* Vacuum frequently- all floors and carpets, stairs and under beds too.

* Wash pet bedding frequently.

* Use a safe topical treatment, flea powder, spray or other product. Follow the product instructions provided carefully.

* Ask your vet about topical treatments like Frontline, Advantix & Advantage (now purchasable at pet stores without a veterinarians prescription – Tip: You can save some $ using Petsmart coupons) – these products kills adult fleas, and makes them unable to reproduce, cutting your combat time in half.

* Brush and comb your dog frequently.

* Bathe him/her if heavily infested.

* Spray the house with a flea product at least once a week, under beds, couches, etc.

It might be tough to see fleas, but they certainly make their existence known – especially to your pet.

WARNING SIGNS
The first step to stopping a flea-for-all is to be aware of their presence. Keep an eye out for the warning signs that fleas have set up shop on your pet!

BLACK SPECKS — black specks on your pet or in your pet’s bed could be flea dirt, which is feces from the adult fleas. There are two easy ways to check for black specks:

Flea Comb — available from your veterinarian (the metal ones are the best). Run the comb over your pet, making sure the comb reaches the skin through the coat. If black specks are on the comb when you pull it off, they may be flea dirt. If fleas are on the comb, drown them in a bowl of soapy water before they can get away or jump back on your pet.

White paper towel — place a white paper towel beneath your pet and rub your hands across its fur. If black specks appear on the towel, they may be flea dirt.

The following steps can also be taken to prevent ticks from harming your pet:

YARDWORK — you can remove tick habitats from your yard by keeping tall grass clipped, removing any mulch or leaf litter and trimming bushes.

AVOID TALL GRASS OR BRUSH — keep your pet far away from these tick breeding grounds.

EXAMINE YOUR PET — examine your pet thoroughly every day for ticks. Although ticks prefer attaching to your pet’s head, neck and paws, you should still try to cover as much of your pet’s body as he/she will allow.

Don’t despair: if you follow through with the steps above, you’ll end up ahead of the battle. As always the best combat is prevention-good luck!