How To Get Rid Of Fleas On Your Pet
It is absolutely essential to treat your pets as well as your yard and home. You can use Diatomaceous Earth food-grade only to kill fleas that have caused an infestation in your pet. You should take some precautions though and only ever apply a small amount on your pet. When applying the powder, you should ensure that the powder is kept away from your pets nose, mouth, and eyes.
Once you have applied the powder, you need to bathe your pet within 12 hours of the application so plan when you apply the powder. Your pet wont thank you in the short term but the best way to bathe your pet is to ensure that the water comes high up the animal so that the fleas are submerged in the water and lose their grip on your pet and drown.
You can use a mild shampoo when bathing your pet and ensure that the fleas are washed away down the plug. Block the plug after bathing, as fleas are resistant and can jump back out of the drain. You can use a flea comb while bathing your pet to disturb any fleas that have managed to cling on.
Other natural treatments that you can use include brewers or nutritional yeast, which fleas hate the taste of. If you have rosemary growing in your garden then why not make a natural flea repellent by taking two cups of fresh rosemary infused with two pints of boiled water. Leave the infusion for 30 minutes and then add one gallon of warm water and proceed by pouring the solution over your pet. Leave your pet to dry naturally.
The Best Natural Flea Killer For Home And Yard Protection
Most natural flea killer products work using essential oils and plant-based ingredients.
As we discussed above, not all-natural flea killer is created the same. Furthermore, not all-natural flea killer is designed for the same purpose.
There are natural flea killer products that are made to work to protect your yard, and there are products for inside your home, your furniture, your carpet and to use for your pets.
We are going to cover several different products of natural flea killer specifically for your home and garden in this section, and then discuss the best natural flea killer for dogs and cats further down.
Prepping Your Yard To Keep Fleas Away
Catron says that the first line of defense for keeping fleas out of your grass is to maintain a clean yard. Flea larvae dont like light and adult fleas will lay eggs beneath all kinds of debris, including leaves and furniture, he says. They like cool dark places and removing these makes your yard less appealing to them.
In addition to raking leaves and removing any furniture that is not being used, Catron suggests removing wood and dirt piles, which are ideal flea hiding spots. Cleaning up the flea havens in your yard not only makes them more likely to find somewhere safer to hide, it exposes the fleas to whatever treatment you choose, which makes your efforts to eradicate them more effective, he says.
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The Life Cycle Of A Flea
Understanding the life cycle of a flea is paramount to eliminating them from your life. Oftentimes people will manage to kill all the adults, but become frustrated when the problem keeps returning. In order to get rid of fleas permanently, you need to focus on attacking the eggs, larvae, and pupae as well.
Where Do They Come From
If you have cats or dogs, you know that a tiny flea can result in real problems. Since one female insect can lay up to 200 eggs per day, and these can hatch in as little as two days, determining if this bug is the problem is imperative.
Once it has found a suitable host, such as your family pet, it will stay attached to your dog or cat until it is groomed off or somehow dislodged. This can take as many as eight days.
Female adult fleas cannot lay their eggs without feeding first. So, once she is fed from your pets bloodline, her eggs are laid in their fur. Once laid, the insects eggs will fall to the ground to the ground to hatch.
After about two days, the eggs will hatch into worm-like larvae. If this point does not discover them, the larvae will spin cocoons to wrap themselves in within a week. Next, the cocoons become pupae. As long as a food supply is still plentiful, the pupae will emerge as an adult flea within a week. If a food source is inadequate, the pupae can remain wrapped in that cocoon for up to a year.
So, imagine your dog brings in one flea that lays 200 eggs, and they become fully mature creatures within two weeks. Each of those 200 fleas can each lay 200 more larvae, which can also be fully formed in two weeks. The results: In just one month, you have 40,000 of them that are looking to reproduce. Before long, your lawn will become the breeding grown for thousands of these pesky bugs. They will invade your green turf and continue to multiply.
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Flea Control Products For Your Pet
Your pets back is the absolute last place you want fleas to remain. With an endless supply of blood and plenty of shelter in your pets fur, the fleas will go on living and reproducing. More importantly, the fleas will torture your poor pet with constant bites and irritation.
Step one to getting rid of fleas living on your pet is a thorough bath. Bathing your animal will remove any dead flea bodies littering their fur and can knock off a good portion of the live fleas.
As soon as your pets fur dries after their bath, apply a topical flea treatment. Flea treatments for pets are completely safe and will not hurt your animal as long as you follow the instructions on the package and use the correct dosage for your pets breed and weight class.
These medications kill all the fleas on your pet, including adults, larvae, and eggs. Many flea treatments also prevent ticks, and some even work on heartworms and other parasites. Youll need to reapply the medicine once a month in most cases.
Some pets may struggle while you apply the treatment and act irritated right after, but dont take this to mean theyre in pain. Your pet is just annoyed and maybe a little scared because your furry friend doesnt understand whats going on, but this will pass in a matter of minutes. And your pet be much happier with life when all the fleas die off!
Water Your Lawn Frequently
You may be thinking, but if fleas prefer moist conditions, shouldnt I let my lawn dry out?. On the contrary, watering your lawn frequently actually helps break the reproduction cycle of fleas. This is because larval fleas feed on the feces of adult fleas, so by watering your lawn youre simultaneously washing away their food source.
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The Bottom Line On Outdoor Fleas
Flea infestations can quickly get out of hand and are hard to stop. Pets are a good barometer to tell if you have fleas. If theyre constantly scratching or seem restless it could be a sign that they have fleas. Fleas thrive in hot, humid weather, darkness, and tall grass. You can make your yard inhospitable to fleas by mowing your lawn, cleaning it to get rid of hiding places, and trimming trees and shrubs to let sunlight in. However, if your yard is already infested, you should concentrate your eradication efforts on the hot spots before treating the rest of the yard. If you notice little to no improvement then it may be time to call a professional exterminator.
When To Call A Professional Exterminator To Treat Fleas In Your Yard
A professional exterminator is trained to deal with flea infestations. They can identify the source of the infestation, get rid of the fleas, and advise you on how to avoid future infestations. Professional exterminators will use products that are safe for you and your pets.
If the steps and products outlined above fail, it is time to involve a professional flea exterminator. They might request that you prepare your yard by clearing it out, vacuuming your home, and treating your pets with specific products . They might also ask you to leave the home for a few hours while they treat the fleas in the yard.
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Try Not To Let Your Dog Come Into Contact With Strange Animals
Steam Clean Your Carpet And Upholstery
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Preventing Fleas In The Yard
Fleas prefer habitats with shade, as they cannot tolerate the sun for long periods. To prevent flea infestations, make your yard as unattractive to fleas as possible by:
- Mowing frequently. Mowing exposes the soil to the sun, which fleas try to avoid.
- Avoiding over-watering. Fleas thrive in humid environments so keeping the yard dry makes it less inviting.
- Treating dog runs with insecticides to make it less prone to fleas.
- Raking thoroughly to remove any debris. This increases flea exposure to potential insecticides and removes any shaded and humid breeding places.
- Keep rodents and animals away from your home:
- Store food, including pet food, in tight sealing containers.
- Remove brush, rock piles, junk, and cluttered firewood outside of your home.
- Seal up holes in your home where rodents can enter.
- Keep tight lids on compost and trash cans.
- The CDCs rodents website offers helpful suggestions on rodent control during and after a rodent infestation.
Additionally, wild and stray animals commonly carry fleas. Put away pet food to discourage stray animals from hanging around your home and limit your pets contact with wild and stray animals.
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The Most Effective Way To Treat For Fleas
Again, when it comes to flea control the most important thing you can do is have your pet treated for fleas by a veterinarian, and frequently vacuum your home.
It’s important to note that Terminix® does not treat yards for fleas. However, fleas in your yard can sometimes find their way into your home on your pets. If you think you have a flea problem inside your home, then Terminix can help.
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Does Lime Kill Fleasin The Yard
Agricultural lime is a very gentle, animal-friendly product, but hydrated lime is not. Also called calcium hydroxide and slaked lime, hydrated lime is highly caustic and can burn skin and eyes. It is used in cement and mortar, and it can kill a number of lawn-inhabiting parasites, such as fleas.
You can use hydrated lime to kill fleas in your yard but why expose yourself and your family to a dangerous chemical when there are so many other ways outlined in this post.
How To Treat Fleas In The Yard
Fleas thrive in warm or humid weather and can lay up to 50 eggs each day.
Your lawn and yard can act as a breeding ground for fleas, which can then hitch a ride on your pet and be brought inside to wreak havoc in your home. Fleas are no small problem, either: They can lay up to 50 eggs a day, and their bites can cause sores and rashes. If conditions are right, they can live up to two years.
It can be hard to spot fleas in the yard, as these reddish-brown, wingless, narrow-bodied pests are rarely bigger than 1/6 of an inch long. A simple way to determine whether you have fleas in your yard is to put on a pair of tall white athletic socks and walk around your yard, especially near spots your pet likes to frequent. If fleas are present, theyll show up on your socks.
Heres how to treat fleas in the yard and make your lawn less attractive to them.
If fleas have already invaded your home, take these 5 additional steps to get rid of fleas. Note that its important to attack fleas in all areas of the house at one time.
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Natural Flea Killer For Pet Protection
Medicated shampoos and other products can help kill fleas and protect your pets.
Oftentimes the most vulnerable in our homes to fleas are going to be dogs and cats. Our pets make perfect hosts to fleas, which can in turn make us vulnerable as well.
The best flea protection for you and your home is going to be finding a good natural flea killer for your dog or cat. These flea killers could include sprays, flea collars, and even flea medications you give your pets.
Some of the best natural flea killer products for dogs and cats are listed below.
Flea Control For Your Pet And Home
Unfortunately, fleas dont stay in one spot. If you have a ton of fleas in your yard, some of them will inevitably latch onto you or your pet and follow you inside. Youll soon have an indoor flea infestation on your hands, which is much more of a pain than an outdoor one. Plus, some of those inside fleas will follow you back out to the yard, and the cycle will repeat over and over.
To get fleas out of your life for good, you cant just treat the yard. You have to treat your pets and your home, too.
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How To Keep Fleas Out Of Your Home
The first step towards preventing a flea infestation in your home is by keeping the grass in your yard mowed and any shrubs trimmed. Grooming your yard gives fleas and other pests zero places to hide. Next, discourage animals such as feral cats, opossums, and raccoons from getting into your yard by ensuring that you do not leave trash or your pets feeding bowls outside.
If your pet spends time outdoors, run a brush or flea comb through their coat before they get inside the house. Making sure they are well-groomed and shaved makes it easier to spot fleas.
How To Get Rid Of Fleas In The Yard 5 Effective Ways
After getting rid of all the fleas inside your home and on your pets, you might think youre safe. Unfortunately this is usually not the case, because you havent treated the root of the problem yet. This article focuses on how to get rid of fleas in the yard and how to prevent future flea infestations in your lawn. After all, this is the place where the fleas got to your pets and caught a free ride into your home.
This will not be an easy task, but it is essential that you take care of the problem. This is especially the case if your pets spend a lot of time outside. The fleas can be hiding anywhere in the yard, even in the garden furniture, so you need to keep your eyes open and look for fleas in the right places as described below.
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Products You Can Use To Treat Fleas In The Yard
- Vets Best Flea and Tick Yard and Kennel Spray This product will kill fleas and is easy to spray around your yard due to the ready-to-use hose attachment
- Bonide Household Room Fogger This product is formulated to get rid of eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult fleas, along with other household pests
- Hartz Flea & Tick Shampoos and Sprays This spray will kill fleas on contact for as long as seven days
- Victor M230 Ultimate Flea Trap This flea trap attracts fleas using a sweat odor, color, heat, and light and can attract fleas that are up to 30 feet away
How Do I Get Rid Of Fleas
You can get rid of fleas by taking steps to control them at every stage. First, youll want to think about treating your pets. But, fleas and their eggs may lurk in other parts of your home and yard, too.
It helps to understand the flea life cycle. Adult fleas lay lots of eggs. These eggs may fall off your pet and end up all over the house. Those eggs will hatch into tiny larvae. They are so small its hard to see them.
These larvae can end up in many parts of your home, including furniture, floors, and pet beds. There, they will spin a cocoon. Once mature, theyll emerge as adult fleas and the cycle starts again.
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