Have fleas gotten in the flea caravan and moved in when you weren’t looking? Is your dog scratching relentlessly and showing bumps and “dirt” on his belly? Even worse, is the rest of the family waking up with large, red itchy bumps around their ankles and legs in the morning? Kids especially seem to be susceptible to the bites of those wayward fleas that aren’t busy tormenting your dog.

It isn’t pleasant, thinking about what happens when fleas move in. Just one flea can produce 50 eggs in a day, and thousands over her lifetime. They don’t die, either, when their food supply is removed. You could seal off the rooms and move the whole family — including the dog — out of the house for years, but when you returned, those fleas would come out the protective shell they used to hibernate, and start right up again with the snacking.

That doesn’t mean that you’re helpless, though. You can break the lifecycle, as long as you’re patient and willing to educate yourself. To be really successful at eradicating fleas, you’ll want to take control in every front you can.

First of all, you’ll want to buy a high quality internal insecticide for dogs, commonly known as a “systemic.” It’s almost impossible to get rid of fleas unless you make sure that the adults infesting your dog will meet their demise. Many anti-flea systemics include an ingredient called pyrethrin, derived from chrysanthemums, which attacks the flea’s nervous system. Examples of widely used pyrethrin-based systemics include Frontline and Revolution.

You’ll want to be extremely careful, though, in applying these products. Although they’re safe for most dogs, they can be extremely toxic to cats. You don’t want children exposed to them, either. In fact, many vets prefer and recommend “second-generation” flea products that are widely considered less toxic, but are only available through vets.

After that, you’ll want to focus on controlling the environment, which is where most of your fleas live. Traps can be helpful, and they can range from inexpensive commercial flea traps to a simple dish of soapy water under a night light. Another effective strategy is to sprinkle affected carpet and furniture with diatomaceous earth, a natural and non-toxic substance that kills the fleas by drying them out. Although diatomaceous earth is ideal, borax powder also work in a pinch, and is still fairly safe.

Although these tips should get you started, there are many more tactics you can take in the war against fleas. Do some more online research, and you’re bound to find the best solution for your dog and your family. I guarantee that both will thank you when they start to feel that blessed relief from nighttime sneak attacks and belly bites.