If you see your dog scratching too much, chances are he is infested.
Fleas are irritant for dogs and owners alike. In fact, these blood-sucking parasites are a nuisance that your pooch wants to get rid of. Worst still, fleas can lay eggs and swarm your furniture, carpets, rugs, and wardrobe. So you want to get rid of these unwelcome guests and provide your pet with some relief with the most effective flea treatment for dogs. But what is the right way to eliminate these unwelcome freeloaders? What kills fleas on dogs instantly?
Clean the Home and Yard for Flea Prevention
While you are looking for an effective dog flea treatment, you may also want to treat your home in order to prevent any further infestation. Depending on the severity of infestation, deep cleaning is necessary to kill flea eggs and larvae. When your home is infested with flea, it is only 5 percent adult fleas that attack pets while the remaining population comprises fleas in various stages of their life cycle.
It is a good idea to vacuum your carpets. In addition to this, clean the bedding of your pet. Do not forget to clean any chairs with padding as part of your flea treatment project.
A flea collar is equally effective in keeping your pet’s flea protection constant. This is especially true if you want to avoid any spray or shampoo on your dog. You may make a collar or bandanna at home with a few drops of essential oil diluted in water. For pets under 12 weeks, a homemade natural flea spray is an effective way to prevent flea infestation.
How to Identify Fleas and Ticks
If you see your dog scratching too much, chances are he is infested. Fleas and ticks can be a nuisance, and you want to choose an effective flea medicine. A flea infestation means your dog becomes the home and food source for these critters. Unless it is killed, it will remain feeding on your pet and produce eggs, causing:
- Scabs and scales
- Rashes and red skin on the neck, belly
- Inflammation and irritation
- Skin irritation and infection
- Transmission of disease to humans
If left untreated, fleas can become a potential health problem for your pet, feeding on their blood. Fleas may be red or brown in color. If you spot any black specks of debris under their hair, these are likely flea feces or flea dirt. A moving speck is a flea.
Oral and Topical Flea Control
When you are looking for the most effective ways to kill fleas and ticks, you can try out these tips. If you are looking for a fast acting flea and tick prevention solution at home, you could try flea sprays. Pet-specific sprays are applied to the dog’s hair coat root. When fleas come into contact with the insecticide, they are killed immediately.
Flea shampoos
If your dog has fleas, a special flea-killing shampoo containing an insecticide can help get rid of them. There are plenty of dog flea and tick shampoo options available on the market with a range of ingredients.
However, you should look for a nontoxic dog shampoo for a small puppy. Additionally, it is important to determine if your pet can withstand being wet and lathered for five to 10 minutes. This period of warm bathing should kill fleas. Use a dog comb to remove dead fleas from their coat.
However, the only drawback with flea shampoos is that they do not help with flea prevention in the future, though they work as one of the best flea treatments for dogs.
If you want to choose a gentle shampoo for your beloved pet, read the labels carefully and pick the one with oatmeal, calendula, or aloe vera. Bathe your dog with this shampoo once in one or two weeks. Do not forget to rinse clean their bedding too for effective flea control.
Essential oils
If you are still considering what is the best way to keep fleas off your dog, then you might want to try out chemical-free essential oils. You can make your own natural flea repellent by diluting a few drops of essential oils in a cup of water and spray on your pet. Eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint, and citronella all work effectively to kill fleas and ticks.
Flea pills
Talking of oral flea treatment, you can give your pet a B-complex vitamin pill to supplement their diet and improve the health of their coat.
Besides, black walnut capsules work as an excellent way to repel fleas and ticks. The dosage depends on the bodyweight of the pet. You can divide the dosage all through the week.
Why is Flea and Tick Prevention Important
Your first line of defense against flea infestation is keeping your pet and home clean. Running a flea comb regularly throughout your dog’s coat is one way to spot any early signs of infestation and nip them in the bud.
You also want to watch out for signs of “flea dirt,” which is in the form of little black specks on a dog’s belly. The flea dirt could be spotted around the dog’s tail too. When it comes to flea prevention, you want to make sure you vacuum the home and yard by spraying flea and tick insecticides to keep any potential flea infestations at bay.
For an old dog, it might help to use a flea prevention medication so that there is no future risk of infestation for your pooch.
While you are working to repel fleas from your pet, it is equally important to take steps to ensure that this does not happen again. Fleas are not only uncomfortable for your pet, they are the leading cause of tapeworm in pets. Fleas carry the egg and larvae laid down by tapeworm. Besides, ticks are responsible for transmitting serious health problems and infections. This includes Lyme disease.
Spot-On Treatment
It would help to consult with your veterinarian about a fast acting flea medication for your dog. This is even more important if your pet is pregnant or nursing.
Your dog’s veterinarian can help identify the most effective treatment to repel fleas and keep them at bay so you can enjoy peace of mind that your fur baby is safe and secure.
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