Here in the Ozarks we like a good cold winter to help control the ticks and fleas. You hear people say that we need a couple of good hard freezes to kill the ticks. I don't really believe a hard freeze does a thing to kill a tick, in fact I'm not even sure you can kill a tick any way you try.
Ticks are thick in the Ozarks. It takes two years for them to develop into adults, and each stage requires a blood meal before it can molt into the next one. Ticks do not die off during the winter months. To survive the cold and snow, most ticks find shelter in leaf litter and are dormant until spring. However, adult deer ticks (black-legged ticks) remain active year round. You or your pet could pick up a tick anytime the air temperature is close to freezing or above. source: http://www.canidae.com/blog/
Fleas are a real problem during the winter in the Ozarks because they get in the house and dig down into the carpet and furniture. Flea control is necessary even in the dead of winter.
Fleas cannot survive exposure to temperatures below 30.2 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 5 days in a row. In cold weather, people and animals generally congregate inside, so you may notice more fleas indoors. Once fleas are inside, they can survive indefinitely as long as they have a host to feed on. Unlike outdoor fleas, indoor fleas won’t ever die unless they’re treated.You probably will find ticks and fleas on your pet even during the winter. They go outside on nice days and pick them up outside, then bring them in. Once inside the infestation can get really bad on pets AND on people.
To prevent or treat an indoor flea and tick infestation, treat your entire house with an approved pesticide, including flooring, furniture, bedding, and pet bedding. Spraying all of these areas allows you to treat and kill the flea life cycle.
Ticks and fleas will live on wildlife around your home and farm right through the winter. There is really no way to control pests like this outside, so we just have to do our job inside our homes.
It's really important to keep a constant eye on your pet. If they are scratching too much, even in the middle of winter, then it's time to rid both your pet and your home of pests.
