So, yes, your dog can most certainly get fleas from the grass around your home, in the park, and virtually anywhere that other animals frequent.
Your backyard can be the gateway to bringing fleas inside the house, either via dogs or cats who spend time outside, or on your own shoes and clothing (meaning even indoor cats are at risk). So limiting fleas' ability to infest your yard is a great first step to helping keep them away from your pet and in your house.
Your dog will most likely pick up fleas outside during contact with other animals, be they pets or wildlife. Dogs are sociable creatures, and fleas can jump from the pup they met in the park to your pooch or even from other pets. Dogs love to investigate open spaces where wild animals carrying fleas are also present.
Your lawn and yard can act as a breeding ground for fleas, which can then hitch a ride on your pet (or you) and be brought inside to wreak havoc in your home. Fleas are no small problem, either: They can lay up to 50 eggs a day, and their bites can cause sores and rashes.
In addition to using a safe and effective flea control product on your pet, do simple things like washing pet bedding, keeping the yard clear, and keeping the grass short to get rid of fleas.
An oral fast-acting tablet that contains Nitenpyram is the safest way to kill fleas on dogs instantly. You can also bathe your dog in hot soapy water with Dawn to kill adult fleas, but this is not a good long-term solution.
In order to get rid of fleas in all stages of the life cycle, two or more follow-up treatments within 5-10 days after the first application are needed. Additionally, vacuuming and sanitation practices should be ongoing throughout this period to pick up all remaining eggs and juvenile fleas.
If wild animals such as raccoons, porcupines, rats, and mice access your yard, they might bring the fleas and leave the eggs or mature insects on the grass. Also, if your neighbor's backyard has grass infested with fleas, these pests might climb over in search of new hosts.
Just spread a thin coat of diatomaceous earth all over your lawn. Diatomaceous earth, or DE, as it's more commonly called, is one of the most effective insect killers in the world. It's non-toxic and kills fleas quickly and effectively. Additionally, fleas also cannot develop an immunity to diatomaceous earth.
Look for tiny, dark insects that are smaller than ants. Your dog's armpit and groin areas are favorite flea hangouts because they tend to be warm and protected.
I've Got Fleas – Won't They Just Go Away? Unfortunately, no, they won't. Most fleas can live for between two and three weeks on a host organism, but some flea eggs can survive unhatched for up to an entire year. So even if the fleas you have are dying off, there will be plenty of eggs left to replace them.
Fleas often gather at the neck and shoulder blades of your pets. The base of the tail and along the back of the legs is a favorite hangout for them, too. Those are also places animals will bite to get to the fleas. That can take its toll on a pet's coat.
Spray your home with a flea spray
To help treat the infestation, a household flea spray can be used. Every room in the house should be treated following manufacturer's instructions.
Trouble for owners: Fleas also bite humans, leaving a red spot that's incredibly itchy. Even worse, people can become infected with potentially serious bacterial diseases via flea bites, or through contact with flea faeces when they touch a flea-infested pet.
A dog infested with fleas can easily transmit them into your home, by depositing eggs that then hatch larvae that turn into adult fleas.
Symptoms of Fleas on Dogs
Your dog may have hair loss or “hair barbering” (when the hair is chewed off leaving stiff or rough ends), changes in its coat color due to chronic licking or chewing, crusts, scales, redness, and “hot spots” (moist, ulcerative, and often inflamed lesions that appear suddenly).
When it has a host, an adult flea can live about 100 days. But how long can they live without a host? Those fleas typically live only one to two weeks. The entire lifespan of a flea, from egg to adulthood, can last a few weeks or even a few months.
Cedar. Fleas are naturally repelled by the smell of cedar, making it an effective homemade flea killer for yard application. Spread cedar chips around the perimeter of your yard and in areas where you have detected fleas for the best results.
There is mixed information in terms of whether fleas live in the grass, but most researchers agree that fleas do prefer outdoor areas that are shady, moist, and humid. When these conditions are right, fleas are thought to be able to thrive in a lawn.
Fleas generally cannot live in human hair. While most species prefer to live on the furs of animals, they can use humans as temporary vectors. In such cases, fleas can infest and bite humans. You may get infected if there is a serious case of flea infestation in your environment.
CAPSTAR® (nitenpyram) starts killing fleas within 30 minutes to give your pet quick relief.
If your pet has fleas, they could potentially get them into your bed. Fleas are carriers of parasites that can cause diseases in people such as Cat Scratch Disease, Tularemia, and Murine Typhus. Fleas can cause flea allergy dermatitis and anemia in our pets and can transmit tapeworms and other diseases.
You shouldn't need to use flea shampoo unless your dog has an active flea infestation. But if that's the case, you can wash your dog 1-2 times a week, but not long term.
Treated fleas become more active before they die – making them more visible. Solving a flea problem can be much more difficult than many people expect. In the case of a severe flea infestation it can take several months of diligent treatment of both your animals and your home to get on top of the problem.