It’s Flea Season: What to Do to Protect Your Pets

Fleas are pests that can be very bothersome to your pets, and they can even cause problems for your household’s human residents. Fortunately, there are some simple but effective things you can do to help your pets stay flea free.

Keeping your pet’s bedding clean is a great proactive step to take. Regularly vacuum it, along with any other areas where your pet spends a lot of time. Be sure to empty the vacuum bag or dirt container afterwards though, because flea eggs can continue to thrive despite being vacuumed up.

It’s also wise to keep your exterior property well groomed, especially if your pet goes outside frequently. Fleas like to stay in areas of high humidity that are out of direct sunlight. With that in mind, you may need to treat lawn structures like benches and tables with solutions that repel fleas.

Keep all shrubs, trees and grassy areas well trimmed. Also, go a step further and make sure you don’t have any items on your property that could attract creatures like rodents. They can carry fleas, and if you have things like open garbage containers that could be inviting for those animals, the flea population in your yard may go up as well.

Your veterinarian will also have several suggestions for ways to prevent your pets from getting infested with fleas. It’s still easy to find flea collars at your local pet or grocery store, but if you’re looking for a more updated option that’s probably more effective, ask your veterinarian about topical treatments. They are usually applied at a pet’s hairline in a specific place such as the base of the neck. Just a few drops that are correctly applied to the coat can keep a pet free of fleas for weeks.

 

Although you may have to keep your pet indoors immediately after applying those kinds of flea treatments and make sure the animal doesn’t try to lick the application site, most of these topical options are quickly absorbed so your pet can easily go back to normal activities. Many pet owners also prefer topical choices because, unlike flea collars, there’s no need to worry that a rambunctious pet may lose the collar during one of its adventures.

As you can see, there are several ways to protect your pet from fleas by focusing on its bedding, your yard and using a topical treatment to keep them at bay. To learn more, speak with a veterinary clinic in San Jose.