In order to control fleas on your pets you must first understand their lifecycle. Fleas need a blood meal to survive. Their favorite hosts are warm-blooded mammals like dogs and cats. If people are being bit in your home that means there is a very high population of fleas. Fleas thrive in indoor climates but actually prefer your pets as hosts.
The presence of adult fleas is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more eggs, larvae, and pupae than adults. Treating just the adults or the host animals will not solve the problem. The trick is to treat all the stages of the life cycle on your pet and its surrounding environment.
Treating for fleas
Never treat your cat with a product label for dogs or vice versa. The best treatments are long lasting ones that target both the young and adult fleas.
1. If your pet is infected make it more comfortable by bathing it with a flea shampoo or dip which will temporarily remove the pest. With cats who may not like baths try a flea comb to remove them.
2. Use a long term treatment such as Bio-Spot, Freedom or Liberty products to protect your pet from re-infestation.
3. Treat your house use foggers or carpet sprays. Be sure to follow the directions and cover any food or areas that you eat off of. Be sure to pay special attention to the areas your pet sleeps or frequents.
4. Last but certainly not least treat the outdoor areas your pets have access to. Pay special attention to shady areas that your dog or cat use to get out of the sun and areas with a lot of organic material such as compost sites or leaf piles. Use an outdoor spray on these areas.
No comments:
Post a Comment