How to Keep Your Dog Flea-Free
If you are the proud owner of a dog, you already know just how difficult it can be to get rid of fleas. There are a handful of things that you can do to make sure that your beloved pet and your home stay flea-free throughout the year.
Prevention
Summer is the most critical season when it comes to dealing with fleas. Most of the time, dogs get infected with fleas in outdoor areas such as dog parks. You could reduce the risks of an infestation by avoiding these areas and by not allowing your pet to run free in bushes or tall grass.
Moreover, if you like to leave your pet free in your backyard, it might also be a great idea to treat the lawn with a product that controls the flea larvae that can be found in the soil.
Another tip that you should try is to wash the bed of the pet every week. To kill larvae and pests, it is recommended that you use hot water to do so. It is also a good idea to vacuum regularly and to keep the carpets in your home clean at all times.
During the peak flea season, it is also advisable that you shampoo your pet by using a natural flea repellent. You can also minimize the risk of infestation by using dog flea treatments such as collars, spot-on solutions, and specialized sprays. You can check out this professional review for additional info on the matter.
Take action
If you see flea bites on your dog, as well as fleas rummaging through its coat, it is time to take action. To start, use an antiseptic soap to treat the bites and to reduce the risks of infection. Next, bathe the pet and use antreatment against fleas. Many of the available shampoos contain substances that can kill fleas in all life stages and they can also alleviate the pain caused by bites.
You can also use a flea comb while doing so, as this will ensure that you get rid of all the parasites in the pet’s coat.
Once the pet is clean, take the time to vacuum and clean the area of the house where the pet spends its time. Make sure that you dispose of the vacuum bag correctly after you finish cleaning.
Wash the bedding and towels in hot water and steam clean everything the dog came in contact with. You should repeat the entire process after a couple of days. Some say that using an Insect Growth Regulator also helps as it breaks down the reproduction cycle of the insects.
Ask the vet for help
To make sure that you use the right type of products when battling a flea infestation, you could ask your vet for additional product recommendations. Most of the time, using flea collars is not enough.
There are numerous other spot-on and oral medication that you could invest in. These alternatives are much more effective. However, make sure that you follow the instructions made available by the manufacturers.
Oftentimes, treatments are only suitable to be given to adult pets. So, if you own a puppy, you should make sure that the products that you use are appropriate and that they won’t cause any type of damage to the pet.
Hire an exterminator
Fleas are known for multiplying at a fast pace and for being very invasive. This is why some might find it particularly difficult to get rid of these pests. If you cannot get rid of all the fleas in your home alone, it might be time to hire professional help.
Exterminators are very much effective and they know what types of safe products to use so that your pets and your family members are not threatened.
If you have yet to treat your backyard against pests, you can also ask the exterminators to spray it with a solution that kills these parasites. The biggest advantage of using an exterminator is the fact that the entire process of flea-killing only takes about 24 hours. So, you’ll be able to get back to your normal routine in no time.