Fleas
How Fleas Reach a Burnt Oak House
Adult fleas live on an animal, but their eggs drop off wherever it rests, and the larvae develop in carpet, bedding and the gaps at the edge of a floor. That is why a house can have fleas without anyone seeing one on the pet, and why you can have fleas without pets at all.
Foxes on the footpaths
The paths behind many estate gardens are fox routes, and a fox will lie up under a shed, beneath decking or in a quiet corner by the back fence. Its fleas stay behind in the soil and the sheltered spot, and a dog or cat that uses the same corner can carry them indoors. If you see a fox coming and going from under the shed, mention it when you book.
Cats that visit
Rows of gardens with low fences suit cats, and a neighbour's cat asleep on the garden chair or under a bush leaves eggs there too. Your own pet collects them on its next trip out. None of this says anything about how clean the house is.
Signs in the House
Start with the rooms where the pet sleeps and the room nearest the back door. Bites on the ankles and lower legs, a pet scratching more than usual, and dark specks in its bedding that turn reddish on damp kitchen paper are the usual signs; how to know you have fleas goes through them, and where fleas hide shows the corners to check. Bites in a line on the arms or back after a night's sleep are more typical of bed bugs in Burnt Oak.
What to Do First
- Speak to your vet about treating every dog and cat in the house at the same time
- Wash pet bedding on a hot cycle and vacuum floors and sofas, then empty the vacuum into the outside bin
- Keep the pet away from its old sleeping spot in the garden until it has been cleared
- Keep children and pets off the corner where the fox lies up
- Hold off on shop foggers until you have spoken to us
Pet treatments and the house explains why treating the animal is only half the job.
Booking and Getting Ready
When you book flea control, tell us how many rooms have signs, which pets live in the house, and whether foxes or visiting cats use the garden. Rooms that need treating are counted; halls, landings and stairs are left out of the count. Tenants should let the landlord know, and council or housing association tenants should report it to the landlord first.
Before the visit, clear the floors so the edges can be reached, vacuum thoroughly and put toys and small items away. We will tell you what else to do and how long to keep people and pets out of the treated rooms, and preparing for flea treatment has the detail. Some fleas can still hatch for a while afterwards, depending on the house; if bites carry on past the period we give you, get in touch, and read why fleas can still bite after treatment.
Keeping Fleas Away in a House With a Garden
Keep the pets' own flea treatment up to date, as your vet advises. Once you are sure no fox is using the space under the shed or decking, particularly in spring when there may be cubs, close it off with mesh so it cannot lie up there again. Keep the back gate shut so the garden is less of a shortcut from the path, and vacuum the room by the back door often in summer, when fleas develop fastest. For fleas across the borough, see Flea Control Barnet.
