Imagine having fleas or ticks hitching a ride home on your dog. Unfortunately, that happened to me when Gatsby was just a year old. During a hike in Connecticut, I saw ticks crawling on his muzzle and ears. We left early, and when we got home, we inspected him thoroughly and found a tick attached to his inner thigh. A few weeks later, my cats were scratching, and that’s when I realized that we might be facing a flea infestation. Flea and tick prevention keeps your dog from catching diseases and bringing these pests back home. To help save you the pain from what I went through, here’s how to deal with fleas and ticks based on my experience.
Prevention
- NexGard Chewables for Dogs – This was recommended by my veterinarian. The chewable works by killing adult fleas fast before they can lay eggs and prevent infections that cause Lyme disease in dogs. It may also help kill infected black-legged ticks before Lyme infection can be transmitted to your dog.
- Wondercide Natural Flea & Tick Spray – Aside from the Nextgard Chewables, I use this spray made of natural essential oils for double protection. I’ll rub it all over Gatsby before any hikes. This spray is safe to use in your home on carpet, furniture, bedding, and flooring while it kills fleas. I’ve used the lemongrass scent before and gives off a pretty strong smell, but I find it has been effective.
Getting Rid Of Fleas in Your Home
After my cats started to scratch, I knew we had a flea infestation. This got me extremely worried because they are strictly indoor cats. Here’s what I did to get rid of them:
- Steam Clean – Fleas can’t survive the high heat. I used a steam cleaner for my floors and made sure I got in between all the furniture.
- Vacuum Often – I vacuumed the floors, mattress, and upholstery to get rid of any eggs, larvae, and cocoons to break the flea life cycle. You have to make sure you vacuum the sofa, all the hard to reach places and places where your pets spend the most time. We have a Dyson and it picks up everything!
- Wash All Bedding Frequently – It’s important to frequently wash your bedding so that you break the flea life cycle. I washed my bedding twice a week to make sure they never again had a chance to infest my home.
- Keep A Clean Home – I established an everyday cleaning routine and made sure I followed it. I was cleaning in hard to reach places and decluttered every day. This ensures the fleas eggs and larvae don’t even have a chance to hatch anywhere.
- Use Natural Flea Shampoo – I gave Gatsby and my cats a bath immediately once I suspected the fleas made their way to my home.
- Use a Natural Flea & Tick Home Spray – I will never use any chemical products. Using natural flea and tick home sprays that are effective but not harmful to my pets is crucial. Vet’s Best Dog Flea + Tick Home Spray and Wondercide are the two products that have worked for me.
I hope this post is helpful in showing you how to deal with fleas and ticks. Don’t let these pests invade your pup or your home!
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