So the reality of the matter is every season is flea season here in NW Oregon and SW Washington. It just doesn't get cold enough to do any real damage to these pesky little bugs. So, how can you protect your pup from getting a flea? Here are four ways you can help prevent a flea outbreak in your home or on you pet.
REGULAR GROOMING - Bathing and brushing your pet regularly, even during the winter months, will keep their coats free of greasy oils, dander and shedding skin. By removing these havens for flea growth, you will also be checking your pets skin regularly and become aware of issues BEFORE it becomes a problem. Using a NATURAL flea or medicated shampoo will leave a residual that tells fleas that your pet in not a pleasant place to live. Be careful of shampoos that use chemicals IN their ingredients, as these chemicals can cause many allergic reactions, skin irritations and in some cases can be poisonous to some dogs. Always read the ingredients on a bottle of pet shampoo!
BOMB YOUR HOUSE - Using a flea bomb in your home at least twice a year will help keep fleas at bay and not allow them to move in under the sofa! Plan your bombing with the change of seasons as this is when fleas are most likely to begin their hatching. The beginning of Spring and Fall are the times most effective for maintaining a flea free home. If you have a flea problem already, monthly bombing over 6 months or so can usually put an end to it. REMEMBER: Follow the instructions on the label and remove yourself and your pets (all of them) from the home before, during and for awhile after bombing)
FLEA TREATMENTS - Over the years there has been increasing concern over the use of topical flea treatments. Bottom line, these are a chemical that is absorbed into your pets blood stream through their skin. So, with that being said, it is not, in my opinion, a preferable method to control or combat fleas as you may end up causing a much larger and more dangerous health condition in your beloved pup. Alternatively, ingestible flea treatments have proven to be safe and effective with much fewer incidents of causing other health problems. These should be prescribed and purchased from your vet as their are many knock-offs available online that could potentially be an imposter product (and therefore NOT SAFE).
FLEA SPRAYS - There are many fleas sprays that are applied directly on your pet, their bedding, furniture, etc. Many of these are well intentioned, however most of them will not work to deal with a flea infestation. However, these products (again, use only NATURAL ingredient brands) can be very helpful in PREVENTING a flea from hopping on your dog for a ride in the first place. Spray on your pet after bathing, spray on beds between washings, generally mist around your pups favorite areas. Most of these sprays use ingredients like lemon grass, eucalyptus, and the like to repel fleas. They are safe and can be applied whenever you want a little extra protection, like before heading to the dog park, walking in the forest, or going on a play date with dogs from outside your home.
Being proactive in the flight to avoid fleas requires only a little forethought and by doing so ahead of a problem you can safe yourself and your pup many uncomfortable days and nights. Hopefully you found this information helpful and enjoy a FLEA FREE SPRING!