Best flea treatment for dogs

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Fleas are a huge problem for animal owners. What we can do to prevent flea infestation and how does one get rid of these insects?

First of all, let's see what we know about fleas.

A flea is an insect which sucks blood. It can carry many diseases (eg. Typhus) or parasites (eg. Tapeworms). Fleas usually feed on an animal host. Female fleas can lay up to 200 eggs a day. The flea lifespan lasts from one to three months.

There are many methods of proving possible flea invasion. For example, the so-called flea comb will help you determine if your dog has fleas. These combs are an excellent way to both confirm flea presence and, at the same time, get rid of these pesky insects.

Flea treatment for dogs

If you have a dog that seems to be suffering from flea infestation - be quick. The sooner you rid your dog of fleas, the better, both for you and for your pet. In this article you will find everything you need to know to combat these parasites. 

SYMPTOMS

If your dog scratches itself excessively, bites its rear, tail end or thighs, loses hair, has skin lesions and/or red bumps and, on top of that, you find flea excrement (tiny black fecal matter; if you add water to it and smear it using toilet paper it gets red in colour) - there's a pretty good chance that your dog has been infested with fleas. Don't hesitate to act; flea infestation may have a bad influence on the health of your pet. Apart from the obvious discomfort, many animals suffer from FAD, i. e., Flea Allergic Dermatitis, which can be tough on your dog.

TREATMENT

How do you get about treating your pet, then? Well, first and foremost, remember that chemicals are the last resort.

Best flea treatment for cats

Getting rid of fleas

Many wonder what the big problem about the flea removal is. After all, once you realise there are fleas in your house and on your dog, you just buy some nice flea bomb and use it, wash your dog in some anti-flea shampoo and the problem's done with.

Well, don't be so hasty. If you act this way, you are quite sure to have your house and pet re-infested with these pesky creatures. Why?

Firstly, you did not make sure you actually got rid of all the fleas, both the adult ones and the larvae. Fleas have different developmental stages and therefore different substances are needed to kill adult fleas and, say, eggs. Even if you wipe out all the adult fleas in your house, fleas will soon reappear.

First and foremost, make sure you get rid of all the flea eggs. This you will achieve by thoroughly washing carpets and bedding with a strong detergent and vacuuming the entire house. Also, try to dehumidify your house, eg. by turning on air conditioning. To kill larvae, you could wash carpets with an insecticide, or have them steam-washed.

How to get rid of fleas in your house

Once you have got rid of the fleas on your dog, then the time is come to rid your house of them. Don't underestimate this stage of the flea removal process. After all, if you fail to clear your surroundings of these insects, they are bound to strike back and you will have to start the whole flea treatment from scratch.

Step 1. Wash everything your pet likes to sleep on and/or spend time regularly. This includes bedding as well as rugs, the throw on the sofa, bathroom rug etc. If these objects are past the power of the washing machine (e.g. are full of accumulated dirt inside, where fleas happily reproduce), just throw them away.

Step 2.  Use sprays containing insect growth regulator (IGR) (eg. methoprene or pyriproxyfen), which will prevent the larvae from developing into full-grown blood-thirsty fleas. Room foggers will not be as effective as sprays unless they contain IGR.

Fleas on dogs

The question: “Does my dog have fleas?” has been asked millions of times. Indeed, flea infestation raises a lot of questions. Firstly, how does one figure out that the animal has fleas? Secondly, how does one get about exterminating fleas? And finally: what should be done to ensure that these pesky insects will never come back to haunt us? Well, to find the answers to these questions, just read on.

The species of flea that, as a dog owner, you are most likely to face is the so-called dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis. It feeds on dog and cat blood, though sometimes bites humans, too. Its life cycle consists of 4 stages, whose lengths may differ, depending on the temperature. The cooler it is, the longer it takes for the flea to develop; that is why you most often discover fleas on your pet in the summer.

Natural flea treatment for dogs

To start with, give your dog a nice bath in a delicate shampoo. Hygiene at this stage is vital, so make sure your dog is washed once a week. You should equip yourself with a special flea comb (a fine toothed one) and comb your pet regularly. It is advisable that you apply petroleum jelly to it so that fleas will stick to the substance on the comb. To see how many fleas are pestering your dog, place the animal on a light-coloured piece of cloth and you will have the dubious pleasure of seeing the fleas falling out of the animal's fur. Sometimes, it is also advisable to use a cotton ball dipped in alcohol and dab it on your pet's body before combing. Fleas and bugs are repelled by several smells and tastes, such as: cider vinegar, lavender, lemongrass, peppermint or citronella, so we advise you to use these oils regularly.