No one likes having fleas in the house. They're bad enough on dogs, but worse on people. Finding tiny bites on your legs and ankles, or watching them jump around on your furniture or floor is extremely annoying.
To get rid of these pests promptly, take a series of firm actions that involve both your pet and your home. Letting the fleas go for a time means that they will multiply quickly and be harder to eliminate when you finally get around to the task.
1. Bathe your dog regularly with anti-flea soap. If you suspect your dog has fleas, give it a bath using anti-flea soap. Avon's Skin-So-Soft reportedly works wonders in getting rid of fleas. Other citrus-scented products may work as well. Or you can ask the veterinarian to recommend a non-toxic shampoo product. As you scrub your canine, check his skin to look for fast-moving, tiny, dark insects that can jump quickly, or "flea dirt," their feces, which look like black dots against the dog's skin. If you see any, scrub the dog against the lay of his coat to work the shampoo into his skin. Some dog owners even pluck the fleas off by hand and drown them. Doing this routinely can help to control the flea population that lives on your pet.
2. Wash your dog's bedding regularly. Using the same flea shampoo, wash the bed, blanket, and any stuffed toys your pet plays with. If you don't want to use the family's washing machine, take the stuff to a Laundromat. Do this weekly to reduce the number of fleas that live in these areas.
3. Vacuum every other day any areas of your house where the dog goes. In fact, you may wish to restrict your dog from certain areas, like the bedrooms, until the fleas are gone. Vacuum-sweep all carpeted areas, like the living and family rooms, as well as any tile or wooden floors, though fleas are less likely to be found on the latter, and the sweeper is less able to pick them up there; still, the effort may help. Likewise, vacuum all stuffed furniture, such as sofas, chairs, love seats, etc. After vacuuming, empty the sweeper bag promptly in the trash and replace it with a clean one. Fleas can live in sweeper bags and even reproduce, eventually escaping from the tiny opening to spread throughout the house.
4. Wash tile, wood, or linoleum floors with a borax cleaning solution, but check directions for this first and be sure to use it safely. You also can wash some of these floors with Skin-So-Soft or other citrus-scented products that help to get rid of fleas. Ask the vet for additional suggestions about what works on these areas. You also can browse the Internet for helpful products.
5. Ask your vet about flea products. A flea collar can repel fleas all over your dog's body for a certain period of time, at which point it will need to be replaced with a new one. There may be a flea pill that your pet can take, which keeps fleas away. Home-style methods include feeding garlic, onions, or other root-type foods with strong odors that fleas dislike. These and other treatments are available through your veterinarian or many pet supply stores.
Fleas are no fun! With a few simple steps like those outlined above, you can have those pesky little critters on the run for good!
