5 Tips To Control Fleas and Ticks

  Posted on May 17, 2013  by Joy of Living  No comments

Summer is rapidly approaching and with it comes a greater challenge in dealing with fleas, ticks and heartworms.  The May 2013 issue of Dog Fancy  magazine offers these tips to keep your dog safe from the pests.

• Inspect your dog regularly.  Fleas and ticks can attack your dog even if you regularly apply a preventative.  Pay close attention to the base of your dog’s tail and the underside of his belly, these are favorite areas for fleas.  If your dog is outside a lot of time, he’s more susceptible to ticks.  Check his ears, under his collar, his armpits and the insides of his thighs as these are favorite tick areas.
• Keep weeds under control.  Fleas and ticks like to hang out in weeds and tall grass, so keep both to a minimum.  If your dog brushes against plants where the pests are hiding, fleas can jump from the plants onto your dog.
• Wash bedding and vacuum often.  Fleas can take over a home quickly if they gain a foothold.  In addition to applying preventative to your pets, washing his bedding regularly (once a month minimum) is an additional preventative.  If your have carpet, vacuum at least once a week, more often if you’ve had flea problems in the past.  If your vacuum has a bag, throw the bag away after each vacuuming so fleas won’t climb out of the vacuum and back into the carpet.
• Treat other pets for fleas.  Fleas can spread quickly from one pet to another in the same household, so be sure to treat all pets to keep fleas under control.  Cats are especially prone to harboring fleas.  The most common type of flea to infest dogs is the cat flea, this flea attacks both cats and dogs equally.  Take care when choosing a flea treatment for your cat, and never use a product designated for dogs on your cat.
• Start early.  Don’t wait until flea and tick season is in full swing to start treating your pet.  Experts recommend treating your pet year-round for maximum protection against fleas and ticks.