The unconditional love of a pet can do wonders in your family, making him or her a valuable and irreplaceable member. It is common to not be able to imagine life without them! However, there are times when owning a pet has its downfall. For example, pets can attract pests, bring pests into your home and be the reason why you may be struggling with a pest infestation.
It’s not your pets fault that insects take advantage of a free ride by attaching to their fur. The purpose of pests when they sneak into your home is to find food, shelter, or both. However, they can easily become a nuance—and quickly at that! With that in mind, don’t blame your pet. However, it is important to understand how pets can attract pests without even knowing it.
How pets can attract pests: The main culprits
Fleas
What are fleas? They are the pests as old as time—they are small, bloodsucking, and lay eggs anywhere and anytime possible. Whether they attach to dogs or cats, they will find a way to sneak into your home one way or another. Did you know that fleas can pull more than 160,000 times their own weight and jump 30,000 times without stopping once? You don’t want these pests to infest your home: Groom your pet regularly to clean them of fleas that can lodge in their fur and regularly apply flea and tick medicine.
Ticks
Ticks are related to spiders, which means they are not technically an insect. Regardless, they will attach themselves to your pet to get its next meal. Ticks are extremely dangerous, can carry unwanted diseases, and are harmful to both you and your pet.
In order for ticks to survive, they feed on blood. As a result, their diseases flow into their host’s bloodstream and can deliver Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and more. To make sure your pet is tick free, bathe your dog and/or cat with certain shampoos, tick collars, powders and more.
Mosquitoes
Finally, mosquitoes is a parasite you do not want to attach to your pet for a free ride in your home. Mosquitoes breed in many places—around your home, in standing water, yard debris, clogged gutters, and more.
Mosquito-borne diseases are spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. From the Zika virus and West Mile to malaria, mosquitoes are extremely harmful to humans. To protect yourself (and your pets), cover your body with mosquito repellent, long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
In addition, if you replace the standing water around your home about once a week, the risk of mosquitoes is greatly reduced. Clear overgrown vegetation and take unwanted trash to the landfill. There are many preventative measures you can take to ensure that mosquitoes will not cause a home infestation.
No matter what, pets are still the best
With all that said, pets bring an immeasurable amount of joy and happiness to the home; we are quite fond of pets ourselves. However, you can reduce the pest risk by regularly servicing your home, giving your pets their proper shots and medications, and making sure your home/yard stays tidy.
Do you have questions about how pets can attract pests without you even knowing? Contact Us and we will be more than happy to answer your question and/or service your home. Call us or visit us website today!