According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), the United States is a country that has a great love for dogs. A total of 69 million households own at least one dog, which is significantly higher than any other type of pet. In contrast, only 45.3 million households own cats, and freshwater fish come in third place, with 11.8 million households owning them.
When it comes to maintaining a pest-free environment in multi-dog households, proactive measures are essential. One crucial step is ensuring your living space remains free from unwanted critters. That’s where professional pest control Calgary come into play. They specialize in safeguarding your home against a variety of pests, including fleas and worms, which can be a concern in multi-pet households. With their expertise, you can enjoy a pest-free living environment for both your furry companions and your family.
Living with multiple dogs can be a lot of fun, but it also means being vigilant about keeping your furry friends healthy and safe. One of the biggest concerns for pet owners in multi-dog households is the risk of flea and worm infestations.
Fleas and worms can quickly spread from one dog to another, causing discomfort and health problems for your pets. Preventing flea and worm infestations requires a combination of proactive measures and regular monitoring. This can include keeping your dogs on a preventative treatment plan, regularly cleaning and vacuuming your home and yard, and practicing good hygiene and sanitation habits.
In this topic, we will explore some effective strategies for preventing flea and worm infestations in multi-dog households.
Keep Your Pets’ Vaccinations Up to Date
One way to prevent fleas and worms in your pets is by keeping their vaccinations up to date.
While not 100% effective, vaccinations are the better way to protect your dogs from contracting these diseases. If you’re unsure about the status of your pet’s vaccinations, talk with your vet about what steps need to be taken next.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that tick bites and the diseases they carry are a significant threat to dogs, as they are highly vulnerable to them. Vaccines for most tick-borne diseases in dogs are unavailable and cannot prevent ticks from entering your home through your pet. It is crucial to utilize tick prevention products to protect your furry friend.
Keep Their Flea and Deworming Treatments up to Date
Fleas are a common problem in pet households, especially those with multiple dogs. Flea treatments are available in many forms, including topical, oral, and injectable. It is essential to use the right treatment for your pet’s age, weight, and species.
Trifexis for dogs is a popular monthly medication that protects against fleas, heartworms, and intestinal parasites. It contains Spinosad, which kills fleas, and Milbemycin oxime, which prevents heartworms and treats and controls hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms. It is essential to consult with a veterinarian to determine the best flea and worm prevention regimen for your dogs.
You can get Trifexis from your local pet medicine store or online stores like PetRx. Both of these will require a prescription.
Keep Your Pets’ Bedding Clean
It’s easy for fleas and other pests to live in the same places as your pet, so it’s important to keep their bedding clean and free of debris that might attract bugs or rodents.
You can do this by washing their blankets regularly (and keeping them off the floor), vacuuming with a pet attachment once a week, spraying with bed bug spray once a month (or more often if there’s an infestation), or using steam cleaners on any areas where fleas have been seen, especially if those areas may have become infested with other insects such as mites or ticks.
Get All Areas of Your Home Treated
When treating your whole house, it’s important to remember that fleas and ticks can live in carpets, furniture, and bedding. Treating just your pet’s areas will not eliminate these pests.
Using a product that is safe for pets and children is also key when treating the entire home. Make sure you use a product that will kill both fleas and ticks on contact so that none of them can escape back into your home when they come in contact with your dog again later on.
Separate Food and Water Bowls
Separating food and water bowls is important in multi-dog households to prevent flea and worm infestations. This is because fleas and worms thrive in warm, moist environments, and spilled food and water can create these conditions. If the food and water bowls are kept separate, it reduces the chances of moisture and food crumbs attracting fleas and worms.
Additionally, if one dog in the household is infected with fleas or worms, separating the bowls can prevent the spread of these parasites to other dogs through shared food and water.
Prevent Contact with Other Animals
Parasites like fleas and worms can easily spread from one animal to another through contact, so it’s important to keep your dogs away from animals that may be carrying these parasites. This can include other dogs and wildlife, such as squirrels and raccoons.
By preventing contact with other animals, you can significantly reduce the risk of your dogs becoming infested with fleas and worms.
Double-up on Treatments during Tick Season
Ticks are a problem in spring and summer, so it’s best to take extra measures during those months.
Silive.com recently reported that as the weather gets warmer in New York, the arrival of ticks, the parasites that spread diseases and cause thousands of illnesses, is expected. The state Health Department issued a warning for Tick Bite Prevention Week, stating that tick activity will increase in the first weeks of spring.
Although ticks thrive in higher temperatures and humidity, they can bite anytime their surroundings are above freezing. In recent years, the state has confirmed several tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis, as well as rarer diseases like ehrlichiosis, Powassan encephalitis, and Rocky Mountain, spotted fever.
Conclusion
We hope you have found this guide helpful in learning how to prevent fleas in your home. Flea infestations can be a nuisance but are also dangerous for your pets and family members.
The best way to keep your dogs from getting fleas is by using preventative measures such as monthly topical applications or oral tablets that kill adult fleas before they can lay eggs on the pets’ skin and hair follicles.
