Pesky Fleas? Eight Steps to a Flea-Free Pet

While we love Fluffy and Rover, it is important to keep them flea free, for their health and ours. In general pet care, it is imperative to ensure our pets aren’t being attacked by fleas or ticks that can cause itching, infection and disease. You want your pet to be able to enjoy life, without scratching all the time. When company comes to call, it is desirable to be around a cat or dog that isn’t scratching fleas all over the carpet or sofa – or worse yet – your company.

Maintain your pet’s healthy coat and keep fleas under control with simple steps that ensure your dog or cat is healthy, happy and great to be around.

1. Keep your pet’s coat clean. Bathe your cat or dog with a good flea shampoo. If your cat doesn’t bathe well,
don’t force it! Use a suggested product by your veterinarian. Use flea products regularly.

2. Vacuum furniture and carpets regularly to enforce the “no flea” tactic in your home. Fleas can lay eggs
which will remain in carpeting and fabric. There are products to rid your home of fleas and their eggs in your local pet store.

3. Wash your pet’s bedding on a regular, weekly basis. Once your pet is clean and freshly out of a bath, fleas
that remain in carpeting and bedding will attach themselves back on to your pet. Keep bedding washed for full
protection against these pesky insects.

4. Flea-bomb your home on a monthly basis during the heaviest part of flea season. Read label directions
carefully. Be sure to wash down food preparation surfaces and areas that are touched when flea-bomb is
complete.

5. Use a flea comb on your pet to remove the remaining eggs or live fleas the shampoo may have missed. Flea combs are not costly and can catch those one or two fleas and eggs that may have been left behind. It only takes one flea egg to create hundreds more fleas!

6. Ward off fleas outside by spraying your yard with flea killing products you can find at your local pet store. This ensures your pet won’t be eaten alive once he or she goes outside. Fleas can be carried into the home via pets and people, if they are living in the yard. They will make their home either on your pet or in your carpet and couch.

7. Lay cedar chips around the edge of your home and garden area to keep fleas at bay. Fleas don’t like the smell of cedar and will stay away.

8. Have your pet checked by a veterinarian on a regular basis. The veterinarian will look for infestations and can give you medication, advice and cures to keep your pet flea-free. Fleas can cause anemia from biting an animal too much. Ensure the health of your pet by following your veterinarian’s advice, especially when flea season is at its peak.