Are you faced with a flea infestation in your home? Do you have a pet dog? If your answer to both of these questions is a YES, then you need to start thinking about flea prevention for your furry friend and home. 

Many pet dog owners usually use pesticides in their homes and yards to remove fleas and other pests from their properties, but they often forget that dogs are also susceptible to flea infestations. 

If you don't take steps to keep your pet dog flea-free, outdoor playtime could turn into itchy moments for your companion animal. The most worrying thing is that fleas can enter your home interiors with your four-legged friend!

So, what can you do to stop a flea infestation on your dog and from your house? Here are some effective flea control solutions to the problem.

1. Keep Your Home and Yard Clean

Fleas are attracted to homes with unsanitary living conditions and unkempt yards. If you want to effectively keep your dog and entire dwelling free of fleas, you should make cleaning your house and yard a top priority.

Vacuuming the floors regularly, using dog-proof garbage cans and cleaning dirty dishes after every meal are some of the things to do to keep your house clean and flea-free.

If your dog isn't potty trained, make sure you clean up after them immediately. Otherwise, the pet waste odours will serve as an open invite for fleas to come into your home and attack your dog.

2. Remove Fleas From Your Dog

Where your dog is visibly itchy, you can use simple tools such as flea combs and brushes to get adult fleas off their body. 

If your pet has long or thick fur, it can be difficult to work a flea comb through the coat. The first thing to do is to work through the coat with a regular pet brush to ensure that its fur isn't tangled. 

The more widely-spaced teeth of a regular brush will get rid of knots from your pet's fur without hurting the animal. This will help to make the flea removal process gentle and safe for your pet.

3. Give Your Dog Oral Medicine

You can also kill fleas on your dog by giving the pet orally administered pills and tablets. This flea control method is ideal for fleas in an egg or larva state and is meant to prevent fleas from reaching the adult stage.

However, some newer drugs can kill adult fleas. Before giving your dog any oral medicine, make sure you get a prescription from your veterinarian first. Some drugs may come with unpleasant side effects. 

4. Keep Your Dog Clean

If you live in a flea-infested area, bathe your dog regularly using flea shampoos. These shampoos will kill adult fleas on contact and can also attack eggs and larva.

Massaging your dog with essential oils such as eucalyptus, cedar and lavender will help to prevent the uncomfortable itching and scratching caused by flea infestations. 

When it comes to combatting fleas on dogs and in the home, early detection is critical. If any signs of fleas are detected, remedial action should be taken post-haste. For more information, contact a flea control company near you.