Writer (and LA-Story.com contributor) Naomi Shaw has some tips on how to protect your pets from pests and bugs that she is sharing with LA-Story.com.
Pest Control: Ways to Protect Your Pets From Pests and Bugs!
by Naomi Shaw
Most people are well versed in what pests and bugs are a danger to humans, but not everyone knows which insects are harmful to pets. Bugs that pose no threat to humans might be more dangerous for your pets.
As seasons change, different bugs will make their presence known. Spring and summer are high seasons for pests that can be a serious nuisance for pets. Protecting your pets from pests starts with education; knowing what bugs to look for when is the first step in keeping your pet pest-free. Once you know what to look for, there are easy steps you can take to keep pests off of your pets. With this knowledge in hand, you can easily keep pests out of your home and off of your pets.
Types of Pests and Bugs
There are a handful of nearly universal bugs. Bugs like ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes can be found across the globe. Each of these bugs poses different risks to your pets, but they can all be dealt with using some simple prevention tricks.
TICKS
Ticks are small insects that bite and burrow into the skin making them tricky to remove. You and your pet can pick up ticks from hiking in the woods or simply playing in a park. Ticks are especially prevalent during warmer months making them a common summer-time pest.
Ticks can carry a wide variety of diseases, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and “tick paralysis”. These diseases are serious and can result in significant medical problems for you and your pet. Some symptoms of tick-transmitted diseases appear quickly after a bite, but others are much harder to recognize. Many pet owners don’t realize their pet is sick until the symptoms are severe and emergency action is required.
Tick prevention medication and collars from a veterinarian will help keep ticks off of your pets, but there are some other ways you can deter ticks. Keep grass cut low and clear away debris from your yard to make your yard less attractive to ticks. Ask a landscaping professional about lawn treatments to prevent ticks from moving in; this is especially useful if your yard borders a “wild” area of land such as woods.
Upon returning inside, check your pets for ticks and carefully remove any you find. Tweezers or a similar tool are best to grab the tick behind its mouth. Do not pull the tick out quickly, as you risk leaving the mouthpart in the skin. Once you pull the tick out, flush it down the toilet and wash your hands, the bite site, and tweezers with soap and water.
Fleas
Fleas are tiny biting insects that can jump incredible heights making them difficult to catch and kill. Pets often become infested with fleas after coming into contact with another infected animal or from spending time outdoors. Fleas cause itching, but severe reactions to flea bites can cause hair loss, inflammation, and skin infections. Fleas also bite humans and you will quickly notice small itchy red lumps. Once fleas are in your home, they quickly multiply and infest furniture, clothing, and bedding. Removing a flea infestation is no small task and normally requires insecticide, so it is in your best interest to keep fleas out of your house.
Talk with your veterinarian to establish a flea control routine. Flea collars are a common preventive method, but they do not have the highest success rate. Routine topical or oral flea prevention are more likely to keep fleas off of your pets. Regularly wash your pets, their bedding, and toys to kill off any fleas or flea eggs.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are perhaps one of the most notorious summer pests. Mosquitoes breed quickly in stagnant water and have an extremely fast life cycle allowing for rapid population growth. Larvae hatch in a few days and develop into adulthood in 10 to 14 days.
Both humans and pets are susceptible to diseases spread by mosquitoes, but different diseases affect humans and pets. Heartworm is one of the most concerning pet diseases that can be spread by mosquitoes. In fact, thousands of pets become disabled or die due to heartworm.
To keep mosquitoes away from your property eliminate standing water in flower pots, fountains, birdbaths, sandboxes, or any other container. Mosquitoes only need half an inch of stagnant water to breed. Add a pump or drip system to birdbaths or similar water features to keep the water moving.
Installing screens on doors and windows will keep mosquitoes outside, but the screens are only effective if they don’t have holes or tears. Clear out clogged gutters as the blockages allow water to collect creating a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. Keep pets indoors during dawn and dusk as this is when mosquitoes are most active. A professional pest control company can also treat your yard to keep mosquitoes away.
Pests are irritating for you and your pet, but there are ways to prevent bugs from infesting your pet or your home. Keeping an eye out for pests allows you to react quickly when they do present themselves. Preparing your yard so that it is less attractive to pests is a good start, but it will not completely eliminate pests. Talk with your veterinarian about establishing a routine for pest control and maintain a clean home for the best results.
Naomi Shaw
Bio of Naomi Shaw:
Naomi Shaw lives in Southern California with her husband and three kids. She is a freelance journalist and Stay-at-Home mom that enjoys writing on fashion, beauty, green living, and interior design.
Follow Naomi Shaw on these social platforms:
Twitter: @naomijshaw
Website: naomijshaw.weebly.com
LA-Story.com thanks Naomi Shaw for sharing such important information about pests and your pets. It doesn’ t matter if you have a cat, dog, birds, or caged animals like hamsters, they all can get some kind of pest or disease that the pests carry. Talk to your vet about what things you should be doing and if there are any affordable treatment options for your pet.
If you need more information about Lyme Disease, here’s a link to a detailed article and guide about Lyme Disease and possible solutions. This article is found on WeightedBlanketGuides.com and is written by Rachel Green and Wendy Rhodes.
Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com
________________________DEALS and STEALS(Affiliate Links)
I curate deals that offer bonuses, bargains, and great products –and some are very specifically for this site to feature to my audience because I want my audience to get amazing products from great brands!
Disclosure: some of the links on this post might have affiliate links! It costs you nothing. If you buy something, the brand pays me a small percentage.
If you purchase via my link, I make a very small percentage for that purchase. It does not add any additional cost to the product. The price you see is the retail price (depending on store or vendor) .
Sunscreens Are Essential in Summer: Try COOLA Full Spectrum 360 Sun Silk Drops SPF 30
>
COOLA’s breakthrough Sun Silk Drops— your daily Full Spectrum 360° protection from the sun, environmental toxins, and digital overexposure.
Their advanced organic formula is light-as-air yet protects against broad-spectrum UVA/UVB, IR (infrared), and HEV (high energy visible) Light, meaning they’ve got you covered from beach to board meeting. A fast-absorbing complex blend of plant stem cells and patented LightWaves Defense [JS+M] technology helps to prevent visible signs of aging from both indoor and outdoor daily aggressors. Finally, full spectrum organic skincare that keeps up with your everyday modern lifestyle!
What else you need to know:
This product is formulated without oxybenzone. It is vegan, non-GMO, TSA-friendly, and cruelty-free.
Available at Sephora.com and Coola.com
Sannibel Platform Wedge Sandal
TREASURE & BOND
Price$79.95
From Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com
Stevie Tip:
I have this same sandal from their first shipment that included yellow suede. I am a huge fan of bright colors and I wear this sandal at every opportunity!
Available at Sephora.com and Coola.com
Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: http://feeds.feedburner.com/la-story/Bpyd
Powered by FeedBurner
If you are going to feature content from LA-Story.com including images, podcasts or videos including the accompanying text, please respect copyright provisions. We require a notation of content origination (meaning credit tag), a link- back to the specific page & please email the link to stevie@la-story.com before the piece goes live.
LA-Story.com, LA-Story Recessionista, Celebrity Stylescope, Celebrity Style Slam Trademark/Copyright: KBP Inc./TNBT Inc 2007-22
