Bug Briefs

Protect Your Pets  by Fighting Fleas

The temperate climate that makes Florida living so attractive to humans has another group of fans: Fleas. These wingless ectoparasites/bloodsuckers thrive throughout our state, making life miserable for dogs, cats and even humans. What can you do to protect Fluffy or Fido? Read on.

Fascinating Flea Facts
Like many insects, fleas are fascinating creatures, all 2,000 or more species. They are between 1/8 and 1/16 of an inch but can jump 100 times their body length. They are dark reddish brown hardbodied insects with three pairs of legs. Fleas survive by sucking the blood of their hosts; and although they prefer dogs and cats, humans will do in a pinch. 

Most fleas are female. Each female can produce up to 18 eggs per day, or between 300 and 800 during their life span. There are four stages of life for the flea: egg, larval, pupa and adult. As a female flea lays each egg, it sticks to the fur of the host until it dries, whereupon it falls off onto the ground or carpet. The eggs themselves are smooth, transparent and hatch into their larvae stage in one to six days.

The larvae look like tiny worms and can actually move a few inches from where they hatch to avoid light. They primarily feed on dry fecal material produced by fleas on the host. The larval stage lasts from one to five weeks at which time the larvae weave cocoons for their pupal stage.

Flea pupa attach themselves to carpet and other fibers. Their cocoons make them resistant to chemicals and therefore most difficult to control. The pupal stage generally lasts from seven to 10 days, but if there is no host around, the adult flea can survive, dormant, in the cocoon for up to six months.

Fighting Fleas
The Florida Pest Management Association and its members suggest three steps in combating fleas in your home and on your pets: site preparation, pet treatment, and proper insecticide application.

Site Preparation
The first step is getting down and dirty -- or clean actually. You need to perform a thorough cleaning in any place where the fleas might be found. All carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture must be vacuumed carefully. Wood and tile floors need to be swept and scrubbed, particularly along baseboards. Concrete floors on patios, porches and in the garage should be swept and washed if pets spend time there.

This thorough vacuuming and scrubbing is essential for two reasons. First, it removes the dirt and debris which can combine with the insecticide and keep it from coming in contact with the fleas. Second, this process actually removes some of the flea eggs and adult fleas. Don't forget to dispose of and replace the vacuum cleaner bags. If you don't, the fleas may find them a delightful residence until they get a chance to relocate to your carpets the next time you vacuum.

Next, wash all pet bedding in hot water. You might also want to wash your children's bedclothes if they tend to sneak your pet into bed for a slumber party.

One area you need to concentrate on is under the beds, particularly if the pet sleeps or rests there. Vacuum carefully and even scrub down the bed frame.

Finally, you may need to move some furniture, items from the floors of closets and the like in order to provide complete access for the pest control technician.

Pet Treatment
The next two steps need to be carefully coordinated: treating your pet at the vet's and treating your home and yard. That's because if both pets and places aren't treated simultaneously, either could cause a re-infestation.

Veterinarians have good news for pet owners. No longer do you have to rely on frequent pet bathing to control fleas. Insect growth regulators, or IGRs, have no side effects for pets, but are neutron bombs to fleas. When fleas bite an IGR-treated pet, they are rendered sterile - the eggs they lay cannot hatch. Additionally, because flea larvae feed on adult bi-products, they too are affected.

Most IGRs come in spray form, but several flea collars, dips and shampoos are out on the market. Just recently a monthly pill for dogs and cats has become available and is proving very effective. Consult your veterinarian to determine the best treatment for your pet.

One more thing about your pet's treatment -- don't forget to spray the pet carrier. Imagine how frustrated your pet would be if it goes through the hassles of dipping and pill-swallowing only to have fleas jumping back before even getting home.

Proper Insecticide Application
Now that Fido is flea-free, you need to work with your professional pest control operator to ensure your home is too. Discuss your pet's habits and favorite resting places with the technician. This will let the technician know areas that may need special treatment. Make sure the operator is applying an IGR as part of the treatment, because its long residual life will provide you with many months of protection. Generally operators like to concentrate treatment where the pets often rest or sleep.

Determine if your yard needs to be treated, also. Here in the South, most operators prefer to treat the yards to prevent re-infestation. But rarely does the entire yard need to be sprayed. Since fleas hate sunlight, outdoor treatments can be limited to areas where the pets like to rest, such as decks and under trees and shrubs.

The Florida Pest Management Association recently sponsored a study at the University of Florida's Department of Entomology to determine optimum treatments and strategies to reduce airborne exposure to pesticide applications. The study's recommendations included:

• leaving the home (including pets) and not reentering for two hours after application of the pesticide (fish tanks can be carefully covered); 
• ventilating the treated area in the home will dramatically reduce airborne concentrations; 
• discussing which pesticide to be used with your professional pest control operator, explaining you would like one that has low airborne residues. 

Remember, the most common reason that flea treatments fail is because of lack of planning and work on the front end. Make your home a flea-free zone - for both the safety and comfort of family and pets.

The Florida Pest Management Association is celebrating its 50th anniversary of protecting the property, health, safety and environment of Florida. Its members adhere to sound business practices and a strict code of ethics. The association headquarters are in Orlando.

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