Flea & Tick Prevention

In much of the country, fleas and ticks are a summer problem. In Texas, mild winters mean they can be active in almost any month. Both pests feed on blood, both can transmit disease, and both are much easier to prevent than to eliminate once established.

Understanding Fleas

Nearly every flea problem in Texas involves the cat flea, which, despite its name, is the main flea on both dogs and cats as well as on opossums, raccoons, and feral cats.

The adult fleas you see on a pet are a small fraction of the population. The rest are eggs, larvae, and pupae in carpet, pet bedding, upholstered furniture, and shaded soil. Flea pupae sit in a protective cocoon and can wait for weeks or months until vibration, warmth, and carbon dioxide signal that a host is nearby. That's why people sometimes move into a home or apartment that has been vacant and get bitten immediately, and why you don't need to own a pet to have fleas. Wildlife living under a deck, in a crawl space, or in an attic can seed an infestation.

Fleas cause itchy bites and flea allergy dermatitis in pets, and they transmit tapeworms. Texas also reports cases of flea-borne (murine) typhus every year, with activity concentrated in South Texas, the Gulf Coast, and the state's major metro areas.

Understanding Ticks

• Brown dog tick. Unlike most ticks, it can complete its entire life cycle indoors, in kennels, garages, and homes. Ticks crawling up walls or along baseboards are usually this species.

• Lone star tick. Common in wooded and brushy areas across East and Central Texas. It's an aggressive biter of people and is associated with ehrlichiosis and with alpha-gal syndrome, a red-meat allergy.

• American dog tick and Gulf Coast tick. Found in grassy fields, trails, and along the coast.

• Blacklegged (deer) tick. Present in parts of Texas, mainly in wooded habitat.

Prevention Tips: Pets

• Talk to your veterinarian about a year-round flea and tick preventive for every dog and cat in the household, including indoor-only pets. In Texas, seasonal treatment leaves gaps.

• Wash pet bedding weekly in hot water and dry on high heat.

• Check pets for ticks after time outdoors, especially around the ears, between the toes, under the collar, and in the armpits.

Prevention Tips: Inside the Home

• Vacuum carpets, rugs, furniture, along baseboards, and under cushions frequently, concentrating on where pets rest. Vacuuming removes eggs and larvae and stimulates pupae to emerge where treatments can reach them. Empty the canister or dispose of the bag outside.

• Launder throw rugs and blankets that pets use.

• Reduce floor clutter so problem areas can be cleaned and, if needed, treated thoroughly.

Prevention Tips: The Yard

• Keep grass mowed and trim back brush, tall weeds, and ground cover. Fleas and ticks avoid sunny, dry, open turf and concentrate in shaded, humid spots.

• Rake up leaf litter and remove brush piles.

• Discourage wildlife: secure trash cans, don't leave pet food outside, and close off access under decks, sheds, and pier-and-beam foundations.

• Keep play sets, patios, and dog runs away from wooded edges, and consider a gravel or wood-chip border between lawn and woods.

Prevention Tips: Yourself

• On trails and in brush, wear long pants tucked into socks and use an EPA-registered repellent according to its label.

• Do a full-body tick check after outdoor activity, and shower soon after coming inside.

• Remove an attached tick with fine-tipped tweezers: grasp it as close to the skin as possible and pull straight up with steady pressure. Clean the area afterward. Contact a healthcare provider if you develop a fever or rash in the following weeks.

For Property Managers and Healthcare Facilities

• Inspect for fleas at move-out in any unit where pets lived, and treat before the next resident arrives. Dormant pupae in an empty unit will emerge as soon as someone moves in.

• Feral cat colonies, opossums, and raccoons around buildings are a common flea source. Remove food sources and seal crawl spaces and breezeway voids.

• Effective flea treatment depends on preparation: floors cleared, carpets vacuumed, pets treated by a veterinarian at the same time. Clear resident instructions make the difference between one service and several.

• Expect to see some fleas for a couple of weeks after treatment as pupae continue to hatch. Continued vacuuming during that period is part of the process, not a sign of failure.

• In care facilities that host therapy animals or resident pets, confirm the animals are on a veterinary preventive and keep their bedding on a laundering schedule.

When to Call a Professional

Call us if pets continue scratching despite veterinary treatment, if people are getting bites around the ankles and lower legs, if you see ticks indoors, or if you're turning over a unit with a history of pets.

Schedule a Flea & Tick Inspection

Southeast Texas Pest Control has served Texas since 1994, with service across Houston, the Gulf Coast, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas. Call [PHONE] or [request an inspection online].