Fleas
How Fleas Reach a Mill Hill Home
Life at the woodland edge, described on Pest Control Mill Hill, puts pets in contact with wildlife. The cat flea is the one found in most homes, and it lives happily on cats, dogs and foxes.
Cats hunting the edge
A cat that hunts along hedges and open ground meets other cats, foxes and places where animals rest. It brings fleas back to its favourite chair, bed or rug, and eggs fall off wherever it sleeps.
Dogs on the open spaces
Dogs pick up fleas from places other animals use. A dog that sleeps on a bed or sofa spreads eggs there, and a hall carpet by the door can become a busy spot. After a walk through long grass or along a woodland path, a quick check of the coat on the belly, neck and base of the tail, before the dog settles on the furniture, catches fleas early.
Foxes under the shed
Foxes from the open land often rest under sheds, decking or garden rooms. Fleas can build up in those places, and a cat that shelters there, or a child playing nearby, can bring them in. Fleas without pets explains how.
Signs in the House
- Bites around ankles and lower legs, especially after sitting on a sofa or rug
- A pet scratching more than usual
- Small dark specks (flea dirt) in pet bedding that turn reddish on damp paper
- Fleas jumping on pale socks when walking across a carpet
How to know if you have fleas covers the signs, and if bites are only in bed at night, bed bug control may be the right page.
Where they settle indoors
Flea larvae avoid light and live deep in carpet pile, in the gaps between floorboards and under the cushions of a sofa the pet uses. In older Mill Hill houses with wooden floors and rugs, the edges of a rug and the gaps between boards beneath it are worth vacuuming carefully. In newer homes with hard floors, the pet's bed, the sofa and any carpeted bedrooms are the likelier places. Where fleas hide around the home explains more.
The Pet Comes First
Treating the house without treating the animal lets fleas come back. Speak to your vet about the right product for your cat or dog, and treat every pet in the household. Whether pet treatments clear the house explains why both are needed.
Getting Ready for Treatment
- Vacuum all floors, under furniture and along skirtings, and empty the vacuum outside
- Wash pet bedding on a hot wash
- Clear floors of toys, shoes and clutter
- Tell us which rooms the pets use, and where they sleep
How to prepare for flea treatment has the full list. When you book, give the number of rooms affected. Halls, landings and stairs are not counted as rooms. Some fleas may still appear for a time afterwards, and timing depends on the home; get back in touch if bites continue.
Keeping Fleas Away
Keep pets on regular vet-recommended treatment, vacuum the places they sleep often, and wash bedding. Close off gaps under sheds and decking so foxes cannot rest there, and do not leave food out for foxes in the garden, since it keeps them coming back to the same spot. Running a flea comb through a pet's coat over a sheet of white paper now and then shows flea dirt before the house is affected. For the wider borough, see Flea Control Barnet, and if you notice small holes in wool carpets as well, carpet moth control in Mill Hill.
