HANDLING A FLEA EMERGENCY
If your home is heavily infested with fleas, take these steps to get the situation under control.
Here at Balboa Pet Hospital in San Francisco, we continue to see a larger than normal number of patients with fleas. Many owners complain that they are seeing more fleas at home. It is important that all pets stay on parasite prevention throughout the year, not just during the summer.
When dealing with an infestation, it is important to remember that you are looking to banish not just fleas, but their eggs and their larvae too! – Yuck Gross
Thank you to UC Davis Integrated Pest Management for the following protocol for dealing with a home flea infestation. (They are a great resource and can help you with all kinds of pests using sound, safe methods.) Click Here for a link to their website It does take perseverance, call us if you have any questions. 415-752-3300 or email us at customerservice@balboapet.com
Inside the Home
Locate heavily infested areas, and concentrate efforts on these areas.
Wash throw rugs and the pet’s bedding.
Vacuum upholstered furniture. Remove and vacuum beneath cushions and in cracks and crevices.
Vacuum carpets, especially beneath furniture and in areas that pest frequent. Use a hand sprayer to treat all carpets with an insecticide that contains an insect growth regulator.
Allow carpets to dry, then vacuum a second time to remove additional fleas the spray caused to emerge.
Continue to vacuum for 10 days to 2 weeks to kill adult fleas that continue to emerge from pupal cocoons.
On the Pet
Use a spot-on or a systemic oral treatment, which you can purchase from veterinarians or online.
Outside the Home
If you treat your pets with spot-on or oral treatments, you‘ll rarely need to spray outdoors.
Our San Francisco Veterinarians will recommend a spot-on or systemic oral treatment that is just right for your pet. We carry Trifexis, Capstar, Revolution and Sentinel in the hospital. You can get most other brands through our online pharmacy. Most of these products kill more parasites than just fleas and offer your pets year round parasite prevention. We strongly encourage you to talk with your veterinarian before buying a product at the grocery store. Some products have been known to cause adverse reactions.
In the past some clients have been referred to FleaBusters. We haven’t gotten feedback on the success of their service. Let us know if you have had success with any professional companies who advertise flea removal services. We’ll be happy to share the word!
