Summer is over but you definitely still need to worry about fleas! Flea Facts – #Seresto

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This post is sponsored by Bayer / Seresto and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the Seresto product, but Mom Knows It All only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Bayer / Seresto is not responsible for the content of this article.

Please excuse the picture above, I look pretty frightful in it. I was dressed pretty casually as I’d taken Dobby to the vet that morning for a checkup. I had figured there wasn’t much of a point getting fully “dressed” since we were going to the vet and sometimes that just isn’t the best time. While there the vet took bloodwork and a stool sample. We discussed heartworm disease, and had the test done for that. At the end of the exam the last thing the vet inquired about was flea treatments.  As she started to explain the options I showed her that Dobby had a Seresto collar. She said that she felt that was quite sufficient protection and was glad we were being proactive about flea and tick prevention. During the vet’s exam she found no fleas on him. That made me very happy, as he’s been wearing a Seresto collar for about three months now. I hadn’t seen any fleas but it felt good to hear the vet say she didn’t see any either.

Why is it important to worry about fleas, meaning why must we kill them and prevent them? There are many reasons to worry about fleas, some of them more well known then others. I shared three with you back in July – they’re mean (number of bites), they’re never alone (number of eggs) and they bring gifts (bites).
Take a look at my silly puppy Dobby, for example. This is not just his house. This is his home. We have no problems at all letting him sit or lay on furniture. That’s just how we are. And the fact that he often lies upside down is just how he is.  Fleas don’t live only on pets, fleas can live in furniture.

This dog loves to stick his head (and sometimes part of his body) under blankets and covers. He also frequently sleeps in our bed. Fleas can live in blankets, bedding, and other cloth materials. I don’t want fleas in my bed, they’d be biting both Dobby and us! No thanks!
So you’ve got a collar on your pet. That’s the first step. What’s the second? Frequent cleaning! Why? Once you get fleas they’re hard to kill. Fleas can even be dormant for a long period of time! Aside from preventing fleas on your pet, cleaning is an excellent weapon against fleas. For bedding, do your laundry! There’s no stage of a flea’s lifecycle that can survive laundry. And, get a good vacuum or steam cleaner. Vacuum daily and be sure to empty the canister or bag. Steam clean when possible.
There’s one more interesting fact I have to share with you. Dogs can have cat fleas! There are more than 2,000 known species and subspecies of fleas. That’s a lot of fleas! One type, the cat flea, accounts for most of the dog and cat flea cases found in the U.S..
The Seresto collar is available in three sizes – cat, small dog and large dog. It’s a waterproof collar that is designed to protect you pet for up to eight months. Not only does the Seresto collar fight and prevent fleas, it also repels and kills ticks, which may also carry organisms that cause Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Pet owners that join the PetParents.com pet community (it’s free) are currently able to  get a $20 rebate on Seresto. That’s a nice deal! Hurry on over and get it, because it won’t last forever!

Do you worry about fleas?