New Orleans is home to our share of nasty pests. Perhaps mosquitoes and roaches get more attention in the local news, but fleas and ticks remain tough pests to deal with especially in our area.
Did you know that there are more than 2,000 flea species in the world? The bad news though is that it only takes one type of flea to cause you, your family or your pet more misery than you care to deal with. Ticks are often associated with fleas but can be their own problem, and are another one of those pests that you just don’t want to see on in your home or on your pet anytime!
Dial One Franklynn Pest Control can help solve those problems.
How do fleas and ticks get in your home?
Most people know that fleas and ticks are generally associated with pets and that is the most common way they get into your home or business. However, just because you don’t have a pet doesn’t mean you will never deal with a flea or tick problem. It is possible to transport these pests into your home via clothing after touching a pet or walking outside. Fleas and ticks can also enter your house when the door is left open, or though a small enough crack or opening.
How pets get fleas and ticks
Pets are the most common carriers of fleas and ticks, but even if you keep your pet inside all the time, they can still get infected. Flea eggs can be brought into the house on the shoes of someone who walked through your yard. Usually, some animal infected with fleas walks through your yard or your neighborhood. The female flea is like a salt shaker, laying eggs throughout your yard or area. Those fleas hatch and jump onto your animal.
Usually, dogs get ticks from running around outside going through the woods or even high grass. Ticks will actually climb about 18 to 24 inches off the ground into scrubs or grass. They remain there waiting for animal to walk by where they wait in “ambush”. When an animal does walk by it shakes the tick loose and they take that opportunity to attack the animal. Believe it or not, a tick can go a year without feeding.
What about diseases from fleas and ticks?
Many animals are allergic to the salivary proteins that fleas inject into the skin of the animal as the flea feeds. The animal can then exhibit a skin disease called flea allergy dermatitis. The animal will bite and scratch and lose their hair. It does not take that many fleas to do the damage.
Fleas can actually cause anemia, especially in puppies, and that can actually kill the animal. Fleas are blood sucking, the cause of the animal’s anemia. Some fleas can also transmit tapeworms to pets.
Ticks can transmit up to fifteen or more diseases. These include Lyme disease, mountain spotted fever, among others.
Controlling fleas and ticks
If your pet is dealing with fleas and ticks, you should consult your veterinarian for the most effective treatment methods and remedies. However, your vet can’t help you control these pests if they have spread throughout your home or business.
Effective pest management efforts for fleas and ticks include the treating the buildings where pets live and the outdoor areas that pets frequent. A thorough treatment of all the places where animals frequent needs to be done to ensure adequate control. Inside and outside treatments may be necessary.
What about fleas in New Orleans?
The problems with ticks and fleas can change from one year to another. The major flea in America that predominates happens to enjoy climates like the New Orleans area. They are susceptible to drying out, so they are more apparent in wetter areas like south Louisiana.
To keep your pets safe from fleas and ticks in the New Orleans area, call Dial One Franklynn Pest Control for advice and service.
In New Orleans, the warm weather is ideal for the livelihood and spreading of insects, and fumigation is an effective way of addressing “hard to control” pest issues in a structure. If you have ever seen a house in your neighborhood covered in brightly covered tarps or if you know someone who has had to tent their own home, you know a little about fumigation.