Fleas and ticks are nasty little creatures that like to feast on our pets and sometimes feed on us. But how to make ticks and fleas go away yourself? If you’re looking for a way to get rid of these pests yourself, try some of the easy remedies that you can implement by yourself in this article.
If you want to stop ticks and fleas from spreading, the first step is to learn how they spread. Most likely, ticks are spread when people walk through tick-infested areas or when their pets come in contact with tick-infested animals.
Fleas can spread disease by leaving their waste on pet hair, which then gets on your clothes, or by crawling across a floor surface, like a carpet or piece of furniture.
What are some substances which kill ticks and fleas instantly?
There are a large number of ways to kill ticks and fleas, but most of them don’t work effectively. Using physical means like cutting or squashing them hardly works because they can still be alive and just not visible in the open.
Some methods that effectively kill ticks and fleas include using insecticides that need to be applied in their habitats or spraying bug sprays indoors if you have pets who bring home ticks from outside.
Commercial bug spray is not created equal when it comes to killing ticks. The commercial sprays made specifically for ticks and fleas have a range of different ingredients, including DEET and Permethrin.
One of the most natural and effective ways to kill the bugs on your pet and in your home without harming them is by using natural compounds containing essential oils like lemon eucalyptus oil with rubbing alcohol or vodka as the carrier.
Here are three simple home remedies you can use to kill ticks and fleas and make them go away by yourself!
Rubbing alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is a commonly found household item that you can use to kill any bad bacteria in wounds.
Rubbing alcohol should be used to kill ticks and fleas by pouring some of it into a jar with a lid. The lid will prevent the tick from escaping, and it must be dead after a few minutes of soaking in rubbing alcohol.
Eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus oil is a natural disinfectant that kills ticks and fleas instantly. It can be used as an insect repellent, but it will not work properly if the animals are already heavily infested with the insects.
To prepare an effective eucalyptus oil tick and flea-killing solution, simply dilute some pure eucalyptus in a little water and spray or smear it on yourself and your pets.
Bleach
Bleach is easily the best way to kill ticks and fleas. It kills them instantly by dehydrating their exoskeleton. Make sure to place the tick in a small container with bleach, not your hand. Once the bleach takes effect, these little parasites will be dead in a matter of seconds.
A vital thing to remember when killing ticks and fleas is that you shouldn’t leave their bodies lying around, even if they are dead. You could either flush them down your toilet, burn them, or simply stick all of them in a ziplock and dispose of the baggie with your trash.
How did Your pet animal get infested with ticks or fleas?
Fleas and ticks are different in the manner in which they travel from their habitat. Therefore, the mode through which your pet brings home these parasites could be different.
Fleas have been known to live on animals for days at a time, while ticks only need 24 hours to attach themselves to an animal.
Ticks can also be found living on plants and other non-living objects such as fence posts, rock walls, and trees during this brief period of attachment.
Fleas and ticks are common problems for many pets, but knowing how your pet got them is important. Knowing this can help you keep your pet and yourself safe and parasite-free in the future.
Female fleas lay eggs wherever they can in order to continue the cycle of infestation. The easiest way to get rid of fleas and ticks on your pet is by getting rid of their breeding ground: the environment that surrounds them.
It’s important to determine the source of fleas or ticks in your pet, as it can be difficult to get rid of them. The best way is by taking a close look at their fur and looking for any small black dots on their bodies.
If you find these spots, they are most likely either eggs or larvae that have been laid onto the animal from other animals who had already caught an infection with flea-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
If you can’t find these spots on your pet, your pet is unlikely to be infested with ticks or fleas. Having said that, you should make sure that they are not in contact with any other animals who may have flea-borne or tick-borne diseases.
How do fleas exactly attach themselves to your pet?
Naturally, since you’ve found a flea, the question about how this parasite managed to latch on to your dog’s skin must have crossed your mind.
Fleas can survive for up to 2 weeks without a host, and they use their sharp mouthparts to bite your pet.
Fleas are parasites that suck blood, so they need to attach themselves to your pet in order to feed. Flea bites cause a lot of discomfort and itchy skin for pets as well as their owners.
They then attach themselves to your pet through the skin or fur with a special glue-like substance that makes it difficult for them to detach from the skin of the host animal, which is your pet in this case.
These pesky parasites lay upwards of 50 eggs per day and live up to 100 days. They are most often found on your pet’s body, but can also infest carpets in your home. When they hatch, these parasites attach themselves firmly to the host with their claws and begin to suck blood from them.
Within 2–16 days after the fleas lay eggs on the pet, they hatch into larvae that then transform into pupae. These parasites are usually found in your home or backyard, where the animals spend a large amount of time outside.
The best way to completely avoid this problem is by regularly vacuuming up all visible flea dirt and debris, cleaning carpets often with an effective vacuum cleaner equipped with a rotating brush, and washing your and your pet’s bedding at least once a week in hot water without any detergent.
Hence, it kills the eggs and often checks your yard for visible signs of fleas.
How can you tell if your pet has fleas on it?
The first indication of a flea infestation in your pet is excessive scratching. If your pet has been scratching in an unusual place, it’s important to inspect further by running your fingers or combing through their fur.
Flea bites are sharp and painful, and the saliva of a flea can cause irritation or allergic reactions in cats and dogs. If you notice any signs or symptoms of fleas on your pet, contact your veterinarian immediately for treatment options.
The presence of flea dirt is the second indication that your pet has fleas. If you see this, it’s important to stop neglecting the presence of these parasites on your pet and take them immediately for a checkup with their veterinarian. Flea dirt is generally black and brown in color when dry and red if wet.
Fleas are not the only threat to pets inside the house. Ticks can also be a problem for humans if they’re in large numbers or if they feed on your pet’s blood while outdoors.
It’s extremely important to check your pet regularly for signs of fleas or ticks. You should also look out for and inspect the bedding, carpets, furniture, and other surfaces they hang out in or on frequently as well.
Identifying the presence of fleas and ticks
The flea life cycle consists of eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. The first step in the life cycle is for a female to lay eggs on or near a host animal or human.
Those eggs will hatch into larvae that are then transferred onto another host animal, which can be anything from rats to humans to dogs. A larva will go through three stages before becoming an adult.
Fleas are usually found on animals like cats and dogs, where they feed off of the blood leaving behind a small, dark spot. Ticks are found on the ground and attach to a host animal or human, where they feed off of the host’s blood and can cause anemia. Ticks also have a similar life cycle to that of fleas.
The difficult part is determining which stage of a tick your pet has because there are three different phases in the life of ticks: larva, nymph, and adult.
If a tick has not yet developed its full head of teeth in adulthood, it will be considered a larva; if it has fully developed teeth that can penetrate the skin, then it’s considered an adult. A nymph is similar to an adult but without sexually mature genitalia.
Identifying fleas and ticks can be difficult. They are nearly impossible to see with the naked eye, as they’re small and generally extremely well-hidden. However, you can use a magnifying lens or hand lens to look at them more closely.
Fleas also have an obvious dark spot that is shaped like a “Y.” Ticks will have either one or two spots on their body near the base of their back legs that are darker than other areas of the tick’s body; these are called “claws.” The size of the flea or tick will also indicate whether it’s a large adult or an immature nymph.
They can be found on pets’ underbelly, between their toes, as well as on their fur and skin, but they aren’t always easy to spot. Using a tick comb may also be helpful in identifying these pests.
Another common way is to try and visually identify them, but if you’re looking for a more reliable way to detect parasites, pass your hand over your pet’s body and see if there are any “engorged” ticks on their coat or legs.
When is flea and tick season?
Fleas and ticks are small, fast-moving ectoparasites that can cause a lot of discomforts. They live on your pet or in the wild, but they will also be present around where you live. However, the fact is that there is no particular season that ticks and fleas become exceptionally active in.
Therefore, in order to avoid these pests year-round, it’s best to know your surroundings from where they are coming up so that you can take steps to protect your pet and yourself from them accordingly.
How to remove fleas from your pet?
If you are going to find fleas on your animal, the best way is by using a flea comb. Simply brush or comb them across the skin and use it to collect any eggs and bring them away for a diagnosis of flea infestation.
Further, vacuuming your home will remove any eggs or larvae that may be present on bedding or furniture. For more severe infestations, you should call professional exterminators for assistance because these parasites require specialized care and treatment methods outside of what you might find at a local drug store’s selection.
It’s important to remember that fleas won’t be removed from your home or pets unless they’re disposed of properly. Make sure to dispose of the contents in a secure trash can outdoors. Otherwise, they could jump back into your home.
Most importantly, the best way to remove ticks is to simply prevent them from latching on to your pet in the first place. Inspecting your pet’s fur on a regular basis can help you be aware of any fleas in it.
How to remove ticks from your pet?
Removing ticks from your dog is not as simple as grabbing a product and applying it. The process has some steps, but you can do most identification and spotting work with a hairdryer if you’re careful. Simply blow the hairdryer against the direction of your pet’s fur and keep a watch for these parasites on its skin.
If ticks are in hard-to-reach areas, it is best to take your pet to the vet for professional removal. It will reduce the risk of injury and discomfort for you or your animal.
You’ll first want to identify the ticks on your body. If you believe it’s safe for you to remove them yourself without causing harm, then use fingernail clippers or small scissors to grab hold of an edge at each end of its mouthparts as close as possible so that it won’t be able to bite back while removing them from your skin with tweezers. Make sure to use a disinfectant on your skin after you remove the ticks.
After making sure your pet is comfortable, you should try to part your pet’s hair with your fingers so that the tick can clearly be seen. The next step is to grasp it firmly and pull it up as you would any other piece of clothing or carpeting.
To remove a tick, simply pinch its head between two fingers or tweezers for about 20 seconds until it starts moving around in an attempt to get away from pressure on its body.
When this happens, take hold of one side while pulling gently in a downward direction at right angles to the tick’s body. Then, pull up with force, and it should come out easily.
Once you have taken the tick off your pet’s skin, be sure to clean the bitten area on your pet’s skin and your hands with rubbing alcohol or another pet-safe cleaning agent. Make sure that you thoroughly wash off any chemicals, as well as watch out for tick bites in other areas of your body, like your scalp.
The tick should be killed using bleach or rubbing alcohol, and then you should dispose of it off in a manner that your pet can’t eat it or reach it in any manner.
Tips to prevent ticks and fleas in your home and on your pets
Prevention is definitely better than cure when it comes to dealing with ticks and fleas. Therefore, here are some convenient tips to help you prevent ticks from infesting your pet’s fur or your surroundings!
You must eliminate fleas and ticks from your property to avoid them. You can remove their habitats with natural methods like burning leaves or removing brush, but these are not a long-term solution.
For best results, you should use chemical treatments like Lysol regularly on the areas where fleas live, including lawns and gardens, as well as other places outdoors, such as pet bedding areas.
Nonetheless, it’s still important to remember that there are some things you can do at home on your own to help control and regulate tick or flea infestations. A great way is by placing indoor traps in your home and removing them when they’re full.
It also helps create a healthy and parasite-free environment for pets as well as humans, so be sure to get rid of any ticks, fleas, or any other parasites before bringing new animals into the house!
If you’re grooming your dog regularly, you’ll be alerted early if there is flea dirt or just regular dirt from playtime in the yard. If a tick gets on your pet and it’s not yet attached, gently remove it without squeezing it with tweezers by using an ear pick or cotton ball dipped in alcohol.
Regularly check the bedding for any signs of a tick or flea problem.
The most common flea and tick-borne diseases are Lyme, so consider giving your pet vaccination for these diseases. The vaccine will protect them from such infections in the future.
Always talk with your veterinarian about the best flea and tick treatment options for your pet. There are a large number of ways to prevent or treat these parasites but always consult with them before making any decisions.