, shoes, luggage, and backpacks. It can be very difficult to get rid of fleas, which is why it is so important to contact a pest professional. It is expensive and ineffective to purchase over the counter flea control methods. If you notice flea bites or your pet suffering from flea bites, your Schenectady flea removal specialists can solve flea problems around the Capital District. Fill out our contact form today!