Making Fleas Flee - Getting Rid of Fleas Safely

Flea Traits

If you own a pet, especially a cat or dog that is allowed both indoors and out, fleas can become a problem in your home—particularly in hot seasons, or year-round warm climates. When you spot what’s been termed “salt and pepper” around your pet’s bedding, it’s likely that a flea infestation is already in full swing. You see, the “salt” grains are white flea eggs and the “pepper” particles are bits of dried blood.

Fleas are tiny (4/100–16/100" long), wingless, bloodsucking insects. The adults are equipped with powerful back legs for leaping. Fleas are common parasites on warm-blooded animals. Dog fleas are similar, but slightly larger, than cat fleas. No matter what kind of fleas they are, they can infest your pet’s bedding, as well as your carpets, rugs, and furniture.

Adult fleas actually bite their host, seeking blood. After an adult female has consumed blood, she’ll often lay eggs (usually less than ten) on or near the puncture site. The dried blood provides meals for the soon-to-hatch larvae. While this sounds like a rather small scale attack, it’s been estimated that a single adult female flea has the potential to produce 160,000 offspring in just over two months!

Most people who are bitten by fleas find it irritating and soon develop small red bumps. However, some individuals experience an allergic reaction, in which swelling and other symptoms result. In addition, some human diseases can be transmitted by certain types of fleas. For example, the bacterial toxin causing bubonic plague was transmitted by rodent fleas. Thankfully, the flea species associated with dogs and cats usually aren’t transmitters of human diseases.

Flea Control through Special Pet Care

To minimize flea problems in your home, there are several measures you may want to try. If you’re interested in using herbal pet preparations, the book, Natural Insect Repellents: For Pets, People, & Plants by Janette Grainger and Connie Moore may be of interest. It may be available in your local library.

Using Flea Combs to Control Fleas

A good anti-flea method is to regularly comb your cats and dogs with a specialized flea comb. These combs are designed with very small teeth that are so close together that, when you pull it through your pet’s fur, the fleas will be filtered out and caught. (With very long fur, using a flea comb can be somewhat difficult.) Then, using your fingernail, you can push the fleas off the comb into a dish of soapy water to quickly kill them. To buy a flea comb, check with local pet shops, pet supply stores, or your veterina...