Is It Dangerous To Have Fleas In My Greensboro, NC Home?

While fleas in Greensboro may be difficult to spot, the warning signs of their presence are not. If you’ve got pets that won’t stop scratching or pulling out their fur, flea droppings that resemble dirt scattered across your home, or you keep getting bug bites on your feet and ankles, the culprit could be fleas! Unfortunately, fleas are all too common for Greensboro homeowners. Since flea season can start in early April and last until November or December, these pests can be a problem throughout the entire year.

As small as they are, fleas spell big problems for Greensboro homeowners. Here’s what you should know about the dangers that fleas bring into your home, how you can prevent them, and the best way to protect you and your family.

Are Fleas Dangerous?

For many homeowners, especially those with pets, fleas are a common problem throughout the warmer months – but that doesn’t mean they aren’t also dangerous. Fleas can cause plenty of issues in your home, including:

• Flea bites can cause prolonged itching: Like ticks and bed bugs, fleas are a parasite that survives on the blood of people and animals – although they prefer animal hosts over human ones. Their bites usually don’t pose a health risk to people (unless you’re allergic), but if they do bite you, they may leave behind itchy, red welts. Prolonged itching of flea bites could lead to a secondary skin infection, especially if you’re dealing with a lot of flea bites.
• Fleas can cause allergic reactions in animals: The risks for animals and pets are usually worse than for people. It’s not uncommon for fleas to cause allergic reactions in animals. Pets may scratch and itch so much that they cause scabs or even start pulling their hair out.
• Flea bites could lead to anemia: In severe or prolonged flea infestations, flea bites can even lead to anemia in your pets, although this is rare.
• Fleas can make respiratory problems worse: If you’ve got existing respiratory issues, like asthma, inhaling flea feces could exacerbate your symptoms.
• Fleas can be vectors for disease: While it’s less common, fleas may pick up dangerous diseases from other wild animals they’ve bitten – like rats – and then spread these diseases to you or your pets. The most dangerous examples include murine typhus and tularemia.

Keep in mind that, while homes with pets may be more at-risk for flea infestations, you can still have flea problems even if you don’t own any pets. Fleas will infest wildlife hosts, like raccoons and rodents, which may hang around your property or home and bring their fleas with them.

How To Prevent Fleas In Greensboro, NC

As far as prevention goes, fleas aren’t always the easiest pest to keep away, but there are a couple of things you can do to reduce the risk of having a flea problem:

• Keep your pets treated with anti-flea medication throughout the year: While fleas may be at their peak during the warmer months, your pets can still catch them any part of the year. Make sure you keep them treated with anti-flea medication every single month – not just during the summer.
• Regularly clean and wash pet bedding and items: Fleas lay their eggs and hide on items your pet uses, like bedding, furniture, or toys. Be sure to regularly wash and inspect these items for the presence of fleas or flea eggs.
• Get rid of yard debris: Outside, fleas like to hide in and on yard debris, so regularly clearing your property of these items can eliminate their hiding spots.
• Practice good food and trash practices: Food that’s sitting out or overflowing trash bins can lure in wildlife hosts, like rodents, raccoons, and other pests that may be infested with fleas. Don’t forget to practice good food and trash practices by keeping food sealed and regularly emptying garbage cans.

The Most Effective Way To Deal With Fleas In Greensboro, NC

While the steps above are a great place to start with flea prevention, they’re not always enough. In fact, the best way to completely prevent flea problems is by using a joint effort between your vet and a trusted pest management service like Go-Forth Home Services.

So, if you think you’ve got fleas around your Greensboro home or suspect that they may be hanging around your property, don’t wait to contact us at Go-Forth Home Services for more advice and assistance about what to do next.