SAN ANTONIO – Are your pets scratching? It’s probably because they're allergic to fleas, and this is the time of year when reports of the insects spike.
Christopher Quesada, a field manager at Family Pest Control, said he's seen a wide range of flea infestations.
"I’ve gone under a house and put my hands down and (they're) full of fleas, just from crawling under a home," said Quesada.
This is the time of year, during the warmer months, where the bugs keep him busy.
"We see a spike here and there, and that’s due to the drought, and due to a lot of feral animals and cats being left unattended within the urban areas,” Quesada said.
Quesada said the biggest concern among customers is re-infestation. The chemicals or methods that he uses depend on whether it’s an indoor or outdoor treatment.
Quesada said he often needs to suit up when treating a yard.
"We have a variety of chemicals that we also mix with an IGR, which is insect growth regulator,” said Quesada.
Even though members of our news crew was observing from the sidelines as the pest control professional sprayed the yard with insecticides, they were asked to wear gloves and a dust masks as an extra precaution.
The chemicals penetrate the soil, killing not only the living fleas, but the eggs. The approach should be twofold, Quesada said. "It’s just as important to treat your pets for fleas as it is to treat your yard. Not only will it help rid your home of the pests, but your neighbors just might thank you for it, too."]
"Some people don’t treat their animals for fleas, and they don’t treat their yards, and that will spill over to neighbors,” Quesada said.