How to Get Rid of Fleas & Worms

Fleas and worms can damage the health of your pet.

Fleas and worms are a nuisance to both animals and humans. Both pests need a host, whether it be a human or animal, to successfully thrive and survive. If not removed from your pet and property in a timely manner, fleas and worms can wreak havoc on your health and the health of your pet. Treating your pet, home and outdoor environment for fleas and worms is necessary to permanently get rid of the pests.

Things You'll Need

• Flea and tick shampoo
• Flea collar
• Vacuum cleaner
• Insecticide containing pyrethrins
• Plastic bags
• Protective gloves
• Dewormer medicine

Instructions

1. Bathe your pet with a proven flea and tick removal shampoo. Lather the shampoo onto your pet and let it soak into your pet's fur and skin for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse your pet thoroughly with water. Bathe your pet on a weekly to bi-weekly basis with the flea and tick shampoo to prevent the fleas from reattaching themselves to your pet.

2. Put a flea collar on your pet to help keep fleas at bay. Change the flea collar on a monthly basis to ensure lasting success.

3. Clean your carpet and pet's bedding thoroughly. Fleas regularly lay eggs in carpet and pet bedding. A single female flea can lay up to 800 eggs in five months, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Vacuum your entire house thoroughly and place the vacuum bag into a secure garbage can to prevent any fleas from escaping and re-infesting your carpet and pet's bedding.

4. Treat your yard for fleas. Spray an insecticide containing pyrethrins, a natural insecticide, onto your lawn. Spray the insecticide in all cool, shady areas in your yard and in areas where your pet is most active, to kill all fleas residing outdoors.

5. Bag a sample of your pet's feces and take it, along with your pet, to your veterinarian to determine what type of worm your pet's infested with. According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, the tapeworm, roundworm, hookworm and the whipworm are the most prolific worms that infect animals.

6. Treat your pet with an over-the-counter or vet-prescribed dewormer. Follow all label directions thoroughly to prevent accidentally giving your pet too much or not enough medicine to get rid of the worms.

7. Remove your pet's feces from your yard on a daily basis to prevent others or yourself from contracting any worms still remaining in your pet's stool. Place the feces in a plastic bag and put it into a secure garbage can.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear protective gloves when placing a sample of your pet's stool into the plastic bag.

• Giving your pet too much of the dewormer medicine could cause your pet to suffer and die as a result.

References

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Prevent Fleas Now
• Companion Animal Parasite Council: People, Pets and Parasites