Flea treatment in Zoetermeer: how to recognise fleas
The cat flea is a small, dark brown insect that can jump a long way. It does not live on people, but it will bite when there is no animal around or when the infestation is large. Look out for these signs:
- red, itchy bumps, mainly on ankles and lower legs
- a pet that scratches or nibbles itself a lot, especially at the neck and the base of the tail
- black specks in the coat that turn red on damp kitchen paper
- tiny jumping insects on a light-coloured floor or on your socks
Why fleas live mostly in your home, not on your pet
The adult fleas on your cat or dog are only a small part of the problem. Most of the population lives in the house as eggs, larvae or pupae: in rugs, in the gaps of a wooden floor, in sofa cushions and in the pet's bed. A pupa can wait a long time and only hatches when it senses vibration or warmth. That is why people sometimes get badly bitten when they walk into a home after a holiday or a move.
Fleas arrive on pets that pick them up outdoors from other cats or hedgehogs, but they can also be left behind by previous occupants.
Our approach to fleas in the home
During the inspection we establish which rooms are affected and where your pet sleeps and lies. You then get a short preparation list: toys and loose items off the floor, everything thoroughly vacuumed and the contents emptied outside straight away.
Next we treat floors, skirting boards, sofas and cracks with a professional product that also tackles the next generation. Pets and children are out of the house during treatment. Have your pet treated by the vet at the same time; otherwise it will simply bring fleas back in. Daily vacuuming remains important in the weeks that follow, as the last pupae will still be hatching.
What you can do yourself
Vacuuming is the most effective tool you have. Do it every day, including under the sofa, along the skirting boards, on the stairs and in the car if your dog travels in it. Wash your pet's bed, blankets and cushion covers at a high temperature. We advise against shop-bought sprays and flea bombs: they do not reach the deeper cracks, and pupae in their cocoons are barely affected.
Not sure it is fleas, because the bites appear mainly at night in bed and there is no pet in the house? Then bed bugs could be the cause; read more about bed bug treatment.
Preventing fleas on cats, dogs and in the home
Preventing a flea problem is far easier than getting rid of one. Keep your pet on a preventive treatment as your vet advises, in winter too, because in a heated house the life cycle carries on. Comb the coat now and then with a flea comb and look for black specks. Moving into a rented or newly bought home where animals lived before? Vacuum thoroughly before you move in.
If you need help with other pests in the house or garden, our pest control in Zoetermeer is there for that as well.
