Many people assume that fleas die off in the winter and it’s safe to stop your dog’s flea and tick preventative. But is it really safe to do that? Do you need to worry about fleas during cooler months? The surprising answer is that YES, you do still need to worry about them during cooler months, and it’s all about their life cycle.
About the flea life cycle
You may be surprised to learn that much of a flea’s life cycle takes place OFF of a host. As long as it’s warm enough, eggs can hatch without a host. That means if any fleas came into your home during the warmer months, eggs can be lying around your home, waiting for the right moment to hatch and attach themselves to your pet.
Beyond that, fleas can stay plenty warm on any host, despite cold temperatures. If you have other wildlife passing through your yard, eggs can fall off of them and hatch on a warm day, then hop onto your poor pup for their next meal.
Even if they didn’t come inside your house, there are plenty of places out in the environment, like under or next to your home, that are warm enough to keep them alive. The environment doesn’t have to be much above freezing for fleas or their eggs to survive, so places with mild winters will be at greater risk than places with harsh winters and many days with a temperature below zero.
You need to treat the environment
Fleas and their eggs can easily live inside your home. It’s important to vacuum regularly and wash any dog beds or bedding your dog comes into contact with. Wash in hot water on a regular basis to kill any fleas or eggs that may have found their way inside your home. Treating your dog but neglecting the environment can be a futile process.
How to kill and prevent fleas without harsh chemicals
If you think it’s necessary to bombard your house with heavy duty chemicals, think again. Project Paws® Natural Flea & Tick Repellent can kill fleas and their eggs around your home with natural ingredients and no harsh chemicals. In addition, the Brewer’s Yeast and Garlic Natural Flea & Tick Repellent Chewable Supplement can help keep pests off your dog and help prevent him from bringing fleas into your home in the first place.
On top of protecting your home and dog from pests, each purchase of these products provides 7 meals to shelter dogs!
The post Do I Still Need To Worry About Fleas During Cooler Months? appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.
via Whisker Therapy