By Edward Gonsalves

I know that your pet cat or dog has become an integral part of your household. They bring unconditional love that spreads to every corner of your house. The joy they bring is forever unmatched as they bring color and warmth to your home. Unfortunately, that is not the only thing they bring. With every ounce of love and joy they bring, they also bring with them little itchy critters that can be both bothersome and a source of health problems.

Enter the flea. Your pet with those oily coats and healthy blood is a perfect carrier of the flea. Fleas ride on to your pet's coat as he goes for a walk or plays outside and brings the same fleas to your home to multiply.

The good news is that there is still hope. These unwanted guests can be removed from your home, relatively easily and quickly. You just need to follow these simple steps and once you are done, you can say goodbye to those fleas.

  1. Start with source. Your pet is the culprit for harboring these fleas but you can always remove them from your pet. You don’t have to get rid of your pet to remove those ticks. Give your pet a bath. Use a flea shampoo to remove the fleas currently on your pet. Make sure there are no more fleas on your pet by the time you are done giving him or her a bath. To be sure, run a fine-toothed flea comb through their coat.
  2. Exterminate the fleas. You can use Frontline or Advantage anti-flea medication on your dog. You would need to apply the medication directly in the back of your pet right between the shoulder blades. These medications bond to the oil layer of your skin so do not apply until three days after you have given the pet a bath. This step prevents the fleas from hopping back onto your pet when you start ridding your environment of the fleas, the next step.
  3. Clean the surroundings. Wash everything your pet sleeps in.  Wash the pet beds, cages and even his or her favorite toys. Also, vacuum everything in the house. Remember to throw the dust bags out of the house after you are done. Keeping the dust bags will just encourage re-infestation.
  4. Exterminating with pesticide. Use bombs and sprays when doing this step. It is both cheaper and faster. When you “bomb,” do it room by room. Remember to close the door of the room you are working on. Also leave your pet in a kennel during this step. You are also advised to leave the house while you fumigate because the fumes are harmful to you and your pet.

Once you are done with all these steps, you should have removed the flea threat from your home. Fleas are dangerous for both you and your pet.  So give yourself a pat at the back because you have just done a good job.