Dog Fleas
Dog fleas are a very common problem in households around the world. Unless your dog is kept inside year around,
It will be exposed to fleas - from fellow dogs, other animals or the general environement.
Just letting your dogs go outside
to play, can bring fleas into your home when they come back inside.
There are many species of dog fleas,
although the most common type to live on a dog, ironically, is a flea species known as the cat flea.
The cat flea is often mistakenly
referred to as dog fleas, but they are different species. Still with fleas being so tiny that unless
you look at them under a magnifying glass,
it is easy to confuse one species with another. Cat fleas are more commonly found because they
will feed on almost any type of mammal. Many cat fleas
will even feed on birds, should the opportunity arise. But it doesn't matter whether the actual species of flea
infesting and biting your dog is the cat or dog flea, they are a nuisance that can make your pet and
your family miserable...
Dog fleas are excellent jumpers, which allows them to hop onto a new host animal easily. This can cause
problems for people, as the fleas will jump from a dog to their owner. If you begin to see dark jumping specks
coming off your dog or off your carpet - you have fleas!
Flea bites are extremely
uncomfortable. They cause a red, swollen spot to appear on the skin that can itch for up to two weeks. This
itching usually occurs regardless of whether or not you are specifically allergic to fleas. Note that
if you ARE allergic to
fleas, the bite can be significantly worse and may require the attention of a doctor.
If you find you have a problem with dog fleas in your home, there are many things you can do to control and rid your home of the pest. One immediate step is to check with your veterinarian and see if treating your pets with either Front Line, Advantage or other anti-flea medications is right for them. These medications can be extremely useful, as they not only protect your dog against bites, they also help kill off the flea populations in your home.
There are many ways to remove dog fleas from your home when you are faced with an infestation. While anti-flea
medications on your pet can lower the number of fleas significantly, this method can take several
months to completey (if ever) rid your house of fleas. For faster results, you can use flea bombs or
flea foggers. These potent, toxic tools can quickly kill a population of fleas in any room, if they are
used correctly. To be effective, the room has to be completely sealed off, with air vents being covered
and airways surrounding doors and windows being sealed.
A typical flea fogger takes up to five hours to do each room, depending on how much furniture
needs to be protected and how open the chamber is.
Dog fleas can also be repelled through the use of natural products, such as Citronella, Lemongrass and Cedar. If applied properly, they can form a repelling barrier to prevent fleas from getting in. Using such natural products in conjunction with flea bombs, can effectively remove living fleas from a home and help keep them out.
However,don't forget that fleas, like most insects, can lay thousands and thousands of eggs. Flea
control requires long term care. Even after all the current living fleas have been removed, it can take over
two years to ensure that every last egg left behind has died.
To learn more details on how to use the methods of flea control mentioned here as well as other
solutions to your flea problems, get a copy of
How To Protect Your Pets From Fleas.
