Flea & Tick tips

Yup…it’s that time of year again! Although you can have problems with fleas & ticks virtually all year round, the hot, rainy summers provide prime conditions for these parasites to thrive in. The first line of defense is to treat your pet regularly with a Flea & Tick treatment such as Frontline. With three dogs of my own, I know how expensive this can be, but believe me, it saves money in the long run! Additionally, be sure to purchase your treatments at your veterinarian’s office, as they will be guaranteed. I’ve done a lot of research and my veterinarian sells them for virtually the same price as those so-called discount pet care websites. Also, there have been recent reports that the products have been mis-labled, which has caused health problems in some pets. When you purchase from your veterinarian, you know you’re getting the exact treatment you want.

If you’ve been treating your pet regularly but have found a flea problem, chances are you are only killing the adult fleas, not the eggs. Adult fleas live only about 2-3 days on your pet, so thorough treatments of carpets and lawns are a must. Be sure to vacuum every day, especially pet-frequented areas & bedding. Place a piece of a cut-up flea collar in your vacuum bag/canister and always empty the contents into a bag, tie tightly and immediately take outside to the trash. Otherwise, those little buggers will just hop right out of your vacuum and right back into your carpet! You may also sprinkle carpets with a mixture of 1/2 baking soda and 1/2 table salt and allow to sit overnight, then vacuum in the morning. This mixture dehydrates the fleas.

Another option is to place a VERY stable table lamp on the floor next to a bowl filled with water and a few drops of Dawn. Fleas will be attracted to the light and fall into the bowl of soapy water and die.

For lawn treatments, there are many chemical pesticides available, but be cautious using them around your pets. Read the instructions carefully, and keep pets contained from treated areas. An all-nature pet-safe method is using Diatomaceous Earth (used in some pool filters and easily found in pool supply stores) sprinkled all over your yard. This is another treatment that dehydrates fleas, but is completely safe for pets.

A dietary supplement of Brewer’s Yeast and garlic can be added to pet food to help deter fleas & ticks. While there are no proven medical studies this works, a number of people swear by it, and it’s not harmful to your pet, so it can be worth a try!

When removing ticks from your pet, always use tweezers to be sure it is removed completely. Removed ticks can be dropped into a jar containing a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol, and tightly lidded. These can be saved for examination by your veterinarian, if needed to determine any diseases. The most common diseases transmitted by ticks are Lyme Disease, tick-borne fever, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Hope this information helps, have a safe and happy summer with your furbabies!