The hot months of summer spell trouble for the dog. Due to the increase in flea infestation during summer, the dog feels extremely irritated and suffers from infections. As a pet owner, it is your duty to ensure that your dog is happy and healthy at all times. You need to be extra cautious during summer and need to carry out a routine check to see if the dog has a flea infestation or not. If you carefully notice the behavior of your dog, you will see that there are small but effective changes due to the flea infestation. If you have more than one pet, there are increased chances that both the pets will have an infestation at the same time. Fleas have the ability to move very quickly and they jump from the host to the environment and from the environment to the host.
This causes the fleas to spread inside your home. If you have children in your home, you need to be very careful about the flea infection. You can use flea repellent products to keep them away from your home and your pets. However, if you notice that there is a flea infestation on the pet, you should never overlook it. If your pet remains infested with fleas for a long time, it could lead to a skin infection or cause anemia which is a serious medical condition.
Here is how you can keep fleas away from your dog.
- Keep your home clean: The first step to protect your dog from fleas is to keep your home clean and tidy. You can do this by vacuuming the floor every week and washing the linens from time to time. You also need to wash the carpet on which your dog sleeps. Keep the furniture, curtains and carpets clean on a daily basis. If you are too busy, you can hire professionals to help clean your home. If your home is clean, there are minimal chances of a flea attack.
- Understand the signs: You need to look for signs from your dog. If you see that the dog is constantly scratching and itching, there are high chances of a flea infestation. Understand the language your pet is trying to communicate with you in. If your dog has a red spot on the coat, there is proof of an infestation.
- Clean the bites: If you notice flea bites on the dog, you need to immediately clean them using an antiseptic soap. It will provide a quick relief to the dog and will also reduce the chances of any infection. Use a soap that works well with the skin of your dog.
- Bathe your dog: If you notice that there are fleas on the dog, you can use a flea treatment shampoo and bathe the dog with it. Allow the shampoo to lather for 10 minutes and let it kill the fleas. You need to ensure that your dog remains steady for the specific period of time. After 10 minutes, wash the dog with water and make sure that the shampoo is removed. Repeat this process two to three times a month.
- Follow monthly treatment: Whether your pet has a flea infestation or not, you need to carry out a monthly treatment to ensure that he remains protected from the fleas. A number of products are available in the market that helps protect the pet from ticks, lice and fleas.
- Flea Traps: The easiest way to avoid a flea infestation is to set up flea traps in your home. The traps attract the flea where they get stuck and die. It catches maximum fleas in your home and is used as an effective method by many.
- Keep the lawn clean: You need to know that maximum fleas are hidden inside the grass on your lawn. You need to mow the grass from time to time and keep it really short in order to avoid a flea infestation. You can use products that help in killing fleas that are hidden in the grass.
There are a number of ways you can reduce any chances of flea infestation on your dog. However, it is extremely important to maintain a routine of checking the dog for an infestation. You need to check your dog from time to time; you can do this using a flea comb or a white towel. In case you notice that there is a flea infestation, you need to start the treatment.