Pest Exterminator

Meet the Pest

Preventing fleas from infesting your dog and home is easier than learning how to get rid of fleas. That being said, fleas can creep onto your dog and into your home in a variety of ways, so understanding how to kill dog fleas is a necessary part of pet ownership.

Fleas can cause a host of unpleasant problems for your pup, most notably flea allergy dermatitis (FAD). These blood-sucking pests aren’t so great for you either, as they can potentially carry bacteria, parasites and diseases that can cause anything from a skin rash to tapeworm. Learning how to get rid of fleas will prove to be a lesson in determination, but one your home and your dog will thank you for.

Bed & Breakfast

Fleas love your dog almost as much as you do. Fido provides a flea with a comfortable place to sleep and plenty of food. Fleas can thrive while taking up residence on your pet; in fact, one female flea can lay up to 20 eggs at one time. These eggs easily fall off your dog and onto the carpeting, furniture, and bedding – all equally habitable places for the fleas to grow. Now you and your family are part of the flea buffet, and it is really time to figure out how to get rid of them.

Quit Bugging Me!

Complete flea extermination focuses on three areas: your pets, your home and your yard. Using a variety of do-it-yourself pest control products, along with some basic pest control techniques, in each of these three areas will ultimately bring you total flea removal:

Your Home

In most cases of flea infestations, 90-95 percent of the fleas in your home are not on your dog but hiding in your furniture, carpets, etc. This makes learning how to get rid of fleas in the house a top priority.

1. Remove your pets from the home so they do not re-infest the house while you go about your do-it-yourself pest removal.
2. Collect all pet bedding, including outdoor items, and wash it in warm soapy water. Soapy water kills the eggs, larvae, pupae and adults, but make sure none of the eggs or larvae fall off the linens while you are carrying them to the washer. If you see what looks like grains of salt and pepper on the floor, then you will have to implement extermination later.
3. Vacuum. This simple household chore is a great flea removal technique. Use the attachments to get into crevices and corners where the fleas are more likely to hide. Then, remove the vacuum bag when you are done, seal it in a bigger bag, and toss it out.
4. Follow this up with an insecticidal carpet shampoo. You can also have a pest control professional come in and apply infrared heat to the carpet for complete extermination of all stages of fleas.
5. Use a do-it-yourself pest control spray or fogger to get into the areas of your home that you could not wash or vacuum. Look for a product that includes an IGR, insect growth regulator, to stop any new fleas from reproducing.

Your Dog

While you are discovering how to get rid of fleas from your home, your dog can be treated for fleas by the veterinarian. If you prefer to treat your dog yourself, then be sure to do it outside or somewhere away from your newly flea-free home.

1. Flea dips, collars and powders have been replaced by top-spots. Top-spots are much safer for your dog and work as both a flea killer and as a prevention method. These flea control products are applied to the skin, usually between the animal’s shoulder blades, and the chemicals then disperse through the skin’s oils. Talk to your pet’s veterinarian to be sure you know how to kill dog fleas without harming your pet.
2. Use a special flea comb to help remove the eggs and dead fleas from your dog’s fur. Dipping the comb in soapy water in between strokes will kill any live fleas that you pick out.

Your Yard

It is highly likely that your dog got his fleas from being outside, so you also need to learn how to get rid of fleas in your yard. Nature has many pests that carry fleas and deposit them in unsuspecting lawns. There are several insecticides on the market that can be used for outdoor flea infestations. Diatomaceous earth is an all-natural granular product that can also be used for do-it-yourself pest removal. Since fleas do not like warm and sunny locations, it’s likely you can just spot treat your lawn with any flea extermination product and still achieve good results.

Good Riddance

Now that you know how to kill dog fleas, you will want to make sure to keep them from ever resurfacing. Following the instructions and giving regular doses of your dog’s flea control product will go a long way to keeping the pup pest-free. Regular vacuuming and washing of your pets’ bedding is another good maintenance tip. If fleas emerge two weeks after your do-it-yourself pest control actions, then repeat the entire process or contact a professional extermination company.