Flea treatment in Apeldoorn: spotting and confirming fleas
A flea is tiny, dark brown and flattened from side to side, and it jumps remarkably far. Adult fleas live on the animal, but most of an infestation is out of sight: eggs, larvae and pupae are in the surroundings. Signs that you have fleas in the house:
- itchy red dots, often in clusters on ankles and lower legs
- a dog or cat scratching, licking or nibbling its coat more than usual
- black specks in the coat or bed that turn reddish-brown on damp kitchen paper
- tiny insects jumping out of a rug, sofa or car seat
Those specks are flea dirt, digested blood, and the damp paper test is a simple check you can do yourself.
Why fleas keep coming back
A female flea lays her eggs on the animal. They drop off and end up in the pet bed, the sofa and the gaps between floorboards. The larvae burrow deep into carpet and between boards, away from the light, and spin themselves into a pupa. Inside that cocoon they can wait a long time until movement or warmth comes near.
That is why people sometimes suddenly get bitten a lot after a holiday, or when they move into a house where a cat used to live: the fleas then emerge in large numbers all at once. Treating only the animal is not enough, and nor is treating only the house.
Our flea treatment for your home
At the inspection we look at where your pet sleeps and lies, what flooring you have and whether fleas could also be in the car or shed. Then we treat the home in a targeted way: rugs, carpets, sofas, skirting boards, gaps between floorboards and the animal's favourite spots. We use products that only a certified pest controller may apply and tell you which rooms to stay out of for a while.
Have your dog or cat treated by the vet in the same week, with a product suited to the animal. That breaks the cycle from both sides.
What to do before and after treatment
The vacuum cleaner is your best ally. Vacuum thoroughly before we arrive, including under furniture and along the edges, and then every day for several weeks. The vibrations coax fleas out of their cocoons so they come into contact with the product. Empty the canister outside into a sealed bag each time.
- wash rugs, cushions and the pet bed at a high temperature
- do not mop the floor straight after treatment, so the product can keep working
- never give a cat a flea product meant for dogs; check with the vet
Fleas, bed bugs or something else?
Bites indoors are easily mistaken. Bed bugs mainly bite at night on arms, neck and shoulders and leave blood spots and black dots in the bed; then you need bed bug treatment, which is a very different approach. If you have no pet but still get flea bites, an abandoned bird's nest under the roof tiles or in a nest box on the wall may be the source. A stray cat sleeping under the decking or in the shed can also leave fleas behind.
When in doubt we track down the source, so the treatment fits. For other pests around the home, our pest control in Apeldoorn is here to help.
