America is a nation of animal lovers.
In fact, 68% of households around the country own at least one pet. According to the same source, that statistic is up from previous years and represents 85 million families!
Clearly, we’re welcoming more animals than ever before in our homes.
However, pets also come with their fair share of challenges. Of the many trials and tribulations, fleas can be one particular menace it pays to avoid. These nasty insects set up shop on your animals.
Left untended, they lay their eggs and proliferate rapidly, especially in warmer weather. Before long you have an infestation on your hands. You and your animals suffer!
Want to avoid that eventuality? We’re here to help. Keep reading to discover 6 top flea prevention tips.
1. Regularly Treat Your Pets
By “treat,” we don’t necessarily mean doing something nice for them!
Instead, seek to use flea treatment on your animals at regular intervals. We recommend making an annual event of this. Every year, set aside some time to treat your pets for fleas.
Prevention is always better than a cure. Prepare for trouble ahead of time. It’ll save you and your pet masses of trouble down the line. It’s worth noting that fleas are also around in winter too. They prefer warmer temperatures but are known to surface throughout the year.
There are all sorts of solutions on the market. From sprays and ointments to shampoos and special collars. If you’re unsure which is best, then consider speaking to your vet.
They’ll be able to recommend the best option.
2. Read the Label
Let’s imagine you’ve got cats and dogs in the house.
You’ve followed out tip number one and been down to the vet to buy your flea prevention treatment. That’s a great start.
Be sure to read the label, though! A common mistake is applying cat treatment to dogs, and vice versa. Don’t do it! You might, logically, assume that all treatment is made equal. However, the chemicals used are often specific to each animal.
You can seriously harm the pet by incorrectly applying the wrong treatment. Only do it if the label specifies its utility for both cats and dogs.
3. Regularly Inspect Your Pets
Strive to check your pets for fleas as often as possible.
In warmer months of the year, it makes sense to do this more frequently. Try inspecting your pet every week or so to see if fleas are present.
This allows you to stay ahead of the problem and get on top of it quickly. Fleas can multiply in no time at all. It’s in your absolute interest to keep an eye on your animal’s fur.
A good rule of thumb is to check anywhere that their coat of fur is thinner. Bellies, underarms, back limbs, and so on can be revealing. Of course, fleas will set up shop in other areas too. You only have to miss one or two of them for the problem to continue.
The situation calls for a thorough examination!
Here’s some further advice on checking your pets for fleas.
4. Remember the House
You can treat the pet for fleas all you like. But failing to treat the house at the same time will see the problem continue in perpetuity.
Fleas don’t confine themselves to your animals. Anyone who has suffered a serious infestation will know the horrors of walking across infested carpets. Fleas jump and crawl all over your ankles.
That, of course, is a scenario that’s best avoided.
Always treat the surrounding area of fleas. Pet bedding, in particular, must be cleaned thoroughly. Treat, wash, and vacuum anywhere you think might be flea-infested. Remember to empty your vacuum cleaner at the end too.
Of course, you may need a professional service like ours if the situation has got out of hand.
5. Remember the Other Animals
Found fleas on one of your pets? Set about treating them?
Just be sure to treat any other animals you have in the house as well. For instance, homeowners with more than one dog should always treat all of them at the same time.
You can almost guarantee that the problem has spread between them. Cross-infestation is immensely common in multi-pet homes. Be sure to keep this in mind in the treatment process.
Here are some more top tips on doing your own pest control.
6. Look After Your Lawn
Fleas generally come from the outside in.
They start off in the garden and get picked up by playful pets spending time outside. Those pets then come in, and the house-infestation begins.
Of course, animals also pick up fleas from other animals. Dogs playing together in the park is one example. Aside from keeping pets away from their friends, you have less control over this.
But you can absolutely minimize the chance of fleas by maintaining your yards. Fleas enjoy long grass, and warm and moist areas, with lots of debris. Likewise, garbage and poorly maintained hedgerows can welcome them in too.
This is particularly true if your yard is susceptible to wildlife. Rats and raccoons, for example, are often flea-ridden. They enter your garden, dropping their fleas off in the process for your pets to pick up.
Mow your lawn, tidy up the hedges, clean out your garbage, and consider setting pet-safe bait boxes to handle pests. These measures can reduce the likelihood of high outdoor flea populations.
Final Thoughts on Flea Prevention
There you have it — 6 top flea prevention tips to avoid seeing these pesky pests in your home.
Millions of families around the country enjoy having pets in the home. They provide adorable companions that bring joy and happiness into the family dynamic.
Unfortunately, they also have a habit of bringing altogether more negative things in too. Fleas are one common example of an unfortunate outcome of having animals in the house. These disease-ridden insects get brought in and can quickly proliferate.
It’s crucial to take actions to stop the infestation spreading. Hopefully, this post has highlighted the key means of preventing fleas from becoming a problem.
Too late? Need professional pest control in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and/or the Tampa Area? We can help. Click here for a free estimate of how much it’ll cost.