Flea-ing the Winter Blues
Fleas don't go to
Florida for the winter. In recent weeks I have seen a few cases of fleas. The spring brings lots of ticks (yuk) but most of the summer was quiet on the bug front. So what brings the fleas now? I don't have an answer but you have to be ready to prevent an infestation.
If your pet has fleas, you are sure to have 1. fleas on your other pets 2. fleas in your house.
One way to fight a case of fleas is to use food grade diatomaceous earth, a powdery substance you can buy at a local feed store. Do not use the type used in swimming pools!
Just sprinkle the powder on carpeting, or upholstery and leave it for a day or two, then vacuum and repeat. The whole process may take a couple of weeks. Please, wear a mask when applying it, you don't want to breathe it while it is airborne. Also, do not put it in bedding or on pillows where you might breathe it.
Also, a client of mine told me that when they put it down the windows were open. They had powder all over the furniture, a mess! Close the windows!
Diatomaceous earth acts like shards of glass to fleas and kills them. It will keep killing as long as you leave it down or add more. You can put it directly on a pet to kill fleas (although it is very dry like chalk) and it can even be used on food to de-worm pets.
To prevent fleas on your pet, apply topical flea/tick preventers year round.
As for groomers, clients need to understand that a flea infested pet can affect your other clients, so take every precaution to isolate the affected pet, flea bathe the pet, and clean clean clean afterward.
Remember, the warmest place to winter for a flea is your pet!
