Flea Information Page - United Exterminating Company

FLEAS in this area of the Delaware Valley, at least 85% of them, are cat fleas. That doesn't mean they only go to, or come from, cats, it just means that cat fleas are predominant in this area. Cat fleas like humans, and dog fleas like cats, and humans too. Fleas are generally not too picky about who or what they attack. Usually, exterminators don't need to determine exactly which kind they are facing. It doesn't really matter, the treatments for all, in this area, are essentially the same.

FLEA FACTS
Fleas are quite hardy individuals, and quite mobile. A flea can easily jump rhree feet high. As a parasite, they are a very high order of insect, and can lie dormant in all life stages. That also means you can walk out of your flea-infested house, right this minute, not return for over two years, and then get hit with the very same fleas from two years before.

The fleas can ride in on your jeans, stay in and alive in your jeans, in the basement, where you threw them, in a corner, for another two years! To awaken, they only need the subtle vibrations as you approach them....

That is part of the reason that fleas, even for the exterminator, are very difficult to control. Especially since exterminators tend to get the worst case scenarios, those long-ignored or unknown.

Even polar bears have fleas - at the North Pole and in the winter!

FLEAS ARE LIKE GERMS
They are ALWAYS in every inhabited structure. Even in places where there are no pets. Remember, pets aren't the only animals that live in or on our houses. Birds and other outdoor animals live on or near your home. As much as 50% of the structures we treat for fleas, have no pets. So even if you have no pets, you do have those other animals living around your home or business. They ALL vector fleas, one of the worst disease carriers in the world.

This, by the way, is why you don't want to feed the birds or other wildlife around your home. These animals will bring their own unique set of parasites into the area, and these parasites will most certainly affect your kids, your pets and YOU! You're not helping, you're hurting.

Most of the time, that low background population of fleas doesn't bother us, it's just that when the conditions are just right, the population expands and fleas go looking for new targets. If you let it go long enough, or don't know it's happening, it will virtually guarantee that the exterminator may be making multiple visits to your home. Not good for the budget.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU (OR YOUR PET) HAVE FLEAS?
For your pet, look in the areas of their genitals or at the inaccessible areas they can't reach, such as their ears. You look for either the fleas themselves or their droppings. The droppings are little dark specks that (when you put them in hot water) will turn the water red or brownish. Their droppings, of course, are dried blood - a sure sign of an active flea infestation.

Flea bites (on you) will be little red welts, usually very itchy, that are usually grouped together and quite often show up on your ankles - although fleas will bite anywhere they can.

That depends. Not only on the exterminator, but the conditions he finds at the treatment location. He has several different insecticides that are effective and labeled for fleas. He might also use a growth regulator, which acts to interrupt the insect growth cycle. Sometimes the exterminators will use an aerosol space spray, injecting insecticides into the air, and letting it penetrate into the areas where fleas inhabit. This procedure may require that you stay out of the building for an extended period of time, up to 12 hours after an application. The exterminator's aerosol, by the way, is a bit different from the product you might buy at the hardware store. Usually it's best to let the exterminator decide which method and chemicals he will be using. Oftentimes he will use a combination, since every job has different conditions.

DOING IT YOURSELF
This might be a bit difficult if you don't have the equipment and correct chemicals for the job. Fleas are a difficult proposition even for the professional, so doing it yourself is usually not an option. Besides, do you want to take the risk of poisoning someone in your family? I don't think so. Call a professional, it'll be better in the long run, and probably even cheaper. Any exterminator should be able to quote you a rate, over the phone, after you answer a few questions that we will need to know to determine the extent of your problem. That's the way we do it.

TO PROPERLY PREPARE FOR FLEA TREATMENT (This is important!)
Vacuum all of the floors and carpets, pay special attention to the areas that your animal frequents. If you have animals that get up on things, vacuum those areas too. Start with a clean vacuum bag and throw it away when you're done. Tidy up the normal everyday clutter that may be lying around the house. Our treatment will be to all of the floors, surbases, certain parts of your upholstered furniture, and carpeting throughout the entire accessible structure. Our licensed operator will treat all of the rooms, upstairs and downstairs, including the basement and garage, if you have them. Operators will also want to treat under your beds, so be sure to have them cleaned out and vacuumed underneath.

Crawl spaces and attics are NOT treated and should not be accessed by animals. If crawl spaces are the source of the fleas, because animals have been there, your flea treatments will become much more expensive and extensive.

PET PREPARATIONS
Wash all the pet bedding, pick up their food trays, and be sure and point out your pet's favorite resting places so the serviceman can pay attention to these areas. If your pets use any of your beds, anywhere in the house, strip those beds and wash the sheets and bed covers while you're out of the house.

At the same time as our treatment, all pets must also be treated. You can do it yourself or you can have it done, one is just as good as the other. It should, however, be done at about the same time as the exterminator makes his treatment visit. After your pet's treatment, watch pets carefully for any return of fleas. That means that the house is re-infecting the animal.

YOU COULD ALSO TRY THIS....
There is also anecdotal evidence that giving your dog doses of yeast, in the form of yeast tablets, may help the animal be more resistant to flea bites. Dogs (and cats) will not willingly eat these tablets, as they have a slightly "bitter" taste, so you must mix them in with their food.

Vacuuming is okay! In fact, it's beneficial, getting up some of the fleas that will continue to hatch for awhile. Have your pet dipped or washed again at the recommended interval. You should also expect to see activity for a few days after treatment. This is normal, and may even continue as long as a week or more after your treatment.

Follow up treatments are recommended three to six weeks following your initial treatment, depending on the severity of the problem. Treatment should not be reapplied for at least three weeks, so make sure everything is prepared correctly for treatment.

WILL I NEED RE-TREATMENTS?
That also depends. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. There are so many variables that there's never a pat answer. You, as an occupant of the building, are the best measure. If your flea problem disappears after your treatment, you may not need any further treatments. There are times when multiple treatments must be made. Pesticide use, however, is best used at minimums, just as you might think of drugs. If the fleas are there, or still there, then it is best to treat. The alternatives are worse.

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