How To Make Your Home Safer For Your Pets

• Flea Control – Summer is over, but that doesn’t mean you need to stop controlling fleas on your pets and in your house. Flea protection should be used all year long. The cooler weather will allow you to control the fleas easier. Your veterinarian can help you with a flea prevention plan that is best for your pet to use all year long.
• Put Away School Supplies – Back to school items, such as glue and glue sticks, can be dangerous for your pet if large amounts are ingested. Keep those pencils, pens, markers and other school essentials away from your pets. Pencils and pens can cause blockages if they are swallowed by your pet.
• Remove Wild Mushrooms – Fall is the perfect time for wild mushrooms to grow. Most are not toxic, but the poisonous mushrooms can be fatal to your pet. If you think your pet has eaten wild mushroom, call your veterinarian immediately. Symptoms can range from gastrointestinal problems to hallucinations.
• Avoid Rodenticides – During the colder months, rodents look for warmer places to shelter. Rodenticides can be toxic to pets and cause bleeding disorders.  Consider using alternative ways to get rid of rodents around your house. Also bee cautious letting your pets roam around your neighbor’s yard if they have used rodenticides to control their rodent problems.
• Protect Heat Sources – Pets can be burned by portable heaters and fireplaces. Fireplaces should have screens in place to protect your pets from being severely burned. Don’t leave pets unattended around portable heaters when they are being used.

Top Ten Tips For Flea Control

Summer is here and that means fleas!

What type of flea treatment do you use for your pets? Here are a few tips to keep fleas at bay during the summer months:

1. Flea treatments for your pets – There are various treatment options such as flea collars, flea dips, shampoos, spot-on treatments, or oral medications. Treatments are different for dogs and cats. Your Veterinarian can recommend which treatment is best for your pet.
2. Rid your home of fleas – Not only are fleas jumping off your pets onto your furniture, but their eggs and larvae can be left all over your home. Thoroughly vacuuming floors and furniture and washing all bedding that your pet comes in contact with in hot water will help control or eliminate the infestation.
3. Groom your pet daily – Use a fine-toothed metal flea comb on your pet to remove fleas and place the fleas you remove in soapy water. This should be done daily to keep the fleas under control.
4. Use insecticides – You can do the treatments yourself or hire professionals exterminators. Non-toxic insecticides are also available. It is important to cover all food that could come into contact with the insecticide and keep you family and pets out of the house until it is safe to return.
5. Place eucalyptus leaves around the house – The smell of eucalyptus is not appealing to fleas so the leaves help to keep them away. Place the leaves inside and outside the house in various locations. You can place them in glass jars to add decoration around the house.
6. Create a set place for pets to sleep – It might be hard to change your pet’s habit, but having them sleep in a specific area can make regular cleaning your pet’s bedding easier. This way you only have to regularly clean one area of bedding instead of trying to find what your pet has been sleeping on.
7. Avoid dangerous areas – When possible keeping cats indoors and taking your dogs for walks in open areas avoiding thick, long grass can reduce the fleas your pet may be exposed to. Maintaining your own yard can also cut down on the fleas that you and your pets come in contact with outside.
8. Use natural oils – Many natural oils can keep fleas off of a pet’s fur. Lemongrass or a cut up lemon added to water can be lightly sprayed on their fur to keep the fleas away. Some natural oils that are safe for dogs can be toxic for cats, so always make sure you are using oils that are safe for your pet.
9. Spray nematodes – For pet lovers who have gardens or spend time outside, using nematodes (worms) outside can reduce the number of flea larvae. Spray nematodes in shady spots outside and moist areas of the garden 2 to 3 times a year. This can reduce the number of fleas brought inside the house.
10. Prevent year round – California has flea activity year round. The warmer months have a higher activity of fleas compared to the cooler months. Knowing when the activity in your area is the highest can help you to be prepared to prevent fleas. Using methods to control flea infestations year round is the best way to eliminate fleas on your pets and in your home.

Click here to find out the flea activity in your area.