Fleas and ticks in Valley homes
Cat fleas are the flea behind almost every indoor infestation in the Valley, whether or not you actually own a cat, and they ride in easily on a dog, a visiting pet or even your own shoes. Western black legged ticks show up too, mostly on pets and people after time in brush or tall grass on hillside trails.
Fleas and ticksHow to tell it's this one
- Small, dark, fast moving insects low in carpet fibers or on your pet's belly and around the tail base
- Tiny black specks in pet bedding that turn reddish brown on a wet paper towel, that's flea dirt
- Bites clustered around the ankles, fleas can't jump much higher than that
- Western black legged ticks are small and dark, found on pets or people after time in brush or tall grass
- Pets scratching, biting at their skin or losing patches of fur
Where it hides in Valley homes
- Carpet fibers and area rugs
- Pet bedding and favorite resting spots
- Shaded areas of the yard pets use
- Along fence lines and under decks
- Tall grass and brush, mainly for ticks
When it shows up
From our own route records, month by month.
What to do right now
- 1Wash pet bedding in hot water
- 2Vacuum carpets and furniture thoroughly and empty the canister outside
- 3Keep pets on a vet recommended flea preventive
- 4Check pets and kids for ticks after time in brush or tall grass
How Facility handles fleas and ticks
We treat both the yard and the interior since fleas hide in shaded rest areas outdoors as much as they do in carpet indoors, applying low toxicity products to label in both spots. Tick treatment focuses on brush lines and shaded edges where pets and people pass through. We'll coordinate around whatever flea prevention your vet already has your pets on rather than working against it.
Fleas and ticks questions
How do I know if it's fleas and not just dry skin on my dog?
Fleas are small, dark, fast moving insects you can actually see low in the fur, especially around the tail base and belly, versus the flaking or redness typical of dry skin. Flea dirt, tiny black specks that turn reddish brown on a wet paper towel, is another clear giveaway dry skin won't produce.
Can fleas live in my carpet if I don't have pets?
Yes, fleas can ride inside on a visiting pet, on your own shoes and clothing, or come in with a secondhand rug or piece of furniture, then settle into carpet fibers and bedding even in a pet free home. They need a blood meal eventually, but they can survive in the environment for a while first.
Where do ticks in the San Fernando Valley usually come from?
Western black legged ticks are typically picked up in brush, tall grass and hiking trails on hillside and open space adjacent properties, then carried home on pets or people. They're far less common indoors on their own compared to fleas, which establish more easily inside carpet and bedding.
How long does it take to get rid of fleas in a house?
Most indoor flea problems take a few weeks to fully clear because of the life cycle, eggs and pupae in carpet can keep hatching after adult fleas are treated. Combining yard and interior treatment with consistent vacuuming and ongoing pet prevention shortens that timeline considerably.
Do I need to treat my yard or just my pet?
Both, usually. Vet applied flea prevention protects the pet directly, but fleas also live and breed in shaded rest areas outdoors and in carpet indoors, so yard and interior treatment address the environment the pet keeps getting reinfested from. Treating only one side tends to leave the problem half solved.
Ready when you are.
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