Pets like cats, dogs, fish, and birds provide individuals with companionship, an unbreakable bond, and a sense of purpose in daily life. No wonder, 17.4 million, or 62% of households in the UK have at least one pet, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association. Having a pet is fulfilling, but keeping up with their well-being can be challenging.
As a pet owner, you also need to take responsibility to protect your pet from health risks, especially those caused by pests. Remember, even the smallest pests, like biting fleas on the floor, can make your pets sick. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to keep your pets free from pests. Below are a few healthy pest management tips every pet owner should know.
Familiarize Yourself with Common Pet Pests
Fleas are the most common pests found in furry animals like cats and dogs. These pests spread from one animal to another by jumping and feasting on the blood of their host. While fleas don’t seem dangerous, they can cause serious harm to your furry friends. Typically, fleas cause anemia, itching, restlessness, scabbing, and skin infections.
Meanwhile, ticks are other dangerous pests that harm dogs, rabbits, horses, and rabbits. Like fleas, ticks feast on blood and cause diseases, such as tick paralysis and Lyme disease. Loss of appetite, fever, limping, and painful and swollen joints are key symptoms of Lyme disease.
Pets with tick paralysis experience muscle weakness, poor coordination, and respiratory failure that leads to death. Other harmful pests pet owners should be cautious of include bees, mosquitoes, rats, ants, bedbugs, and lice.
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Keep Pet Habitats Clean
Note that your home can be infested with pests even if you only have one pet. That’s because pests get into homes in various ways. For example, squirrels, deer, rabbits, and other wild critters can bring fleas and ticks to your yard when searching for food. Pets that spend time outdoors in tall grasses or wooded areas are also susceptible to fleas and ticks.
If not prevented, these common pet pests can multiply and infest your entire home. With this in mind, keep your pet’s habitat clean. This is one of the most effective ways to protect pets from pests, and it entails washing your pets’ bedding, dishes, and cages.
Cleaning and changing pet beddings prevent stubborn pests, like bed bugs, ticks, fleas, and lice, from creating nests in animal habitats. Also, make it a habit to groom your pets, keep your yard clean, and stay up to date with home maintenance to prevent pets from hiding in cracks and broken pipes.
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Consider Professional Pest Control Services
Choosing pest control services is a safe option for preventative measures and responding to infestation. However, there are a few precautions you need to take to safeguard your pets’ health.
First, move your pets during treatment and keep them away from the treated area until it’s dry to prevent them from getting into close contact with pesticides. It is also crucial to keep your pets’ dishes, grooming supplies, and toys away from the treated area.
If you own a pet, you know how important it is to provide nutritious meals, and regular exercise, and give them love and affection. It’s also crucial to keep your pets free from pests like mites, lice, fleas, mosquitoes, ticks, and bedbugs that threaten their health. To enhance the overall well-being of your pets, make sure your pets’ habitat is clean, groom your pets, and consider professional pest control services.
