Flea treatment in Tilburg: recognising the problem
A flea is tiny, dark brown and flattened from side to side, and it jumps a remarkably long way. You may see them hopping on the floor or a pale sofa, but more often you notice the effects first:
- red, itchy bumps, usually around the ankles and lower legs
- a dog or cat that keeps scratching, licking or nibbling its coat
- black grains in the fur or the pet bed: if they turn reddish brown on damp white paper, that is flea dirt
- fleas on white socks after you have walked across the carpet
Why fleas keep coming back
The adult fleas on your pet are only a small part of the problem. Eggs drop out of the coat into rugs, cushions, the pet bed and gaps in the floor. There they hatch into larvae, which then pupate.
Those pupae can wait a long time until they sense vibration or warmth nearby. That explains why an infestation sometimes erupts all at once when you come back from holiday, or when you move into a home where a dog or cat lived before. Treating only the animal leaves that reserve in the house untouched, which is why our flea treatment always covers the home too.
How we treat home and pet
At the inspection we look at where your pet sleeps and lies and what floors and furniture you have. Timber floors with gaps, deep-pile rugs and a fabric sofa each need their own attention. We then treat the home with a professional product, exactly where eggs, larvae and pupae are hiding.
Meanwhile, you have your dog or cat treated through the vet, so no new eggs are added. We tell you in advance how long the treated rooms need to dry before you use them again. If necessary, we schedule a second treatment to catch the fleas that emerge from their pupae later.
After the treatment: keeping it up
As with all pest control in Tilburg, what you do yourself makes a big difference to the result.
- Vacuum daily for a while: the vibration coaxes the last fleas out of their cocoons and into contact with the product.
- Empty the vacuum cleaner into the outside bin after every session.
- Wash your pet's bed, blankets and cushion covers on a hot cycle.
- Keep up your pet's flea treatment, even once you no longer see any fleas.
Take care with pet-shop products: never use a dog treatment on a cat, because some ingredients are poisonous to cats. If in doubt, ask your vet.
Fleas without a pet?
You can get fleas even without a dog or cat. Sometimes they have been left behind by previous occupants. Another source is a bird's nest under the roof tiles or in the gutter: once the young birds have fledged, the bird fleas look for a new host and make their way into the house via the loft. Mice or rats in the crawl space can bring fleas in as well.
Are the bites not around your ankles but on your arms, neck and shoulders, mainly after a night's sleep? Then it is worth considering bed bugs too. Read more about bed bug treatment.
