Special to the Star-Herald
School has started and the leaves are starting to turn. Can you believe we are headed for fall already? Have fleas from summer become a problem in your home? They are nasty little creatures, almost invisible if you don’t check your pets. Even house pets can become infested with fleas. It is estimated that only 5 percent of fleas live on your pet and about 95 percent are living in your house or yard. It is time to go to war!! Your vacuum cleaner is your weapon of choice in this war. With it you can and must get into tight corners, under furniture and along your mop boards. The vibrations from the vacuum will stimulate fleas in the area to become active, and it will be easier to suck them up. You will be sucking up the larvae and pupae, the beginning stages of the fleas, as well as the fleas themselves. When you are done, dispose of the bag or empty the canister in an outside trash can.
Next, spray the entire house with insecticide, either in spray form or fogger. Check the label for active ingredients; IGR(insect growth regulator) is recommended because it works as a birth control for fleas as well as killing the flea itself. Remember to remove all living creatures from the area that you are fogging. You can use the same insecticide inside as you do outside; treat areas where your dog sleeps outside, dog house, kennel, nooks and crannies, and be especially diligent in sandy areas.
The last step is to treat your pet. I usually do a flea bath and then treat with a topical treatment like Revolution, Frontline or Advantage. Talk to your veterinarian, they will recommend a good product for you and your pet.
If you are looking for a friend for life, please contact the Central Aroostook Humane Society at 764-3441 or visit us on line at www.centralaroostookhumanesociety.org.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered.
