Sunday, February 21, 2010

How to kill fleas

Today we take a look on how to kill fleas subject. Many pet owners are facing this problem every day. First thing you must know is that even if you kill fleas on your pet, the fleas still remain at pets bed or in the yard or in your carpet. During the flea cycle just about 5% of the fleas are living on your pet. The other 95% of them are somewhere in your house or back yard(being in different stages: eggs, larvae, pupae). So if you have noticed fleas around your house and your yard then its good to get them killed all at once, because if you don't, they will be back on your pet in two weeks.

Step one in the battle with fleas is to vacuum your entire house. You are vacuuming up a lot of eggs, larvae pupae and fleas. This is really important mostly because of the pupae. If the larvae pupates, it is a cocoon where they are changing into adult fleas. The thing is that while being inside the cocoon you cant kill fleas with insecticides. The cocoon is waterproof and protects them from any outside factor. So vacuuming is the first key here. Do it good and you kill fleas more effectively. After finishing vacuuming its best to throw away the vacuum bag, if you have disposable one. If not clean it really really good. You can put a piece of a flea collar inside the vacuum bag before vacuuming. This way you kill fleas, that are vacuumed.

Step number two - Choose a insecticide with the IGR(insect growth regulator) ingridient - this is important! You can consult a specialist at your local pet store or order the product on internet.
Spray it on all you carpets, dog beds, cat beds, floors. Make sure you spray it everywhere(corners, under the carpet, under the furniture etc). You can use a pressure sprayer if you have it.
If you are done with your house, then move to the yard. Spray around where your pet sleeps. Gravel and sandy areas. Also wash you pets bedding and soft toys. Dry them in the sunlight, because larvae doesn't like sunlight.

Third step in this war is to kill fleas on your pet. You can use a pet shampoo that kills fleas. This is the best way. In couple of days from bathing you might want to use Frontline or Advantage(not before a few days, because these products use the skins oils to disperse. If you pets don't let you bathe them apply Frontline or Advantage directly. Read the manual first.

In short:
1) find out where are the fleas. Only pet? yard? carpets?
2) Vacuum
3) Spray house and other places where you found fleas or you think they might be.
4) Kill fleas on your pets.

Its important that you do it all in 1 day.

If the fleas keep coming back then you should check if there is someone who brings them to your yard(neighbors pets maybe) and act accordingly. Suggest you neighbors to kill fleas on their pets.