Looking After Pets

Fleas are a major concern that every pet owner will have to contend with. Everyone who has a pet has almost certainly gone through the daunting battle of getting rid of dog fleas, a battle which has often proved to be easier said than done.

Fleas aren’t simply a bother because they bother and precipitate hours of aggravating scratching and itching for the animal, but they can also lead to other critical concerns that could such as a flea allergy, tapeworm infestations and anemia in severe occurrences.

As a result of their startling stamina, fleas are incredibly difficult to manage. A female flea might lay in excess of 2,000 eggs during the course of her existence, which indicates that an infection may occur suddenly and the eggs that she laid could exist for a number of months in the environment while simply waiting for an appropriate host. Thus it’s integral to get rid of both the fleas on your dog in addition to the fleas making their home in the dog’s living space. The top places to look for fleas are bed linens, carpets, sand and rugs.

Methods to Eliminate Fleas

To effectively eliminate fleas on your canine and in his habitats, it’s fundamental to learn the flea’s lifecycle. There are 4 stages in the lifespan of the flea. Similar to the majority of insects, the fleas originates from the egg stage, grows into larva, and then progresses into the pupa phase until lastly getting to the adult phase.

The Flea Egg Phase

The eggs of the flea are pallid in color and are so tiny that they are tough to see without the help of a magnifying glass. Despite the fact that the eggs are initially laid on the canine’s skin, many will ultimately drop onto the ground to go on with their lifecycle. Nearly 50 percent of the overall flea count is comprised of eggs. Dependant upon the living conditions, the eggs hatch in somewhere between two to four weeks. The greater the heat and moistness in the surroundings, the earlier the eggs will hatch.

The Flea Larva Stage

After the flea egg hatches, it goes into the larvae phase where it flourishes to roughly 1/4 inch in length. The flea larvae survive on organic waste substances and in the feces of the adult flea. They don’t like intense light and have a tendency to go into hiding deep inside their existing environment, if at all possible in a warm and muggy place. Climate controlled homes are the idyllic surroundings for the lifecycle of the flea to thrive. Outside, larva growth will only come about in wet, sheltered areas.

The Flea Pupae Stage

After moving into the pupae stage, the flea pupa grow a velvety and sticky shielding shell. The layer swiftly configures a beneficial camouflage as it becomes coated by waste and silt. If aroused by temperature, carbon dioxide or by manual pressure, like that in a balmy and sultry habitat, an adult flea could emerge from its chrysalis in as fast as 5 to 10 days. Once the adult flea emerges from its cocoon, it will survive for no more than a couple of days If it’s not able to find a host. Pre-emerged adult fleas can continue to exist within the chrysalis for as many as 9 months. This is important for the reason that adult fleas still living in the cocoon are resistant to insect repellents spread over the environment and can surface a significant time after you utilize insecticides in your residence.

The Flea’s Adult Phase

After the adult flea appears from its shell, it will want to rapidly find a host because it has to have blood in order to live. A couple of days subsequent to obtaining a suitable host, the female flea will start to lay about forty eggs every day. Adult fleas usually live up to three weeks. The entire life cycle of the flea may perhaps be brought to a close in as little as two to four weeks, or as long as 10 months depending upon its surrounding conditions.

Treating Your Dog For Fleas

There are many powders, sprays, shampoos and spot on preparations available to free your pet of fleas. Be certain to talk with your veterinarian to opt for the most efficient and reliable flea insecticides for your home and pets.

How to Clear the Indoor Area of Fleas

Nearly all insecticides are simply of use against the adult flea, but environmental products are becoming more advanced. A veterinarian can offer you flea products that are comprised of insect growth regulators which will help terminate the flea eggs and larvae. Before the use of any environmental product, it is a good idea vacuum the rugs and carpets to entice the pre-adult fleas to emerge from their protective cocoon. Be certain to throw away the vacuum bag following its use. You should also launder the bedding your dog has layed down on.

Methods For Clearing the Outside Habitat of Fleas

Pay particular attention to dark, sheltered areas. Use a product that contains an insect growth regulator and do it again every two to three weeks for three to five applications.

The newer oral and skin flea formulas should vastly aid you in solving any flea problem. With perseverance and patience, you and your best friend ought to be flea free in a jiffy!

When a flea hitches a ride on your cat or dog, you have big problems about to happen. The life cycle of a flea takes no time for the little pest to produce eggs that soon have your home infested with the biting insects. Your pet is miserable and covered in the little creatures, and you and your family might even find yourselves with flea bites on your ankles or stomach.

Then it’s on to Project Deep Clean.  Your whole house is going to have to be treated, with special attention to the areas that your pet loves the most. Your sofa will need to be sprayed, your bedding washed, your carpets steam cleaned and your pet washed and treated with insecticidal products. The house will end up being spotless, but you’ll have spent a great deal of time, money, and effort and there will probably be a lingering odor of chemicals.  Joy.

Spot-on treatments can be the best, easiest prevention method to these flea headaches. These small vials carry a product that you apply to your pet’s skin once a month. The liquid covers a small spot and then your pet’s natural movements distribute the product over the animal’s body for flea prevention.  If your pet has long hair or lives in an area prone to fleas, spot-on treatments are the way to go.

The packages are color coded so you can choose the one right for your pet’s type and weight, reducing the risk of misapplication. However, spot-on flea treatments are in fact chemicals so it is important not to be complacent and to exactly follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. If you do not, you could give your pet an overdose making him very sick.

As pesticide treatments go, spot-on flea treatments are more effective than flea collars which just tend to treat the fleas around the neck and work for a limited time only. Powder can be messy and there is no way of avoiding it becoming airborne and breathing it in, which to say the least is unhealthy. Sprays also are breathed in by their very nature and animals can resist spraying, particularly cats.

However, pesticides are still pesticides and if they can be avoided they should be. Spot-on flea treatments are recommended for animals with severe flea allergies if nothing else has worked because the consequence of the allergy is worse than the risks associated with chemical exposure. Topical flea treatments enter your pets’ bodies through the skin and go to the liver and kidneys before the intestines. Exposure such as this to chemicals has the effect of weakening an animal’s immune system and they may be more vulnerable to health problems as a result.

Sometimes simple, effective and easy is still not the best way. It is important to choose a flea eradication method that is also safe. Take some time to learn about the alternatives available to you before exposing your pet unduly to chemicals.

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Fleas are pesky critters that can transmit a variety of diseases and illnesses and make life miserable for your pet as well. Getting rid of these pests is essential for a healthy, happy home for all of its two-legged and four-legged inhabitants. Here are seven easy ways to prevent and control the flea population around your house.

Prevention is Key
The best method in the fight against fleas is preventing an infestation in the first place. Since they thrive in heat and humidity, be sure to check your pet frequently during the hotter months as well as in the fall or autumn. Another critical preventative measure is keeping your yard trimmed and free of weeds and to keep the foliage pruned as much as possible. It’s also wise to wash the pet’s bedding in very hot, soapy water on a weekly basis as this is the most likely site for flea eggs and larvae.

Keep an Eye on Your Pet
It should go without saying that it’s necessary to watch your pet for commons signs and symptoms of a flea infestation. Keep an eye out for excessive biting and scratching, particularly around the tail and lower back areas. Watch for raw patches of skin where your dog or cat may have been scratching at fleas for some time. Another bit of evidence is “flea debris,” specks of dried blood that are black in color.

Ask for a Professional
Consult with your pet’s veterinarian for their thoughts on flea control. They can recommend a few treatment options for you to decide which would be best for your particular situation.

Flea Collars and Powders
If you have caught the problem relatively early, it may be possible to eliminate fleas by simply using flea collars and powders. There are several brands and types to choose from, and many contain a special comb with fine teeth that is designed to remove fleas from fur.

Flea Baths
It’s helpful to bathe your pet frequently using a specially formulated soap or treatment. It’s necessary to take into consideration the type of fur or coat your pet has when bathing. This is particularly true for dogs as some breeds have essential oils that shouldn’t be washed away with soap and water more than once or twice a year. If bathing in a flea bath isn’t an option for your pet, consult your vet for other alternatives.

Monthly Medication
There are pills available for your pet to take on a monthly basis that will prevent fleas from reproducing, but they do not kill the ones that have already reached adulthood. There are also multi-purpose medications and products available that are designed to prevent fleas from reproducing as well as controlling heartworm, hookworms, whipworms and roundworms.

An Unconventional Method
This simple home remedy is touted by many as a sure cure for a house infested with fleas. At nighttime, simply fill a few bowls of plain water and place them underneath a lit flashlight. It is said that the fleas will be attracted to the light, jump into the water and drowned.

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