By Dr. Donald Consla, Lead Wellness Veterinarian
While fleas like to feast on our pets all year long, the late fall season is when they tend to be at their worst. As the temperatures drop, fleas like to find warmer places to hang out. This often translates to them coming indoors! We tend to see the highest flea burdens on our pets during this time of the year. Fortunately, there are a few things we can do to keep the fleas away.
Use flea prevention year-round. We recommend getting a flea preventative from your veterinarian. There are many unsafe versions of name brand preventatives online and in stores. They tend to be ineffective and sometimes can even cause harm to your pet. You can use a fine-toothed comb to look for evidence of fleas on your pet, but make sure that all of the animals in your home are on prevention, not just the ones you notice fleas on. There are many options to make prevention easy, ranging from topical drops, flea and tick collars and chewables.
Clean around the perimeter of your home. Fleas like dark, warm places, so the debris that accumulates around our homes, such as leaves or dried landscaping, is a perfect place for them to hide. Keeping the perimeter of your home clear of this type of debris can help limit to the number of fleas who are waiting to pounce on your pet.
Check the inside of your home. You can wear a white pair of socks and shuffle your feet along the carpet or place a soapy, water-filled dish on the floor with a lamp shining on it overnight. Both will identify if there are fleas in the home. If you find that there are fleas present, consult your veterinarian about the best way to treat them. Vacuuming and washing all bedding in your home is a good place to start!
Cozy season is the time for us to snuggle up with our pets. So make sure the fleas don’t get to them first! Keep your pets healthy and happy all year long with flea prevention.