How to tell you have them
Pets scratching more than usual is the first sign. Part the fur near the base of the tail and look for fleas or flea dirt, tiny black specks that turn red on a damp paper towel. People often get small, itchy bites around the ankles. In an empty house, fleas can wait as pupae for weeks and then hatch all at once when someone walks in.
What they damage
Fleas do not damage the home, but they bite people and pets, cause itching and allergic skin reactions in some pets, and can pass tapeworms to dogs and cats.
What treatment looks like
The pet has to be treated by your veterinarian in the same week, or the pet keeps bringing fleas back. Inside, you vacuum every floor, rug and upholstered surface and wash the pet bedding, and then we treat carpets, baseboards and furniture edges with a product that includes an insect growth regulator, which stops eggs and larvae from developing. Outside, we treat the shady, moist spots where flea larvae live: under decks, along the shady side of the house and where pets rest. Sunny lawn does not need it.
How long it takes
Most activity stops within one to two weeks. A follow-up treatment about two weeks later catches the fleas that were still in their cocoons during the first visit, because no product reaches them there. Keep vacuuming daily in between: the vibration brings them out.
Florida notes
In Pinellas, fleas never take a real winter break, and our seasonal model peaks them in August. Stray cats and raccoons under the house can keep a yard supplied with fleas, so we point out any wildlife access we find. Fleas are covered on every plan, starting with Quarterly.