Throughout Texas, there are plenty of pests that the locals need to be concerned about. Some are even considered beneficial, but for the most part, pests are nothing more than a nuisance at best. With the various arachnids, insects, and wildlife around, knowledge is half the battle in quashing infestations and avoiding them altogether. A-Tex Pest Management takes a closer look at the pests that are attracted to your pets in the Greater Austin, Texas area.
Pests Attracted to Dog & Cat Pets
1. Fleas. There are several species of fleas that dominate in Texas, but Cat Fleas and Dog Fleas are the most common issues, and as the name suggests, they are attracted to your pet. Fleas, in general, are another bloodsucker that feeds primarily on your pets but will even latch onto you if need be. Being incredibly tiny, they can be hard to spot, but usually, your pets will continually try to scratch the chronic itch that can’t ever be satisfied and the skin under the fur will look irritated. Though fleas are mostly an annoyance they do have the potential of transmitting diseases such as typhus, plague, tapeworm and other flea-borne illnesses.
2. Ticks. Ticks are notorious for latching onto our beloved pets, but will just as easily suck the blood from humans as well. Ticks belong in the arachnid family and throughout Texas, the Lone Star Tick and the Brown Dog Tick are the most common, but Deer Ticks and the American Brown Dog Ticks are not unheard of. Ticks have been known to carry many diseases, and even cause dogs to become paralyzed. Different ticks are responsible for similar and different diseases that include; Human Monocytic Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia, Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness (STARI), Lyme Disease, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
3. Kissing Bugs. Where the name “Kissing Bug” may sound adorable, the truth is anything but. Kissing bugs, or Triatominae as they are formally named, are blood-sucking insects that can be recognized by their distinct cone-shaped head with thin antennae and thin legs. Kissing bugs have a dark brown or black body and with stripes on the edge of their backs that are colored red, orange, or yellow. These bugs consume blood from their hosts, pets and their owners are at risk and they are capable of transmitting Chagas disease.
4. General Pests. There are many pests that are simply attracted to the pet food of your pet, depending on if you have a stash inside or outside. Rodents, birds, cockroaches, and ants are the most common pests that are drawn in by pet food. Most of these pests can potentially spread various diseases and viruses by contaminating the food or surfaces accustomed to your pet. Flies are known to buzz around your pet's feces as well.
Pest Inspection, Control, Removal, Extermination & Prevention in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park, Texas
There are many things you can do to prevent these pests from affecting your pet including treatments, collars, and keeping food secure. If you have an infestation with any of the above-mentioned pests or any others, contact A-Tex Pest Management of Austin, Texas to minimize the health risks to your pets and family.