Fleas have been around for a long time and can be very aggravating to your family and your dog. In this article from Dogster.com they give us some tips and recommendations to control and eliminate fleas the best that we can. Fighting fleas has been a problem for pets owner for a long time.
1. Become an educated dog owner. Take the time to learn the dirty truth about fleas. Consider these uncomfortable facts from SentinelPet.com:
A) Visible adult fleas represent only 5 percent of the flea population. The other 95 percent hide in your home in the form of eggs, maggotlike larvae, and pupae.
B) A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day.
C) Larvae are repelled by light and burrow into the cracks and crevasses of your home in flooring and upholstery, where they can remain for months.
2. Learn the symptoms. Flea bites have certain distinct characteristics. The bite may immediately cause a dog to feel extremely itchy. Within 30 minutes of a bite, they may develop a red bump. Secondary infections caused by scratching are also common.
3. Treat the flea bites. Wash the bites with antiseptic soap, as recommended by your veterinarian, to reduce the risk of infection.
4. Eliminate fleas in all stages. The flea life cycle includes adults, eggs, larvae (maggots), and pupae (the cocoon stage). Typical insecticides do not eliminate the pupae. Use an insect growth regulator to break the flea life cycle.
5. Get rid of stray fleas. If your dog picks up a “hitchhiker” flea while outdoors, use an adulticide medication that kills adult fleas. Talk to your veterinarian about the best product for your pet.
6. Groom the yard. Don’t just check your dog for fleas — treat his environment as well. Remove underbrush from trees, and rake leaves where fleas and ticks may lurk. When spraying the yard for fleas, concentrate on the areas where your pet spends most of his time.
7. Exterminate the home. In-home extermination should focus on upholstered furniture, rugs, and carpeting. Vacuum all floors prior to home treatment and check with your professional exterminator to see when it is best to vacuum following treatment.
I have a hard time getting rid of them. We live in an apartment and outside (out our back door)where our dogs go potty is the main area where everyone walks their dogs to get to the area everyone takes their dogs to potty. It’s very frustrating
I have a hard time getting rid of them. We live in an apartment and outside (out our back door)where our dogs go potty is the main area where everyone walks their dogs to get to the area everyone takes their dogs to potty. It’s very frustrating