All Things Dog Blog

Top 5 Tips for Fighting Fleas and Ticks on Your Dog

Posted: 15 May 2010 12:43 PM PDT

by Carrie Boyko

Xena Fights Fleas the Natural Way

Fighting a cancer battle for two years now, Xena still is active, happy and flea free. Her natural flea treatment, which is much easier on her liver than chemical forms, includes lots of preventive measures, like Cedar oil spray before we visit the dog park, and keeping fleas under control on all our pets, home and yard. The idea is to stop the population explosion before it starts. Whichever treatment you choose, here are the 5 rules to follow, if you wish to be successful:

Start with proactive, preventive treatments on your dog; apply regularly
Keep your house pest-free with frequent vacuuming, bedding washing and indoor treatments.
Treat your yard throughout the pest season to prevent outbreaks.
Use a flea repellent on your dog before dog park visits.
If you get a breakout, repeat all treatments regularly to take care of hatching eggs.

Now you're probably asking yourself, "Where is her all-natural pitch?" Sure, I choose to go the all-natural route. It's better for my health as a cancer survivor and patient with M.S. It's also better for my dogs' health and my family's. It's a no-brainer to me, but I respect your choice.

If you're interested in learning how to deal with fleas (and perhaps ticks, also) the all-natural way, check out these previous articles for lots of information on products and strategies:

Related Reading:

Flea Season is Here: What's a Pup to Do?
No More Ticks for Tanner
Top Ten Tips for Tackling Ticks

If natural is not your choice, you might try online sources, where many have told me their top spot treatments are cheaper. Websites like 1-800-Pet Meds regularly offer discounts and free shipping, if you meet minimum purchase requirements. Whatever method you pick, stay on top of it. That's the key to preventing a full blown infestation. Good luck!

Visit Adopt a Dog Park

Help protect our precious dog parks