Fleas and ticks: the short answer
Fleas are a home problem as much as a pet problem: treat the pet with a product your veterinarian recommends, vacuum daily and wash pet bedding in hot, soapy water. Ticks are mostly a yard and outdoor problem, and in Alabama they carry real diseases. A professional can treat the home and yard together. Call (334) 555-0147 to speak with a local pest control company in the Prattville area.
Signs of fleas or ticks
- pets scratching, biting at their skin or losing fur
- small dark specks in pet bedding, called flea dirt
- itchy bites around ankles
- ticks found on pets, children or yourself after time outdoors
For other pests, see our pest control services overview for Prattville.
How urgent is it?
Ticks are a health concern in Alabama.
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported 124 tick-borne disease cases in 2023: 81 spotted fever rickettsiosis, 36 Lyme disease, 4 ehrlichiosis and one each of anaplasmosis, babesiosis and tularemia. See a healthcare provider if a rash or fever follows a tick bite.
Breaking the flea cycle at home
Infestations include eggs, larvae and adults, so killing adults on the pet isn't enough. The EPA calls daily vacuuming the best method for initial control, focusing on carpets, upholstered furniture, cracks, baseboards and where pets sleep. It also recommends steam cleaning carpets, washing pet bedding in hot, soapy water every two to three weeks and using a flea comb. See fleas in the house.
Avoiding ticks
- use EPA-registered repellents, and treat boots and clothing with 0.5% permethrin
- avoid tall grass and leaf litter, and keep the yard mowed
- check pets carefully, since ticks ride indoors on animals
- shower within two hours of coming in, do a full-body check, and tumble-dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes
What happens during treatment
Coordinate with pet treatment
The pet should be treated at the same time, with a product from your veterinarian.
Indoor treatment
Carpets, furniture and pet areas, after you vacuum.
Yard treatment
Shady areas, pet runs and the edges where ticks wait.
Follow-up
A second treatment often catches fleas that hatch later.
What affects the cost
- Indoor, yard or both.
- Size of the home and yard.
- Number of follow-up treatments.
See the cost guide.
Questions to ask before you hire
- How should I prepare the house, and when can pets come back in?
- Do you treat the yard for ticks, and how often?
- Is a follow-up treatment included?
Fleas and ticks around Prattville
Yards next to woods and open land, as in Kingston Hills and Pine Level, and homes with pets in Windstone and Millbrook, are where most of these calls come from.
What to have ready when you call
- how many pets you have and whether they're being treated
- whether you want the house, the yard or both treated