A dog that spends the day in fields and along the river can bring fleas through the door by evening. Most of the eggs end up in the house, not on the dog.
Stoke Bardolph is a small village by the Trent with farmland and riverside land all around it. Pets that roam outside meet wildlife and other animals, and fleas hop on from hedgehogs, foxes, rabbits and rodents as easily as from other pets. A single flea laying eggs on a dog or cat is enough to seed a whole house.
An adult flea lives on the animal and feeds on its blood. Its eggs, however, fall off wherever the pet goes: bedding, sofas, carpets and the floor by the back door. Larvae hide deep in fibres away from light, then become pupae in cocoons that resist many treatments. Pupae can wait for weeks or months, which explains why an empty house can still erupt with fleas on your return.
If your animals use a porch, boot room or utility area, treat those spaces as well. Dogs that sleep in a car or outbuilding can leave eggs there, and a barn cat that is not yours can still shed flea eggs onto your doorstep. Speak to your vet about suitable ongoing treatment, as prevention is easier than clearing an established infestation.
It also helps to wash the pet's regular resting places outside the house, such as a car blanket or a kennel cushion, and to groom animals outdoors. Combing over a light surface shows black flea dirt, which turns reddish when moistened and confirms the cause.
If you let guests stay with dogs, ask them to treat the animals beforehand to avoid bringing eggs into the house.
If fleas persist after weeks of cleaning and pet treatment, a professional treatment of floors, soft furnishings and pet areas may be needed. How long it takes to clear depends on how widespread the infestation is and how well preparation is done. You may be asked to leave rooms empty for a period and keep pets out until the surfaces have dried.
Bites on people, usually around the ankles, are often the first sign that the problem has moved beyond the pet. If you notice them, check the animal's coat with a flea comb over a white sheet of paper.
We can treat your home and advise on keeping fleas away. Free advice comes with all treatments and appointments are made to suit you. Call 0115 937 5117.
Yes. Hedgehogs, foxes, rabbits and other animals can carry fleas that hop onto pets passing through gardens or fields. Regular preventative treatment is the usual way to reduce the risk.
Pupae can stay dormant in carpets for weeks or even months, waiting for a signal such as warmth or footsteps. That is why fleas can seem to reappear after the home has been quiet.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. Prices are fixed and there is no call-out charge.
