What To Do When your Dog Has Fleas?
When you find out your dog has fleas, things are suddenly not as peachy as they used to be.
Despite your efforts to keep the little parasites of your beloved canine they still managed to get through your defense systems. Don’t feel bad-it wasn’t your fault.
Call it nature, but somehow fleas have the canny ability to get to pets despite all odds. And all it takes is just a couple to start an all out infestation. Don’t panic.
The flea problem has been around for centuries. And with people’s creativity not to mention science there are a couple of neat ways that have been developed to cater for this specific problem.
So let’s get those fleas off your dog.
Treating your dog for fleas
Of course, the first step is eradicating those fleas riding on your dog.
First, because of health reasons, then due transmission reasons, and also because they make the dog really uncomfortable. You can opt for anything from sprays to dips, whichever is most convenient for you.
You can also go the natural way using flea killers such as vinegar and citrus spray.
If you’re going to buy a medicinal product, make sure you know what’s good for your dog so that any reactions can be avoided. If you’re not sure, you can always pay your local vet a visit.
Tablets and Topspots
Of late chewable tablets and Topspots have been becoming popular.
They are safe for both canine and human when it comes to application and they don’t involve much work.
Flea Shampoo Bath
There are shampoos available in the market for dealing with fleas.
Give your dog a nice bath using this shampoo. Some have the additional kick of working also on ticks and lice. But before you go doing so read the instructions carefully.
More so, find out how long the shampoo should stay n the dog before you rinse it off. And this is application medicine, so do not allow the dog to lick any of it up.
Prescription Medication
Sure there’s a flood of flea products in the market today but the new prescription products are quite impressive when it comes to eradicating the flea menace. So speak to your vet and get your hands on the best brand for your do.
These prescription medications are highly effective and with some you can even control the entire flea problem by only treating your dog.
Others not only kill the fleas but break their entire life cycle by destroying their eggs. And no eggs means no future flea descendants.
The Wash
Getting rid of the fleas n the dog isn’t enough. Chances are there some more of the parasites or their eggs, on the dogs bedding.
Get all that bedding and soak it in hot soapy water for at least 15 minutes. It’s a cheap fast easy process. Wash and rinse them, and let them dry.
What is the essence of this? It breaks down the way coating of the fleas. In other words, they’ll dehydrate and die.
Work on the Rest of the House
It’s as simple as picking up your vacuum cleaner and sucking all flea life out of every square inch surface of your home.
Do this either after you’ve cleaned out your dog or sent it outside so that none of the parasites jumps onto the area you’ve cleaned. Focus on areas that don’t get much sunlight (the fleas like those cool humid spots).
