4 Ways to Handle Fleas in Your Dog

Fleas are very resilient creatures. Just when you think you have completely eradicated them, somehow they still manage to show up every flea season. Treating your dog is only one of the approaches to the effective management of the flea problem. There are plenty more. A more holistic approach to flea management can address the menace. Here are 4 ways to handle fleas in your dog that are guaranteed to minimize, if not totally eliminate flea infestation.

Treat Your Home And Yard

Even before you start treating your dog, it is imperative that you treat your home and yard first. However, it is not unusual for many dog owners to do this simultaneously. The reason is quite simple. You have to remove all the potential sources of fleas both in your dog and in your property.

If you can kill the fleas in your backyard and in every square inch of your home, you have less chance of fleas re-infesting your dog once you begin its treatment. When treating your home, make sure to clean up everything as fleas love dark and warm places to hide and develop into pupae. They also love organic materials so cleaning your house and yard free of these flea havens should help you remove these pests. Additionally, you can use a variety of products to kill fleas such as diatomaceous earth, garlic water, and plants that have natural flea-repellent oils. Check out this collection of products that can help you get rid of fleas around the house.

Treat Your Dog

 Treating your dog for fleas can be accomplished in a variety of ways. You can use topical medications that are usually applied in between the shoulders of your pooch. They can have maximum effectiveness for up to 30 days, although some products can last up to 3 months. Oral medications are also excellent choices if you want rapid flea-killing effects in as short as 12 hours. These products have the added benefit of killing many intestinal worms as well as heartworms in dogs.

Prevent Future Flea Infestations

Once you’ve treated both your home and your pet, it is important to prevent future flea infestations. Topical flea medications work best in this regard although flea collar can be useful if you happen to have a pooch that loves wandering in the woods. Flea sprays and powders are easy to use and can be effective up to several months although you don’t want your dog to be touching any of your clothing.

Flea shampoos and dips usually work well with other methods. The scent of flea collars can be unusually strong but are usually effective up to several months. They often work well with topical flea medications. You can also use a variety of essential oils to help repel fleas. Consider lemon, lavender, cedar, clary sage, eucalyptus, and peppermint in your arsenal.

Improve Your Pet’s Overall Health

It is not clear why most parasites are not particularly attracted to healthy hosts. The general observation is that healthier organisms are less likely to be infested by parasites such as fleas. Improving the overall health of your dog through high-quality breed-appropriate nutrition is one of the keys to improving its health and preventing flea infestation.

Of course, if you live in a heavily infested area, the risk will still be there. Handling fleas in your dog requires a more holistic approach to the problem. Addressing all the potential sources of fleas, preventing their reinfestation, and improving your dog’s general health are all important in keeping these parasites away from your pet.

Author bio: Jenny Spiers is mum of 3 and a true animal lover with 3 dogs, 2 cats and a parrot called Charlie. Heading up the content for MyPetNeedsThat.com amongst a busy family schedule, her goal is to try help people all around the world become better pet owners.