Flea bites are a common and engaging topic of discussion for people with pets. Fleas are wingless insects with tube-like mouthparts adapted for piercing and sucking blood, and they are notorious for infesting our furry pets. Though they are more interested in animals, it often happens that they love to feast on fresh human blood also and pet owners can vouch for the intense after effects of becoming the main course of these insects.
Fleas can grow up only to the size of the tip of a pen but are capable of jumping long distances and heights – almost 13inches and 7 inches respectively. Another easy way of identifying these creatures is their dark coloured, agile bodies that can withstand great pressure making it difficult to eliminate them by mashing or scratching.
The only source of food for them is the fresh blood supply they get from their hosts. There are different kinds of fleas but they all feed off from humans and animals alike. This means they are capable of transmitting parasites and diseases from one host to another. Thus, it is imperative to eliminate these tiny creatures knowing they are capable of causing too much harm.
Discerning the bite
Fleabites are easy to identify, and can be distinguished from a mosquito bite, using the following common signs and symptoms:
- Appear as small, red bumps
- Red halo around the bite centre
- Bites in groups of 3-4 or in a straight line
- Usually focused on lower legs and feet, though they are also common around the waist, armpits, breasts, groin or in the folds of armpits and knee
- Painful, burning welts may appear in case of hypersensitive skin
Any fleabite victim will testify to the itchiness of the bites that makes them scratch it away into a wound or blister that can easily be infected. For this reason, one is advised to avoid scratching a fleabite, howsoever itchy it may be. This swelling and itchiness results from the skin’s reaction to flea’s saliva left behind.
Treatment for fleabites is two-fold – preventive and reactive. Preventive treatment involves not letting these annoying creatures infect your house or pets at all. In case one fails to stop the enemy from marching in, there is no option but to wage a WAR! Pesticides, capable of being used as sprays or foggers, are potent enough to kill fleas and can be used as a part of do-it-yourself kits. However, there may be times when these easy-to-use chemicals do not work and that is why professional pest control services were invented. The flea life cycle perspicuously explains the stage at which it is easier, also effective in the long term, to eliminate fleas. Maintaining proper cleanliness and hygiene at the house also discourages fleas from multiplying. Further, one can make a citrus spray (lemon slices boiled in water) and spray it on body areas where one suspects fleas to be. This will prevent future fleabites and make you smell good.
Flea Life Cycle
Cutting off fleabites
One of the biggest mistakes people make with regard to fleabites is scratching them to counter the unbearable itchiness. Avoid it at all costs as nobody wants a “bite” to turn into pus filled, infectious wound. An ice pack and cold compress are effective ways of relieving swelling. A variety of ointments and creams can also be used to relieve itching and swelling and reduce the risk of infection.
- Washing the area with lukewarm to cold (preferably antiseptic) soapy water ensures no bacterial or other infections affect the bite area.
- Calamine lotion, important part of every home first aid kit, is the panacea for insect bites and resultant itching. However, the odour can be a problem for some.
- Antihistamine tablets and creams are helpful in cases of severe itching. They are easily available over the counter and the chemist can suggest you an effective one.
Cheap homemade kills!
There is no dearth of easier, economical and safer home remedies that are equally effective for treating fleabites.
- Tea Tree and Lavender oils are famed for reducing inflammation and basil oil is used for curing itchiness.
- Washing the bite area with black or green tea also helps in relieving swelling.
- A common kitchen ingredient – baking soda, can be made into a paste by adding some water to it and applied to the fleabite. This works wonders in soothing the itching and reducing redness.
- Another natural option that is beneficial is aloe vera. The leaves can be used directly and the gel rubbed on to the bite or one can also use the commercially bottled aloe vera gel.
- Echinacea tincture, another prominent member of first aid kids, and lemon juice can also be used to reduce the itchiness. Lemon juice may tingle slightly initially but it keeps the bite area free of bacteria.
This website has a lot more information that you might require and want about fleabites. This was just a small trailer; move in to the other pages for the entire movie that will help you cover symptoms, treatments, et al. Therefore, there is no need to worry about pestiferous, titchy fleas and their bites as fleabitesremedy.com will never let you lose.