Understanding common pests and keeping your dog safe from pest threats could be challenging as pet parents, we worry. Any pet parent who has ever had to comb through a dog’s fur to remove swarming fleas or safely remove a tick while being totally grossed out, you know what I mean. Eventually, our furry friends come in contact with pests.
It helps to take preventative pest control measures to protect our beloved family members. Sometimes, that means hiring a professional pest control service provider to remove harmful pests that can cause West Nile virus, Lyme Disease, cat scratch disease, or other health concerns.
As pet owners, we’ve experienced similar problems and share tips we’ve found useful. Here’s what we learned about pests that transmit diseases and how a pest control technician can be part of the solution.
Ways to Keeping Your Dog Safe from Pest Threats
Keeping your dog safe from pest threats is ongoing. Although some pests diminish depending on the season, the lingering health problems can last a lifetime. Fleas, ticks, and mosquito bites can have devastating consequences for our pets.
- Know the potential pests and their peak season in your area
- Talk to your veterinarian about treatments and preventative medications
- Be vigilant about grooming and look for fleas and ticksÂ
- Don’t allow your pet to wander off into potentially pest-ridden areas
- Use invisible fencing when permanent fencing isn’t an option
- Keep the yard and home well maintained
Some regions in the USA have a year-long tick threat, so don’t assume you can stop the treatment because the thermometer drops a few degrees.
Tip About Location
Some regions throughout the USA are prone to more or less pests. Know the enemy by speaking with pest control services.
1. Keep Them Indoors During Dawn and Dusk
Certain insects like mosquitos are more active at dawn and dusk, and keeping your furry friend indoors at this time is a good tip, but it doesn’t solve the problem completely.
2. Regular Bathing
Dogs aren’t meant to be bathed as often as we humans do, but gentle, skin-friendly shampoos and frequent grooming with a rough towel and good brush can alert you to any potential problems, especially in thick fur.
Spending time grooming your cats and dogs with a fine tooth comb is important.
3. Keep your House Clean
Routine cleaning is the best defense against a pest invasion in your home. Using a powerful vacuum with a HEPA filter that you clean after each use is vital.
Untidy homes attract pests, while a tidy home is one of the best pest prevention methods. Washing a pet’s bedding frequently and in unison with our pet bathing is a great way to ensure our pet’s health. Always look for bed bugs around seams to keep beloved animals safe.
Excessive scratching can indicate a pest problem, or your pet has an allergic reaction from a bite. Invasive pests also feast on your pet’s food and leave their poop behind in your pet’s dish. Gross!
4. Bush-free Garden
A well-manicured garden is a joy, but an overgrown yard will invite potential pests to your home. Calling a professional to maintain the property is an easy solution. Keep your bushes trimmed and plant shrubs or herbal plants and flowers that help repel pests.
Pest control services’ safe handling of common pests is one of several methods to keep our pets’ safety in mind. Horses, cats, and other mammals on your property also benefit from pest control treatments during pest season.
Some people report that using diatomaceous earth around insect activity sites helps. This product keeps your animals safe if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and store them in sealed containers. It’s commonly available in home improvement stores.
If you have a larger property, you might benefit from invisible fencing. An invisible fence like a Halo Collar is a safe way to keep your dog from exploring potentially pest-infested areas.
Recommended by World Animal Foundation, these sleek devices not only keep tabs on your furry friends but also provide insights into their exciting activities. These modern marvel gadgets can transform your pet-parenting experience into a thrilling and worry-free adventure.
5. Prevent Rodents from RoamingÂ
We care about animals. However, keeping raccoons, squirrels, hares, and other wild animals off your property is challenging. To stop rodents or pests from roaming on your property, prevent access to a food source like the yummy smorgasbord inside your garbage can.
Hiring a professional to spray a pest treatment that prevents harming pets is a viable solution.
Many pest control industry experts suggest the use of ultrasonic repellents. This technology creates an unpleasant sound that might dissuade rodents from nesting. Some evidence suggests these methods have good results, but nothing is 100% foolproof. Animals learn to adapt.
6. Frequently Check for Ticks and Fleas
During peak season, routinely check your pets for ticks and fleas. After hiking through tall grass or woodlands, always thoroughly inspect your dogs and yourself. Talk to your vet about applying monthly preventative treatments to your cats and dogs.
Check these prone areas on your pets:
- Interior and outside of the ear
- Around and under eyelids
- Under the collar
- Comb the front and back legs
- Between each toe
- The base and length of the tail
- Gums
- The shoulder blades
7. Use of Pet-friendly Pesticides
Pesticides can be harmful chemicals that can kill your pet if handled improperly. A pest control professional uses pet-friendly and environmentally tested pesticides to treat an infested zone in your yard, keep a pet safe, and spare pet owners the hassle.
Pest-friendly pesticides are effective against:
- Spider species
- Bed bugs
- Treat reptile cages
- Fish tanks
- Rodents
- Many species-specific pests
8. Consult a Vet, If Needed
Your veterinarian is a great partner in treating pests and keeping your dog healthy and safe in the fight against harmful pests.Â
Always check with your vet if you notice trouble breathing, excessive panting, vomiting, diarrhea, and other unusual symptoms with your furry family member.
Importance of Keeping Your Dog Safe From Pests
Pests aren’t just a nuisance. They cause serious illnesses in our pets. Staying vigilant is just one trick to keep our pets safe. Ticks live and thrive in many regions in the USA and are problematic for animals and humans. The potential risks of the diseases they cause can lead to even death.
Questing ticks cause these serious and common illnesses in dogs:
- Lyme Disease
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Cytauxzoonosis (a fatal infection)
To protect you and keep your pets safe from ticks, we suggest you call a professional pest control company. These extermination experts eliminate these potential threats in your yard. Did you know that opossums eat millions of ticks and are a natural defense?
Fleas cause these serious and common illnesses in dogs:
- Dermatitis from flea allergens
- Tapeworms
- Anemia (puppies are especially vulnerable)
- Bartonellosis or cat scratch disease (several symptoms including fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and more)
Fleas aren’t instantly detected in your pet’s fur, but millions of fleas feed on our beloved pets daily. Their bites harm pets, transmit disease, and, generally speaking, can even cause death and are major pest problems.
Once fleas infest your pet, chances are they’ve infested your home. Pet-safe pest removal is the best solution, and hiring a professional to spray pest control treatment on tall grass areas is a great way to stop these bugs.
Mosquitos can contribute to serious illnesses in pets:
- Dirofilaria immitis or heartworm
- West Nile Virus
- Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EE)
Mosquitos are a nuisance and breed in standing water. Remember, during the warm months, dump rainwater from old buckets, discarded tires, water garden features, and the like.
Tip: There is lots of confusing information about pet store-sold flea and tick collars. They may contain potentially harmful and toxic chemicals that might be ineffective against resistant pest strains. Chat with your vet and keep your pets safe.
Conclusion
From my kitchen window, I can see Diamond hunker down as she’s nearing the invisible fence line, wearing a Halo Collar that keeps her safe from running into traffic. It won’t save her from fleas and ticks, but a pest control management system will help with pest invasions and keep her healthy.
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