Fleas can be dangerous to people and pets. The flea killing process goes beyond killing fleas in the home and on the pet, but must be continued onto the lawn. This includes lawns of non-pet owners because of the fleas that are transmitted by stray cats and dogs. Fleas on the lawn can quickly come into the house by way of foot traffic, and potentially bite people if there are no pets.
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Dangers of Fleas
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For pets, fleas can be a fatal parasite due the fleas' diet of blood. An excess of fleas can lead to anemia and potentially death. A smaller flea infestation can cause lethargy and a poor appetite. In addition, the flea bites can become infected, causing the pet or person to become sick. Some pets and people are allergic to flea saliva and this can cause a severe skin infection, potentially opening the individual up to increased infections. Fleas can also transmit tapeworms. In rarer cases, flea infestations can cause serious illness to strike, as in the case of the Black Plague.
Importance of Treating All Sources
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Ridding the flea infestation in the home and on the pet can dramatically reduce the chances of a serious flea infestation on you or your pet. However, when your pet goes outside to relieve himself or you mow your lawn, garden or sit outside, fleas may ride back into the home. This can happen by picking up adult fleas or flea eggs. Treating the lawn at the same time as treating the home and pets can eliminate this potential.
Types of Lawn Treatment
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Many different types of flea lawn treatment are available. Most types allow for the flea treatment to be applied by means of a garden hose. You can also find small bottles of lawn flea killer designed for very small lawns or house plants. There are some pump styles of flea killer, although these are not as effective. It is very important to follow the directions on lawn treatment container to ensure proper use and distribution. Not following the proper usage can make the product ineffective.
Safety Concerns
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Some safety concerns come with the use of a lawn flea spray. The major concern is the tendency for pets to eat grass. When a pet eats grass that has been treated for fleas, it ingests the toxin. This can make the pet sick or potentially die. Another concern is that children may play in the lawn and then not wash their hands before a meal. In this case, the child could ingest the toxin and may become ill. It is very important to keep pets and children off the lawn for the time allotted on the lawn treatment package. Each product may have a different time period, so be sure to check it each time using the product.
Call in the Professionals
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If you are in any doubt as to the use or effectiveness of a product, calling a lawn professional may be necessary. These professionals know and understand the most effective ways to rid a lawn of fleas with the least amount of impact on the environment and least risk to those in the home. A professional will also leave a small sign to indicate to others that the lawn has been treated and that they should not allow children or pets on the lawn.
No Quick Fixes
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While most flea sprays kill adult fleas, no flea sprays kill the pupae. This means that you will see fleas in the grass for a period after the initial flea treatment. This does not mean the treatment did not work, because adult fleas will die shortly after contact with the agent. However, some flea eggs and larva and all pupae are not killed and may turn to adult fleas. Repeating a treatment every 14 to 30 days will help to decrease and eventually eliminate fleas.
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