Act now to prevent fleas and ticks

While the woody and green areas are a welcome relief to concrete and urban sprawl, it may not be a relief to your pets.

While fleas and ticks can jump your pets anywhere, ticks favor wooded areas where you might to walk your canine.

But the cat, who lives indoors only, can just as well offer an unwilling host to nasty fleas. And if your cat and dog share a bed with mom or dad, or have a favorite chair, fleas will move in. Which means they will move in on you.

Consult your vet about flea and tick treatment, and if your budget is a factor, mention that. There are products on the shelf for flea treatments, but one may be more effective than another and be a better choice for your own special pet. Some may not be effective at all. Products available at the vet work well, involve no or little mess and are almost totally stress free to use since they are applied topically. If obtaining products through mail order, always consult a vet first. In some cases, animals will have to be tested for certain diseases, like heart worm, first. Heart worm affects both mostly dogs, but also cats and other animals.

Some flea treatment sold in pet stores may not even work. Follow directions carefully and remember more is not better. Pets can be injured when too much product is used. Take into account the size and age of the pet and be mindful that what helps one pet may not help another or may make a pet sick. So proceed with caution. Consulting a vet is best. The effectiveness of off-the-shelf flea shampoos is questioned by some and many people simply use a mild soap when bathing the pet. Be careful to wash your pet's neck and check its ears, too, as the fleas will jump for the highest ground.

People who do not believe in chemical treatments get rid of fleas do it the hard way: bathe the pet, wash and vacuum everywhere the pet has been. And comb and comb.

Once fleas and ticks settle in, they are difficult to get rid of, so it is best to prevent the problem now. If you have companion birds in your home, consult a vet first, as birds are very susceptible to chemical emissions released by sprays, cleaners and powders. Birds hide illness very well, so an owner won't necessarily know if a bird gets sick because of chemicals used to kill fleas.

Life is stressful enough in this day and age. A proactive approach to flea and tick treatment will substantially decrease the odds of a problem. It takes only a moment for fleas or ticks to jump aboard. It will take a lot longer to get rid of them. The investment in flea prevention now will pay off: your pets won't be itching and scratching – nor will you – and you won't be spending the beautiful spring days washing bedding and vacuuming carpets.