Fleas and ticks are a horrible nuisance for pet owners. They make dogs and cats scratch, and this can lead to infections, eczema and hair loss. Fleas may also invade the home environment and cause problems for humans as well. There are effective ways to keep fleas and ticks away from pets.
Treat the Outdoor Environment
The first step in flea prevention is to keep the pet’s environment flea and tick free. The outside environment needs to be dealt with first. Apply a flea and tick killing product to the lawn areas where pets frequent. This will help to prevent infestation when pets are outside playing.
Keep the Indoor Environment Clean
The inside environment must also be kept pest free. The house should be vacuumed on a regular basis. After vacuuming, make sure to throw away the bag so that all flea eggs are removed from the home environment. Pet bedding should be washed, dried and vacuumed on a regular basis.
Use a Pest Control Company if Needed
If a pet owner does not feel comfortable treating the outside area, or if there is a current flea and tick infestation in the home, a pest control company can help. A good pest control company will have products that kill adult fleas and ticks. They will also be able to apply products that will kill the eggs and keep them from hatching and causing a re-infestation of the home or yard.
Use Topical Prevention on Pets
Over the last several years, there have been a number of topical treatments developed that pet owners can apply to kill fleas and ticks. These products also repel fleas and ticks. Frontline, K9 Advantix II and Revolution are three of the more popular topical flea prevention treatments. These products need to be applied once a month for the most effective protection.
Use Oral Flea Control Products
If you don’t want to use a pour on treatment, there are chewable tablets that provide effective protection. Nexgard, Bravecto, Comfortis, and Trifexis are among the most well-known flea and tick pills on the market.
Flea and tick control requires some effort. If a pet owner is diligent in keeping the pet’s environment flea free and in using flea protection products, fleas and tick won’t be a big issue. The pets in the family will be grateful.
