As a beagle I try to keep myself neat and tidy, I even don’t mind when my peep gives me a bath. If I need a bath, it’s probably because I’m a muddy mess and muddy messes don’t get to sleep on the sofa. Also to keep me bug-free, and that’s anything from nasty freeloading fleas or a scary tick that can make me sick I make sure I’m protected each and every month with my Frontline treatment.
Basically I’m a good dog and do my bit. However, all the prevention measures I do might not stop a flea infestation in my house. Did you know that your own peep could carry fleas into your home?
Thank goodness that has never happened, but I have a good friend in Florida who sometimes has problems of fleas taking over his home.
He asked me what his peep could do to stop it from happening again and how to get rid of them.
I wanted some good advice to share with my little Floridan Frenchie and my readers here, so I contacted another wise dog named Maggie and her peep Ruth Langsford.
Who’s Maggie and Ruth Langsford
Ruth Langsford is a busy working dog lover who co-hosts This Morning with her husband Eamonn Holmes, anchoring Loose Women and being there for her 13-year-old son Jack, and just added Maggie a rescue border collie cross mix to the family. She and her husband are patrons to the dog trust as well.
Ruth and Maggie are now working with Frontline Spot On to encourage dog owners to check for fleas and ticks as often as they can. She believes that it is very important that you do treat your animals regularly, and she’s not talking about tasty dog treats, it’s about care, so pets don’t become infested with things that can hurt them.
She knows that Maggie is another member of the family and knows that once you make a commitment you haven’t got time to ask, ‘How will we fit all this in?’
The best thing I liked about her was when asked about caring for Maggie she said:
I wouldn’t let Jack walk around with live fleas, so I check Maggie all the time. It would be the same as taking Jack to the dentist. It is in the diary.”
Lucky for us she has made a series of videos on how to take care of pets and to keep them free from flea Infestation.
Prevent flea Infestation
Since it’s one of the most common problems among pets, flea infestation is a cause for concern. Leaving this problem untreated for long periods can eventually cause severe itching, which can eventually lead to skin infections and allergies. Scratching the same spot of the body can also make your pet susceptible to open wounds and other serious health conditions.
When you notice your pets start to scratch excessively, it’s best if you start looking for the right dog treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you address the problem, the more chances your pet will have in living a flea-free life again.
There are many ways on how pet owners can prevent flea infestation. Some of the common options are:
- Use a once-a-month topical or oral flea treatment like Frontline that kills fleas on your dog quickly. If your pet is not used to tablets, you can insert it on their food, tricking them in eating it.
- Sprinkle boric acid on the floor. It dehydrates fleas and flea larvae, and they don’t contain any chemicals that can harm pets or children. Depending on the number of your pets and the severity of their flea problems, you can sprinkle boric acid once a week or more if necessary; the more severe your pets’ flea problems are, the more often you should use boric acid at home.
- Vacuum frequently to help control the flea population in the carpet and sofa. Next place the bag from the vacuum in a plastic bag (so fleas can’t escape), and toss it. Tip: Place an entire complete flea collar (chopped up) in the vacuum bag. To ensure that fleas won’t have a chance to thrive in your home, this trick should be incorporated into your cleaning habits.
- Wash your dog’s bedding weekly to reduce the chances of fleas making it a home. This is especially important if your pet loves spending time outdoors with other pets.
Looking for more tips, check out the video!
Get the fleas out of your house
- Treat your pet: Start with a thorough bath in soapy water. Soap won’t let fleas grasp onto your dog. Adding a cup of white vinegar to soapy water can help too, due to fleas hate the smell of vinegar and will abandon your dog. Then rub citrus rind over your pet’s fur, fleas hate it. Your animal will smell great and won’t be harmed if he licks the juices and oils from the fur. Ideally, you should bathe your pet once a week using flea-controlling products. These products are very common in the market today, so make sure to look for one that suits your pet’s breed, age, and coat type.
- Use natural predators in your garden. You can purchase “beneficial nematodes” from a pet shop, or gardener’s supply store. This is organic lawn care, by using beneficial nematodes they consume flea larvae, which prevents the next generation of fleas from invading your home. Aside from making sure that your house is free from any fleas, natural predators can also help maintain the overall appearance of your lawn or backyard.
- Apply mosquito spray containing DEET or Avon’s Skin So Soft to your socks, ankles and the cuffs of your pants every single day to prevent bringing in fleas to your home and flea bites. This is also an effective hack to make sure that your pet’s fleas will not hold on to your clothing and cause health problems to humans. The right mosquito spray can help you get rid of fleas from your home and ensure that these fleas will not cause any harm to the people living in your home.
- Mop smooth floors. Use a cleaning agent like Pine-Sol or undiluted apple cider vinegar, this will cause the fleas to emerge from holes and cracks so that they are more exposed when you spray your house.
More ideas, watch the video!
Always work with your vet when you have a major flea infestation. Your vet will give you detailed instructions and will tell you the best products to use to care for your dog, your home and your garden.
Check out Ruth, Maggie and FRONTLINE® Spot On vet Simone Pomerantz series of helpful videos with hints and tips such as:
- Give pets a once over after walks looking for thorns or grass seeds, as well as nasty parasites like ticks, which can transmit Lyme Disease to both humans and dogs -don’t miss out on those hard to reach areas like in between the toes!
- Remember to exercise your dog at the coolest point of the day, to ensure they don’t overheat. Before 9 am or after 7 pm is best, which may mean some early mornings!
- Invest in a water bottle specifically designed for dogs that can be easily carried on walks, so your dog doesn’t become dehydrated
- And finally…help protect all cats and dogs in your home against fleas and ticks by treating monthly, throughout the year, with FRONTLINE® Spot On– prevention’s better than cure!
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Disclaimer: ‘We would like to thank FRONTLINE Spot On for supplying the educational videos, sponsoring this post and helping us keep our pets and homes protected from fleas and ticks
