There’s a lot of problems that can affect your pet and their health. Among the most common are fleas and the chance that ticks attach themselves to your pet. Fleas are very common. Part of the problem with fleas is how they expand throughout your home after being brought in by a pet. The eggs can get everywhere and the bites can be annoying and painfully bite you.

Ticks have severe problems as well. They bite pets, and then gorge themselves on the blood within. What’s more, ticks contain and carry some very nasty different diseases. Lyme disease and others can easily be passed to pets. These are potentially life threatening illnesses for pets. The best way to deal with fleas and ticks is to help ensure that they never become an issue. If they do, quick treatment is a good choice for pets.

Flea Prevention

There are several steps that can be taken to help pets avoid getting fleas or spreading them around the home. The first is checking a yard to try and minimize the potential of fleas. Allowing a lawn or garden to become overgrown will give pests a lot of places to hide. In addition, make sure that there’s less feral creatures tempted to come to your home. Make sure trash is well stored and such. There’s no need for raccoons, skunks or feral cats to come by and bring their fleas with them.

The same should be done for the inside of a home as well. Keeping a home clean greatly reduces the chances of fleas to appear, or thrive if they do. Regular vacuum trips will help, but need to expand to the edges. In addition, make sure cleaning happens under furniture as well. Don’t just assume all is well down there. Regular checks on pets should occur, looking for fleas or flea eggs.

Tick Prevention

Since ticks are so dangerous, preventing them on your pets is important. Many of these tips apply to humans as well. As mentioned before for flea prevention, a clean yard is helpful. Ticks are often found while taking pets (especially dogs) for walks through wooded areas or through long grass. When this is the case, try to avoid the edges and the very tall bushes. The middle of the trail will usually be tick free.

Bug repellents can be very helpful as long as they are pet friendly. These repellents typically contain DEET, so it’s important to note if they are safe for animals before ever using them on them.

Pets at Risk

Some people think that it’s just dogs that are at risk for fleas and ticks. It’s true that they are very commonly the main threat, but it’s not just dogs. Cats also commonly will get fleas. This is more common for outdoor cats, or ones that are walked on leashes than for purely indoor cats. Pets like indoor cats or rabbits can still get fleas and ticks. However, they are typically carried in on their owner instead of being picked up directly by the pet. This is part of why owners need to watch their own behaviors.

Regular checks should be made on pets to ensure they are flea and tick flea. This is especially true in the warmer months for ticks. They are often easier to find than fleas, and can be felt as they latch on to the pet.