If your family members include four footers with fur, chances are you have battled – or will battle – fleas and ticks. And the best way to wage war on these nasty little creatures that bother your buddy? Load ‘em up on preventive.
Doing Battle: Dogs
Dogs can be frustrated by bites from ticks and fleas. We have some steps to take that will make their lives and yours much nicer. Here’s how to deal with ticks on dogs.
Fleas: This is where being a clean machine triumphs over all. Keep all dog beds and other places where your dog sleeps or hangs out clean. Wash bed covers in hot water regularly.
Ticks: They love shrubs and vegetation. The problem? Your dog loves to play in that. Keep your yard well maintained and free of the things these varmints love to live in.
Inspect: If you live in a wooded area that your pet explores, make sure to take a look at her coat before she brings them into the house. If you find a tick, pull it off with forceps or tweezers if it is engorged and embedded so you don’t contract any disease onto your skin.
Flea and Tick Protection: We like a two-pronged approach especially for ticks. Try a topical product like Frontline – talk with your vet about this first, of course – and pair it with a tick collar called Preventic. The collar looks like a standard flea collar and lasts up to three months.
Bathe your dog regularly with flea and tick shampoo and keep their coats well groomed.
Doing Battle: Cats
Fleas: Just as with dogs, cleanliness is a good thing. Vacuuming regularly gets rid of fleas and flea eggs. Vac any fabric surface where fleas and ticks can live and don’t forget spaces between hardwood floors. Empty the canister or vac bag every time you sweep.
Try adding some Borax laundry powder to your regimen. Before vacuuming, sprinkle Borax on carpets beforehand. Why? It dehydrates adult fleas.
Wash all your washable fabrics in hot water to kill flea eggs.
Keep your yard neat and lawn mowed. Fleas can come in on you and infest your cat.
Grooming: If she can stand it, bathe your cat regularly and brush with a flea comb to get any stray fleas and ticks. And to keep them from jumping back onto your cat, dip the comb into a dish of warm water and dish soap.
Preventive: A good flea collar paired with a topical medication could work well. Be sure to check with your vet first.
An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure in the case of keeping your dog or cat flea and tick free.
Photo Credit: istockphoto.com
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