Low Budget Flea Prevention for Your Pets

There are many pet products on the market today. The most wanted product: flea control. And the companies that are making the sprays, the powders, the collars, and the applicator tubes know this. They all claim their product is the best. And they want your money, so of course they're going to give you a "satisfaction guaranteed" that their product will work. If you add up the cost of all the flea control/prevention products you purchase a year, it may be more than some your utility bills!

The two most commonly used flea control products are Frontline Plus and Advantage. Frontline Plus costs $40.99-$49.99 for a 3 month supply for dogs, and $40.99-$48.99 for a 4 month supply for cats. Advantage costs $38.99-$49.99 for a 4 month supply for dogs, and $38.99-$48.99 for a 4 month supply for cats. Both of these products are veterinarian recommended. Beware: your vet's advice should always be taken into consideration, but you have the last say in what method of flea prevention you want to use. Just like medical doctors have contracts with pharmaceutical companies, vets have the same sort of relationship with the companies manufacturing the flea prevention they are advising you to use. And if you have more than one pet in your household, these products may be costing you beaucoup bucks.

We all love our pets. We want them to be happy and flea free. Understanding what fleas are and the life cycle they follow is an important step in prevention. Fleas are very small, wingless insects. They are external parasites that live off of the blood of mammals and birds. Their bodies are dark colored and flat, allowing for easy movement through the hairs on an animal's body. Their legs are are long which allow for easy jumping. Fleas go through 4 life cycle stages. The cycle begins when the female lays a batch of eggs, usually about 20 at one time. These eggs are usually laid on the animal the flea is feeding off of, but will roll off onto the floor and onto your pets' bedding. The eggs will take about 2 days to 2 weeks to hatch. Flea larvae will be what comes out of these eggs, not adult fleas as we know them. The larvae will hide in dark places and live off of dead insects, feces, and vegetable matter. Within 1-2 weeks, they will pupate and spin a cocoon. Another week or two will pass, and the adult flea will be ready to come out of its cocoon. Once the adult flea emerges, it will be driven to find food, but it may last 2 months to one year between meals. The flea population consists of about 50% eggs, 35% larvae, 10% pupae, and 5% adults. Fleas not only irritate your pet, but may make your pet ill. They may cause anemia in your pet, and transmit tapeworms to your pet.

Now that you are aware of the flea's life cycle, how do you protect your pet and your home without spending your money on all kinds of promise products? I now have one dog and one cat. Before I had my daughter, I had 5 cats, one dog, one hamster, and one rabbit. And I know as well as anyone that pets can be expensive to take care of! We want the best protection there is for our pets and our home. But instead of paying hundreds of dollars every year for flea prevention products, I've learned there is a low cost way to protect our loved ones.

First and foremost, adopt a routine bathing schedule for your pets. You can use a regular pet shampoo, a flea and tick shampoo, or you can even use Dawn dish soap. Dawn dish soap is effective against fleas and many people use it for their pets. If you decide to try this, just watch for any signs of dry skin, or irritation. Remember, every pet may react differently. Dawn is about $4.29 for a regular sized bottle. It's a "thick" soap, and lathers well, so you won't need to use a lot of it. The best thing about it: it will smother fleas so they can't hop anywhere, and they'll die instantly. If you decide to use a regular pet shampoo or a flea and tick shampoo, keep it simple. You don't have to buy the $15 bottle of shampoo for your pet. If it's soap, it will work.

Next, purchase a carpet spray or powder to kill the fleas in hiding. I recommend using Raid Flea Killer. It costs about $7, and it works. It has an easy spray nozzle; you just aim at the floor and spray. It's safe for your pets, so you can use it on pet bedding. You can also use a flea powder to sprinkle on your carpet. It will smother fleas so they'll die instantly. The most cost effective solution: sprinkle salt on your carpet to kill fleas. The downside to this option is you'll have to wait a week to vacuum. If you use the Raid Flea Killer, you can vacuum right away.

Last, use these additional tips and tricks for complete prevention: In between bathing, use a flea comb in a daily grooming routine. This will help you spot those unwanted critters early. (If you do spot fleas, or "flea dirt", act fast! Don't put off bathing your pets and spraying your carpets; do it right away. As I explained above, the flea's life cycle is a fast one!) During colder seasons, spray the Raid Flea Killer every 3 months on your carpet and pets' bedding. When Spring arrives, spray more often to keep fleas away. Buy a flea collar for your vacuum, not your pet. Flea collars only keep the fleas from living on the front of the body; they will hide on the rear of your pet, which may cause hair loss on your pet. Cut up the flea collar and place it inside your vacuum bag. This way, you'll kill the fleas sucked up into the vacuum that aren't already dead. You can also fill a dish with water and Dawn dish soap. Place it by a source of light; you can use a flashlight or a nightlight. Fleas will be attracted to the heat of the light and hop right into the soapy water. As I said before, Dawn dish soap is "thick" and fleas won't be able to hop back out of the dish. This will not only kill some of those fleas, but will also warn you early of their presence. Wash all pet bedding once a week in hot soapy water to kill flea eggs and larvae so they will not be able to develop into adult fleas.

All together, with your knowledge of fleas, and if you follow this routine, you'll be spending less than $30 a month. That's a huge savings every year! Remember, even though your vet's advice should be considered, you are the one spending the money. With a little TLC, your home will be flea free. What's a little extra time and effort to protect your pets and save your bank account? Hey, maybe with that extra money you can afford to buy your loved ones something special!