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Did you know that for every ten fleas you see on your pet there could be 25,000 flea eggs in your house? Battling fleas may seem like an impossible war, but with the right products and information you can get rid of them once and for all.

Fleas go through four stages as they grow: eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. Only the adult stage flea may be found on your pet, and the victims are usually dogs or cats. The others live in carpeting, on furniture, in the yard or at any other place that you pet has access to. To win against fleas you must attack them at all of their four stages.

Fortunately, there are many over-the-counter, easy-to-use flea and tick control products available at your local pet store to help you win the war against fleas. We will list two examples for your reference below. Most of these flea control products will also control ticks.

First, there are several  good spot-on topical flea killer and repellents from companies like Bayer and Zodiac. One spot application on your dog’s or cat’s back will combat fleas for up to three months. This product uses the natural oils in your pet’s coat to repel and attack fleas, and the flea does not have to bite your pet to be affected.

This product works well enough and fast enough for light to moderate flea infestation problems, when you probably do not want to or need to spray/treat your entire house or yard. Simply treat your pets. Fleas jump on pets, fleas die.

Next, the Adams Company makes a carpet and furniture spray which kills fleas in all their four stages from egg to adult. Just one good application can destroy the entire flea population in your home. There is also Adam’s yard spray, which is usually used around your dog’s kennel area to prevent the dog from bringing fleas back home from outside. This product is good if you have moderate to heavy flea infestation.

It is important to thoroughly and carefully read the labels, directions, and warnings on your flea/tick control product. You may need to consult with your local pet store and your veterinarian before using the product on your pet, especially if your pet is very young, elderly, pregnant, sick, or known to have a lot of allergies. Also make sure never to use flea and tick products designed for dogs on your cat, or vice-versa.

There are also some alternatives or supplements to the above pesticide products for controlling fleas and ticks:

• Comb your pet regularly with a flea comb
• Vacuum frequently and dispose of the bags immediately after use
• Mow areas of the lawn where your dog spends time
• Wash pet bedding and your pet regularly, say weekly
• Try to keep indoor cats and dogs in the house at all times

Protecting your pet (and your home) from fleas and ticks is an important part of responsible pet keeping.

Excessive shedding in dogs and cats is such a common thing that most people generally consider it normal for their pet to constantly shed and leave a trail of hair everywhere they go. In reality, excessive shedding is not normal and can lead to a number of problems if not treated. Fortunately, there are also simple solutions to treat and prevent excessive shedding.

First of all, let us see exactly what shedding is. Almost all dogs will shed some hair normally and naturally. Shedding is affected by, and may also be triggered by, weather changes, stress, and sometimes diet and care. Some breeds will tend to shed more than others.

Shedding caused by changes in the weather is considered normal and accounts for most shedding. Normally, most dog breeds will develop a thicker coat during the winter months, then shed that winter coat in the upcoming spring or summer months, just like many animals in the wild do. However, the shedding is excessive and unnatural if your dog is shedding year-round! Healthy coats should be tight and shiny, and fur should not fall out easily.

Now, why exactly is excessive shedding bad? In dogs, excessive shedding often leads to physically unpleasant results such as matted and tangled hair, visible hair loss such as bald spots, and a dull coat. Sometimes, if severe excessive shedding is left untreated, it can also lead to certain skin problems and disorders such as dry, itchy or flaky skin, smelly skin, dermatitis, and rashes.

Excessive shedding also causes problems for the dog owner. Owners of excessively shedding dogs often have their hands filled with messy hair every time they pet their dog, and their homes tend to be covered with a fine coat of dog hair year-round.

Most of the problems above encountered by dogs can also occur in cats. There is, however, one additional problem unique to cats with excessive shedding – hairballs.

If the cat has excessive amounts of hair to shed, it will want to lick the excess hair off. This hair then usually gets into the cat’s stomach or throat, resulting in a retching cat that coughs up smelly, sticky hairballs. So, how do you prevent or get rid of excessive shedding and hairballs, and the unpleasant problems that can result for both owner and pet?

First, one of the nicest things you can do for your cat or dog is to brush or comb its fur on a regular basis using a pet rake or slicker brush. This is helpful if you want to keep excess hair and matting from bothering you and your pet. A bonus advantage is that most pets also enjoy being brushed. Regular brushing , up to once-a-day, is good for the hair coat and will remove those hairs that would normally fall out.

It is certainly better and easier to have the hairs come out on the brush than around the house. If you bath your pet, do not use human shampoos because they can cause hypersensitivity reactions that include excessive shedding. Bathing too frequently can also dry out the hair coat and cause excessive shedding, so do not bath your pet too often.

Secondly, as mentioned earlier, diet is very important to the health of your pet’s skin and hair, and is a factor that can affect shedding.

Always make sure that you feed your pet a complete and balanced diet. Some companies provide special pet products that you can add to your pet’s food to help prevent excess shedding. Allen’s Shed-Stop and Lambert Kay Shed Relief are just two of these helpful products. Science Diet, Nutro, and Iams pet food companies also make foods to help the skin and coat of dogs and foods to help with hairballs and shedding in cats.

As you can see, proper nutrition and a bit of regular hair care can turn a constantly shedding coat into a tight, shiny coat that will not fill your hand with messy hair every time you pet your cat or dog. You will also have less mess and hair around your home, and you will have a happier and healthier pet!