Housecleaning tips to control dog flea infestations may seem easy to follow on the surface, but for many pet owners, consistency can be challenging. Fortunately, there are several ways to solve this and other problems associated with preventing flea infestation. For starters, you might consider hiring a professional cleaning service.
Steps to Take before Hiring a Cleaning Service
Before hiring a cleaning service, you must treat your pet for fleas. Take your dog to see a vet. A vet can assess your pet's condition, including:
- The severity of the flea problem
- Whether or not your dog has a bacterial infection from biting and scratching
- If your dog has open wounds that need to be treated
- If the fleas frequent one area or if they are feeding on most parts of your dog
Once your vet has assessed your dog's condition, he will make one or more recommendations. He will prescribe oral medications, topical lotions or a combination of both. It is important to treat your dog in an isolated area. Do not take him back into the home until the home has been treated as well.
Home Treatments for Fleas
The only way to get rid of fleas in your home is by hiring an exterminator. Flea bombs and foggers are readily available at home and garden stores, but many are ineffective at destroying fleas and their eggs for extended periods of time. An exterminator will use industrial strength chemicals to kill fleas and their eggs permanently. Once the fleas and eggs have been destroyed, you can take the necessary steps to ensure that the fleas will not return.
Common Housecleaning Tips to Control Dog Flea Infestation
It really does not matter how clean your home is. If a dog with fleas enters the home, these parasites will quickly bounce on and off your pet, furniture, bedding, carpets and other surfaces, and begin to multiply. The first step in controlling fleas in the home is to prevent your dog from getting fleas in the first place. Your dog should see a vet at least once every six months for a checkup. This can help detect fleas before the condition progresses.
If you know your dog will be interacting with other pets, rub a topical flea control into his skin before playtime. In addition, it is important to monitor your dog when playing outdoors. Fleas can be found on dead and live rodents, other animals and in feces. If your dog is left unattended and he comes in contact with a rodent or animal, he might contract fleas. Besides checkups and using topical flea controls, you might consider an oral flea preventative. Speak to your vet about the most effective options for your dog.
To control fleas in the home, you should:
- Clean all carpets and upholstery daily and dispose of the dirt
- Sweep and mop all hard floor surfaces daily
- Vacuum the seams and corners of all rooms whether you have hardwood floors or carpet (fleas like to hide in seams and corners)
- Wash all rugs and dog bedding several times a week in hot water
To control fleas around the home, you should:
- Keep outdoor areas as dry as possible (fleas thrive in warm and damp outdoor conditions)
- Provide as little shade as possible (fleas prefer shade, not sun)
- Keep the outdoor area free of organic matter such as leaves and grass
- Spray your yard with an insecticide that contains insect growth regulators or fenvalerate, which is environmentally safe.
Once the interior and exterior of the home have been treated, and your pet has completed his own treatment, you can safely return your pet to his home. If you continue to keep your pet clean and safe, as well as your home environment, the threat of fleas should diminish.
For more information about dog fleas, see:
www.vetinfo.com/flea-life-cycle.html