Fleas and Their Bites
People who have been bitten many times by fleas don’t need to be told how miserable it can be. While you’re watching your pet scratch and scratch, you’re suffering from flea bites on humans yourself. The reason flea bites itch is that flea saliva contains an anti-coagulant that causes an allergic reaction and results in the small, itchy bump that you see.
Scratching the bites will just make them worse, so don’t do this if possible. Itchy flea bites can drive you nuts though, so this is often hard to do. However, there are a few tips to reduce how much the bites itch.
Among the most popular methods to relieve itching are calamine lotion, tea tree oil, vinegar and rubbing alcohol. You can also experiment with hand sanitizer and sun burn remedies, as well as regular ice.
If you want to deal with the fleas themselves, and not just the bites, you’ll need to figure out how to get rid of them. You’ll have to stick with a regular program of flea control, since fleas can be tenacious, but this is definitely doable.
The first step is to kill the fleas on your pet. Frontline is probably the most commonly used of the different flea drop treatments. Frontline will evenly disperse over your pets back, starting at the shoulder blades, and last for one month.
The next step is to get rid of the fleas in your home. In order to do this, you’ve got to follow a rigid plan, because fleas can be tenacious. Wash everything you can that your pet might have infested with fleas, including carpets and bedding. Put this stuff in the washing machine with soap and hot water.
The most effective tool you have in your war against fleas is your vacuum cleaner. Vacuum your carpets and floors as much as possible, every day if you can, but at least three days a week.Ideally, vacuum every day, but if you can’t do that, shoot for at least three days a week. Sprays and foggers can also be effective in killing fleas. Make sure you buy products that contain both an insecticide and an insect growth regulator. This ensures that the spray will kill both adult fleas, as well as eggs, larva and pupae.
The very best thing you can do is keep with the program, and don’t let up. Even if your pet seems fine, keep using Frontline on them. Vacuum your carpets as much as you can. You may have flea eggs and larva hiding in your home and carpets, and they can reappear and surprise you with another infestation.
