As a responsible pet owner, you must do everything possible to prevent your dog from getting fleas and ticks. Thankfully, this is easy. You can do things like regularly cleaning your house, grooming your pet regularly, and investing in preventative medications.
So, keep reading to find out how to prevent fleas/insects and ticks/arachnids in your dog.
1. Keep Your Home Clean
Keeping your home clean prevents fleas and ticks from calling it their own. You can prevent these bloodsucking insects from taking up residence by:
- Steam cleaning your carpets, including rugs. Fleas, during any part of their life cycle, die in hot, soapy water.
- Vacuuming daily. This habit can remove eggs, larvae, and adult fleas. Be sure to focus on low-traffic areas like baseboards and under the couch if it’s carpeted. Don’t forget chairs, pillows, and anything else with a cloth covering.
- Washing pet beds, blankets, and your own bed linens in hot water every two weeks.
- Immediately cleaning dirtied floors if your dog tracks in dirt or mud.
Staying on top of things in your home can go a long way in preventing fleas and ticks from biting your dog.
2. Regularly Groom Your Dog
Make sure to schedule grooming your dog monthly, especially in the warm months. Use a flea comb and medicated flea shampoo. Always check for ticks while you’re bathing them because these parasites can be pass Lyme disease, a life-threatening condition.
If you’ve already treated your dog with flea and tick treatment, be sure to ask your vet how soon you should bathe them afterward. Also, ask your vet about the best-medicated shampoos. They often know of a lesser-known brand that is just as effective and less expensive than popular brands.
In between baths, brush your dog and look closely for anything living that shouldn’t be there. You could even use a magnifying glass. Grooming your pet regularly can go a long way in preventing fleas and ticks. Plus, he’ll be the best-looking dog on the block.
3. Check Out These At-Home Remedies
All of us know that calamine lotion and aloe are good home remedies for light rashes on people, but can home remedies really work to prevent parasites in dogs?
They sure can.
First, always talk to your vet before using any product on your pet. Your dog could have a condition that wouldn’t respond well to a home remedy. If you get the green light, bathe your pet with warm water and Dawn dish soap. This can kill fleas if there’s not an infestation. Just ensure the water’s not too hot so your pup won’t get burned.
Since the following ingredients repel fleas and ticks, the concoction below is recommended by dogtime.com:
- 8 oz. apple cider vinegar
- 4 oz. warm water
- ½ tsp. of salt
- ½ tsp. of baking soda
Neither fleas nor ticks like citrus, so mix in a few drops of a lemon or an orange. Also, always avoid bathing every area above the high part of the neck. One caveat: Give special attention to the area behind the ears as well as the tail, legs, and belly.
4. Treat Your Lawn for Bugs
Too many people forget to treat the area where these critters live – the lawn. One of the best things to use for parasites is food-grade diatomaceous earth. This powdered product is non-toxic to animals and humans unless directly inhaled.
It’s a specific type of sand made of fossilized organisms. Too risky to apply directly to dogs and cats especially, it’s an excellent solution to treat your yard for fleas and ticks. It kills the adults but doesn’t prevent reproduction. If you have an infestation, the product won’t wipe it out.
It is not recommended to put it on pets since they could inhale too much of it, which can be toxic. You can use it inside or outside but even before you use it, talk to your vet or pest control professional to find out exactly how much to disperse.
Although it’s wise to be overly cautious, diatomaceous earth is a well-known product that kills other insects. Avoid using heavy pesticides, as these can harm your local wildlife.
5. Invest in Preventative Medications
If it’s affordable for you, the tried-and-true way to kill fleas and ticks is from preventative medications for several reasons:
- The doses are made for different-sized dogs.
- There are several to choose from on the market.
- It’s entirely safe for your pet.
- You can find it at your vet’s office or online.
- They work.
There are oral medications, flea and tick collars, and topical drops.
You’re now armed for battle against these destructive creatures. Let’s hope you never need to go from preventing fleas to solutions for fleas. It’s easier to prevent them than to kill them.
So, take these suggestions to heart and protect your adored one. Your dog will thank you and fleas and ticks will know better than to grace your doorstep.
