If you see your dog constantly stopping and scratching, gnawing and itching, then they might have fleas. When the weather turns warm, it’s time for fleas to crawl back out and cause problems. When you’re trying to combat fleas, the awful little bugs can seem indestructible. Don’t worry, though. There are many effective ways to combat fleas on your pup.
Beast Flea Prevention for Dogs
Flea Collars
One of the best things you can do is stop fleas before they get started. Give your dog a flea collar before they have fleas, not after. The collar will prevent fleas from jumping on your dog well before the infestation gets started.
That said, you’ll want to give your dog a flea collar even when they already have fleas. This allows them to prevent new fleas from rolling up while you deal with the existing problem.
Flea Bath
When you dog has fleas, the best thing you can do for them is just give them a flea bath. Fleas aren’t indestructible, though they might seem that way. Their biggest weakness, it turns out, is drowning. Your dog simply taking a dip in the water can cause the fleas on them to all drown and die the horrible deaths they deserve.
That said, there are also flea shampoos that are medicated to make your dog’s coat hostile territory for the evil bugs. Follow a good flea bath with a flea collar for double the protection.
Shampoo the Carpet
Once fleas have been on your dog, they’re in your carpet. You’ll have to wash your carpet to get them out. There are specially-made shampoos made specifically for killing dormant flea eggs and hiding adult fleas. Get this carpet shampoo and rent a carpet-cleaning machine and go to town.
Make sure you hit rooms you don’t often walk in, as fleas love quiet, dark places to lay their eggs. Show those bugs no mercy: you deserve a flea-free home.
Diatomaceous Earth
Commonly abbreviated to D. earth, this mineral compound does a funny trick with fleas. When fleas walk over it, this material slices their exoskeleton to ribbons, causing the fleas to lose all of their internal moisture. Even if they find water, their compromised exoskeleton causes them to lose the moisture again.
If this sounds brutally efficient, that’s the idea. Sprinkle food-grade D. earth all over your home, focusing on entryways, and watch your flea problems disappear. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry with fleas, and there’s no such thing as overkill.