Help! My Cat Has Fleas

Fleas can quickly make your cat miserable. It is easy for a cat to pick up fleas while out roaming the neighborhood or when interacting with other cats. It is important to act quickly if you suspect your cat may have fleas. This can stop one or two fleas from turning into an infestation.

1. Verify the Fleas

The best way to check if your cat has fleas is to look closely to see if you can see small insects in the fur. You can also use a metal flea comb that will catch any fleas. Dip the comb into warm soapy water after each stroke to kill any fleas that it catches.

2. Treat the Fleas

You will need to treat your animal for fleas if you find them. The best way to do this is through a treatment that will work against all stages of fleas. There are topical treatments where you apply an oil to their back or you can give them an oral medicine that will stop the fleas. This will stop the fleas in their tracks. You may also want to try a powder or shampoo to immediately kill all of the adult fleas on your pet. However, these will only provide a temporary solution. It is best to use a preventative measure each month to stop this from happening again. You can ask your vet for a recommendation or buy an over-the-counter option like a flea collar.

3. Treat Your Home

Fleas spread quickly and they will not just stay on your pet. If your cat has fleas, there is a good chance that fleas are lurking somewhere else in your home and they may be waiting to hop onto you for their next meal. You can begin by washing all of your bedding, and vacuuming thoroughly. This is often not enough and you need to consider treating your entire home for fleas. A professional exterminator can help you quickly eliminate the fleas in your home with a treatment. You can also help to prevent fleas by treating your yard for fleas. Contact Mosquito Tek to learn more.

Understand the dangers of tick bites in North Carolina by reading North Carolina and the Dangers of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

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4 Ways to Protect Your Children from Mosquitoes

[caption id="attachment_3084" align="alignright" width="300"] Image courtesy of John Tann via Flickr CC by 2.0[/caption]

Mosquitoes carry a number of serious illnesses that can affect your children including West Nile virus, and St. Louis encephalitis. Mosquito bites can also make your children itchy and uncomfortable. One of the best ways to avoid the complications that come with mosquito bites is to help your children to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes completely.
Dress Your Children to Protect Them
Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, so you should dress your children in light colored clothes. Loose fitting clothing with long sleeves and pants can reduce the number of mosquito bites that your children receive. There is the option to treat the clothing with an insect repellent or to buy clothing that is already treated. This option is good if you know you are going into an area that is heavily populated with mosquitoes like on a camping trip, but it m…

A Guide to Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes have been plaguing people throughout all known time. Not only do they cause itchy bites that can be annoying, there are responsible for spreading a number of serious illnesses. The threat is so serious and ongoing that most communities and countries have extensive mosquito control programs which help to combat the outbreaks. There are still outbreaks each year in countries across the world of illnesses like Yellow fever and dengue fever. In order to combat mosquitoes, it is important to understand mosquitoes.

The Life Cycle of Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water. After the eggs hatch, the mosquitoes are larvae and they spend time in the water until they become pupae and then hatch from that stage. At this point, the mosquitoes are adults and will begin flying around. The male mosquitoes feed on nectar, while the female mosquitoes need a blood meal so that they lay their eggs. Mosquitoes can lay up to two hundred eggs at a time.

Prevent Mosquitoes
Once you underst…

Commonly Asked Mosquito Questions

Mosquito season is just around the corner. The spring and summer months are the times when mosquitoes are most active. While mosquito bites can be annoying, the real issue is that mosquitoes can spread a number of serious illnesses. Here are some commonly asked questions about mosquitoes.

Is It Safe for My Baby to Wear Mosquito Repellent?
Babies as young as two months old can safely wear mosquito repellent. You will want to check with your physician to learn the kind that is best for your baby, and what concentration of DEET that is safe to use on someone that size. You may want to avoid taking your baby outside during peak mosquito times. You can also use mosquito netting around your baby as an extra protection.

What Types of Illnesses Can Mosquitoes Spread?
There are a number of different illnesses that mosquitoes can spread. In the United States some of the most common illnesses include the West Nile virus and St. Louise encephalitis. Around the world there are more serious illness…

Mosquito Tek

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