When you have a dog, it’s not just about playing with it and giving it food; there’s a lot more to it than that. You must maintain its health by bathing and grooming it regularly. Here are some suggestions for keeping your dog flea-free.
What Are Fleas?
Fleas are a frequent parasitic infestation. They feed on the blood of animals by nesting in their fur and biting onto their skin. They also reproduce swiftly; in fact, an adult female flea can lay up to 2,000 eggs in her lifespan! This means that if a flea gets onto your dog’s fur and your dog isn’t covered, you may have an infestation of fleas in your house in no time. Fleas lay eggs when they’re snuggled up to your dog.
The eggs slide off your dog’s coat as they roam around the house. Flea eggs can live in carpets and under furniture for a long time. They’ll go from eggs to larvae, pupae, and ultimately fully developed adult fleas as part of their natural life cycle. Only around 5% of the fleas on your dog will be present during an infestation; the remainder will be found elsewhere in your home.
A flea infestation can easily spiral out of control if the life cycle is not disrupted. Thus we would not advise you to bring the dog where you live, especially if you are not keeping track of whether they have some bugs on them.
How To Protect Your Dog from Them
Thankfully, keeping your dog flea-free is simple. Flea treatments are available in a variety of formats, including collars, spot-on solutions, and tablets. Consult your veterinarian about the best preventative flea treatment for your dog.
Shampoo
Giving your dog a flea bath with a medicated flea shampoo can be a cost-effective (albeit time-consuming) way to safeguard your dog all year. Because most dogs love to roam around, and many times they come home smelly and dirty, then you should clean them because you need to take care of your dog’s hygiene. There are many shampoos for smelly dogs that you can utilize before you decide to wash them with a flea shampoo. Many flea shampoos kill fleas on contact and keep them from coming back.
The best flea shampoos for dogs not only kill adult fleas during bathing but also prevent flea eggs and larvae from developing. To soothe sensitive skin, several of these shampoos include components like oatmeal or aloe. Because the beneficial chemicals don’t stay as long as a topical or oral drug, you may need to give your dog a flea bath every one to two weeks.
Before you give your furry friend a bath, you might need to trim their fur to ensure that the shampoo reaches their skin. Be sure to only use the best dog grooming scissors for this purpose, to avoid damaging your pup’s coat. Once you have the fur trimmed, you can go ahead and give your pup a bath with a flea shampoo, making sure to cover every area of their body, avoiding their eyes and ears.
Collars
Even though there are many various flea treatments for dogs, collars are still a popular choice among dog owners. In the fight against fleas and ticks, dog flea collars can be effective as a preventative strategy. They aren’t, however, appropriate for every pet in every circumstance.
Flea and tick collars for dogs can be a very useful tool at times, especially for pets who spend a lot of time outside. They aren’t the best form of protection on their own, but they can help when combined with other flea control products, especially in places where parasites are prevalent. Adverse medication interactions are possible with any insecticidal product, however, they are uncommon.
Flea and tick collars are becoming safer and more advanced in their ability to protect your pet from these bothersome parasites. Flea collar technology has advanced to the point where they are no longer the same as when they were initially introduced. Premium collars can give longer-lasting flea prevention and are more convenient for owners’ lifestyles.
Pills
Flea pills are oral insecticides used to treat, prevent, and control flea infestations in dogs. There are several different types of flea medications that veterinarians regularly prescribe. Each one contains a distinct active chemical ingredient that works against fleas differently.
Some flea pills kill adult fleas, while others kill larvae and prevent fleas from laying eggs. For successful flea management, make sure you read the label carefully and speak with your veterinarian about which portion of the flea life cycle the pill targets.
How to Know When Your Dog Has Fleas?
It’s also conceivable that your dog has fleas and you are completely unaware of it – especially if they have thick or dark fur.
Fleas can be identified by the following symptoms:
- Chewing, biting, or licking their fur
- Hair loss
- Restless behavior
- Sores on their skin
- Excessive grooming
You, as the dog’s owner, must provide adequate care and make your dog’s life as joyful as possible. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to protect your dog from nearly any danger nowadays, and we hope we were able to show you some strategies to protect your dog from this parasite.