Our pets are our best friends, but after a long day of playing outside, they can make quite the mess when they finally come home. Mud and dirt aren’t the only things you have to worry about making their way into your home – pests can hitch a one-way ride into your home on your furry friend. Here are a few pests that are dangerous to pets, (and your home) and how to get rid of them.

Fleas

Have you ever rubbed your pup’s belly and noticed some dark colored bugs? Chances are you were looking at fleas. Fleas are nasty little parasites that like to live on small mammals like squirrels, raccoons, opossums, and of course, your cats and dogs. They like to live in cool, shady areas around your yard and then catch a ride on your furry friend when they’re least expecting it. If these little critters get inside your home, you’re in for some trouble. Just one female flea can lay up to 18 eggs a day, quickly causing an infestation in your home.

How to get rid of fleas:

• Mix dish soap (or a mild soap) with warm water and bathe your pet.
• Comb their hair using a fine-tooth flea comb.
• Consider using a flea collar in the future.
• Rinse your pet with apple cider vinegar.
• Steam clean your carpets once a month.
• Use carpet spray to kill fleas inside, and yard spray to kill them outside.
• Sweep tile or wood floors, and vacuum carpets, rugs, and furniture.
• Wash your pet’s bedding and toys in hot water.
• Use topical and oral preventatives.

Ticks

Unlike fleas who love to hop from animal to animal, ticks attach themselves to their host until their bellies are nice and full. Even though a lot of tick bites are painless, they can be dangerous, especially for your pet. Lyme disease can be transmitted through a tick bite to not only humans but animals as well. Because dogs can’t check themselves for ticks, they can go days before you ever notice that there’s one attached to them. This means every time your furry friend goes outside there’s a chance they’ll come home with a not-so-furry companion.

How to get rid of ticks:

• Use a tweezer to gently detach the tick from your pet by pulling upward using steady and even pressure.
• Buy a shampoo that contains medicated ingredients (consult a veterinarian first).
• Use spot-on treatments and oral medications on pets.
• Consider using tick collars in the future.
• Ticks like to hide under debris, so remove leaves, brush and grass buildup from your yard.
• Mow your lawn regularly.
• Check common tick hiding places such as fences, retaining walls, and sheds.
• Choose plants that don’t attract deer.
• Create a barrier around your yard with pebbles, rocks, or wood chips.

Mosquitoes

You may be thinking, “mosquitoes definitely love me more than they love my pets,” but bug bites on your pets can cause a lot more harm than you think. Mosquitoes love anything that they can suck blood from, regardless of the animal, but when they bite your pests, they can transmit pathogens that can cause heartworms. Heartworms are little parasites that can grow to be a foot long and make it hard for your dogs to breathe and their heart to pump blood.

How to get rid of mosquitoes:

• Ask your veterinarian about medications/collars/other preventative methods.
• Remove any standing water from your yard where mosquitoes like to breed, especially anywhere your pet likes to hang out.
• Set mosquito traps.
• Call in the professionals for a mosquito treatment!

Fortunately, there are some simple ways to make sure your pets come back from a day of playing outside happy and pest free. Check out some of our easy prevention techniques here.

Your pets are a part of your family, and at Bug House, we make them a part of our family, too. If you’re having a pest problem, let us help keep your family (furry friends included) healthy and happy!