With the warmer months comes the emergence of fleas in your pet's environment: outdoor levels of these external parasites increase, while dormant eggs can also begin to emerge inside. Luckily, there are quite a few options available these days to help keep your pets safe from itching, scratching and chewing themselves raw from fleas!

Fleas on Your Pet

Several options exist for treating fleas on your pets, each with their own pros and cons. The most common flea treatments include topical products which are applied to the back of your pet's neck once monthly. These absorb into the skin and coat of your pet, providing a month of protection from fleas by killing the flea as it bites your pet. 

Another option is an oral medication that can also work for up to a month, and is great for pets with skin reactions to topicals or for owners who need flea treatment to begin working in hours rather than days. For pets with a heavy infestation, flea treatment usually needs 1-2 applications before it will be completely effective at eliminating all the fleas on your pet. 

Flea collars and shampoos can also be used, however these can pose some risks. Flea baths will kill fleas that are living already on your pet, however they do not provide as long-lasting protection and should really be used in conjunction with a routine flea treatment. Flea collars are becoming more popular with the release of several veterinary approved brands, some which continue working for up to 8 months, however they should not be used on pets that are or may become pregnant as they can cause birth defects in utero. 

Fleas in Your Home

Fleas love to lay their eggs in the little cracks of your home environment, which then begin to emerge when the warmer months hit. Treating your pet will help decrease the amount of potential fleas in the environment, but cleaning the environment when fleas are noticed is key. Be sure to thoroughly wash all bedding that can be washed such as your pet's bedding and any areas they may frequent. 

Vacuuming and scrubbing carpets will also help to reduce fleas, especially in areas of the floor where carpeting meets the walls. Many owners also opt to use a chemical flea spray or flea powder in heavily affected areas to kill the fleas before cleaning. For owners that are hesitant to use chemicals in their home, food-grade diatomaceous earth can also be used as a natural flea killer. This product works by dehydrating the exo-skeleton of the flea, causing it to shrivel and die, and thus becomes easy to vacuum up. House cleaning should be done at least weekly until fleas are completely treated on your pets. 

While fleas can be an itchy and sometimes tricky subject to talk about, the amount of products available today make it easy to take care of. Don't let your pet stay itchy all summer, be proactive and help keep Fido, Fluffy and yourself worry-free!

With Love,

Mr. Bentley & Ms. Bella

About our Writers

Pet Wish Pros is proud to have Bentley and Bella contributing to our pet health blog. For many years, Bentley has been passionate about improving and learning from the lives and experiences of homeless pets in the greater Atlanta area. Bella is usually busy discovering new pet health products and medications. In her free time, Bella enjoys working on her horse farm. Both Bentley and Bella are devoted to animal health & their experience allows them to keep you informed while saving YOU money! 

Follow Bentley and Bella’s weekly blog updates and stay current with the latest trends in pet health. Please send your questions to  help@petwishpros.com.