Tips to Keep Your Pet Flea-Free

Fleas present a major problem for pet lovers. Cats and dogs will often bring fleas into the home after they come in from running around outdoors. These insects are extremely hard and difficult to spot. Once they get into your home, they can lay eggs on the animal or even in various parts of your home. They are difficult to detect and eliminate, so preventative measures are extremely important. Consider the following methods for protecting your pet against a flea infestation when they go outdoors.

Flea Behavior

Understanding the behavior of fleas can help you make good decisions about how to prevent them from building a nest on your pet or inside of your home. The most important thing to understand about fleas is that they will appear when the conditions present an opportunity. They enjoy warmth in the same manner as other pets and human beings. This includes the fur-covered bodies of household pets, but it might also include the carpeted areas on your floor. Rugs, furniture and other soft fabrics can quickly become infested with a colony of fleas unless you take precautions to prevent them from entering the home. The best way to keep fleas out of your home is to understand what attracts them in the first place. Then, you can take the measures available to you in order to keep them from spreading.

Fleas are attracted to the warmth of their host, in particular. This means that they are capable of building a nest on your pet as well as using the animal as a source of food. They will drink blood from the bites that cause the dog or cat to itch uncontrollably. If you observe this behavior, you might be dealing with a flea infestation on your pet. Once the fleas gain access to an indoor area where the temperature is moderate, they might abandon the host and build a nest in some part of your furniture area. They might also jump onto the hair of children, and their bites can cause skin irritation or infections.

Eliminating Fleas

Once you understand the attractions that make fleas want to stay in your home, you can begin to eliminate them one at a time. Always put a flea collar on your animal before you let them go outdoors, and you can also wash them with flea-repellant soap before allowing them back into the home. Sanitize any areas that have come into contact with these fleas, and consider the available medications to help anyone who shows skin irritation as a result of a flea bite. Insect chemicals can be used in cases where the entire home has become infested with fleas. This may require you to leave the property until the chemicals clear. Contact Action Pest and Turf for additional details.