It’s a brand new year! That makes this the perfect time to vow to make sure your pets stay pest-free in 2021. There are several things you can do to ensure your animal friend doesn’t fall victim to creepy-crawlies like fleas, ticks, and parasitic worms. These disgusting hitchhikers can sideline your pet’s health in no time at all. Keep up with these pest-control measures all year round, and your cute pet will have nothing to worry about. 

Use Preventative Medications

Veterinarians recommend keeping your four-legged buddy on a year-round heartworm preventative and a flea-and-tick preventative. These simple measures should protect your animal companion from things like fleas, ticks, and worms. If your pet isn’t already set up with these preventatives, get in touch with your vet immediately.

Groom Your Pet Regularly

Taking the time to groom your pet on a regular basis is actually a great way to check their coat and skin for fleas and ticks. Even if your pet has short, thin fur that doesn’t need much grooming, you can run a flea comb through their hair to check for tiny brown or black specks. (Aka flea dirt.) If you find anything, call your vet’s office to find out how to proceed.

Seal the Gaps

Use a good spray sealant foam to block off any small holes or cracks in your home’s siding or foundation. Pests can easily slip in through these openings and latch on to unsuspecting pets inside. You’ll also enjoy better insulation! 

Tend to the Landscaping

Pests lurk in dense brush and tall, unkempt grasses because these areas give them places to hide. Go around your house and trim back thick shrubberies and lengthy grasses. You don’t want to inadvertently give pests a home! It’s especially important if this vegetation is touching your home itself, perhaps near a window—you might be giving outdoor pests an open invitation into your house!

Keep Things Clean

Keeping things clean, both indoors and outside, will also help. Vacuum and disinfect inside your home regularly and be sure to toss your pet’s bedding in the washing machine very now and then. Outdoors, get rid of any garbage, leftover food, or debris that could attract pests. Remove any sources of standing water—empty flower pots, birdfeeders, old tires—that mosquitoes could use as nurseries.

Does your pet need pest-control medications? Want to learn more about keeping your four-legged friend safe and sound? Call your local vet’s office to speak with the professionals.