If you have a dog, you need to know about fleas. Many people are under the misguided notion that because their dog lives in the house, fleas won’t be a problem. If you have ever seen a spider, beetle, mosquito or fly in your house, your dog can get fleas, and your home can become infested with the insects.
How to Get Rid of Fleas
Here are five things you need to know about fleas on your pet :
- Flea Collar Flea collars are useless on your pet. These collars only kill fleas that are living around the neck of your dog or cat. Use topical or oral flea preventatives like Advantage or Comfortis instead of these useless collars. These products work systemically, helping to keep your pet free of a flea infestation throughout the year when applied or given every 30 days. Instead of having your animal wear a flea collar, put the collar into your vacuum canister. This will kill any of these insects that your vacuum traps while you’re cleaning your floors.
- Dog Flea Control The best way to control fleas on dogs is to prevent them from making a home on your pet in the first place. If your dog does become infested with fleas, the same products that are used to prevent them can also be used to get rid of them. If you have a consistent problem with insects, your veterinarian may have more advice for you when it comes to flea control for dogs.
- Fleas on Cats Just as your indoor dog can get fleas, so can your cat. There are topical and oral flea preventatives available that will help protect your cat from fleas. The current recommendation in most states is to use one of these products year round. Because fleas on cats is just as big a problem as fleas on dogs, it’s important that you protect your felines just as you would your canines.
- Natural Flea Control Unfortunately, there are no natural flea remedies that are 100 percent effective in preventing the insects from settling on your pet and turning it into a buffet. The most highly recommended natural flea control, garlic, can actually be toxic to your dogs and cats if administered over a long period of time.
- Getting Rid of Fleas It’s important to know that the number of fleas that you see on your pet represent about ten percent of the total population of fleas in your home. If your pet has these insects, so does your house. Getting rid of it can be difficult; you must first treat your pet and then your home. Premise sprays, available from your veterinarian, are the most effective at removing fleas from your environment. Washing pet and human bedding in hot water will also help to kill the insects that have moved into your home.
It can take six months or more to completely rid your home of an infestation. It only makes sense to prevent the infestation in the first place. By keeping your dog or cat on a flea preventative year round, you stand a fighting chance against these pesky insects. Check this article for basic grooming tips that could help you keep it under control!